Employee training and development is extremely important for an organization. Without properly trained employees companies may be, in some cases, open to legal liability (i.e. when it come to issues such as diversity) and, in other cases, at risk of squandering the talents of promising and gifted employees. There are many different types of employee training, from affirmative action to workplace safety; but in order to know what is necessary and what is not, a properly conducted training needs assessment needs to be implemented. Here are three easy ways for a human resources specialist, or any employee for that matter, to conduct a training needs assessment:

• Talk to the employees – As with many scenarios, simply talking to employees will reveal much of what is needed. Simple questions to ask could be: “Are you having any problems while at work?” Or, “Are there any ways in which additional support could help you to do your job better?”
• Observe – This method is closely tied to a similar scenario – conducting a comprehensive job analysis. Take detailed notes surrounding the daily activities of employees (or yourself). Look into their accomplishments, the methods they used to complete their assigned tasks, the time it took for them to complete their work, the setting in which they performed their duties, and what, if any, support they were given. By making detailed observations of employees’ daily activities, it will be easy to see any training and development needs.
• Follow the paper trail – Take a look at the documented information available for an employee. Have they been involved in any accidents? Have there been any complaints made about them (i.e. sexual harassment)? Any documentation that can be found may be a good jumping off point for determining the employee training needs.

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