Training within a business is an action taken to improve performance and ultimately increase profitability.

To ensure that the training undertaken is effective, it must be measured and evaluated. Measuring the success of training will enable organisations to understand which methods of training are most effective, as well as allow them to improve the design of training and justify the costs incurred. Training measurements include:

Individual Objectives

Before the commencement of training, programme objectives should be set. However, measurement needs to go deeper and drill down to the individual’s learning journey reflecting their development goals and their learning from the training. High-level commercial training objectives could include:
  • Increasing customer retention
  • Reducing customer complaints
  • Increasing overall revenue
  • Improving customer experience
Depending on the need that is driving the training, more detailed objectives should be developed that form the basis of a purposeful evaluation of the extent to which each learning event has delivered workplace improvements that feed into the broader commercial context.   It is important to make objectives SMART! SMART objectives are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. If objectives cannot be measured and monitored, it is likely that employees will find them unachievable.

Employee Reaction

It is important to gain insight into the thoughts and opinions of employees following their training programmes as this will enable employers to see what aspects they found beneficial and areas in which they found difficult. These results will help employers identify where some employees may struggle and aid the structure for future training and development programmes. An effective way to study employee reaction is the use of an after training survey. It is important to keep the survey simple and to the point. Surveys are also most effective when used immediately after the completion of a training programme, this will ensure employees give a fresh, detailed review.

Acquisition of Knowledge

To form an understanding of how much an employee has learned it might be useful to implement an end of training examination. This will be reflective of how much knowledge has been retained from employees which will help determine which employees may need further training in the future. It is crucial that all training programmes are measured appropriately not only for employee development but also for company-specific objectives. Whether it is leadership, management or team development you are looking for, our approach is grounded in proven principles, practices and methodologies, pulled from various disciplines, but all with a practical and commercial application to the workplace. 

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