a) HRD System : Human resource planning , Training policy, training budget

Human resource planning

The process that links the human resource needs of an organization to its strategic plan to ensure
that staffing is sufficient, qualified, and competent enough to achieve the organization's objectives.
HR planning is becoming a vital organizational element for maintaining a competitive advantage and
reducing employee turnover.

Definition: The Human Resource Planning is the process of finding the right
number of people for the right kind of a job, at a right time and the right place,
by forecasting the organizations demand for and supply of human resources in
the near future.

In other words, Human Resource Planning is responsible for arranging the right
people for the right job from all the available sources. And not only this, it also
anticipates the vacancy arising due to the promotion, transfer, retirement,
termination, of an employee and thus, plans for the manpower accordingly.
Immediate filling of vacancies reduces the idle time caused due to an employee
turnover, and hence the functioning of the business process remains unaffected.

This planning is generally done to enable an organization to move from the

current manpower position to the desired manpower position. The human
resource planning begins with the enterprises estimation for the manpower
requirement and then sources are found from where this need can be fulfilled.

The Human Resource Planning should not focus only on filling the vacant
positions, but should emphasize on hiring the right person for the right job. It
also focuses on developing the skills of an existing employee through an
interactive training program, with the intention to make them well equipped
with the skills required in the future, for the attainment of the organizations
objectives.
Developing a Human Resource Plan
Learn a process for developing an effective human resource plan to ensure that your organization has the
right people, with the right skills, in the right jobs.

Developing a Human Resource Plan guides participants through a step-by-step process to developing a human
resource plan that includes: staffing, forecasting, performance management, compensation, and employee
development. Participants will learn how the human resource plan links to the organizational strategic plan and
contributes to employee morale and overall organizational success.

The seminar explains a process for assessing current and future human resource challenges and how to use
recruitment, succession planning and retention strategies to address these issues. Participants will learn how to
prioritize issues and develop strategic staffing solutions. The seminar also teaches the process of developing action
plans for successfully communicating, executing, and monitoring the human resource plan.

Benefits

For Individuals

Build knowledge of human resource planning frameworks

Understand how the human resource plan impacts organizational culture
Identify your role in human resource planning
Learn how to relate the human resource plan to organizational strategy
Understand performance management
Use HR planning skills to contribute to the success of overall organizational strategy
Learn how to identify and manage gaps in existing human resources

For Organizations

Understand how to gain competitiveness through the management of people

Enhance management ability to initiate HR planning and live the plan
Introduce strategies to improve performance management
Know how to develop a plan to attract, retain and develop employees
Learn techniques for integrating the human resource plan with overall business strategies
Generate support for the process of human resource planning

Build a strategic framework through strategic planning -:

Both people and organizations need to establish a strategic framework for significant
success. This framework consists of:
 A vision for your future
A mission that defines what you are doing
Values that shape your actions
Strategies that zero in on your key success approaches
Goals and action plans that guide your daily, weekly and monthly actions

Your organization's success and your personal success depend on how well you define
and live by each of these important concepts.

In fact:

Companies whose employees understand the mission and goals enjoy a 29 percent
greater return than other firms (Watson Wyatt Work Study).
U.S. workers want their work to make a difference, but 75 percent do not think
their company's mission statement has become the way they do business
(Workplace 2000 Employee Insight Survey).

Read more to find out how to develop a successful strategic framework for your
organization and yourself.

Training Policy

This Employee Training and Development Policy is

ready to be tailored to your companys needs and should be
considered a starting point for setting up your
employment policies. An employee training and
development policy may also be referred to as Staff
Training and Development Policy or Employee
Development Policy.
 Policy elements
Employees, managers and Human Resources (HR) should all collaborate to
build a continuous professional development (CPD) culture. Its an employees
responsibility to seek new learning opportunities. Its a managers
responsibility to coach their teams and identify employee development needs.
And its HRs responsibility to facilitate any staff development activities and
processes.

What do we mean by training and development?

In general, we approve and encourage the following employee trainings:

Formal training sessions (individual or corporate)

Employee Coaching and Mentoring

Participating in conferences

On-the-job training

Job shadowing

Job rotation

As part of our learning and development provisions, we can also arrange for
subscriptions or educational material, so employees will have access to news,
articles and other material that can help them become better at their job.
There are two conditions for this:

Subscription/Material should be job-related

All relevant fees should not exceed a set limit per person
This list doesnt include software licences or other tools that are absolutely
necessary for employees jobs.
Objective
The purpose of the University's training policy is to ensure that:

employees are properly trained in the skills they need to carry out their present jobs at a
standard acceptable to the University and its customers;

employees are provided with the skills they may need for changes in the way jobs are carried
out;

as far as possible, employees are encouraged to develop their skills and talents to enable them
to progress within the University and reach their full potential.

