How Effective is Your Training, Really?
Measuring Training Effectiveness
It may come as no surprise that training expenditure rose approximately 12% from 2020-2021 to approximately $923 billion*. And why that isn’t surprising, is because employees need continuous, effective training to keep up with the demands of our rapidly changing world.
But spending heaps of money on training doesn’t guarantee a force of upskilled employees. Ineffective training won’t get you the results you’re looking for. So, how do you know if your learning is effective? How do you know that you haven’t wasted money on training that didn’t work? You need to measure your training effectiveness.
What is Training Effectiveness Measurement?
Training effectiveness measurement refers to determining whether the employee training you’ve implemented has achieved the objectives it set out to achieve. Training success metrics can help answer key questions:
Did employees learn what they were supposed to learn?
Did they apply the new knowledge at work?
Did they meet a business goal?
Was this training worth the investment?
Training metrics allow you to objectively assess how effective your learning solutions are, and use this information to improve training programs to meet your business objectives. By deciding beforehand what you want the training to accomplish, you can evaluate whether it fulfilled its purpose or advanced business goals.
Once you’ve decided on your training metrics, you’ll need to collect your information and analyze your data. This is a much more streamlined process if your Learning Management System (LMS) allows you to track usage and completion of digital learning. But what if your training is delivered as Video Instructor-led Training (VILT)?
Sidekick is a virtual training assistant that helps L&D Departments solve corporate training’s two biggest challenges: learner disengagement and measuring training effectiveness. This innovative platform uses next-gen tools to engage learners in meaningful ways. As live learning sessions are run, Sidekick tracks learning and engagement activity, providing valuable data back to HR Leaders. This data can be fed into training effectiveness models to quantify training effectiveness.
How Do You Measure Training Effectiveness?
There are a number of widely accepted, research-based models that can be used to measure the effectiveness of training. We’re going to look briefly at Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels of Training Evaluation. Most models that have been developed to measure training effectiveness use Kirkpatrick’s model as a starting point.
Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels of Training Evaluation
If you’ve begun looking into evaluating your training or improving the way you’re currently evaluating training, you’ve probably come across the Kirkpatrick Model during your research. Kirkpatrick’s model, also the starting point of many other models, takes into account any style of training, both informal or formal, to determine aptitude based on four levels of criteria. The model allows us to measure:
Reaction – Level 1
Level 1 evaluation asks learners for their opinions of the learning experience after the training has been completed. Questions typically focus on the degree to which the experience was valuable, whether they felt engaged, and whether they felt the training was relevant. This level of evaluation alone doesn’t yield much data to help determine if learning was successful.
Learning – Level 2
Level 2 evaluation measures how effectively the information in the training was absorbed by the learners. It looks at the degree to which participants acquired the intended knowledge, skills and attitudes as a result of the training. Level 2 may be completed as a pre- and post-event evaluation, or only as a post-evaluation.
Behavior – Level 3
In this level, you’re measuring the degree to which the training has influenced the behavior of the learners, and how they are applying their new knowledge to their jobs.
Results – Level 4
Level 4 aims at determining the tangible results of the training such as: reduced cost, improved quality and efficiency, increased productivity, employee retention, increased sales and higher morale.
Now what?
You have training programs you’ve invested in and now you want to know if they’re working.
Choose a model that meets your measurement needs.
Determine indicators of training effectiveness
Answer the question: What would make this training program successful? These could be new skills and knowledge, improved efficiency, or increased sales.
Choose an appropriate method to collect data.
Commonly used training evaluation tools include questionnaires, interviews, focus groups, and observation.
Request feedback from learners following the completion of their course.Analyze feedback.
Use feedback when designing your next programme to make changes, updates, and improvements that will help you achieve your metrics.
Want to learn how Enable can revolutionize your training? Reach out now and schedule a call.