Training is usually nice to have but at the same time, if it’s not built to provide value then it’s nice not to have. That’s why even training for new corporate software needs to have value behind it and tie into the overall business goal.
All training should provide value to the organization in one way or another. That means it either provides benefits directly to the company or contributes in some way. But we know digital training solutions are popular, but they’re not all created equally.
Even though they’re popular and a great way to train employees in a distributed workforce, they can provide little value if not done well. So how can organizations measure the effectiveness of these training programs and justify the costs involved?
There are many ways to measure the effectiveness and value which is something every training program should be doing. Training initiatives should never be implemented without a clear understanding of their impact on the bottom line or at least being tied to company goals.
As companies invest significant resources into developing and delivering custom digital training solutions, concrete evidence is needed to demonstrate the return on investment (ROI), or in better terms a cost/benefit analysis is needed.
Training without an eye on value is a wasted opportunity.
Does the training pay for itself in increased profits, saved money, or some other way that makes the training not just a drain on the company’s finances?
This is not just about tracking the number of participants or completion rates; it’s about assessing the true value that these training programs bring to the organization. Measuring corporate IT training value involves either a close tie-in to business goals or a comprehensive evaluation of various factors that contribute to the success of the program in terms of things that matter to the organization.
Training isn’t about the learning experience, it’s about the performance experience and if that performance contributes to the organization in some way. By having key performance indicators (KPIs) that the training is tied to in some way you can gain valuable insights into the effectiveness and impact of custom digital training solutions.
This helps you make informed decisions about future investments and allocate resources more efficiently. It also provides insight into the real value of training that can lead to more investment as well as more value for training in the company.
Value is the only measurement of training that matters, engagement is only secondary if that.
This post will explore the different methods and approaches organizations can employ to measure the value of their corporate IT training programs. From evaluating employee performance improvements to assessing the alignment of training outcomes with business objectives, this post is all about the intricacies of measuring the value of training.
But why would you need to measure the value of corporate IT training in the first place? Don’t organizations inherently know the value of training? Should the training department just get a blank check?
I wish! But no, there are no blank checks in companies unless the desire is to run the company into the ground.
Why Measuring Value Is Important
No training initiative should be implemented without a clear understanding of their impact or how they tie into the company’s bottom line. While a needs analysis can’t tell you everything, it should tell you first if training is the ideal solution and second how that training will benefit the bottom line of the company.
Yes, it will tell you a lot of other information but without measuring how training benefits the organization, it’s just a waste of money. Assessing the true value or how it links to an initiative that will create true value will ensure training is valued and will contribute to the company’s growth.
We all want training to be valued but it can’t be valued unless it’s created to contribute value.
Tracking the number of participants or completion rates isn’t valuable, it’s just a vanity metric. Measuring value is about assessing the true value that these training programs bring to the organization. Without that tie-in, leaders won’t value training and it won’t contribute.
Measuring the value is essential to figure out the true worth of training. It could be in terms of the actual value of the training or how much it contributes to the success of some other business metric that does provide value.
Methods for Measuring Corporate IT Training Value
To measure corporate IT training value effectively, organizations can employ various methods and approaches. Smile sheets don’t typically cut it but that doesn’t mean you should eliminate them. They just don’t prove anything. More advanced methods must be used to truly prove value.
These methods go beyond just assessing employee performance or satisfaction levels; they provide a holistic view of the overall impact of the training program. These are some methods that can help you measure training effectiveness and value.
Evaluating Employee Performance Improvements
One way to measure corporate IT training value is by evaluating employee performance improvements before and after participating in a training program. For new corporate IT software, this one won’t work, but if the goal is to improve training then you have a great foothold for proving value.
By conducting pre and post-training assessments, organizations can gauge how much knowledge employees have gained and how well they have applied it in their roles. Things like help desk calls for specific software can be evaluated before and after training also. Did the call number reduce? By how much? Did the training save the organization money/time?
Looking at help desk calls can also tell you a lot about employee performance and if training worked.
If you go the knowledge and assessment route then the assessments can include quizzes, practical assignments, or simulations that simulate real-world scenarios. By comparing the results, organizations can determine the effectiveness of their training programs in enhancing employee performance.
There are lots of different ways to measure the data before and after to extrapolate employee performance. You just have to find the best way based on what data you have available and what the organization can pull off. Before getting too far into creating training, figure out how you’ll measure its success and figure out the value.
Aligning Training Outcomes with Business Objectives
This one is a biggie.
Not all training can have tangible financial value but it doesn’t all need to. What all training should have, though, is a tie-back to business objectives. Any initiative in the company is going to need training that will contribute to it.
So, can your training be tied back to business objectives? If not then you need to reevaluate the value of the training. If it’s not contributing to the bigger goals of the organization then is going to provide value or value that matters?