The University is committed to making the most effective use of the talents, skills and abilities of its
workforce and to helping all employees maximise the contribution they can make. To demonstrate its
commitment, the University has formalised its training through this policy statement and through the
allocation of specific budget resources.

Opportunities for training will be based on an assessment of employees' development needs,

irrespective of their sex, age, marital status, disability, race, colour, ethnic or national origin or sexual
orientation.
Implementing the policy
Advice and guidance on any aspect of the University's training policy is available from the Training
Team in Human Resources.

The Training Team will work closely with managers within the University to provide a range of
consultancy/training services.

Training Budget
How to Develop a Training Budget
by Tara Duggan; Updated September 26, 2017

Developing a budget to forecast expenditures required to define, design, deliver and

evaluate training courses for your organization ensures you set realistic expectations
about the type of training experiences you can provide, given financial constraints. Once
you identify the needs of the target audience, meet with subject matter experts to get
input about course content and other training requirements. To get approval from
stakeholders and sponsors, you then need to create the project plan that includes the
training budget, broken down by types of expenditures. Using the metrics calculators
provided by the Society for Human Resource Management, calculate your training costs
as a percentage of total expenses.

Identify the types of training costs you expect. For example, list mandatory training
required. This type of training usually provides your employees with licenses and
certification needed by your company to operate. Categorize rest of your training
catalog into professional or technical development. Further refine your list by indicating
the training format, such as lecture, workshop, distance learning or web-based self
study offerings.
Estimate the cost of developing and running classes. For example, obtain quotes for
training providers or use data provided by in-house developers and instructors. Include
wages of instructional designers, instructors, programmers and other personnel
required to create the training. Identify any additional costs, such as marketing
materials, travel, meals or hardware and software.

Determine the number of training sessions required to meet the needs of your
organization. For example, to deploy a mandatory training program for an organization
of 400 people, with 20 people in each face-to-face class, you need to schedule 20
sessions. If the training needs to be completed within a single year, you need to
schedule two sessions per month.

Prepare your budget, the detailed listing of money required to complete the training
development and delivery. Use a spreadsheet template provided by a website such as
Microsoft Office Templates or develop your own format. Using an established template
allows you to take advantage of built-in formulas that automatically calculate financial
data and replicate it in an easily readable format. For example, use Microsoft Excel to
record quarterly costs, calculate yearly costs and ensure it does not exceed the annual
allocation for training. Enter line items, descriptions, quantities and unit rates to
generate a budget to include in your project plan to get approval for your organizations
training and development programs. Maintain the file to track actual expenses and use
the data for planning subsequent training programs.

Elements of a Good Training Budget

According to the Training Industry Report, the nationwide training expenditure was $52.8 billion in 2010, with
an average of $1,041 spent per learner. Small companies reported an average training budget of $234,850.
Your training budget is important because it is an investment in your organization; training expenditures have
been positively correlated with employee retention, customer retention, sales and overall profitability. In the
United States training averages between 2 and 2.5 percent of a company's budget, though some businesses
spend as much as 3 percent. Your training budget needs to be established based on your specific business's
training needs.
Planning a Comprehensive Training Budget

The Society for Human Resource Management recommends that a training budget include the costs for
training staff salaries, appropriate learning facilities, training materials, hardware and the cost of outside
consultants. Businesses may find it more effective to outsource certain training needs to vendors or benefit
from advances in learning technologies to reduce training costs. It is important that the training budget
adequately covers the realistic costs associated with the training methods your business employs.

Budgeting for Training Needs

Assess the training needs of your business before you begin planning your budget. Businesses may initially
need to spend money on discovering or researching which skill deficit is hindering productivity and
performance. The true training need may be overlooked if care is not taken to identify it. Ask for feedback on
training needs from all stakeholders. A good training budget is designed to address the real issues by spending
money on the actual needs of the business and its employees.

