Training is an essential element of a company’s ongoing strategic plan. It is not only important in respect to improving employees’ skills and learning, but it also helps to establish a sense of unity and loyalty within the organisation. Evaluating the success of a learning and development programme should be prioritised post-training.
What is the Kirkpatrick Model?
The Kirkpatrick Model of Evaluation is the best-known model for analyzing the effectiveness and results of employee training programs. It takes into account the style of training, both informal or formal, and rates them against four levels of criteria:
REACTION
The reaction of the learner and their thoughts on the training program.
LEARNING
Identifying the level of learning and increased knowledge from the training program.
BEHAVIOUR
What changes in behaviour have occurred since the course, and have they been applied ‘on the job’?
RESULTS
What are the visible results that the learner’s performance has on the business?
In addition to this, calculating the ROI should help to identify how profitable the training is and how much value you as a company, are getting out of the investment?
Reaction
This is a learner-focused evaluation indicator. Post-training surveys are designed to identify the level of satisfaction, engagement, and relevance a learner has experienced during training. Questions should also cover course objectives, course materials, content, and delivery.
· Was the candidate happy with what they learned?
· How much did the learner engage and contribute during the learning experience?
· How much of the information acquired will employees be able to apply in their job?
· Was the training worth the learner’s time?
· Were the training activities engaging?
· Does the learner think that it was successful?
· What were the biggest strengths and weaknesses of the training?
· Was the learner happy with the venue and presentation style?
· Did the training session accommodate individual learning styles?
· What were the most important things learned from this training?
· What elements do learners plan to apply in their job?
· Will they require additional support to achieve this?
Learning
Evaluating at this level is meant to gauge the level participants have developed in expertise, knowledge, or mindset. Exploration at this level is far more challenging and time-consuming compared to level one.
Techniques include self-assessment, team assessment, and informal and formal tests. Other approaches include interviews, simulations, and on-the-job observations. Ideally, learners should be evaluated before pre-and post-training. Strategies for assessment should be relevant to the goals of the training program, and to avoid inconsistent evaluation reports, a clear scoring process needs to be determined.
Behaviour
Evaluations at level 3 focus on assessing the degree to which participants apply their newly acquired skills and training, to their daily job objectives. Are learners behaving differently on the job as a result of the training? At this level, it is possible to see whether or not our training efforts are successful with respect to productivity and performance.
Effectively measuring behaviour is considered a longer-term process. Changes are often gradual and may take place weeks or months following the initial training.
There are a number of evaluation techniques at this level. Some common ways to track ‘on-the-job’ performance include reviewing performance metrics and observing employees directly. Metrics could include such areas as customer satisfaction ratings, sales numbers, and turnover – these will also prove useful in level 4 evaluations. Supervisor reviews and performance reports can also be used to measure changes in performance, as a result of the learner’s training experience.
Results
The final evaluations should look at the results of the training. Now is the time to consider your initial objectives, and assess to what extent they have been met.
Consider whether there has been:
Increased employee retention
Increased production
Higher staff morale, with fewer complaints
Increased sales
Increased customer satisfaction
Evaluation at this level can demonstrate whether a positive return on investment (ROI) has been achieved.
Level 4 will likely be the most costly and time-consuming. The challenge will be to identify which outcomes, benefits, or final results are most closely linked to the training as there may be other extraneous variables in play.
