Why Your Company Should Outsource Training Needs Analysis
You might be on the fence about hiring a training needs analysis consultant to shore up your employee development strategy. Maybe you think it’s too costly or that the TNA company won’t understand your organizational goals and brand image. Doesn’t your L&D team know best? The truth is that there are plenty of perks associated with training needs assessment outsourcing, whether you’re an SMB with limited resources or a global organization with thousands of employees. A third-party provider can help you spot gaps and determine the best course of action. Here are 7 notable advantages of hiring a training needs analysis outsourcing partner for your business.
7 Top Benefits To Finding A Training Needs Analysis Outsourcing Partner
1. Evaluate Training Gaps Objectively
It’s often challenging for employees to assess your training strategy because they’re too close. They’ve helped write objective statements, create content, and evaluate LMS metrics. Outsourcing the training needs analysis gives you an objective overview. The vendor can look at your strategy from every angle to identify areas for improvement. They don’t have an emotional attachment to the content. The main goal is to analyze your training plan with fresh eyes and niche skillsets. That said, you need a training needs assessor who specializes in your industry because they understand the tasks, skills, and job roles involved.
2. Tap Into Third-Party Expertise
There are generally three options for training needs analysis. The first is to entrust it to your L&D and HR department. The second is to hire a full-time team to continually evaluate your training strategy. The last is outsourcing, which is the only way to get third-party expertise without high payroll expenses. You have access to their knowledge, industry experience, and analytical software. They have all the necessary skills to conduct the training needs assessment and identify areas of concern. They can also offer their professional opinion regarding budget, implementation time, and infrastructure improvements.
3. Avoid Common L&D Mistakes
The only way to uncover training mistakes is to experience them firsthand; to deal with the fallout and mitigate that risk moving forward. Or you can hire a training needs assessment outsourcing partner and learn from other people’s mistakes. They’ve seen it all before and their insider know-how is a valuable asset. For example, they tried a sales training approach that led to overspending and cognitive overload. Their past projects prevent costly trial-and-error for your organization so that you can stretch your budget and achieve the desired outcomes.
4. Identify Overlooked Training Interventions
A common misconception about training needs analysis is that it centers on the problem. That the entire process is designed to identify weaknesses, at the organizational and individual levels. In reality, TNA is more about timely interventions. Finding training solutions that improve ROI, employee participation, and knowledge retention. A TNA content provider can suggest training interventions you may have overlooked or innovative activities and JIT resources that didn’t even enter your wheelhouse. Granted, content development isn’t usually covered in the training needs analysis contract. You need to draw up a second agreement that includes deliverables, budget, and project scope after the analysis phase.
5. Adjust Objectives And Outcomes To Achieve Long-Term Success
Objectives are based on the here and now. Even long-term goals have a shelf life because your business needs evolve over time. Hiring a training needs assessment partner helps you adjust your outcomes and objectives to meet current demands. You can also enlist them for periodic goal checking to continually improve your strategy. For example, they analyze your program annually to modify objective statements based on emerging issues and new task protocols.
6. Streamline Your Budget
Every training library has duds, such as assets that were once popular and have since faded into obscurity. All dramatics aside, these resources still require ongoing maintenance. This requires money, time, and energy, all of which could be spent elsewhere. For example, creating new content or monitoring LMS metrics to spot hidden performance gaps. Effective training needs analysis methods streamline your budget because they shine the spotlight on L&D resource-drainers. The assessment also helps you adjust your expense sheet based on new training priorities. For instance, allocate additional funds to the new COI compliance program and deduct from another area that isn’t as crucial.
7. Fine-Tune In-House Talent
Identifying training needs should also address individual progress and proficiency. You’re able to fine-tune internal talent to ensure long-term success instead of just focusing on the organizational outcomes. Outsourcing partners start with a high-level overview, then dig deeper into employee performance, such as assessment scores, certifications, and survey results. They also compare staffer and departmental training stats to verify that everyone meets company standards. If not, they can recommend training interventions based on widespread issues. For example, 25% of your customer service staff lack interpersonal skills, as is evidenced by customer feedback and low sales figures. A training needs analysis detects these underlying issues and how they impact your business strategy.
Conclusion
Ultimately, every organization must evaluate the pros and cons of outsourcing training needs analysis. Is it a wise investment or can your team handle the process from start to finish? It’s not just the financials you must consider, but the impact TNA has on other job duties. For example, they already take care of content creation, internal marketing, and VILT events. Do they really have the time and energy to accept the responsibility of a training needs assessment? Or should you hire an outsourcing partner who collaborates with your team to streamline your strategy and prevent employee burnout?
Which training needs analysis partner is best for your profit margin? Search our online directory to find the right PM service provider for the job. Every vendor has ratings and reviews to help you maximize value for money and avoid buyer’s regret. There are also company bios that highlight USPs and key selling points.