Prioritizing Training Needs

Prioritize the training needs within your company. Address those that are both important and urgent first.
According to the 2005 State of the Industry Report from the American Society for Training and Development,
industry- or profession-specific training has been the highest priority of organizations. Other high-priority
training topics include compliance training, business procedures, supervision skills and technical skills.
Determine your company's priorities by conducting a needs analysis, researching those needs identified by
stakeholders such as customers, employees and supervisors.

Using E-Learning to Maximize Your Training Budget

E-learning can be a cost-effective option for businesses, including small businesses that need to reduce costs
and make training more accessible. Companies can effectively use e-learning for mandatory or compliance
training; in fact, 61 percent of organizations reported using this delivery method in the 2010 Training Industry
Report. Online training for system and desktop application training was reported as the second most common
online training taught. Small companies currently lead the way in using social networking or mobile devices
for training, and also are more likely to use blended instruction -- a mix between online and instructor-led
learning.

Budget: What is involved in

developing an HR budget?
Budgeting involves the systematic collection of information and data so that the finances
needed to support an organizations objectives can be projected. Most organizations
have some sort of process for developing a budget. Two common methods are:

Incremental budgeting--using the current budget, a new budget is developed by making

adjustments upwards or downwards to each item based upon expectations.

Zero-based budgeting--every item included in the budget must be justified before being
included; therefore, the process begins with a clean slate.

Budgeting requires the collection of many forms of data. From a human resource
perspective, the data needed to create a new budget include the following:

Number of employees projected for next year.

Benefits cost increases or projections.
Projected turnover rate.
Actual costs incurred in the current year.
New benefits/programs planned.
Other changes in policy, business strategy, law or regulation that may impact
costs.

While there are many items that may or may not be included in an HR departments
budget, below is a list of some of the most common ones to consider.

Selection and Placement

Recruitment advertising
Agency fees
Temporary help
Employee referral program
Skills testing
Drug testing
Background checks
Recruitment-related travel
College recruitment giveaways
Printing costs--applications, recruiting brochures
Web development/maintenance
Applicant tracking system costs

Training and Development

External programs
 Registration fees
Travel expenses
Certification exam costs
Internal programs
Consulting fees/trainers salary
Program materials
Food and beverages
Supplies for attendees
Audiovisual rentals

Compensation and Benefits

Employee salaries
Payroll costs
Overtime
Incentive compensation
Health, dental, vision
Life insurance
Short- and long-term disability insurance/funding
Pension/401(k)/profit sharing
Cafeteria plan administration
Telecommuting expenses
Survey reports

Employee and Labor Relations

Recognition program
Service awards
Attitude survey administration
Performance appraisal software
Attendance incentives
Employment attorney fees
Outplacement expenses
Suggestion program awards
Labor relations expenses (attorneys, consultants)
Diversity management program administration

Health, Safety and Security

Employee assistance program

 Smoking cessation
Fitness facilities
Safety training/promotion
Workplace violence prevention/training
Revenues

Other

Strategic planning (data/consultants)

Charitable donations
HRIS administration
HR databases/subscriptions/memberships/books
Intranet design and maintenance

For additional information about budgeting and related issues, see the Business
Leadershipdiscipline.

What is a Training Budget

There is no real need to go into lengthy explanations about the training budget definition,
but its good to have a general idea of what it is and what it isnt. Think of it as all direct and
indirect costs associated with courses and materials needed to analyze, design, develop,
implement, evaluate, and maintain employee training or retraining.
In some sectors, there is an ongoing requirement for maintaining certifications to adhere to local,
state and federal regulations related to their jobs. This can create substantial expense for small
and medium companies.

Creating a training budget plan is not just necessary from a regulatory point of view, but it
does make sense financially. It is one way to ensure your personnel has theskills and
competencies required to complete tasks up to the required standard of quality.
The question becomes how to prepare training budgets without breaking the bank? Lets look at
a few ways to maximize the return on your training cost.
How much do companies spend on training
Many medium and large organizations invest anywhere from 2 to 5% of salary budgets
back into training. While that may not be realistic for a small business, its important to find a
training budget per employee your company can absorb. For this purpose, you can go on a
needs basis. For example, outside trainers can seem attractive, but they are not absolutely
necessary.
Sometimes, senior employees under management supervision can do just as good a job as
external training providers, and theyll cost you next to nothing. Of course, it all depends on the
type of training youre interested in, as some professional and industry-specific subjects cant be
handled internally.

