Businesses around the world are investing in the training and skills development of their employees. According to Budget yellow 2021 ofthe vocational training, business spending on training for 2018 would have increased by 7.7%. Evaluating training allows, in addition to controlling returns on investment in training, to identify areas for improvement and key program performance indicators. Finally, the measurement of training makes it possible to assess the commitment of learners and to adapt the content accordingly.
The effectiveness of training is evident on several levels. Productivity, commitment, reduction in staff turnover, global development of skills, acquired skills or even maintaining the competitiveness of a company. Any training action therefore involves assiduous monitoring in order to validate or not the expected effect. Here is a method for evaluating the effectiveness of training, based on Kirkpatrick's four-level training evaluation model to which we have added a step.
Assessment context and regulations
In France, the legal obligation for companies to assess their training comes from The Law of 5 March 2014 on to vocational training.
This law requires companies to use specific documents to assess their training. Responsibility for this assessment is the responsibility of the company, including the evaluation of the trainer himself, in accordance with the corresponding article.
Step 1: Preparing for the assessment before the training: what is the point
To assess the training, Upstream, it is necessary to make an inventory of the existing situation and needs in order to have reference data. Assessing the needs in terms of skills and knowledge prior to the training allows a retrospective validation of whether they have been met or not. For example, this may involve testing the level of learners before to compare it with their level after. Identifying the goals of the training and the learning objectives beforehand makes it possible to visualize the expected results. On the other hand, prepare the assessment prior to training plan involves reconciling the training objectives with the commercial or productivity objectives of the structure, in order to then validate the impact of the training on these strategic points. Finally, in preparation, it is important to assess the best time to implement the training so that it has the maximum impact.
-> What actions should be put in place?
1 - Evaluate training needs in accordance with the strategic objectives of the structure.
2 - Assess the skills needs of learners beforehand and the best time to train them.
Step 2: Identify prerequisites
Before diving into a training course, it is also essential to assess the prerequisites. This stage aims to assess the skills of the participants or trainees before the start of the training.
It allows personalize teaching to meet the specific needs of each learner.
To assess these prerequisites, it is recommended to implement the following actions:
1 - Design a questionnaire to assess learners' prior competencies.
2 - Analyze the results to identify possible shortcomings.
3 - Adapt the content of the training according to the specific needs of the learners.
4 - Provide remedial modules to fill any gaps identified.
Step 3: Understand learners' expectations
To ensure the success of a training course, it is essential to also understand the expectations of employee trainees from the start. This step makes it possible to determine what the Learners hope to withdraw from training, which directly influences its effectiveness.
What we recommend:
1 - Organize individual interviews or surveys to gather learners' expectations.
2 - Analyze the responses to identify the specific objectives of each participant.
3 - Personalize the content and the teaching methods according to the expectations expressed.
4 - Clearly communicate the objectives of the training to the participants to align their expectations with the objectives of the training.
Step 4: Assess the response through the training assessment
Measuring the level of commitment of participants or trainees, via a questionnaire for example, and the way in which they received each training course makes it possible to understand how its content has been assimilated by the trainees. At the same time, this qualitative assessment makes it possible to formulate points for improvement in the content or methods of training And of overcoming learners' barriers. This is a way for the training manager to take into account the satisfaction of the participants. Among the questions to ask the learners, we may find for example:
- Was this training worth your time?
- In your opinion was the training successful?
- What parts did you like the most and the least like?
- What do you think of the tools that were used to deliver the training?
- What are the three most important things you learned during this course?
- Do you think you can apply what you've learned to your work?
- Etc.
-> What actions should be put in place?
1 - Determine an evaluation questionnaire based on learners' feelings.
2 - Analyze the reactions and list the actions to be implemented by the trainer to improve the training.
Step 5: assess learning during and after training
This assessment stage focuses on what learners have and have not learned. Evaluating training through the prism of apprenticeships makes it possible to validate the acquisition of expected skills or knowledge. This step is the most similar to a knowledge or skills check. In this context, the assessment of objectives and skills carried out before the training provides a point of comparison to measure the evolution of learners' abilities at the end of the training. Measuring learning and acquired skills also involves questioning learners about their commitment to what they have learned and their confidence in their ability to apply it.
-> What actions should be put in place?
1 - Test learners before and after training on expected skills.
2 - Conduct verbal evaluation interviews to assess learners' attitude towards what they have learned.
Step 6: Measuring behaviors through evaluation
Theoretical knowledge is not very useful to the business if it cannot be applied. The fourth step in measuring training assesses whether the skills taught are being implemented. This step helps to understand if learners need help in the transition between theory and practice. Measuring behaviors makes it possible to validate changes in behavior among learners based on what they have learned and the objectives of the training. This measurement phase, which is mainly based on observation, is longer than an interview or a “test” type evaluation., it requires the attention of managers for several weeks to really observe changes. Have learners taken advantage of some of their learning? Are they able to teach their new knowledge, skills, or attitudes to others, for example during a Social learning ? It is during this evaluation phase that it is important to set up positive reinforcement mechanisms, by rewarding learners who demonstrate the expected behavior after the training.
-> What actions should be put in place?
1 - Set up a learner observation phase in which expected behavioral changes will be evaluated.
2 - Determine a coaching and reward system in a positive reinforcement process.
Step 7: Evaluating the results
When it comes to evaluating training through the prism of results, we are talking about expected results at the level of the structure or the company. Did the training have a positive return on investment? Did it achieve a strategic objective such as increased sales or greater productivity? Is employee engagement improved? Has customer satisfaction increased? Did it help to promote collaboration in business ? This is actually the hardest part to assess, because it must make it possible to establish causal links between training and more or less macro phenomena in the company. For this reason, laying the foundations by listing the expected objectives prior to the training course makes it possible to provide a precise evaluation framework to assess its effects on the company.
-> What actions should be put in place?
1 - List the performance indicators based on the training objectives and the expected results.
2 - Determine a period for evaluating the desired performance indicators. It must start before the training to identify possible changes and continue throughout the training.
Step 8: Assessment of skills and application transfer
After the training, it is crucial to check whether the acquired skills have been applied in the workplace. This evaluation therefore measures the impact of the training on the work performance.
Our recommendations:
1 - Launch post-training follow-up to assess the practical application of acquired skills.
2 - Gather feedback on the application of skills in their professional environment.
3 - Measure the relevant performance indicators to measure the impact of training on productivity and the quality of work.
4 - Offer coaching or support sessions to help them effectively apply their skills in the field.
Step 9: Post-Retention Assessment
Last step if you want to improve your training even more, now is the time Look at it for the long term, several months after the training. This step allows you to measure the continuous impact on the effectiveness of the trained, of his team and of the organization as a whole. Was the information provided during the training successfully retained?
The actions to be performed:
1 - Plan regular evaluations at defined intervals after training.
2 - Measure the sustainability of the skills acquired and their contribution to improving performance over time.
3 - Gather testimonies and long-term feedback to document the ongoing benefits of training.
4 - Adapt the training according to the results of the subsequent evaluation to ensure better knowledge retention.
Quizzes, quizzes, interviews, or even digital evaluations thanks to training management software, all you have to do is choose the tool or tools that will help you collect all this valuable data to improve your training courses!
