What can't be measured, does not exist. This rule, originally applied only in hard science, is becoming increasingly required in the field of HR. Top managers want clear metrics for all HR processes from recruitment to employee training. Today we will focus on training. If you are in charge of employee training in your company and your boss wants you to come up with a clear measurement strategy, we have practical tips for you how to get started. The Chief Learning Officer website recommends the following procedure.
1. Meet heads of the departments whose employees you should train
The measurement strategy you will implement must meet their management goals. You need to know what strategic corporate goals they are trying to achieve and what initiatives are currently the most important for each department. You should look for answers together to questions like: Why do you want to measure the outcome of employee training? What metrics have you already used and what other metrics do you need? How often do you want to measure them? How should the reports with measurement results look like and how will you use them?
2. Determine the metrics of training effectiveness, efficiency and outcomes
If your strategy is to be balanced, it must contain metrics of all these categories. Other necessary metrics may also come out of your discussions with managers. That is why you should speak with more managers from the relevant part of the company.
3. Measure the effectiveness of meeting strategic objectives
You will need a separate metric for each company goal you are helping to achieve. Additional metrics may then include the number of participants, costs, satisfaction of participants and sponsors of the individual training events and programs, amount of learning etc. Therefore, it is necessary to talk not only with managers, but also with the leaders of the educational programs. Besides the company-wide targets, you should also focus on measuring the progress towards meeting specific objectives of each department.
4. Meet for a discussion again
Before you start implementing your strategy, you should meet for a discussion with department heads and other managers responsible for training. Present your measurement strategy proposal and make sure that the proposed metrics will help them in carrying out their work. Agree on what metrics will be active and passive. Active metrics are those you will be evaluating periodically, for example every month, and comparing to specific development plans. Passive are those metrics you will only marginally monitor.
How do you measure the effectiveness of employee training in your company?
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