Measuring the impact of your learning and development (L&D) program isn’t an exact science. After all, it is difficult to gauge exactly how much your employees gained from their training, as you can’t assess their mental capabilities accurately before and after the fact.
However, there are points you can monitor to determine whether your L&D program is effective and providing suitable value. If you want to measure the impact of your L&D program, here are some great places to start.
Team Metrics
Most companies monitor various team metrics to gauge productivity and the quality of outputs. By reviewing these metrics before and after training, you can determine if your L&D program is producing the desired results.
For example, if productivity increases by 10 percent after training, your L&D program likely played a role in their increased success. Similarly, if there are fewer issues with products or services going forward, signs of quality increases, your learning approach is producing positive results.
While there can certainly be other factors that can lead to improvements in team metrics, such as filling a long-vacant position and increasing the team’s size, it is likely that your L&D program was responsible for at least some of the gains. This is especially true if the improvements are in areas that directly related to recent training, indicating that your employees are now more effective in the target area.
Retention
Increasing retention rates can be an indicator of a successful learning initiative, particularly since Millennials and Gen Z workers value chances to learn and grow on the job. Examine your retention rates before your L&D program was launched. Then, after the program has been in place for 6 months to a year, review the data again to see if retention has increased or turnover has decreased.
As with team metrics, retention can be influenced by a range of factors. If you only see turnover decreases in a specific department after implementing your learning initiative, look at that business area closely to see if any other potentially positive changes also occurred during that period. This allows you to see if your L&D program was entirely or partially responsible.
If retention rates improve across the board, that is a strong indicator that your learning initiative is playing a big role in reducing turnover. However, it is still a smart move to examine any company-wide changes that could also be factors, giving you a better gauge on precisely how much of the impact was related to your learning initiative.
Are You for L&D Professionals Who Can Help You Develop a Winning L&D Program?
At Clarity Consultants, we have over 25 years of experience in the L&D field, giving you the ability to find the top talent you need for your company to thrive. If you are searching for L&D professionals who can help you develop a difference-making learning initiative, the team at Clarity Consultants can make it easier than ever to find your perfect candidates. Contact us to find out more about our services and see how our L&D expertise can benefit you.