Before you begin planning your budget, start by assessing the training needs of your
business. You may need to focus on researching which skill deficit is affecting productivity
and performance. This way, your program can identify and focus on the real issues and actual
needs of the business and its employees, and your training budget can be put to good use.

How to manage training expenses

Budgeting for your companys training needs does not mean using surplus money when
you have it. Ideally, you need to build a separate line item for training into your annual budget.
A training budget should factor in the following costs:
Initial briefing about the training program
Training delivery (e.g. classes, video tutorials, eLearning, course fees)
Training materials (workbooks, videos)
Staff time (including replacement time)
Instructor fee (if applicable)
Travel, lodging or meal expenses required to participate (if applicable)
Ongoing training (upkeep)
Contingencies
Upon approval, your training budget needs to be carefully managed if you want to stay on
track. This responsibility lies with the HR department. Naturally, every now and then there will
be extra costs due to unforeseen events, such as employees quitting or temporarily leaving the
company (maternity leave, sick days, vacations, etc.).
Bear in mind that training costs increase if you need to rely on external resources. As your
company and staff grows, your training cost per employee will increase as well.
Keep in mind that the most important item in effective cost management is understanding
the cost-revenue structure of your business. When you take a strategic view of your training
program, you can accurately determine what your company needs and how to go about delivery
in the most cost-efficient way possible.
Prioritize and develop a clear understanding of how the learning and development activities can
be factored into your organizations strategy. This will allow you to achieve the desired results
without going over the budget.

Optimizing training structure and minimizing costs

Once you have prioritized the training needs of your employees and drafted an initial training
budget, you can look at ways to maximize its cost efficiency. Once you look at the cumulative
expenses of training cost per employee, you can consider several ways of reducing them:
Internally
There are a lot of options for employers who cant afford to bring outside help and they can
produce adequate results in training your employees. These include:
Group training: earn volume discounts by training multiple employees at once.
 Find Trainers within your company: focus on training one employee with strong
communication and interaction skills and have them train the rest. You can expand their job
description to include training their colleagues.
Hosting Weekly or Monthly events: These dont have to be formal and are a great way for
team members to get involved, educated and motivated. Select a topic of discussion in advance
and cover all questions and concerns they may have. Listen to the information theyre sharing
and synthesize it in follow-up e-mails or memos for quick access.
Cross-training employees: This is common practice in businesses that rely on an agile
workforce. Give your employees new roles or responsibilities and have them sit with someone
who is comfortable performing the tasks you want them to learn. Change roles frequently to keep
your employees motivated and continuously learning.
Starting a Mentorship Program: Expanding on cross-training employees, a mentorship
program benefits new and inexperienced workers without having you actually pay for their
training. Have a senior worker act as a mentor and ease their transition into your corporate
environment. The added benefit of a mentorship program is increased accountability.
Externally
External training resources dont have to break the bank and throw your training budget
out of order. If youre smart about how you distribute resources and take advantage of industry-
specific offers, there are ways to optimize your training costs:
Re-using materials: most training materials such as videos have a long shelf life and may be
used repeatedly. A lot of offices dont want to have anything lying around thats not constantly
in use, but text books, CDs, and DVDs can be stored and used for new employees, so dont be
quick to throw them away just yet.
eLearning: electronic options are more affordable than traditional training. eLearning is
usually associated with decreased material costs as all or most of the training information is
available online. It allows for flexibility and reduces travel costs too, as employees can access
courses remotely.
The eLearning model supports the learners development in real-time and offers a certain degree
of personalization and synchronization.
Associations or Trade Groups: some industry associations offer discounted or freetraining
programs for members at annual events, online, and through seminars.
 Turning to your Vendors and Clients: you can negotiate free or reduced-cost training from
your vendors for specific projects or products. Clients are motivated to invest in training if it
means they will receive better service.
You can use these techniques individually or try a combination based on your business needs.
Ultimately, having the right training program in place will save you money in the long run.

Supporting Company Goals through Efficient Training

Budgets
Ultimately, efficient training cost management comes down to employee commitment. If
you want to be successful you need to factor in this component. This means setting specific goals
for employees that you expect them to achieve.
Of course, they shouldnt feel pressured that their jobs depend on it, but holding them
accountable is part of the dynamic of your working relationship.

Many employers use training courses as part of employee annual performance reviews to
address competency gaps, as well as employees desired areas of improvement. This
includes setting specific training goals for each employee and letting them know they are
monitored.
Its a good idea to assess the impact training has had on their overall skills and performance on a
monthly and annual basis as well.

