If you’ve ever launched a training program only to see it fall flat, you’re not alone. The issue often isn’t the content or the platform; it’s that the training wasn’t based on what your employees actually needed.
That’s where a training needs analysis comes in.
A well-executed training needs analysis helps you align learning with real performance gaps, business goals, and employee development. It gives you the data and insight to create training that actually moves the needle—and saves time, resources, and frustration in the process.
In this guide, we’ll walk through the full training needs analysis process, including what it is, when to use it, and how to do a training needs analysis in six simple steps.
What Is a Training Needs Analysis
A training needs analysis is a systematic process used to identify gaps between current employee skills and the skills needed to meet organizational goals. It helps learning and development (L&D) teams figure out what kind of training is necessary, who needs it, and how it should be delivered.
By focusing your training efforts where they’re most needed, you ensure better ROI, higher employee engagement, and improved performance.
When Should You Conduct a Training Needs Analysis
The short answer: more often than you might think. A training needs analysis is valuable anytime your organization is experiencing change or seeking growth. Common scenarios include:
- Rolling out a new system, tool, or workflow
- Experiencing performance or productivity issues
- Onboarding new employees
- Preparing for compliance audits or certification
- Navigating restructuring or leadership changes
- Launching a new product or entering a new market
The key is to treat it as a proactive planning tool, not a reaction to training that went wrong.
How to Conduct a Training Needs Analysis: 6 Simple Steps
Ready to get started? Here’s a detailed look at the training needs analysis process from start to finish.
Step 1: Identify Business Goals and Learning Objectives
Before diving into skills or roles, clarify what the organization is trying to achieve. Ask questions like:
- What are our short- and long-term business goals?
- Where are we falling short?
- What does success look like?
Example: If your company is focused on increasing customer retention, training may need to focus on communication, empathy, and product knowledge. Don’t be afraid to tap outside resources. Client surveys, product ratings, and reviews offer a unique insight into where your organization needs to grow.
Aligning your training needs analysis with these broader goals ensures project relevance and increases the odds of gaining program buy-in from leadership and key stakeholders.
Step 2: Collect Performance Data
The next step is to gather data about current performance from within your organization. This can include:
- Employee surveys
- One-on-one interviews with managers
- Performance reviews and KPIs
- Observations or productivity metrics
- Feedback from clients or customers
Try to capture input from a variety of sources—managers, team leads, employees, and even external stakeholders—to get a 360-degree view of performance. Gathering diverse perspectives helps uncover hidden skill gaps, validate trends, and ensure that the training needs assessment reflects the real challenges and opportunities across the organization.
Step 3: Analyze Current Skill Levels
Once you’ve collected data, it’s time to assess where skill gaps exist at the team and individual levels. You can use:
- Self-assessments and peer reviews
- Quizzes and competency evaluations
- Manager evaluations
- Assessment tools built into your LMS
Look for both technical and soft skill gaps. For instance, employees may be technically proficient but struggle with communication or time management. Without understanding where employees currently stand, it’s impossible to design training that truly meets their needs.
Step 4: Identify Skill Gaps and Prioritize Training Needs
Now that you know where your team stands, it’s time to map out what they need to move forward. Ask:
- What skills are missing at the team or department level?
- Which gaps are most urgent or high impact?
- Which roles are most critical to business success?
This is where you move from insights to action. Once you’ve identified skill gaps, the next step is to prioritize them based on impact. Focus first on the gaps that directly affect key areas like business performance, compliance, or customer satisfaction—these are the ones with the most immediate consequences if left unaddressed.
Step 5: Recommend and Design Training Solutions
Once you’ve identified the needs, suggest the right training solutions based on your learners and your goals.
Examples:
- For knowledge-based gaps: use microlearning modules, eLearning, or video lessons
- For behavior change: try mentorship programs, coaching, or scenario-based learning
- For system rollouts: provide job aids, simulations, and quick-reference guides
Whether you’re using instructor-led training or an on-demand content library, choose delivery methods that align with your audience and learning environment. Keep timing in mind, too. Whatever format you choose should offer tools that help you stay on schedule and achieve your goals.
Step 6: Develop and Communicate the Training Plan
With your insights in hand, it’s time to turn them into a clear, actionable training plan and communicate it with stakeholders across the organization.
Include:
- Goals and timelines
- Who the training is for
- What tools or platforms you’ll use
- How progress will be measured
Create a training needs analysis checklist template to help guide conversations and keep the rollout on track. Be sure to communicate the “why” behind the training. This builds buy-in and boosts engagement.
Tools and Templates to Support Your Process
Here are a few tools to help you conduct an efficient analysis:
- Training needs assessment surveys (for employees and managers)
- Skills matrix templates
- Learning management systems (LMS) with analytics dashboards
- Workforce planning software to track skill demand
Need help building your toolkit? We’ve got checklists and worksheets ready to go.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
A solid training needs analysis can be powerful, but there are a few pitfalls to watch out for.
For example,
- Skipping stakeholder input
- Relying only on self-assessments
- Ignoring soft skills
- Trying to train everyone on everything
- Not building in follow-up or measurement
By avoiding these common missteps, you can build a training strategy that’s well-grounded, results-driven, and ready to evolve with your organization’s future needs.
From Analysis to Action: Turning Gaps into Growth
Now that you’ve completed your training needs analysis, it’s time to connect those insights to actual training steps.
For example:
- Gap: Poor collaboration on hybrid teams
- Training step: Assign online modules on virtual communication + group role-play sessions
- Follow-up: Add soft skills to performance reviews to reinforce learning
Whether you’re solving for current gaps or building skills for the future, having a clear plan makes training more impactful and easier to scale.
Build Training That Moves the Needle
A thoughtful training needs analysis isn’t just a box to check; it’s the foundation of a smarter, more strategic approach to L&D.
By identifying real needs, engaging stakeholders, and tying training to business outcomes, you can create programs that drive real results and future-proof your workforce.
Choosing the best online training solution for your workforce is a serious undertaking. If you’re ready to learn more about BizLibrary, talk to one of our Solutions Consultants today and get a demo of all that we have to offer!
