Learning and development teams often use metrics such as completion rates to measure their courses’ effectiveness. According to LinkedIn's 2020 Workplace Learning Report, 38% of learning and development professionals cite completion rates to assess learning quality, while 35% focus on participant numbers.

Although tracking completion rates is straightforward and significant, this metric alone does not provide a comprehensive view. It is insufficient for learners to complete their training or for numerous participants to attend; they must also retain and apply new information in the workplace.

The learning and development department has several objectives, including enhancing employee engagement and retention, improving workplace performance, and fostering technological innovation. Evaluating courses from multiple perspectives offers a more holistic approach to determining their effectiveness.

5 Ways To Evaluate Training Courses

1. Assessing Knowledge Acquisition

Completion rates do not indicate whether a learner has genuinely absorbed the material. Someone can be disengaged, scrolling through social media while completing the course. However, post-course evaluations can assess knowledge acquisition. 

For example, you can follow up with a test based on the course material. Administer the same test over time and compare results to measure your employees' retention of the material. 

With online training resources, tracking information retention becomes straightforward, as you can easily view each employee's results upon completion. However, it is essential to note that online learning can sometimes lead to isolation if it consists solely of independent study. 

Incorporate collaborative elements into your training, such as peer workshops or online forums for employees to discuss challenges. All learners can share their ideas and information to reinforce the lessons learned during training.

2. Considering Training Needs

Addressing the workforce's skill gaps is a primary concern for learning and development professionals. Courses cannot deliver value unless their content aligns with the needed skills for employees to perform their jobs effectively. Therefore, conducting a training needs analysis is essential for evaluating course offerings against the skills required by your employees. 

The best way to conduct a training needs analysis is to solicit input from employees regarding areas where they require further training rather than relying solely on senior management's perspective.

Employees recognize what they need best. You should know when employees struggle with specific processes or tools or when they require resources to develop expertise in particular areas of their work. Such indications are clear signals that additional training is necessary.

Leverage collaborative learning programs to effectively identify training needs, as it allows employees to pinpoint skill gaps as they arise. Employees who cannot locate suitable training materials in the learning management system can directly request new content.

Features that allow content voting enable other employees to share their knowledge or suggest better resources, facilitating prioritizing training efforts and addressing immediate needs. Subsequently, you can develop an action plan targeting the most critical skill gaps.

Assess Training Courses

3. Prioritizing Employee Satisfaction

Satisfied employees are productive. In today’s competitive landscape for top talent, prioritizing employee satisfaction pays off. 

Research indicates a strong correlation between job satisfaction and training opportunities. A survey revealed that when participants rated the importance of learning and training opportunities to their job satisfaction on a scale from 0 to 100, the average response was 84. This underscores the importance of evaluating courses to align with employee needs.

Surveys are highly effective in measuring employee satisfaction. The most useful surveys consist of concise, straightforward, and relevant questions, such as: 

  • Do you have the necessary tools or technologies to perform your job efficiently?
  • Are there skills you believe are underutilized in your current position?

To track changes over time, consider administering the same survey periodically—every three months, for example—allowing you to measure and compare employee satisfaction throughout the year.

4. Checking for Updated Training Materials

One indicator of effective training is the materials' relevance and currency. IBM's research indicates that new employees are 42% more likely to remain in their positions if they receive proper training. Therefore, ensuring that your training materials are up-to-date and pertinent is crucial. Even if all employees complete a course, it holds little value if the information is outdated and does not enhance their job performance.

Compliance training is a good example. Historically viewed as "the most important but least glamorous job," this field continually evolves. What constitutes a safe workplace today differs significantly from previous decades, particularly concerning COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Consequently, training materials must be regularly updated to reflect these changes. 

Evaluate training materials regularly, set aside those not updated in the past year, and assess what has become outdated. Some online training platforms, such as 360Learning, are designed to be flexible and adaptable to changing organizational priorities.

5. Monitoring Return on Investment (ROI) 

Demonstrating ROI in learning and development can be challenging. However, effectively evaluating ROI is crucial to convincing executives of the business value of training and justifying requests for budget expansion in the following year.

In Conclusion

Organizations want effective courses, yet they often overlook key factors for enhancing learning opportunities.

Collaborative learning platforms like 360Learning facilitate employee-centered learning environments and help identify gaps in training materials. Such tools allow employees to voice their needs in a shared space, making it easier to identify critical concerns and the most sought-after skills within the workforce.