APPROACHES TO NEEDS ASSESSMENT
One approach to assessing the training needs of a hospitality business is simple
observation. Supervisors see their employees on a daily basis; therefore,
day-to-day observation is perhaps the best source of recommendation for employee
training. A more refined approach is task identification. This occurs
when management evaluates a particular job description to identify the essential
tasks that the job requires. Then, specific plans are developed to provide
the training necessary for employees to perform these essential tasks.
Another approach involves employee surveys. Management surveys potential
trainees in an attempt to identify specific areas about which they want to
learn more. When surveys are conducted, one benefit is that the trainees are
more likely to be receptive to the training because they have helped to determine
its focus and find it to be more relevant to their day-to-day jobs. Exit interviews
are another valid source for assessing training and development
needs. Exit interviews occur when an employee separates from the organization
for any reason. A human resources employee normally speaks with the departing
employee in an attempt to determine exactly why the employee is
leaving the organization. In smaller operations where no human resources
department exists, it may be necessary to have the exit interview of a departing
employee conducted by someone other than the employee’s immediate supervisor.
Needs assessment is not only a valid diagnostic tool that helps a company to
identify training needs, it also helps to reveal shortcomings that can be traced
to other management activities like job placement, iorientation programs, or ineffective
recruiting. By uncovering repeated shortcomings, managers and supervisors
can modify these activities to ensure a better fit between job applicant
and job performance.