Companies need to evaluate the outcomes of training programmes to verify their effectiveness in achieving desired goals. While the first part of this article presented four effective evaluation techniques, this second instalment delves into a further set of methods.
Choosing the Right Evaluation Techniques
5. Formative and Summative Evaluation
Comprehensive evaluations provide valuable insights into training programmes' shortcomings. A programme should be evaluated during its development using formative evaluation tools and after its completion using summative evaluations.
Formative evaluation techniques aim to pinpoint and correct issues before they escalate and impact the effectiveness of the experience. For example, a user acceptance test could be run before a training course is launched to check the platform is user-friendly. Alternatively, you could ask a subject matter expert to compare the difficulty of the assessments with the course content.
Summative evaluations, also known as post-training evaluation techniques, are conducted after the programme has concluded. The Kirkpatrick and Anderson models are prime examples of this.
6. The CIPP Model (Context, Input, Process, Product)
This model consists of four stages: evaluating the context, inputs, processes, and products. It is used to gauge the effectiveness of training programmes and to enhance them. The professor "Daniel Stufflebeam" (Daniel Stufflebeam) developed a cyclical and iterative model that considers a range of factors when evaluating training programmes, naming it the CIPP model.
The evaluation results at the end of each stage are used to make necessary adjustments and improvements. This helps both managers and HR experts to meet evolving training needs. Over time, these refinements contribute to increased training effectiveness and improved results.
Here are the four stages of the model:
6.1. Context Evaluation
This stage assesses the training environment to understand needs, objectives, and implementation challenges. It involves gathering information about the organisation's mission, goals, culture, and external factors, such as regulatory requirements and sector trends. The specifications and needs of the target audience are then assessed.
6.2. Input Evaluation
Here, organisations focus on the training's resources and materials. This involves confirming that the necessary materials are available to meet the training objectives and assessing the curriculum, methods, staff qualifications, and funding. You must check that these inputs are aligned with the training programme's goals and are sufficient and of high quality.
6.3. Process Evaluation
involves verifying the efficiency and effectiveness of the training programme's implementation processes. Data on teaching methods, the level of participant engagement, and the training experience are collected. The next step is to look for opportunities to refine and improve the training experience.
6.4. Product Evaluation
The final stage confirms that the programme achieved the desired outcomes and impact. After the training, information is gathered on participants' skills, knowledge, and behaviours. During this phase, a comprehensive evaluation of the programme's effectiveness and alignment with the goals set in the first stage is conducted.
7. Qualitative Data Analysis
This type of evaluation focuses on analysing the narrative data gathered from interviews, focus group discussions, open-ended survey responses, and written feedback, for example. The effectiveness of training programmes is evaluated by analysing participants' experiences, ideas, and the qualitative changes in their behaviour and attitudes.
Qualitative analysis offers comprehensive and detailed information about participants' experiences, addressing aspects that quantitative evaluations often overlook. A leader's role here is to investigate the causes and mechanisms behind participant attitudes and behaviour changes. This helps to comprehensively evaluate all aspects of the training programme.
There are seven stages of qualitative analysis:
7.1. Data Collection
Conduct interviews, focused group discussions, open-ended surveys, or ask participants to provide a written review of the training experience. The next step is to collate the data and check that it aligns with the training objectives and expected outcomes.
7.2. Data Organisation
Structure and document the qualitative data. Transcribe interviews and discussions, group similar responses, and ensure the data is suitable for analysis.
7.3. Data Coding
Identify key themes, patterns, and concepts within the data. Code them to categorise and label common ideas, opinions, and shared experiences.
7.4. Data Analysis
Study the coded data to identify recurring trends and commonalities in the responses. Assess how the training has impacted participants' knowledge, behaviour, and attitudes.
7.5. Drawing Conclusions
Formulate conclusions about the training programme by explaining the patterns observed and comparing the data with the programme's goals.
7.6. Reporting and Presentations
Produce a report on the findings of the qualitative analysis using descriptive summaries and participant evaluations. Charts, graphs, and other visual aids can be used to present the findings clearly.
7.7. Implementation and Improvement
The resulting data helps to improve training programmes. This information can adjust training materials, methods, or methodologies. These actions are designed to meet the needs and expectations of future training participants.
Key Success Indicators for Employee Training Programmes
Before evaluating employee training programmes, indicators of effectiveness should be defined. Is the training considered a success if it improves company culture, employee performance, or employee happiness?
Using as many indicators as possible is best to get the information you need to improve the programme.
Here are some of the indicators used to evaluate employee training programmes:
1. Knowledge and Acquired Skills
For example, persuasion training aims to develop persuasive skills among sales department employees. The acquisition of new skills and knowledge is one of the most important metrics for evaluating the effectiveness of this type of training.
The indicator for developing knowledge and skills is called "learning performance" because it relates to an employee's performance as a trainee, not their performance at work. Many simple techniques can help evaluate trainee performance using a Learning Management System (LMS).
2. Learning Experience
Training evaluation methodologies often overlook the learning experience indicator. When the experience is poor, employees' engagement with the training content drops, reducing the likelihood of acquiring the skills needed to improve their work performance.
This can result in wasting a lot of time and resources on a training programme that doesn't deliver the desired outcomes. For this reason, you should ask employees for their opinions on the delivery style and content. Post-training feedback helps evaluate the effectiveness of the training and provides valuable information on how to improve it.
3. Employee Happiness
Many employees' happiness in the workplace depends on the training programmes offered by the company, as they help them to advance and develop professionally, and enable them to obtain new job opportunities.
This happiness helps boost their efforts, increase their commitment and brand loyalty, and improve the quality of the results. Therefore, employee happiness is considered one of the most important indicators of training success and one of the best results an organisation can achieve.
4. Cultural Impact
Culture is considered one of the most prominent factors in achieving excellence in a fiercely competitive global business environment. As such, you must maintain your company's culture by conducting training that reinforces the rules of the workplace and the values necessary for the organisation's success.
You must evaluate the cultural impact when implementing new employee onboarding and sensitivity training programmes. This can be done by calculating the change in the number of HR department complaints after the training or by evaluating the results of peer reviews on teamwork and positive attitudes.
5. Efficiency Impact
This metric looks at the impact of training on the efficiency of employees or teams. The choice of the right metric for assessing efficiency depends on the sector and the department targeted by the training programme.
For example, a manufacturing company could run a programme to train its workers on how to use new equipment and then calculate the increase in the number of units produced per day. Online technology companies, on the other hand, could measure the number of requests and issues that the customer support team resolves after completing a training programme.
6. Financial Impact
Finally, the impact of employee training programmes on the company's financial standing must be evaluated by calculating the change in revenues and profits. When a training programme is a success and the effectiveness evaluation metrics produce positive results, sales and revenues increase, and costs decrease.
In Summary
Those in charge of training often find it challenging to evaluate its effectiveness and confirm its success in achieving desired goals. The second part of this article has provided a comprehensive overview of evaluation techniques and the key indicators of a successful training experience.
Follow us in the third part of the article..
