How to Develop a Training Assessment for Admin Staff

1. Meet with the full admin group at your company to tell them why you are considering a needs assessment. You'll want to assure them that uncovering weak areas will not be detrimental to them, but will rather help them seek training that will make them stronger and more valuable to the company.

2. Ask for their input and support for this project. Let them know what's in it for them.

3. Select a few admin leaders to help you prepare the assessment.

4. Begin with a listing of skills used by all admins in the company. It may help to put the skills in skill areas, like communication (written and spoken), project management, mail and mailings, computer troubleshooting, meetings, supervising others, organizing, filing, and retrieving information, etc. Sub-skills can be placed under each category.

5. Consider adding a section of skills not now used on the job, but ones that would be useful and increase productivity or indicated in the strategic plan.

6. At the same time, meet with managers and let them know what you are doing. Ask for their support and input and let them know what's in it for them.

7. Give the skill list to a few selected admins from different departments. Ask them for additions, modifications, and to indicate anything that isn't clear.

8. Revise the assessment using that input.

9. Using the revised assessment, give to all the admins and ask for their input on what they now do, what they may be doing in the next 6-12 months (not doing now, but will be soon), what they feel comfortable doing (have the skills for), what areas they would like additional skill training in.

10. You may want to have the managers answer the same questions for their admins. It might be interesting to see if the managers and admins come up with a similar rating.

11. Look at the areas where they have indicated a need. That will be the place to start developing a training curriculum.

Too often, we tend to teach people what we think they need, rather than asking them what they want. As skill levels increase, the training can be further refined and higher-order skills can be added.

You may also be interested in three IAAP programs now available via the "Education and Training" section of the IAAP Web site, www.iaap-hq.org