Assessing HRD

Chapter 4 Werner & DeSimone (2006) 1

Learning Objectives

Discuss the purpose and advantages of conducting a needs assessment State the purpose of conducting a strategic/organization analysis, and describe four issues it is intended to address.

State the purpose of conducting a strategic/organization analysis, and describe four issues it is intended to address.

Discuss the five steps that can be used to conduct a task analysis.

Explain the importance of identifying individual performance deficiencies and development needs in planning and developing training and HRD programs.

Describe and explain the person analysis.

Explain the importance of prioritizing training and HRD needs.

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Needs Assessment

It is a process by which an organization’s HRD needs are identified and articulated.

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Needs Assessment can identify:

Organization’s goals and its effectiveness in reaching these goals Gaps between employees’ skills and the skills required for effective current job performance Gaps between current skills and skills needed to perform the job successfully in the future The conditions under which the HRD activity will occur Werner & DeSimone (2006) 4

The HRD Process: A DImE

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What is a “Need?”

A discrepancy between expectations and performance Not only “performance” needs involved Werner & DeSimone (2006) 6

Various Types of Needs

Performance Diagnostic  Factors that can prevent problems from occurring (see p. 130) Analytic  Identify new or better ways to do things Compliance  Mandated by law or regulation Werner & DeSimone (2006) 7

Traps in Needs Assessment

Focusing only on individual performance deficiencies  Doesn’t fix group of systemic problems Starting with a “Training Needs Assessment”  If you know training is needed, why waste everyone’s time?

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Traps in Needs Assessment – 2

Using Questionnaires  Hard to control input, often high developmental costs, hard to write properly Using soft data (opinions) only  Need performance and consequence data Using hard data only  Easily measured data is provided, but critical, hard-to-measure data is missing Werner & DeSimone (2006) 9

Levels of Assessment

Organization  Where is training needed and under what conditions?

Task  What must be done to perform the job effectively?

Person  Who should be trained and how?

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Why Strategic Assessment is Needed

Ties HRD programs to corporate or organizational goals Strengthens the link between profit and HRD actions Strengthens corporate support for HRD Makes HRD more of a revenue generator  Not a profit waster Werner & DeSimone (2006) 11

Sources of Strategic Information

Mission statement HRM inventory Skills inventory Quality of Working Life indicators Efficiency indexes System changes Exit interviews Werner & DeSimone (2006) 12

Task Analysis

The collection of data about a specific job or group of jobs What employee needs to know to perform a job or jobs Werner & DeSimone (2006) 13

How to Collect Information For a Task Analysis

Job descriptions Task analysis Performance standards Perform job Observe job Ask questions Analysis of problems Werner & DeSimone (2006) 14

Steps in conducting a task analysis

Develop job description Identify job tasks   What should be done What is actually done Describe KSAOs needed Identify potential training areas Prioritize potential training areas Werner & DeSimone (2006) 15

Task Analysis for HRD Position

Job title: HRD Professional Tasks

1. List tasks 2. List subtasks 3. List knowledge

Subtasks

1. Observe behavior 2. Select verb 3. Record behavior 1. Observe behavior 2. Select verb 3. Record behavior 1. State what must be known 2. Determine complexity of skill

Specific duty: Task Analysis Knowledge and Skills Required

List four characteristics of behavior Classify behavior Knowledge of action verbs Grammatical skills State so understood by others Record neatly List all remaining acts Classify behavior State correctly Grammatical skills Neat and understood by others Classify all information Determine if a skill represents a series of acts that must be learned in a sequence SOURCE: From G. E. Mills, R. W. Pace, & B. D. Peterson (1988). MA: Addison-Wesley. Reprinted by permission .

Analysis in human resource training and organizational development (p. 57). Reading, Werner & DeSimone (2006) 16

Person Analysis

Determines training needs for specific individuals Based on many sources of data Summary Analysis  Determine overall success of the individual Diagnostic Analysis  Discover reasons for performance Werner & DeSimone (2006) 17

Performance Appraisal in person analysis

Relied on heavily in person analysis Hard to do Vital to company and individual Should be VERY confidential Based too often on personal opinion Werner & DeSimone (2006) 18

The Employee Appraisal Process

By Permission: Herbert & Doverspike (1990) Werner & DeSimone (2006) 19

Performance Appraisal Process

Determine basis for appraisal  Job description, MBO objectives, job standards, etc.

Conduct the appraisal Determine discrepancies between the standard and performance Identify source(s) of discrepancies Select ways to resolve discrepancies Werner & DeSimone (2006) 20

Prioritizing HRD Needs

There are never enough resources available Must prioritize efforts Need full organizational involvement in this process Involve an HRD Advisory Committee.

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Warning!!

HRD cannot become a slow-acting bureaucracy!!

 “The Attack on ISD” article (Text p. 156) HRD must respond to corporate needs HRD should be focused on “performance improvement,” and not just “training” Werner & DeSimone (2006) 22

Summary

Why is needs assessment so often performed in many organizations?

not Why should organizations care about needs assessment?

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