How to Evaluate the Effectiveness of a Training Program

Did you know over $80 billion is spent on employee training in the US every year? In fact, spending on training and development has increased by 400% over the past decade. 

A training and development plan is designed to improve employee productivity and on-the-job skills. This translates to an improved employee retention rate, a motivated workforce, and a successful business.

The questions are, “How effective is your training program? Were you able to achieve your pre-set goals and objectives? Did it help improve employee performance?”

Training is no longer just a matter of spending. All these questions must be answered. Hence, we need to take the necessary measures to gauge the effectiveness of the training program. 

Let’s examine how to evaluate the effectiveness of training programs.

Importance of Evaluating the Training Program 

Evaluating the training program shows how it is working and what can be done to improve it. Thankfully, solid evaluation tools exist that help identify gaps in the training program and improve its reception among employees.

Remember that no training program is free. You will be spending valuable time and resources on your training program, so it is essential to evaluate it over time. This way, you can change what's not working to make it effective.

There are different metrics you need to evaluate so you can make important decisions on improvements and changes to streamline the training program. 

Some key metrics for training evaluation include:

• Learner satisfaction rate 
• Learning outcome 
• Behavioral changes 
• Performance improvements

When we evaluate the training program, we measure two things:

1. Learner outcomes

The key outcomes are what you hope to achieve from the training program, whether increased productivity, performance, sales, or customer service.

Learning outcomes measure how much the learners learn and how well they take the training program. It evaluates test scores, course completion rates, and job satisfaction.

2. Process Measures

Process measures include aspects like the number of hours of training completed, satisfaction rate, and employee participation rate.

A blend of both metrics is used to evaluate the training program's effectiveness.

How to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Training Programs

How to evaluate the effectiveness of training programs? Here are some of the key measures and ways to evaluate the effectiveness of the training program.

1. Establish Clear Goals

Before you evaluate the training program, work on setting the objectives. They must be clear, measurable, and aligned with the organization's goals.

Setting these goals before you begin will lay the foundation for the training program, and you'll be better able to achieve your business goals.

2. Knowledge Gain

Many software programs use the completion rate of the course or program as an indicator or KPI. However, what we actually need to know is how well the learners are absorbing the training program's contents. 

For all you know, the employee could daydream or simply scroll through the course material instead of paying attention.

That's why how much knowledge they gain is assessed through quizzes, assessments, or other interactive activities.

Quizzes or appraisals can also be spread over time to gauge how well the users retain the information.

3. Address Gaps in the Training Program

Skill gaps are one of the biggest obstacles to a training program’s success. You must consistently check whether the program aligns with the objectives. A successful training program should address the learners' and the organization's goals.

Sometimes, there is a gap between the course offerings and the skills the learners need, which can cause problems.

Hence, an analysis is conducted bottom-up to identify the gaps first. Employee feedback is considered as it gives the best picture of how things are in the workplace. 

So, by talking to them and gathering their feedback and suggestions, you can best understand how they feel on the job. If there are any frustrations, unclear instructions, a lack of resources or tools, or additional skills needed, they need to be addressed.

A collaborative learning platform (LMS) is used here. LMS platforms give employees access to training material at their convenience. 

They can also share their concerns with peers or instructors to find better solutions to their problems. 

You can also use this information from the other side of the table to create detailed course structures and plans to fill in those gaps.

4. Evaluate Employee Satisfaction

It's easy to identify satisfied employees on the job. A happy and satisfied workforce is productive, up for challenges, and more willing to compete and outperform its peers.

One of the key factors that enhances the satisfaction rate on the job is training opportunities.

So, gather and evaluate employee feedback regularly. The best way to do that is via survey forms. Keep the surveys short and direct and ensure they cover all the relevant questions, such as whether the employees feel dissatisfied with the roles or feel their skills are underutilized.

Also, ask them if they need any technology upgrades or software for their jobs.

