How Are We Measuring PERFORMANCE RESULTS From Training?
The One Question Every Training Organization Should Be Asking Themselves
There is an old adage that "everything important in organizations is measured." In other words, what gets measured is what matters!
So the core question every training organization should be asking themselves is HOW ARE WE MEASURING OUR PERFORMANCE RESULTS. Notice I said PERFORMANCE results. All the other outcomes that you can measure are really just activity or process measures. At the end of the day, its only performance results that count.
Unfortunately, the answer for many training programs is that the performance results aren't measured. Is it any wonder then that these organizations face problems such as:
- Declining training budgets
- Lack of support from supervisors of trainees
- Difficulty pulling trainees away from their jobs
- Low motivation among trainees
- Not being "at the table" for key human capital decisions
If you are an external training provider, you're also likely to see:
- Declining sales, especially in a tough economy
- Difficulty getting return phone calls
- Difficulty filling classes
- Declining profits
Without real performance results, training is just "nice to have" and not an essential part of the business. Measuring your training's impact on performance shows your customers (internal and external) you are serious about helping them improve their organization's bottom line.
Many trainers are afraid of the accountability that measurement creates. It's a shame because they really sell themselves short. If done right training is one of the most powerful tools available for improving performance.
So get started now measuring your results. The measurements don't have to be perfect (few are in organizations) to make a big impact. The most important thing is to just get started on your journey to being a better business partner.
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