Tana Cannon

Kayla Towle

Into to Info Technology

Southern New Hampshire University

September 21, 2019

To really understand the value of the training needs assessment first we need to understand what

the purpose of the assessment is. The purpose of a training assessment is to identify “individuals'

current level of competency, skill or knowledge in one or more areas and compares that

competency level to the required competency standard established for their positions or other

positions within the organization”.(How to Conduct a Training Needs Assessment.(2019).

Retrieved from https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/tools-and-samples/how-to-

guides/pages/conduct-training-needs-assessment.aspx). It is important for organizations to

evaluate training needs for many reasons. For example, when there needs to be some

improvement to employees’ performances, or when the company wants to determine any training

needs or if HR would like to test a current training program to identify its effectiveness. With

this, employees gain the ability to perform the required task of their job and improve on their

knowledge and skill of their work.

The main components of a needs assessment at Maersk are organizational, task and person

analysis. Organizational analysis examines the situation, plans, and the resources the

organization meets to determine what other training it should use. HR worked with management

to present the training priorities and the requirements that align with business and job position

objective by looking at what was desired and what skills they needed to get the outcome they

wanted. Task analysis refers to the reviewing of the job description and the specifications to

identify the activities performed in a particular job and the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other

attributes (KSAOs) needed to perform them. (G., Snell, S., & Morris, S. S. (2016). Managing

human resources. Boston (Mass.): Cengage Learning.) Maersk carefully keyed in on what tasks

and duties the job included to list the steps that are needed to be performed by the employee to

complete the job. This helps to identify the persons from internal and external that can be trained
to do the position. Person analysis helps the company determine what an applicant is able to do

when they take on the position. With Maersk’s job posting they are looking for someone with

specific qualifications. This helps upper management establish what potential employees are able

to do when they come into the job position and design a training program around the areas that

are lacking.

It is important to create SMART, Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-oriented

objectives when developing a training plan, because it allows for a business or organization to go

beyond the realm of goal setting into accomplishing their plan for results. Using SMART

provides the business with a clear plan for management and the employees to follow by

identifying the main concerns of the training plan.

The Maersk company can benefit from learning activities because of the many benefits the

company can afford from it. Learning activities can be used for several things, for example being

able to improve a set of skills an employee possesses or learning activities. For Maersk customer

care associates the training activities can be designed for the task of being responsible for the

satisfaction of Maersk’s customers. The training activities should be made to help increase and

build strong relationships with the customers. In turn this could effectively boost the company’s

status and increase profit.

For Maersk Customer Service-CARE Business Partner training program I would incorporate the

important teaching strategies to help the customer care associate learn best. Keeping in mind that

understanding why something is important to learn, allowing them the freedom to learn their
own way with experimental learning, taking into consideration the right time to start training and

making sure the training is positive and encouraging allows for the adult learning principle to be

used to obtain the best results. Based on the job posting Maersk may be looking to hire someone

with Customer Service experience. I believe using more hands-on methods in this case can really

aid the customer care associate. Hands-on methods incorporate simulations, case studies and role

play to help behavior model certain customers and situations that the Customer Service-CARE

Business Partner may come across. The candidate as an adult learner can utilize their previous

life experience in their new position and, in turn, can embrace the training opportunities to learn

and grow in the CARE Business Partner position. Understanding that training is a crucial part of

Maersk business helps employees grow as the business grows and expands. Having HR,

management and employees working together towards one goal and utilizing the resources given

make for a better running business climate and opens many door and opportunities across the

board.
 REFERENCES

How to Conduct a Training Needs Assessment. (2019). Retrieved from

https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/tools-and-samples/how-to-guides/pages/conduct-

training-needs-assessment.aspx)

Managing Human Resources (G., Snell, S., & Morris, S. S. (2016). Managing human resources.

Boston (Mass.): Cengage Learning.)