• A needs assessment is a good first step for companies that want to provide training programs for workers.

The first step in determining which training program will be most effective for a company is to perform a needs assessment. This can include:

• An examination of productivity, quality, or safety records to identify problem areas
• A survey that asks employees to identify training needs
• Observation of employees at work
• Information gleaned from performance records
• A review of regulatory requirements
• A review of equipment, procedures, or technology that is slated to change

An organization also may want to look at training programs used by other companies in the industry to determine which areas of training are valuable for its workforce.