Consider…

How broad does an ONA have to be? An organization might only want to consider a basic skills program and not to open the door for workers and staff to express the full range of their interests in education and training. Communication systems and practices…what does that have to do with language and literacies? Or, if a company and union just want to help a certain group of workers pass a certification test, what kind of needs assessment would be suitable?

Language and literacies function within a company’s overall communication practices and are best understood as one part of a whole. One simple question in an ONA such as “How well does communication work here?” usually results in a wealth of information from multiple perspectives. If companies are serious about offering opportunities to improve language and literacies, then it’s important for them to hear that they don’t exist separately or outside of a culture of communication. Working on one small area of need in isolation from larger practices may not achieve the results they hope for. The ONA findings shine a light on certain aspects of culture that help educators and the workplace committee understand what role education can play. Other activities, such as holding more employee meetings about upcoming changes, could answer needs better than an education program. Not all the ONA recommendations may be accepted or acted on immediately but the documentation serves as a baseline for future activities.

Ultimately, the scope of the ONA is determined by the workplace committee or the organization. They may decide on a strong focus on basic skills without direct questions on other topics such as communication practices or job training. Even in these circumstances, participants in the needs assessment often bring up those larger issues, reflecting their understanding of the culture they work in.