Training results are arguably the most important part of the training process.  The time, work, research, content creation, and engagement strategies you incorporate into your training are all a means to an end.  You train for the following outcomes (Unboxed):

• Employee learning
• Employees’ application of learned concepts
• Reaching a business goal(s)
• Strong return on investment
• Employee retention
• Employee engagement
• To build advancement opportunities for employees

Because training requires a significant investment in dollars and time, it is critical to understand the value that it is achieving for the company.  Training Magazine’s 2021 Training Industry Report stated that U.S. companies spent an average of $1,071 per employee last year on training. Multiply that amount by the number of employees in your organization, and you’ll understand why your training to have the desired effects. 

Another reason to evaluate training results is to ensure that the training goals are met.   Whether the goal is improved employee retention, professional advancement, or increased customer satisfaction, confirming the training programs are getting the necessary results is critical.  How do you  measure training results?   Jigsaw Interactive provides different tools, reports and analytics that dissect engagement and outcomes of each trainer and participant.   

What You Should Measure

Let’s talk about two common training metrics you might want to track. These include (Simplilearn):

• Participant satisfaction
• Learning outcomes

Participant Satisfaction

You can gauge whether your attendees were satisfied with their training and found it worth their while by asking them to participate in a survey. This practice can be valuable as long as you keep a few factors in mind:

1. Conduct blind surveys. Respondents are more likely to be honest about their reactions if they aren’t afraid of suffering repercussions for their candor.
2. Promote engagement. Employees are also more likely to take these surveys seriously if you engage them during the training. You can also incorporate engaging elements (gamification, etc.) into the surveys themselves to get authentic participation.
3. Break it up. You don’t have to give one long survey at the end of the training. Consider doing micro surveys after each session while respondents’ memories are fresh and their energy is high.

Learning Outcomes

Learning outcomes are usually measured with assessments, and like surveys, assessments don’t have to happen at the end of training. In fact, the most effective assessment schedule is to administer them pre-, mid-, AND post-training (Unboxed). That will give you a good idea of where the participants were before they started, how they’re coming along during the process, and where they stand afterward. Assessments are the best way to gauge the scope and level of learning and see how much your employees have gained in knowledge and abilities from beginning to end. The sooner you can look at the data, the sooner, and better, you can adjust your training style or content.

L&D directors are responsible to ensure training is effective and the company is seeing the needed results. With access to analytics and real-time reporting that give results on the spot, they can evaluate the training programs and make the informed decisions that will increase the value of training for the organization.