What is a training needs analysis, and can training providers offer it as a service? In this guide, we answer these questions and provide tips along with a 10-step process to help you carry out your own training needs analysis, either for yourself or your clients.
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What is a training needs analysis?
A Training Needs Analysis (TNA) is a systematic process that helps organizations identify skill gaps, knowledge deficiencies, and performance issues among employees.
Through understanding these gaps and the desired outcomes, businesses can design training programs that improve employee performance and align with organizational objectives.
A training needs analysis can be conducted by a business internally among their own employees, or they can look at hiring an experienced training provider to carry out it for them.
Whichever the use case a detailed TNA equips businesses to face future challenges, address workforce needs, and remain competitive in their industries.
Training Needs Analysis vs Training Needs Assessment: What Are the Differences?
Difference One: Scope
Training Needs Analysis
A training needs analysis has a broad and strategic focus, examining an entire organization to identify overarching performance gaps and skill shortages. It looks at how training initiatives line-up with organizational goals and long-term strategies.
Key Difference: A training needs analysis evaluates training needs at the macro level, addressing systemic challenges and opportunities across departments or the organization as a whole.
Training Needs Assessment
A training needs assessment, on the other hand, has a narrow and targeted focus, concentrating on individual employees or specific roles. It identifies immediate gaps in skills, knowledge, or performance within teams or for particular job functions.
Key Difference: Assessments are micro-level and focus specifically on individual or team-based needs rather than organization-wide trends.
Difference Two: Objective
Training Needs Analysis
The objective of a training needs analysis is to synchronize a businesses training need with strategic organizational priorities.
Key Difference: A training needs analysis addresses long-term, systemic needs and helps to make sure training initiatives are tied to overarching business goals.
Training Needs Assessment
To evaluate individual or team-specific gaps and determine which specific training interventions are required to achieve the objectives outlined in the broader analysis.
Key Difference: The assessment focuses on translating organizational priorities into actionable training solutions by identifying precise skill and knowledge gaps at the individual or team level.
Difference Three: Application
Training Needs Analysis
Application: Applied to design broad, organization-wide training programs that line-up with strategic goals. It is used when creating strategies for large-scale initiatives, such as workforce digital transformation, leadership development, or compliance with new regulations.
Key Difference: The analysis is applied at a high level to develop overarching training strategies and frameworks for addressing systemic challenges across the organization.
Training Needs Assessment
Application: Applied to develop tailored training solutions for specific individuals or teams, addressing immediate skill gaps identified in the broader analysis.
Key Difference: The assessment is applied to translate broad organizational needs into actionable, customized interventions that address localized or role-specific challenges.
When should a business conduct a training need analysis?
A business should conduct a training needs analysis anytime they need to identify the precise skills, knowledge, or competencies required to bridge the gap between current employee performance and the level needed to achieve organizational objectives.
The analysis helps to make sure that training initiatives are relevant, efficient, and directly aligned with business priorities, avoiding wasted resources and maximizing workforce effectiveness.
An analysis is usually required anytime there is a major organizational change, strategic shift, or performance challenge that necessitates harmonizing employee capabilities with new or evolving business needs, such as:
Upskilling Employees for Future Business Needs
There are plenty of examples of businesses needing to upskill their staff for future business needs, take Amazon for example, who are spending $1.2bn upskilling employees to prepare them for future career opportunities.
A training needs analysis will most likely have been a part of the process :
“We want to make it easy for people to have access to the skills they need to grow their careers. And we’re making two big investments to help make that happen by 2025. First, we’re committing more than $1.2 billion to provide free education and skills training opportunities to more than 300,000 of our own employees in the U.S. to help them secure new, high-growth jobs.”
Implementing New Technology
When a company introduces a new piece of technology or platform that impacts the way they work on a significant scale e.g. across departments such as introducing a new CRM they’ll often conduct an analysis to determine exactly what skills different employees need to develop to use the new platform.
Other common examples include:
Meeting Compliance or Regulatory Changes
Conducted to ensure employees understand and adhere to new or updated legal and regulatory requirements.
Mergers and Acquisitions
Used to skills and workflows between merging organizations to ensure operational consistency.
Expanding into New Markets
Helps employees adapt to new cultural, regulatory, and customer expectations in different regions.
Related Read: How to Market Your Training Program (Ultimate Guide)
What Are the Different Types of Training Needs Analysis?
