Effective Training Needs Analysis with Skills Optimiser
Aframe continues to invest in the development of Aframe OLAMS and is currently developing new functionality under the project name “Skills Optimiser”. An overview of Skills Optimiser is set out in the diagram below. Salmat is driving this project as part of a pilot to be implemented across the organisation as an employee performance enhancement business model for its call centers and is to be completed by August 2008.
This approach to skill and competency management, analysis and development is at the forefront of industry best practice with considerable research and planning establishing a compelling business case for improved business performance through the implementation of this model. With Salmat driving this skills development model through its own implementation, the benefits and functionality will extend to Aframe clients now and into the future.
Skills Optimiser is a skills, role profile, ability and competency management tool that links directly to organisational hierarchal skills and role development, assisting in ensuring that staff have the skills, knowledge and compliance training to perform well in their jobs. Skills Optimiser will also add value to internal succession planning and recruitment by providing detailed real-time data on employee skill sets beyond that of a traditional LMS database.
A role profile will be made up of skill sets that encompass core skills, knowledge and compliance requirements ("skc") related to the employee’s job role. Skill sets are groupings of individual skc's required for an employee to complete their job. Skill sets are created around all areas of the employee’s job role, including all processes, system and compliance knowledge requirements.
All employees are unique and have different abilities and progression plans, as such, each employee has an individual role profile that takes into account their job role profile and any special requirements that have been assigned through manager input and individual special requirements.
Training Needs Analysis
Skills Optimiser features a TNA system to gauge the employee's competency in individual skills identified in their employee skills profile. Training needs analysis can be completed through either:
- an online assessment that the employee will complete;
- through a 360° review which incorporates a manager review of the skills that the employee has and the employee’s own review of their skills profile; or
- job performance metrics eg. use the job performance metrics review to identify employees who are not performing to their defined KPI’s and provide training recommendations to the staff member's manager.
Skills Development Plan
Upon completion of the training needs analysis process a skills development plan is created for each employee. The skills development plan allows the trainer to identify areas where the employee may require further training. From this the trainer can chose how to deliver the training. If there are e-learning resources available to address the identified gap in an employee’s knowledge, Skills Optimiser will make a training recommendation to the trainer and provide automatic assignment to the relevant e-learning resource.
After a learner has demonstrated a competency, this will be recorded in the learning management system. Competencies gained through e-learning resources will generally be verified through online assessments then automatically recorded by the LMS. Competencies that have been proved external to the LMS can be updated manually by the trainer/manager/LMS administrator against the employee’s individual skills profile. Skills competency information can also be uploaded from other sources, such as CD, in batch process to update employee skill profiles. For skills that will expire, such as certifications, a skill expiry date can be set which will identify the skills gap once the skill is no longer valid, this skills gap will be communicated through the LMS to the staff members manager.
