On completing this chapter you should be able to define these key concepts. You should also understand:
Part
5
Learning and Development
302
FIgure
23.1
Learning needs analysis – areas and methods
Corporate
Collective
Individual
Analysis of
business
plans
Analysis of
human
resource
plans
Surveys
Performance
and
development
reviews
Role analysis
Learning
specification
Introduction
This chapter deals with the conduct of learning and
development (L&D) activities in organizations. It
covers how learning needs are identified, the basic
approaches of workplace learning and self-directed
learning, how workshop learning can be enhanced
through activities such as coaching and mentoring,
training techniques and programmes, the concept of
blended learning, how learning can be evaluated
and the responsibility for learning.
Identifying learning needs
All learning activities need to be based on an under-
standing of what should be done and why it should
be done. The purpose of the activities must be defined
by identifying and analysing learning needs in the
organization and for the groups and individuals
within it.
Approaches to learning needs
analysis
Learning needs are often established on the basis of
general assumptions about what people in particular
occupations need to know and be able to do, for
example managers need to learn about leadership.
This is an easy approach but it can be facile. The
assumptions could be so generalized that the resulting
learning event will be all things to everybody and
nothing for anyone in particular.
So far as possible, evidence should be collected
on learning needs through gap analysis and a
review of corporate, collective and individual needs.
These three areas are interconnected, as shown in
Figure 23.1. The analysis of corporate needs will
lead to the identification of collective learning needs
in different departments, functions or occupations,
while these in turn will indicate what individual
employees need to learn. The process operates in
reverse. As the needs of individual employees are
analysed separately, common needs emerge, which
can be dealt with on a group basis. The sum of
group and individual needs will help to define
corporate needs, although there may be some over-
arching learning requirements that can be related
only to the company as a whole to attain its business
goals. These areas of analysis are discussed below.
Gap analysis
Learning needs analysis is often described as the
process of identifying the learning gap – the gap
between what is and what should be, as illustrated
in Figure 23.2.
Gap analysis involves identifying the gap between
what people know and can do and what they should
know and be able to do, so that the learning needed
to fill the gap can be specified. Information on the
nature of the gap may be obtained by one or more
of the methods described below. But this ‘deficiency
model’ of training – only putting things right that
have gone wrong – is limited. Learning is much
more positive than that. It should be concerned
with identifying and satisfying development needs
– fitting people to take on extra responsibilities,
Chapter
23
The Practice of Learning and Development
303
acquire new skills to deal with changing work
demands, or develop a range of skills to facilitate
multitasking.
Analysis of business and workforce
plans
Business and workforce plans should indicate in
general terms the types of skills and competencies
that may be required in the future and the numbers
of people with those skills and competencies who
will be needed. An analysis should also be made of
any areas where future changes in work processes,
methods or job responsibilities are planned and any
additional knowledge or skills that may be required.
These broad indicators have to be translated into
more specific plans that cover, for example, the
outputs from training programmes of people with
particular skills or a combination of skills (multi-
skilling).
Surveys
Special surveys or an interviewing programme can
obtain the views of managers and other employees
on what they need to learn. However, the material
gathered from a survey may be unspecific and, when
interviewed, people may find it difficult to articulate
what they want. In the latter case it is best to lead
with a discussion of the work they do and identify
any areas where they believe that their performance
and potential could be developed. This could lead to
the identification of any additional things they feel
they need to know or be able to do. Individual views
can be amalgamated to provide a picture of common
learning needs.
Performance and development
reviews
Performance management processes, as described in
Chapter 25, should be a prime source of information
about individual learning and development needs.
Reviews should include an analysis of role require-
ments in the shape of knowledge, skills and abilities
(KSAs) and the behavioural competencies needed to
perform effectively, taking into account any new
demands that will be made on the role holder. A
joint assessment can then be made of development
needs and what sort of development programme is
required. The extent to which the individual meets
role requirements can be reviewed and agreement
reached on what needs to be done to remedy any
deficiencies. This can lead to personal development
plans and learning contracts, which involve action
plans, self-directed learning and an agreement on
what support will be provided to the individual by
the organization and the manager. An overall analysis
of performance and development review reports
can reveal any common learning needs that can be
satisfied by tailored learning events.
Role analysis
Role analysis is the basis for preparing role profiles
that provide a framework for analysing and iden-
tifying learning needs. Role profiles set out the
key result areas of the role but, importantly, also
define the competencies required to perform it.
Performance management should ensure that role
profiles are updated regularly, and the review can be
built on an analysis of the results achieved by refer-
ence to the key result areas and agreed objectives.
FIgure
23.2
The learning gap
What is
Learning gap
What should be
Actual performance
levels
Knowledge and skill
possessed
Performance levels
required
Knowledge and skill
required
