Many in leadership positions are quick to conclude that no increased performance after employee training must mean the training was ineffective.
This conclusion, though logical, is not reliable.
Performance is influenced by many factors such as infrastructure, cultural fit, and leadership, making it unfair to attribute performance outcomes solely to employee training effectiveness.
Put bluntly, the training could be fine, and it’s every other part of an organisation that needs improvement.
Of course, it could be that the training was ineffective!
For an accurate assessment, we recommend incorporating five metrics in addition to the usual performance benchmarks.
Let’s begin.
1. Completion rate
Training completion rate tracks the percentage of employees who successfully finish a training program, with criteria for ‘successful completion’ varying depending on the nature and objectives of the training – for example, participants may have different end points depending on seniority.
It’s an essential metric because it doesn’t matter how great the training content and potential impact is if nobody bothers to complete it!
2. Engagement rate
While completing a training program is foundational, high engagement throughout is indicative of highly effective training.
Employee engagement can be broadly defined as active interaction with training content, particularly non-mandatory aspects like additional reading material and staying back for Q&A sessions.
This metric tells you if the training content, and more specifically the trainer, can capture and hold the attention of participants.
3. Drop-off rate
The participant drop-off rate measures the percentage of employees who start the training but do not finish it. Done properly, it determines where the employee’s last engagement was without being intrusive.
This metric is crucial to spot frequent disengagement points in the training that need improvement, and as a bonus, can identify employees who are stressed or demotivated.
4. Assessment pass rate
This measures the proportion of employees who not just complete a training program, but absorb the knowledge and skills taught throughout the sessions.
These assessments gauge employee understanding of training content, and broadly come in two forms:
- Formative: Frequent, low-stakes, designed to measure short term information retention, i.e. end of a class.
- Summative: Infrequent, higher-stakes, designed to measure information retention over multiple lessons, i.e. end of a course.
5. Employee feedback
Nothing – nothing – can ever take the place of authentic, genuine participant feedback.
It gives employers a host of qualitative data on the effectiveness of the training topic, venue, provider, and so much more that cannot be measured any other way. For that reason, feedback can also highlight unexpected areas where the training excels and where it might need adjustments.
The challenge will always be providing a platform and environment for employees to share their thoughts without fear.
Let MISHU help with your training needs
With multiple HRD Corp Certified Courses under SBL-Khas, MISHU’s team of dedicated trainers and coaches are ready to help you provide targeted corporate training for every level of talent in your organisation, from executives to C-suites.