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Do
you ever wonder if the money you spend on training is having
any impact? Maybe you think it's too complicated? Whether
your training budget is large or small, this week we can help
you with some
Simple
steps to training evaluation
Training
is often part of a bigger picture, and is rarely a solution
on its own. Training evaluation at its most simple is assessing
the CONTRIBUTION that training makes to your organisation,
rather than assuming a casual link between a piece of learning
and a business impact.
Here
are some tips for finding out the contribution your training
has made:
1.
ASK THE TRAINER
Prime
the trainer beforehand to listen out for people saying ‘this
will be really helpful with…' If you can follow up even a
couple of these comments with phone calls, you will get additional
evidence to show your training is having an impact.
2.
RESPOND ONLINE
If
your training has an online element, make the last section
a quick ‘how will this help' question, preferably with a drop
down list of options so that delegates can respond easily.
3.
LISTEN TO ANECDOTES
Anecdotes
are powerful evidence of training impact. Ring a couple of
delegates a week or so after the programme and ask them how
the programme is helping. Ask them to give you a specific
example of what they found useful, or what they have done
differently as a result.
4.
ASK THE MANAGER
Contact
a line manager and ask straightforward questions about the
impact of the training.
5.
SEE FOR YOURSELF
A
lot of impact may be visible in the workplace. For example,
go and sit on the floor of the contact centre, ask if you
can attend a management meeting, look to see if a person is
better organised etc. You'll be surprised what you learn,
and the delegates will be impressed that you are taking that
much interest.
6.
NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS
If
a training programme is poor, you will find out pretty quickly
(probably while it's still running). If it's all good news
– be pleased!
If
the news is mixed, make a decision about the amount of time
you want to spend on how the programme can be changed or improved
to get the most out of your training.
7.
HANDLING BAD NEWS
If
there appears to be no impact from a training programme, treat
it as a learning opportunity for yourself and the organisation.
Most
poor results from training fall into one of the following
categories:
Poor match between programme and delegate/s
Poor delivery and/or poor material
Poor engagement/ follow up with the line manager
Identify
the main source of the problem and review your processes accordingly.
By
using these simple steps to assess the impact of your training,
you can begin to justify your training budget spend and prove
the benefits of the training to your organisation.
Management
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