Remember, survey feedback isn't a one-time event. It's best to conduct it quarterly to evaluate changes.

5. Evaluate ROI

Aligning your training with the company's ROI can be rather tricky, but it is one of the key benefits we seek.

Once you align the two, you can prove that the training benefits the organization, especially the executives. Your ROI can be calculated at the different stages of the training program.

6. Assess the Long Term Impact of the Training Program

The training program’s long-term impact must be assessed to understand its effectiveness.

Hence, everything we discussed, like knowledge retention, behavioral changes, and performance improvements, is measured.

These assessments are conducted periodically, and follow-up assessments and, at times, refresher training programs or short courses are conducted to ensure that the training program's benefits aren't lost over time.

7. Qualitative Feedback

Apart from the quantitative measures we discussed, certain qualitative measures should be part of your final evaluation.

You can gather this information through one-on-one interviews, informal employee discussions, or focus groups.

These techniques will help you gather suggestions, areas for improvement, and ways to equip employees to overcome common challenges.

8. Organization Performance

Look into the broad business indicators like turnover rates, employee engagement rate, total profitability, and customer satisfaction.

Look at where the scores have improved following the training program. 

Models for Evaluating the Effectiveness of Training Programs 

Here are some renowned models for evaluating the training program you can use.

Kirkpatrick Model

Kirkpatrick Model is one of the most popular frameworks for evaluating the effectiveness of a training program.

The model assesses the training program on four levels.

1. Reaction

The first level or stage measures the participants' satisfaction rate or how much they can relate to the training.

You may use questionnaires and feedback forms to evaluate the training at this stage and ask the participants one-on-one questions.

These assessments determine the course content's relevance, quality, and delivery.

2. Learning

Learning measures how well the participants have acquired skills and knowledge from the program.

Usually, a pre-and post-training assessment is conducted, followed by quizzes or assessments to measure the increase in skills or knowledge.

3. Behavior

Then, the behavior or attitude of the employees who've undergone training is checked. It is measured by how much they can apply what they've learned on the job.

To do so, employee behavior on the job is observed. Afterward, the participants and their managers conduct follow-up interviews or surveys to check the performance metrics.

4. Results

Lastly, the training program's impact on the overall business outcome is measured. Key performance indicators (KPIs), such as productivity, rate of errors, customer satisfaction, and sales, are checked.

A before and after analysis of the aspects is conducted to see how the training program impacted the learner.

Phillips ROI Model

This is a further extension of Kirkpatrick's training evaluation model. Since Kirkpatrick's model has four levels, Phillips ROI adds a fifth level to measure the financial impact or ROI of the training program.

This means comparing the benefits of the training program (financial benefits) with the cost of training. It is represented in percentage or ratio.

The net benefits of training here include increased revenue, reduced costs, and improved processes and workforce efficiency.

The cost of training, on the other hand, includes all the training expenses, such as instructor fees, employee time, and the use of technology.

Positive results show that the training program has been viable and increased the organization's financial value. Conversely, the negative ROI shows that the costs outweigh the benefits.

Kaufman’s Five Levels of Evaluation

Kaufman's Five-Level Evaluation is another model for evaluating training and educational programs. This one extends Kirkpatrick’s Model to accommodate the training program’s societal impact. 

The societal outcome measures how the training program benefits society, whether by improving community well-being or helping with environmental sustainability.

Wrap Up

How to evaluate the effectiveness of training programs is the heart of the training. Without it, the training might as well be omitted. 

By evaluating results on key performance indicators, ROI, and Kirkpatrick’s Model, you can assess how well the training program performs and whether it will deliver the desired results.

Continuous evaluation over time will lead to a more successful training program implementation, which will benefit employees and the organization and help you achieve your business goals.

CourseBox has all the tools and assessment tools needed to evaluate and improve your training program over time. Hop on board to provide a safe place for your employees and trainers to engage in active discussions and take your business up the ladder.