How Do Top Companies Ensure Training Effectiveness? Share Your Insights for a Study

Learn What the Best are Doing

12 June 2007

Hi Everyone,

I am a student pursuing my Masters in Human Resource and Organizational Development (MHROD) from the Faculty of Commerce and Business, Delhi School of Economics, Delhi University.

I am working on a project with an IT firm on the topic "Benchmarking Training and its Effectiveness" (with an emphasis on effectiveness) in IT and other top employers.

I have already identified and contacted a few corporations like yours, whose input I believe is crucial for the successful completion of this project.

I kindly request you to participate by filling in the questionnaire enclosed (within 3 days of the aforementioned date) to share your practices and learn what the best companies are doing. Please send your response to the provided email addresses.

The results (key findings) of this survey will be shared only with the respondents.

Furthermore, your answers will be treated anonymously and with complete confidentiality, and will be aggregated with responses from other organizations.

Regards,

Virender Pratap

Email: email-virenderpratap@gmail.com

Email: virender_mhrod2008@yahoo.co.in

Hi Virender,

That is a very nice way of getting to know people in the industry and asking for help. Has it been of any help? Because my project is very similar to yours! I was wondering if people would be open about disclosing their company standards, or do they do it anonymously?

Hope to receive your reply soon.

Regards,
Radhika

Hi Radhika,

As you can see, the questionnaire is not asking for 'too confidential' information. Some of the requirements are those that best employers boast about themselves in the media when discussing their training practices.

Anyway, there have been around 16 downloads so far, and I received 3 responses by mail. A few of them are ready to provide information with the condition of sharing the key results, which I have already agreed to after discussing with my guide.

Moreover, if you are working on the same project, I think we can share our experiences to add richness to the project. If you also think so, please drop me an email or share your id.

Regards,
Virender

Oh, okay. I'm yet to go through the entire Qair. You could send me your email if it's possible for you. We could definitely share our experiences. I have only started my project 2 days ago, so I'm getting to know things from the roots. I don't have much information yet, but whatever comes my way, I would definitely want to share it with you. I hope you would do the same.

I will wait for your reply.

Regards,
Radhika

Hi Radhika,

My email IDs are already there in the first (main) post and the questionnaire as well. Please check it out.

Regards,
Virender

Hello,

I have provided inputs to you in the form attached. However, I would suggest that you should relook at the form, as the assessment and findings would not actually give any valid results. I browsed the form and gave my inputs, but when you expect industry professionals to spend time and fill the form, even the survey form should be at that level.

Nonetheless, all the best for your project, and you should post your findings to all rather than saying it shall be shared with only those who take the survey. When you give something to the world, you get something back!

Nidhi

Hi Nidhi,

Thanks for your inputs. I had the same doubts as yours about the form. I prepared a detailed 32-question questionnaire. However, after many discussions with my guide (they say nobody will read this long), I edited it to the final version I posted. I don't know whether the findings would actually be valid or not, but I think it is a bit customized. Let's see how it turns out.

Thanks again for your time.

Regards,
Virender Pratap

Hi Virender/Nidhi,

I have sent the filled questionnaire to your email address. Please check it.

I believe your questionnaire is sufficient to capture the relevant information about the training processes and their effectiveness.

Regarding the validity issue, it is understandable that it aligns with the requirements of your organization. We conducted a similar study with the assistance of a consultant, and the questions were aligned with these aspects. However, based on this, you can benchmark almost all parameters, such as man-days (which is an important factor for distinguishing between two organizations).

Reputation of the vendors is also crucial. Identifying training needs is a key factor. You can explore the following:

- Percentage utilization of different Training Needs Identification methods.
- Percentage of successful Training Programs per "Training Needs Identification" method.
- Percentage of successful Training programs in relation to the Training Process.
- Percentage of Outsourced Trainers.
- Percentage of Successful Programs with Outsourced or Insourced Trainers.
- Percentage of Outsourced Programs based on Training Focus Area.
- Percentage of Successful Training Programs (Impact at Level 3 & Level 4 Levels).
- Percentage of Organizations at different Training Effectiveness Measurement Levels.
- Number of Training hours per employee.
- Changes in Competency level per employee.
- External expenses in Training as a percentage of Payroll.

I recommend focusing more on questions 7 and 8.

By the way, when will this be concluded, and could you please email me the results?

Thank you,
Saloni

Hi Saloni,

Thanks for sharing the knowledge on the subject. The project will be over by the middle of next month, and I will be mailing you the results around the 20th.

One more issue - in one or two feedbacks I received, I found that companies directly reach level 3 bypassing level 2. Is that possible?

Regards,
Virender Pratap