It’s essential that skills and knowledge from training directly contribute to organizational goals. By aligning training programs with specific business objectives, companies can measure their impact more accurately.
Every training initiative should be linked back to a business objectives or operational activities.
Even if the direct contribution of training is nearly impossible to figure out, the training still contributes overall to the business objective. Not all IT initiatives are easy to tie back to real dollars and cents but it all helps.
Computers are a good example, how much they contribute to company success is almost impossible to determine but they do enable value creation and for the company to meet business goals.
Tieing training to business objectives can be done by setting clear objectives at the beginning of each training. We think it’s best to not use learning objectives, though, and instead go with performance objects. They aren’t the same thing and it’s a completely different way of thinking about training.
Surveys and Feedback
This is one of the weakest methods of proving value but it’s sometimes better than nothing. Only if you can’t achieve any other method of proving value should you fall back on surveys and feedback.
If you do use surveys and such then make them count. Simple smile sheets and NPS scores don’t help. There are ways of creating training surveys that are helpful and can prove value. There’s a great book by Will Thalheimer on the subject because it’s all about creating performance-focused surveys.
A well-crafted training survey can tell you a lot. A poorly-crafted survey will tell you little to nothing.
Rather than sticking to questions about the learning experience, a good survey will focus on the value employees got out of the training. Will it help them perform their jobs better? Do they feel more prepared? It will answer the important questions for providing real value to the organization.
Organizations can gain insights into what worked well and what areas need improvement. This feedback helps shape future training programs to meet employees’ needs better.
Tracking Training Effectiveness Over Time
Tracking training effectiveness over time helps measure corporate IT training value. By monitoring participants’ progress and performance after the training program, organizations can assess the long-term impact of the training on employee productivity and overall business outcomes.
One indicator of performance after corporate IT training is whether the employee called the help desk or not. If employees who took all their training for new IT systems aren’t calling the help desk as much as employees who didn’t you know what’s different.
We’ve built custom eLearning courses for corporate IT training and there is typically a direct correlation between employees who take their training and are successful in the system. Those who do not often must call the help desk more and simply don’t know how to use the software.
Sometimes you may not have to rely on data at all. If managers follow up with employees then they can get a good feel for if training is providing value. These conversations ensure that employees get the training they need as well as make it known if training is providing value or not.
Making Informed Decisions About Future Investments
Training evaluation that covers value enables organizations to make informed decisions about future investments in training initiatives. By understanding the impact and effectiveness of current programs, companies can allocate resources more efficiently and invest in areas that yield the highest returns.
If a learning & development department is getting their budget cut then just like any other department it’s because value isn’t proven or enough. While it’s not true that learning & development get budget cuts first, they indeed will without proven value. But then again even sales which is a money maker will get cut if they’re not providing enough value.
Leadership can only make informed decisions if they’re shown the value of your department.
Having a data-driven approach ensures that organizations are investing in training programs that deliver tangible benefits to both employees and the business as a whole. Use whatever blend of methods above to show value. That will allow the business to make good decisions that ultimately benefit everyone.
If learning & development are proven to provide value then leaders will make the right call. They’ll make informed decisions based on information provided to them and make wise investments that grow the whole organization. That means everybody wins.
Efficient Resource Allocation for Training Initiatives
Measuring corporate IT training value also helps organizations allocate resources more efficiently. By identifying what in the organization is proving value, companies can prioritize their investments accordingly.
In tough times and in good times companies must allocate resources in ways that make the most sense. It ensures resources are allocated to areas where they will have the most significant impact on the bottom line for companies.
Showing the value that corporate IT training makes will help leaders allocated resources to the right places. It’s training’s job to show that value.
Of course, providing more resources in place that help employees most doesn’t just benefit the company. It helps employee development, saves them time, and overall provides a lot more value to all aspects of the company.
Efficiently allocating resources in the organization and making informed decisions is one of the main tasks of leadership. By providing them the true value of training they can make decisions that will ultimately benefit everyone, especially the training department if they’re proving value.
Wrap Up
Measuring corporate IT training value is essential for justifying the cost of custom digital training solutions. That’s one thing we’re solely focused on in the beginning because you shouldn’t have training unless it’s necessary and the value can be tied back to company goals.
It allows organizations to demonstrate a positive return on training programs. It’s all about a cost/benefit analysis that proves training is contributing to overall growth and improvement. This can be done by evaluating various factors such as employee performance improvements, alignment with business objectives, surveys and feedback, and tracking effectiveness over time.
With the methods mentioned in this post, companies can make informed decisions about future investments and allocate resources more efficiently. There’s no better way to get a seat at the table and prove training value than showing the value.
We’re focused on providing valuable digital training solutions to your organization that can be tied back to business objectives or real tangible financial benefits. If you have a corporate IT project coming up, we specialize in corporate IT training that provides real value. Schedule a free consultation so we can discuss your project and how our solutions can provide real value to your organization and employees.