Consider the following training needs analysis suitability element:

• Is non-performance due to a lack of knowledge and skills or are there another reasons?

This is the essential question of a suitability training needs analysis. Training is often seen as a quick fix for changing individual and organisational performance but in reality the impact of training is limited to providing knowledge and skills and practice to develop them. For example, training will not render competent, those employees who simply do not have the capacity to learn to do a given task, the key reason why capability assessment and psychometric tests are performed. Training will not replace the role of managers in giving feedback to employees whose work does not meet performance standards. Training will not set the performance standards in a workplace where there are none. Training will probably not bring radical changes to employees' attitudes and sense of commitment unless the organisation's culture is supportive. Training will not fill voids due to sickness, layoffs and downsizing. Nor will training create incentives, rewards or reduce on-the-job de-motivators.

Suitability training needs analysis is partially to ensure that training is not being used my management to abdicate their developmental responsibility but to support it.

In our training needs analysis scenarios, one has to wonder if there is a clear justification for the costs associated with designing and delivering training to learn policies related to harassment or safety? Maybe a video would suffice to convey the required information. Or perhaps managers could change employee performance and help to ensure employee compliance simply by explaining management's expectations of them.