While the definition for a training needs analysis focuses on the organizational level, they can be carried for a specific role, at an individual level, and for a competency. Here’s an overview:
Organizational Training Needs Analysis
An organizational analysis focuses on evaluating the entire organization to ensure training initiatives line-up with strategic objectives. It identifies the skills and knowledge required to address changes in strategy, technology, or market conditions.
For example, a company expanding into a new region might examine whether its workforce is prepared to meet cultural, regulatory, and operational challenges unique to that market.
Task or Job Training Needs Analysis
A task or job analysis zeroes in on specific tasks or roles, determining the skills, knowledge, and abilities necessary for effective performance. This type of analysis is particularly useful when new tools, processes, or responsibilities are introduced
Individual Training Needs Analysis
An individual analysis looks at the specific needs of employees or teams, identifying gaps in job performance, skills, or knowledge that hinder effectiveness.
For example, a sales team struggling to meet targets might benefit from an assessment that highlights deficiencies in areas such as negotiation techniques or product understanding, which can then be addressed through targeted training.
Competency-Based Training Needs Analysis
A competency-based analysis measures employees’ current competencies against those required for their roles or career advancement.
For example, a company preparing mid-level managers for senior positions may evaluate their abilities in decision-making, strategic planning, and team management to determine which areas need improvement.
10-Step Process for Conducting a Training Needs Analysis
For this section, we’ve come up with a simple, 10-step training needs analysis process that you can follow, accompanied by an example company working through the steps and a template for each one. You may want to refine certain sections, but this should give you an idea of how to structure your own process.
Scenario:
A training company specializing in leadership workshops faces a drop in client satisfaction. While the content is strong, participant feedback suggests that sessions lack engagement and interactivity.
The company wants to maintain its competitive edge and improve participant experiences. To address this challenge, it will conduct a Training Needs Analysis (TNA) to pinpoint skill gaps—focusing on trainer facilitation abilities—and design targeted solutions that realign training quality with strategic business goals.
The following ten-step process will guide the company through identifying needs, prioritizing improvements, and implementing effective interventions.
Step One: Define the Purpose and Objectives
The company began by clarifying why it needed a training needs analysis. Recognizing that client satisfaction was dropping due to issues with participant engagement, it defined clear objectives that tied back to its strategic goal of becoming a market leader in leadership training.
Implementation steps:
- Set a specific objective: “Increase participant engagement ratings by at least 10% within the next two workshop cycles.”
- Reviewed client feedback to confirm that low engagement was the main concern.
- Discussed with leadership how boosting trainers’ facilitation skills could strengthen the company’s market position.
Example Template:
[Use this space to describe how the organization clarified why the TNA is needed and how it ties into broader goals.]
How to Implement:
- [Action or method to establish the main reason for conducting the TNA.]
- [Action or method to connect the TNA objectives to the organization’s strategy.]
- [Action or method to set clear, measurable goals for the TNA.]
Step Two: Identify Stakeholders and Secure Support
The company identified everyone affected by and influential in the workshop experience—trainers, learning designers, and clients—and took time to make sure they understood the purpose of the TNA. This collective input helped create a shared vision for improving the workshops.
Implementation steps:
- Invited senior trainers, the learning design lead, and a key client representative to an initial briefing.
- Explained how improving facilitation skills could raise client satisfaction, and help facilitators deliver more comprehensive training.
- Confirmed each stakeholder’s role in providing feedback, reviewing findings, and supporting implementation.
Example Template:
[Use this space to describe how the organization determined who was involved or affected and obtained their support.]
How to Implement:
- [Action or method to identify all relevant internal/external stakeholders.]
- [Action or method to communicate the TNA purpose and gather initial input.]
- [Action or method to confirm roles, responsibilities, and involvement.]
Step Three: Gather Data on Current Performance and Skills
The company identified everyone affected by and influential in the workshop experience—trainers, curriculum designers, and clients—and made sure they understood the purpose of the TNA. This collective input helped create a shared vision for improving the workshops.
Implementation Steps:
- Confirmed each stakeholder’s role in providing feedback, reviewing findings, and supporting implementation.
- Invited senior trainers, the learning design lead, and a key client representative to an initial briefing.
- Explained how improving facilitation skills could raise client satisfaction.
Example Template:
[Use this space to describe how the organization determined who was involved or affected and obtained their support.]
How to Implement:
- [Action or method to identify all relevant internal/external stakeholders.]
- [Action or method to communicate the TNA purpose and gather initial input.]
- [Action or method to confirm roles, responsibilities, and involvement.]