If you are paying for outside classes to improve their knowledge on a specific subject, get
employees to commit to working for you for a specified period of time after completing the
training. You can have your HR department include a reimbursement clause in their
employment contract if they arent able to fulfill the agreement.
Ultimately, you want to have the full support for training efforts from your senior staff and
HR employees. If they understand the long-term value of employee development and training
budget allocation, they will be able to assist you in every way possible.
Well-trained employees are essential to the success of any company. Unfortunately, in a bad
economy, a lot of businesses consider employee development to be an unnecessary expense. But
while cutting your training budget can seem like the logical thing to do, stop and think about its
long-term implications, as they can far outweigh the immediate costs saved.

The right training program will have a plethora of benefits for a company: it
increases employee engagement, retention, and productivity; it decreases the need for
supervision, reduces absenteeism, improves customer service, and boost sales.
Well-trained employees make fewer mistakes and, because they feel valued and appreciated,
training increases their commitment and personal confidence.
Its all about creating a positive and stimulating work environment. If you plan your training
budget wisely, you can minimize staff turnover and maintain productivity.
As you attempt to make money-conscious choices on staff always turn to your trustworthy
HR department on suggestions for how to manage training and development budgets. Their
guidance will help you handle motivation levels and business inefficiencies before theyve gotten
out of hand.
According to the Training Industry Report, an average training budget for a small company
amounts to $234,850 on an annual basis. The average training cost per employee 2016 comes to
$1,041.

Proper training has a positive effect on employee and customer retention, sales and overall
profitability. Of course, your training budget will vary based on your specific business training
needs, but typically 2 2.5% of the companys budget allocated to employee training is
considered standard.
 b) Training need assessment system

c) Training Needs Assessment System (TNAS) is a web-based tool designed to allow organisations,
department groups and individuals to assess their knowledge and skills and identifying what training is
required and what specific areas they need training in. TNAS can address particular skill areas and can be
customised to focus on specific user groups and topics, thus growing your organisational capabilities and
helping you compete more effectively.

d) Training Needs Assessment System (TNAS)

e) Training Needs Assessment is an essential requirement to the design of effective training. TNAS helps you
determine whether there is a gap between what is required for effective performance and the present level
of performance. It indicates if there is a major performance gap that should be addressed immediately.
f) TNAS provides a realistic basis upon which to plan, program, budget, direct and evaluate a viable training
program. It is efficient and easy way to assist HR professionals in the needed assessment. It helps users
target their training to improve performance, empower individuals in the organisation to own their
development activities, catch up to the needs of job roles and build new process expertise faster.

How TNAS Works

Alpha Training Needs Assessment System (TNAS) is based on the following four dimensions of training needs
assessment :

a. Type of competencies
b. b.Proficiency level
c. c.Importance Level
d. Performance level

Types of Competencies

There are at least three types of competencies: Core, Profession, and Position (Technical) competencies.

Core competency Required by all positions in an organization in order to be able to successfully perform
duties required to meet the organizations strategic plan.
Profession competency Required by a specific organisational unit, department or type in addition to core
competencies in order to successfully perform the duties required.
Position competency A competency specific to a particular position. Position competencies may also
include technical competencies, which refer to specific occupational skills gained from education or training
or which are based on a particular area of expertise.

The type of competencies (or skills) has to be determined by top management and / or supervisor or manager before
the assessment.

Proficiency Levels

Proficiency levels indicate the spectrum of complexity with which the TNAS is to be applied. Proficiency levels
describe what expected of both the job and the incumbent. TNAS classification Proficiency levels:

Basic
Intermediate
Advanced

The proficiency level has to be determined by the supervisor or manager before the assessment
Importance Levels

The Three ways of differentiating importance that TNAS uses are:

A. Very Important (absolutely necessary)

B. Some Importance (Performance Differentiating - if present, contributes to the overall performance of the
incumbent in the position.
C. Not Important

Performance Levels

The performance levels relate to how well the competency is being performed by the incumbent at any proficiency
level.

In TNAS system, there are five performance levels:

1. Outstanding employee consistently completes task or performs function at a very high level with little or no
assistance
2. Very Good employee consistently complete task or perform functions in an above average manner with
little or no assistance
3. Satisfactory employee can complete task or perform function in a satisfactory manner with little or no
assistance
4. Needs Improvement employee can complete task or perform function with considerable assistance
5. Needs Significant Improvement employee is unable to complete task or perform function in a satisfactory
manner even with assistance
What is Training Needs Assessment?
Needs Assessment: the process to identify "gaps" between current performance and
department/organizational objectives.

