Evaluating the effectiveness of your LTD strategy allows you to make sure it’s meeting the needs of your organization and its employees. It involves utilizing methods such as pre-and post-training assessments, monitoring employee performance, conducting surveys, and evaluating retention rates to identify areas for improvement, optimize employee performance, and enhance overall organizational success.
Recommendation
Adjust the frequency of training evaluations to fit your organization’s needs and resources. For example, conduct pre- and post-training assessments for each session, monitor performance quarterly, and run surveys and evaluate retention rates annually or biannually.
Utilize pre-and post-training assessments
By comparing employee performance before and after training, you can determine whether the training has led to improvements in knowledge, skills, or behaviour. These assessments could include quizzes, surveys, simulations, or evaluations. These assessments can also help identify areas where additional training or resources may be needed.
For example, an organization that provides training on diversity and inclusion could conduct a pre-training survey to gauge employees’ understanding and attitudes toward diversity and inclusion. After the training, the organization could conduct a post-training survey to determine whether employees’ knowledge and attitudes have improved. Organizations can use specific assessment tools, such as the Kirkpatrick Model or Phillips Model, which provide a structured approach for measuring training effectiveness.
Monitor employee performance
Look for improvements in job performance, efficiency, and productivity that may be linked to the training and development initiatives. This can also help identify areas where employees may need further support or training.
For example, compare the before and after results of training staff on grant writing or advocating for policy changes. To track grant writing training outcomes, you can evaluate grant application success rates and grant writing productivity. For policy advocacy/changes, you can track metrics such as meetings with key stakeholders and engagement on a policy file.
Conduct employee surveys
Employee surveys can provide insights into the impact of your learning strategy on job satisfaction and employee retention. Survey employees to gather feedback on their training, overall satisfaction with the organization, and intentions to stay with the company.
Managers can conduct stay interviews with their employees so they can learn what’s going well and what areas they need to address. This information can help you identify any gaps in your strategy and make necessary adjustments to meet the needs of your diverse workforce better.
For example, an organization that provides leadership training could conduct a survey to gather feedback from participants on the effectiveness of the training, areas for improvement, and whether they feel the training has prepared them to be effective leaders.
Evaluate retention rates
High retention rates may suggest that your strategy positively impacts employees, while low retention rates may indicate areas for improvement. Monitoring retention rates can help you identify trends and adjust your strategy.
For example, an organization that provides mentorship programs could track the retention rates of employees who participate in the program compared to those who do not.
Tip: Use Canadian benchmarks or industry standards to measure the success of your learning and development initiatives, such as comparing your organization’s employee retention rate with the Canadian nonprofit sector average.