Step Four: Conduct an Organizational Needs Analysis
The organization examined how improving trainer facilitation skills fit into its broader strategy. Through connecting skill gaps to long-term objectives—such as solidifying its market leader status—the company confirmed that addressing engagement issues aligned with core business priorities.
Implementation Steps:
- Checked the strategic plan to confirm that raising client satisfaction matched business growth targets.
- Identified how stronger facilitation would enhance reputation, referrals, and competitive advantage.
- Documented how the planned improvements supported organizational goals.
Example Template:
[Use this space to describe how the organization linked identified gaps to larger strategic goals.]
How to Implement:
- [Action or method to review strategic plans or KPIs.]
- [Action or method to determine how skill gaps affect overall performance.]
- [Action or method to line-up training needs with long-term objectives.]
Step Five: Perform Task-Level Analysis
The company broke down the trainer’s role into key tasks—such as managing discussions and handling Q&A sessions—to pinpoint exactly which facilitation techniques and skills needed strengthening. This detailed understanding allowed for more precise and targeted interventions.
Implementation steps:
- Compared current performance against the ideal skill set needed for each task.
- Mapped out the trainer’s responsibilities during a typical workshop.
- Identified critical tasks that influenced engagement, such as encouraging debate or using interactive exercises.
Example Template:
[Use this space to describe how the organization examined core tasks to identify required competencies.]
How to Implement:
- [Action or method to break down tasks or roles into key components.]
- [Action or method to determine essential skills/knowledge for each task.]
- [Action or method to compare current performance against task requirements.]
Step Six: Assess Individual Needs
By evaluating each trainer’s strengths and weaknesses, the company aimed to deliver personalized support.
This individual-level focus ensured that trainers who struggled with facilitation skills would receive the specific help they needed, while those already strong in this area could refine their approach further.
Implementation Steps:
- Asked trainers to complete self-assessments focusing on their confidence with engagement strategies.
- Reviewed participant feedback filtered by trainer to see who needed the most improvement.
- Cross-referenced peer evaluations or manager reviews to confirm each trainer’s unique development needs.
Example Template
[Use this space to describe how the organization evaluated individual strengths and areas for improvement.]
How to Implement:
- [Action or method to use self-assessments, peer feedback, or performance reviews.]
- [Action or method to analyze proficiency levels against required competencies.]
- [Action or method to pinpoint specific skill gaps for each individual.]
Step Seven: Analyze and Prioritize Training Needs
With multiple areas identified for improvement, the company prioritized the training needs most likely to boost participant engagement quickly. Through ranking these needs, it could focus on areas that would yield the greatest and most immediate impact on satisfaction scores.
Implementation Steps:
- Ranked skill gaps based on their direct influence on engagement (e.g., facilitating dynamic group activities).
- Chose to address the most urgent and impactful needs first.
- Confirmed the priority list with leadership to make it sure it matched with business objectives.
Example Template:
[Use this space to describe how the organization determined which needs to address first.]
How to Implement:
- [Action or method to rank needs by urgency, impact, or strategic value.]
- [Action or method to select key focus areas for immediate attention.]
- [Action or method to validate priorities with stakeholders.]
Step Eight: Design Customized Training Solutions
Armed with a clear set of priorities, the company crafted tailored training interventions. These were designed to help trainers practice and improve essential facilitation techniques, ensuring that the learning experience itself was engaging and hands-on.
Implementation Steps:
- Developed a two-day workshop dedicated to facilitation techniques, including role-playing scenarios.
- Created support materials like checklists and facilitator guides.
- Tailored the content of the workshops to mirror real-world scenarios for maximum relevance.
Example Template:
[Use this space to describe how the organization developed targeted training interventions to address the identified gaps.]
How to Implement:
- [Action or method to choose training formats (e.g., workshops, e-learning).]
- [Action or method to create relevant, engaging content.]
- [Action or method to integrate practical exercises or real-world scenarios.]
Step Nine: Implement Training Programs
When rolling out the new training solutions, the company planned logistics, communicated expectations, and provided the necessary resources. Careful management of this stage, helped trainers confidently adopt new skills and approaches.
Implementation Steps:
- Scheduled the facilitation training sessions and confirmed trainer attendance.
- Provided pre-reading materials and set clear learning goals.
- Encouraged experienced trainers to mentor newcomers during practice exercises.
Example Template:
[Use this space to describe how the organization rolled out the chosen training solutions.]
How to Implement:
- [Action or method to schedule sessions and communicate with participants.]
- [Action or method to provide necessary resources and materials.]
- [Action or method to support participants during implementation (e.g., Q&A sessions).
