Training needs analysis: find the gaps before you spend the budget
A structured skills audit rather than a blank form. The person and their manager rate the same 18 capability statements, and the gap profile shows exactly where development spend will pay off.
- Questions
- 18
- Reviewer time
- About 5 mins
- Typical cadence
- Annually, before setting the training budget or appraisal cycle
What this assessment is for
Most training needs analysis starts with a spreadsheet and a guess. Asking people what training they want gets you a wish list; asking both the person and their manager to rate the same capabilities gets you a priority list - including the blind spots nobody would have volunteered.
A structured skills audit: the person and their manager rate the same 18 capability statements across job knowledge, core skills, people skills, self-management and digital confidence. The gap profile tells you exactly where development spend will pay off.
Who does what
One person's current skills, to find gaps before booking training.
The person rates their confidence; their manager and colleagues add their view.
Before setting a training budget or a development plan.
Reviewers: The person and their manager - add a senior colleague for a wider view.
What it measures
18 statements across 6 themes, each rated on a 1 to 5 scale.
Job knowledge
Knows the role, the standards and the subject matter.
Core skills
The everyday skills the role depends on.
Working with others
Communication, teamwork and handling people.
Self-management
Organisation, reliability and ownership of the work.
Digital & systems
Confidence with the tools and systems the job uses.
Development priorities
Where development time would pay off most.
- Has the technical knowledge this role needs today.
- Understands the standards, policies and regulations that apply to their work.
- Keeps their professional knowledge up to date.
- Produces clear written work - reports, records, emails - without heavy editing.
- Handles the numbers, data or measurements the role involves.
- Works through unfamiliar problems methodically rather than getting stuck.
A sample of the 18 statements included.
Inside your report
What you get when the responses are in
- Scores across job knowledge, core skills, working with others, self-management, digital and systems, and development priorities
- Self versus manager gaps showing blind spots and hidden strengths
- A ranked priority list you can turn straight into a training plan
- A record of how the need was identified, dated and evidenced
When to run it
- Setting the annual training budget or L&D plan
- Appraisal season, to agree development priorities with evidence
- Onboarding a team you have just inherited
- Building a skills matrix across a department
- Preparing for an inspection or audit that asks how you identify training needs
The business case, in three numbers
Everything you need to justify the spend to a finance lead.
- Assessment cost
- £7.50
- Typical cost avoided
- £1,200
- Break-even
- One cancelled unnecessary course pays for dozens of analyses.
Including VAT, per assessment.
Wasted training spend per employee, per year
- A significant share of UK training budgets goes on courses staff did not need or never applied.
- A needs analysis points the budget at the gaps that actually exist before you commit to a supplier.
- Gives finance a documented rationale for the L&D spend at budget time.
Figures are published UK benchmarks (CIPD, HSE and recruitment cost surveys) and are indicative, not a guarantee of savings in your organisation.
How it works
1. Set it up and pay
Create the cycle, pay £7.50 including VAT, or use half an assessment credit if your organisation holds a credit wallet.
2. People tap a link
Everyone you invite gets a unique magic link. No account, no password, works on a phone.
3. Read the report
Scores, gaps and comments are assembled as responses come in, ready to take into the conversation.
Frequently asked questions
What is a training needs analysis?
A structured way of identifying the gap between the skills a role needs and the skills someone currently has, so training is chosen on evidence rather than preference.
How do you carry out a training needs analysis?
Agree the capabilities the role needs, have the person and their manager rate each one independently, compare the two sets of ratings, then prioritise the largest and most business-critical gaps. This assessment does all four steps for you.
Who should complete it?
The person and their manager as a minimum. Adding a senior colleague gives a wider view of where the role is heading.
How often should we run one?
Annually, before you set the training budget or run the appraisal cycle, and again whenever a role changes significantly.
Is there a training needs analysis template?
The 18 capability statements are the template - already written, already rated on a consistent scale, and scored for you.
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Ready to run it?
Set up the cycle, invite the people you want to hear from and get your report.£7.50 including VAT, or through your organisation's credit wallet.