How would you conduct a needs assessment to determine what the actual issues are?
The first step to a successful needs assessment within the manufacturing plant would be to clearly define the needs assessment objectives. The objectives provide guidelines on what needs to be covered while investigating the challenge. The second step is to identify and realistically understand the available resources and capacity ( Adams et al., 2021 ). The resources to be considered include the number of staff, time and money. The third step is to identify the data sources that need to be relied on for the needs assessment insights. The last step is to conduct the needs assessment and share the feedback with relevant parties for feedback.
What might be some possible sources of the problem?
The main challenge at Triple T manufacturing is that the night shift which mostly composes of newly hired employees has a 35% higher scrap rate and a 20% more quality reject than the day shift. The night shift has fewer experienced workers who are bound to make more mistakes as they master what is required of them. The increased scrap metal is a result of the frequent mistakes made by the workers.
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How might you determine if it is the newly hired employees who are doing their jobs without the necessary knowledge and skills to perform well?
The first step to understanding whether an employee is doing a good job is considering how effectively they complete the tasks assigned to them. All objectives must be met and the tasks completed in time. The second way to determine whether an employee is doing a good job is to note whether the coworkers ask for advice from them ( Benge et al., 2019 ). The coworkers take advice from the fellow workers they believe have a better understanding of what is required. An employee that takes charge and guides, other employees, on what to do is a leader. The leadership traits in an employee are used as an indicator of good work. An employee’s general conduct around the workplace and the level of respect they receive from other workers are signs of a good job at the workplace.
What might be another possible reason for the discrepancy? If so, what might that be?
The discrepancy might be based on the number of workers available for each shift. Having fewer workers for the night shift implies that the available workforce has to push themselves to an extra extent to meet their objectives. Considering working at night as more tiring than day shifts. Having fewer senior staff at the night shift also implies that the newly hired employees don’t have a template organizational culture to adapt to. Every individual work based on the culture adopted from the previous workplace. It is essential to have sufficient senior staff at both shifts.
Whom would you get involved in the need’s assessment?
The sole purpose of a needs assessment is to investigate and identify individuals who face a particular problem. I would be involved in a needs assessment as it helps gain a deeper understanding of the organization. By conducting a needs assessment, it becomes easier to be involved in the problem-solving process. Insightful data is gained from the needs assessment that not only helps in defining how we approach a certain problem but also forms a defined environment on how future decisions are made. The Company policy-making process and other improvement measures rely on the needs assessment reports. Being involved in a needs assessment also strengthens an individual’s leadership ability and problem-solving skills. Other personal traits such as critical and analytical thinking skills are sharpened in the process.
References
Adams, C. D., Baaki, J., & Stefaniak, J. E. (2021). Challenges Faced by Certified Performance Technologists in Conducting Needs Assessment. Performance Improvement Quarterly , 33 (4), 419-442.
Benge, M., Harder, A., & Warner, L. (2019). Conducting the Needs Assessment# 1: Introduction. EDIS , 2019 (5), 4-4.