Step Ten: Evaluate Training Effectiveness
Finally, the company measured whether the interventions led to improvements. They compared workshop engagement and satisfaction scores before and after the training, to assess the effectiveness of its approach and identified ways to refine future efforts.
Implementation Steps:
- Reviewed post-training satisfaction surveys and compared them to previous results.
- Asked trainers to reassess their comfort with facilitation, noting increased confidence.
- Adjusted training materials based on what worked best, ensuring a cycle of continuous improvement.
Example Template:
[Use this space to describe how the organization measured the impact of the training and used findings to improve future efforts.]
How to Implement:
- [Action or method to compare pre- and post-training performance metrics.]
- [Action or method to gather participant and stakeholder feedback.]
- [Action or method to refine training strategies based on evaluation results.]
Related read: The Ultimate Guide to Training Management Systems
Can a Training Provider Offer Training Needs Analysis as a Service?
Yes, training providers can and often do offer training needs analysis (TNA) as a service. This allows organizations to leverage the provider’s expertise in identifying skill gaps, performance issues, and development opportunities.
Offering TNA as a service benefits both the organization and the training provider. The company can lean into the expertise of the training provider. The provider can take the time to understand the clients needs, the challenges they are facing and tailor programs accordingly to make sure they fit with the specific goals of the client.
The process for developing your TNA offer may look something like this (we’ve used a healthcare training provider as an example):
Define the Scope of the TNA Service
Outline what your TNA service will cover, making it sure it it with the client’s objectives. Specify whether the focus is on compliance, performance improvement, skill development, or other organizational priorities. Define clear outcomes and deliverables.
Example: For a healthcare training provider, the scope might focus on improving compliance with regulatory standards such as HIPAA or addressing skill gaps in patient communication.
Conduct a Structured Discovery Process
Engage stakeholders to gather insights about their goals and challenges. Use methods like interviews, focus groups, and document reviews to identify the root causes of training needs and contextual factors influencing performance gaps.
Example: In healthcare, discussions with hospital administrators and department heads may reveal the need for infection control training after a compliance audit highlights deficiencies.
Collect and Analyze Data Using Diagnostic Tools
To collect and analyze data using diagnostic tools, start by identifying gaps and misalignments at different levels—organizational, team, and individual.
Use skill assessments to understand strengths and areas for growth, task analysis to break down workflows and spot inefficiencies, and direct observations to get practical insights into how work is done. Benchmarking against industry standards can also help highlight performance issues.
Example: A healthcare training provider might use direct observation to assess hand hygiene adherence, distribute surveys for self-assessment, and benchmark against national infection control standards.
Deliver Recommendations and Offer Training Solutions
Present findings in a comprehensive report, prioritizing identified gaps with actionable recommendations. Offer to deliver customized training programs, detailing content, delivery methods (e.g., workshops, e-learning, simulations), and timelines to address these needs.
Example: Recommendations for a healthcare provider might include simulation-based workshops for infection control and eLearning modules on theoretical foundations, with the training provider directly facilitating the sessions.
Implement, Evaluate, and Refine
Assist the client in rolling out training programs with clear support, ensuring smooth implementation and engagement. Evaluate the impact of the training using pre- and post-assessments, feedback, and outcome metrics. Refine future offerings based on results and client input.
Example: After delivering infection control training, the healthcare provider sees a 25% improvement in compliance rates, validating the program’s effectiveness and providing insights for further improvement.
What Are the Benefits of Offering a Training Needs Analysis as Part of Your Training Services?
Creates Upsell Opportunities
Delivering a TNA is a great introductory offer to new clients, and carrying one out naturally identifies skill gaps and training needs, paving the way to offer tailored training solutions that address those gaps.
Improved Client Retention
Providing a comprehensive analysis positions you as a strategic partner, not just a training vendor, which helps build long-term relationships with clients.
Strengthens Your Value Proposition
Offering TNA sets your services apart by demonstrating a commitment to understanding and addressing clients’ unique challenges, making your solutions more compelling. You’re demonstrating first hand that you have the expertise to deliver tailored training solutions to a clients specific needs.
Improves Training Effectiveness
Tailoring training programs and training methods with the specific needs identified in the TNA helps clients see better outcomes, reinforcing the perceived value of your expertise.
Final Thoughts
You should now have tips on developing a training needs analysis and understanding its benefits for your business and clients.
By mastering the process of identifying skill gaps and aligning solutions with key business goals your clients need to solve, you can position yourself as a trusted partner and help them drive long-term success.