Work has changed. Your needs assessment needs to change too.
We know how drastically work has changed in the past three years. Have you considered how your needs assessment has been affected as a result? How will you collect data? What do learners need to know and be able to do given the new reality? And how will you gain support from leaders?
In "Reassess Needs in a Hybrid Work World," Beth McGoldrick offers guidance on reframing the way you prepare your needs assessment, including posing questions around business, performance, and learning, in addition to learner needs and how those needs have changed from an in-person work environment to a remote or hybrid one.
What business strategies does the training effort support? What is the desired on-the-job performance? What do learners know now? What is the learner's attitude about the job performance being targeted?
L&D may need to support a sales team, which needs to work in different ways to reach potential customers. Sales representatives may be required to use new tools, causing them angst. How will managers support representatives in this environment? How will you learn about how a salesperson can improve when you are unable to accompany them on a sales call?
Work continues to change, and L&D professionals need to evolve their development solutions. McGoldrick advises using an agile methodology and design thinking to test ideas, iterate them, and build a minimally viable product.
These tips were adapted from the May 2023 issue of TD at Work. Learn more at td.org/TDatWork.
