Chapter 3

Assessing Training Needs

Training and Development for the Hospitality Industry
First Edition
(354T or 354)

© 2002, Educational Institute

 Competencies for
Assessing Training Needs
1. Describe a training needs assessment and explain who
should conduct it, why it should be conducted, and
how to prepare for it.
2. List methods for identifying the training and
development needs of a hospitality organization.
3. Explain how to conduct a job and task analysis.
4. Identify and describe data collection methods and how
data is organized.

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(continued) 2
 Competencies for
Assessing Training Needs
(continued)

5. Describe how needs assessments are classified into

deficiency or opportunity, and known or unknown.
6. Explain how to use the information gained from a
needs assessment.

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 What Is Needs Assessment?
Systematic process
 Determines gaps between ideal and actual
 Focuses on causes, extent, and solutions
 Leads to appropriate design of training to
correct identified gap

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 What Does Needs Assessment Do?
Examines whether training will correct
performance problem
 Increases likelihood of training transfer
 Identifies WHO
 Reduces duplication

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 Who Conducts Needs Assessment?
Training manager
 General manager
Upper managers
Employees

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 Factors to Consider
Time
 Money
 Resources
 Number of people
 Confidentiality
 Ease of assessment
 Validity and reliability

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 Gap Analysis
Ideal Outcome – Actual Outcomes
=
Gap or Problem

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 Identify the Gap
Is the problem due to:
 Lack of skill
Lack of knowledge
Lack of appropriate
systems

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 Ideal Outcome
The ideal outcome is defined by:
 Vision statement
Mission statement
Goals
Strategic plan
Values
Culture
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 Performance or Training Problem
If the employee has the skills, knowledge, and
systems in place…then where do you look?

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 Techniques for Identifying Gaps
 Training needs survey

Observation
Employee surveys
 Guest comments
Employee meetings
Inspections
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 Organizational Analysis
 Start with the big picture
Prioritize
Cost
 Legality
Pressure from corporate
 Number of people affected

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 Job Analysis Process
1. Comprehensive task list
2. Tasks into standards (job breakdown)
3. Determine best practice or performance standard
(job standards)
4. Merge these into a comprehensive job description

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 Task List
 Checklist of all job tasks
Knowledge needed
Attitude issues
 May include frequency

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 Job Breakdown
 Specific components

Required equipment
 Supplies needed
Procedures
Proficiency

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 Job Standards
If Not Developed—Develop them!
Ask managers to define their vision for their unit
Break down into specific goals
 Seek input from employees
Standardize

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 Job Description
 Recruiting
 Training
 Performance evaluation
 Discipline
 Compensation

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 Components of a Job Description
 Title
Who the position reports to
Who the position
supervises
 Knowledge needed
Standards of quality
Equipment needed

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Listing of duties 19
 Data Collection Methods
 Interviews
Surveys
Comment cards
 Observation
Focus groups
Work sampling
Experts/
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Consultants
20
 Classification of Data
 Qualitative
Quantitative
Combination or blended
 Extant

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 Sources of Data
 Senior managers
Department
managers
Employees
 Human resources
 Competitors
Guests

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Experts 22
 Operational Data Tools
 Occupancy rates
Turnover rates
Food costs
 Labor costs
ROI
Audits
Accident reports
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 Data Analysis
 Use it to identify trends
Be systematic
Be non-judgmental
 Keep it simple
 Make sure it is accurate
 Compare with benchmarks to identify problems

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 Needs Assessment Types
 Corrective
 Developmental
 Adaptive
Strategic

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 Plan Your Training Goals
Where do you want to end up?
 Positive
Direct
Definable
Measurable
Aligned with organizational
goals
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 Gain Support of Training Goals
 Make recommendations based on data
Present to upper managers
Document training to the bottom line
 Document alignment with organizational goals
After achieving results—calculate the ROI

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 Get to Know Your Audience
 Characteristics
Barriers
Expectations
 Attitudes
Actual work environments
Strengths and experience in group
Skill and literacy levels
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 Root Causes
Training needs assessment is the tool that identifies
organizational problems and their root cause.
Only then can you create an effective training program.

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