How Can We Measure the Impact of Employee Training on Our Organization?

Hi everybody,

I am working with an MNC in the business of IT Facility Management.

I would like to know if there are methods through which we can follow up on the training provided to the employees (both soft skills & technical) so that we can measure how effective the training was and how it has helped the organization.

Regards,
Ashit

Hi Ashit,
I would like to suggest you Kirk Patrick Model, which is one of best for Measuring training effectiveness.
There r many good software's available. People soft is one of them which takes the feedback and also gives u ratings of trainer and total training.
Regds
Indrayani

Hi Ashit,

Welcome to citehr.com, and I am happy to note that you are active as well. Great.

Also, I extend a very warm welcome to Indrayani as well.

Regarding Training effectiveness - as suggested by Indrayani - Kirkpatrick's model, you can refer to many methods which would be available in a dime a dozen. What is more important is that if you can innovate or tweak them to fit your organization's process/culture.

Would like to share an article by John Sullivan on Training effectiveness as below.

Good Luck!!

Cheerio

Rajat

Measuring Training Effectiveness / Impact

by Dr. John Sullivan

Training can be measured in a variety of ways including
[List (Items I-V) are in increasing order of business value]:

I - Prior to training

The number of people that say they need it during the needs assessment process.

The number of people that sign up for it.

II - At the end of training

The number of people that attend the session.

The number of people that paid to attend the session.

Customer satisfaction (attendees) at the end of training.

Customer satisfaction at the end of training when customers know the actual costs of the training.

A measurable change in knowledge or skill at the end of training.

Ability to solve a "mock" problem at the end of training.

Willingness to try or intent to use the skill/knowledge at the end of training.

III - Delayed impact (non-job)

Customer satisfaction at X weeks after the end of training.

Customer satisfaction at X weeks after the training when customers know the actual costs of the training.

Retention of Knowledge at X weeks after the end of training.

Ability to solve a "mock" problem at X weeks after the end of training.

Willingness to try (or intent to use) the skill/knowledge at X weeks after the end of the training.

IV - On-the-job behavior change

Trained individuals that self-report that they changed their behavior/used the skill or knowledge on the job after the training (within X months).

Trained individuals whose managers report that they changed their behavior/used the skill or knowledge on the job after the training (within X months).

Trained individuals that are actually observed to change their behavior/use the skill or knowledge on the job after the training (within X months).

V - On-the-job performance change

Trained individuals that self-report that their actual job performance changed as a result of their changed behavior/skill (within X months).

Trained individuals whose managers report that their actual job performance changed as a result of their changed behavior/skill (within X months).

Trained individuals whose managers report that their job performance changed (as a result of their changed behavior/skill) either through improved performance appraisal scores or specific notations about the training on the performance appraisal form (within X months).

Trained individuals that have observable/measurable (improved sales, quality, speed, etc.) improvement in their actual job performance as a result of their changed behavior/skill (within X months).

The performance of employees that are managed by (or are part of the same team with) individuals that went through the training.

Departmental performance in departments with X% of employees that went through training ROI (Cost/Benefit ratio) of return on training dollar spent (compared to our competition, last year, other offered training, preset goals, etc.).

Other measures

CEO/Top management knowledge of/approval of/or satisfaction with the training program.

Rank of the training seminar in forced ranking by managers of what factors (among miscellaneous staff functions) contributed most to productivity/profitability improvement.

Number (or %) of referrals to the training by those who have previously attended the training.

Additional number of people who were trained (cross-trained) by those who have previously attended the training. And their change in skill/behavior/performance.

Popularity (attendance or ranking) of the program compared to others (for voluntary training programs).

Hi Rajat,

Thanks for your wishes. What you said is exactly true; any model or method suggested has to be the best fit with a particular organization. Thanks for your inputs.

Regards,
Indrayani

Hello,

Welcome to citeHR.com.

Training hunks are expected to dust off their experience.

Regards,
UML

Hi,

I am in the process of redefining the HR metrics for our organization and am looking for inputs on this. What are the metrics that one can use effectively for a small-sized IT company? Can anyone please help me with this?

Hello POOJA JAIN,

As you mentioned, you want to redefine the current HR metrics of your IT organization. Unless we know what your current metrics are, what problems you are facing, or what you are looking for in the future organization, it is challenging to provide the input you expect from forum members.

Regards,
UML

Hi,

Currently, I am mapping the following metrics:
1) Attrition Rate
2) Training Effort
3) Training Effectiveness

I am looking to explore if there are any other metrics commonly used in IT organizations that could also be effectively utilized in my organization. Your insights and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Hope I have clarified my point. Please feel free to share your thoughts.

Thank you,
Pooja

Hi Pooja,

How are you?

I recommend the following metrics, especially essential for knowledge-driven companies like yours:

Indicators of Growth

- Organic Growth
- Investment in IT
- Investments in Internal Structure
- Competence Index
- Number of Years in the Profession
- Level of Education
- Competence Turnover

Indicators of Renewal/Innovation

- Image Enhancing Customers
- Sales to new customers
- Organisation Enhancing Customers
- Proportion of new products/services
- New processes implemented
- Competence-Enhancing Customers
- Training and Education Costs
- Diversity

Indicators of Efficiency/Utilisation

- Profitability per Customer
- Sales per Customer
- Win/Loss Index
- Proportion of Support Staff
- Proportion of Professionals
- Leverage Effect
- Value Added per Employee
- Value Added per Professional
- Profit per Employee
- Profit per Professional

Indicators of Risk/Stability

- Satisfied Customers Index
- Proportion of Big Customers
- Age Structure
- Devoted Customers Ratio
- Frequency of Repeat Orders
- Values/Attitudes Index
- Age of the organization
- Support Staff Turnover
- Rookie Ratio
- Seniority
- Professionals Turnover
- Relative Pay

Hope you can use some of them.

Cheerio,

Rajat Joshi

Pooja

Hi Rajat,

How are you doing? Thank you very much for the help. Many of these suggestions appear relevant to the type of business line we are in. I will definitely try to implement some of them.

I have a query: are there any specific metrics for HR apart from what we are already mapping? I am considering mapping the time to staff (closing a vacancy). Could you please suggest any other metrics? Also, do you know of any websites where I can download relevant formulas for these suggested metrics?

Another thought I had is that currently, we are mapping many metrics (across various departments) quarterly. This essentially gives us an average. Do you think this accurately reflects the true picture? Shouldn't the metrics be mapped monthly with the variance calculated?

Please share your thoughts.

Cheers,
Pooja

Hi Pooja,

"How are you doing? Thanks a lot for the help. A lot of these seem relevant to the kind of business line we are in. I will definitely try to implement some of these.

One query - are there any specific metrics for HR apart from what we are already mapping? I was thinking of mapping the Time to staff (closing a vacancy). Can you please suggest any other metrics? Also, is there a site where I can download relevant formulas for these suggested metrics?

Another thought I had was that currently, we are mapping many metrics (across various departments) quarterly. This basically gives us an average. Do you think this reflects the true picture? Should the metrics not be mapped monthly, and the variance calculated?

Answer: Closing a vacancy - yes. I suggest choosing metrics on activities that are critical, like servicing internal customers in terms of their queries (we had a metric on any query or disbursement of expense bills of employees or C&B matters, etc., defined and measured on a monthly basis. Follow the KISS method!!

The metrics I suggested are given as an attachment below. Too many metrics would lead to chaos - pick and choose the essential ones that truly matter, keeping you close to the customer (in your case, internal customer).

Cheerio,
Rajat