Measuring Training Effectiveness

Training is a critical component in any organization's strategy, but organizations don't always evaluate the business impact of a training program. Given the large expenditures for training in many organizations, it is important to develop business intelligence tools that will help companies improve the measurement of training effectiveness. These tools need to provide a methodology to measure, evaluate, and continuously improve training, as well as the organizational and technical infrastructure (systems) to implement the methodology. Cross-functional and reporting and learning analytics provide important connections between the measures of learning effectiveness offered by a learning management system (LMS) and the larger enterprise metrics that indicate whether learning is transferred and positively affects business results.


Training Effectiveness & its Significance
In India, training as an activity has been going on as a distinct field with its own roles, structures and budgets, but it is still young. This field is, however; expanding fast but controversies seem to envelop any attempts to find benefits commensurate with the escalating costs of training. Training has made remarkable contributions to the improvement of all kinds. Training is essential; but doubts arise over its contribution in practice. Complaints are growing over its ineffectiveness and waste. The training apparatus and costs have multiplied but Unhappiness persists and is growing at the working level where the benefits of training should show up most clearly. This disillusionment shows in many ways - reluctance to send the most talented workforce for training, inadequate use of personnel after training, etc.

With disillusionment mounting in the midst of expansion, training has entered a dangerous phase in its development. Training is neither a panacea for all ills nor is it a waste of time. What is required is an insight into what training can or cannot do, and skill in designing and executing training successfully and cost-effectively.

At the present time, all the organizations give more trust on commercializing their activities. All the firms, in order to continue to exist in the competitive global market and to be effectual, should espouse the most modern technology, i.e., mechanization, computerization and automation. Technical know-how alone, however, does not assure success unless it is sustained by workforce possessing indispensable expertise. Hence, organizations should train the employees to enrich them in the areas of changing technical skills and knowledge from time to time.

The Input-Process-Output Model for an Effective Training

Input
• Training need analysis: survey based on performance gaps in previous year & performance opportunities in the next year.
• Periodical request from department heads based on potential appraisal exercises.
• Information on implementation of new practices, technological changes, strategic moves, and changes in the environment.
• Information on new recruitments.
• Updation of procedures, rules & regulations.
• Training policy of the administration

Process
• Exercise of determining needs & maintenance of training register
• Verification of need to prepare training plans
• Deciding to conduct onsite programmes, if large number of participants require training.
• Deputation of employees for short term training programmes conducted by local training institutes.
• Conducting induction training for new recruits.
• Monitoring the training conducted by various departments.
• Implementation of changes in the prgramme as necessitated by the feedback.

Output
• Release of training plan
• Issue of orders of deputation for individual programmes
• Feedback on effectives: from participants, from departmental heads

By Priti Shah