Here are three more things you must do when measuring the value of your online training programs.
[Part one of this article appeared in yesterday’s Advisor.]
Step 3—Understand Learner Benefits and Behavior
Unfortunately, many organizations get so preoccupied with gaining executive buy-in for their online programs that they forget to measure whether their learners are truly learning and positively reacting to the online training courses implemented. No online training program can be considered effective if learners aren’t learning anything or aren’t able to apply what they’ve learned when they’re back on the job. And they aren’t effective if learners loathe taking them and don’t see the value in taking them.
Always make the time to look at learners’ scores on assessments from online training programs, as well as how long it takes them to complete modules. Document questions that are consistently missed or courses that take too long to complete so you can adjust your learning material accordingly. And, more importantly, you’ll want to determine whether learners are applying what they’ve learned in online courses while they’re on the job, especially if they’re taking courses when it’s convenient for them and they’re not being closely monitored during training. For instance, did they start using that new system they took a course for or implement the new communications policy, etc.? While posttraining assessments are helpful, you’ll want to ensure your trainees are ultimately putting what they’ve learned into action.
Step 4—Petition Feedback
Petitioning feedback is an important step in measuring the effectiveness of online training programs. Petition feedback before you release your online programs to ensure they’re positively received, and ask learners about their experiences midway through their programs and after they’ve completed their programs. If your online training programs are too difficult to access or understand, too easy and unimportant, or not relevant to their work or career goals, learners will not be engaged when taking online courses at their own paces and will most likely not retain any knowledge from them. They’ll also tell others inside your organization about their frustrating experiences or negligible benefits, and motivation to complete online programs will disintegrate.
Ask learners how they plan to use the knowledge they’ve learned or will learn, and send out surveys and questionnaires asking about their experiences with your online systems. And ask managers if they notice a change in their employees’ behavior or productivity after the employees have completed a course. Remember that even if your online courses have the potential to cut costs and increase productivity, they won’t actually do so if employees aren’t receptive to them, engaged, and applying what they’ve learned when back on the job.
Step 5—Evaluate Results
Above all else, your online training programs should yield real results for your organization and its employees, results that you can evaluate and measure. As you’re weighing the impact of your online training programs on your organization and its learners, you should start to see things like:
- Increases in productivity and output rates;
- Decreases in employee turnover and absenteeism;
- Higher sales volumes and customer retention;
- Fewer customer complaints and higher satisfaction; and
- Reduction in accidents and damages.
Succinctly put, your online training programs will be deemed valuable if they increase your employees’ productivity and generate more revenue for your organization.