An assessment process that serves as a diagnostic tool for determining what training needs to take
place. This survey gathers data to determine what training needs to be developed to help individuals
and the organization accomplish their goals and objectives. This is an assessment that looks at employee
and organizational knowledges, skills, and abilities, to identify any gaps or areas of need. Once the
training needs are identified, then you need to determine/develop objectives to be accomplished by the
training. These objectives will form criteria for measures of success and utility.

This analysis can be performed by managers who are able to observe their staff and
make recommendations for training based on performance issues or gaps between
performance and objectives. This analysis can also be performed on an organization-
wide level by Training and Development managers who survey the organization to
identify needs.
Factors that may lead to Training Needs
Re-organization processes
Business Process Re-engineering
Process Improvements
Reductions in Force
Layoffs/Transfers/New Hires
Staffing Changes/Promotions
Re-locations
New equipment/Technology
Performance/Safety Issues
Problems in Production/Safety
New Systems/Procedures
Changes in Laws/Regulations
Succession Planning
Career Paths/Growth

Why conduct a Training Needs Assessment/Survey?

A needs assessment/survey helps an organization achieve its goals. It reduces gaps between employee
skills and the skills required by the job and department. The training needs assessment survey can also
form the basis (benchmark) for determining effectiveness of the training administered. You can re-
administer the training needs survey after the training was performed to see if there was an increase in
performance/skills as measured by the survey.

How do you determine where Training is needed?

You can use different sources to determine training needs:

Needs Assessment Questionnaire

Needs Analysis
Employee Interviews
Employee Opinion/Climate Surveys
Exit Interviews
Employee Grievances/Complaints
Customer Returns/Calls
Accidents & Scrap
New Equipment / Software
Changes in Procedures
Re-organization
Job Re-design
Performance Appraisal Results
Promotions & Terminations
Observations
Assessment Centers
Employment/Skills Tests
Focus Groups

Gathering Employee Opinions for Training Needs

Schedule a meeting with employees in a particular department or job classification. During the meeting,
gather ideas from the employees about their needs and areas for professional development. Determine
common themes and topics.
Ask the employees to review the information gathered and determine which areas/needs are most
important to receive training.

Then determine the desired outcomes from the training to address these needs. These outcomes could
serve as measures of success (validation) of the training.

What are the Steps in a Training Needs Assessment

1. Needs Assessment (collecting and analyzing data)
2. Design (program objectives, plan, measures of success)
3. Testing (prototype the instrument and process)
4. Implementation (collection measures and update as needed)
5. Analysis & Evaluation (review feedback and data collected)

Steps in a Training Needs Assessment

Assessment Methods: Advantages and Disadvantages

Survey Questionnaires
Web based or printed questionnaires distributed to employees for completion. Construction of surveys
to include multiple/fixed choice questions and free/open-ended questions for text responses.

Advantages

Disadvantages

Survey a large number of employees at the same time.

 Do not require a lot of time.
Enable honest and open feedback.
Gathers quantitative and qualitative data easily.
May be difficult to design questionnaires to allow for follow-up or more elaborate responses.
Might not identify the specific causes behind employee actions/behaviors.

Personal Interviews
Conducted by a trained "interviewer" who follows an interview outline (or set of questions) to be asked
during the interview.

Advantages

Disadvantages

More flexible in the ability to ask various questions.

Able to immediately follow-up on items mentioned in the interview.
Is not limited in scope or limited to only a certain set of questions.
Time consuming. Especially if only one individual is interviewed at a time.
Requires the interviewer to document conversations in detail. Any details not documented are lost or need to be
gathered through subsequent interviews.

Personal Observations
An observation of the employee at work. May be structured (i.e., the employee performs specific tasks)
or unstructured (i.e., the observer tries to document the employees work without influencing what the
employee does).

Advantages

Disadvantages

May reduce the amount of interruption of the employee's work.

May be more realistic--observations are made of the employee actually at work.
Requires a trained observer.
Requires the observer to document the work in detail. Any details not documented are lost or need to be gathered
through subsequent observations.

How to Conduct a Training Needs

Assessment
Apr 4, 2014

LIKESAVEPRINT

REUSE PERMISSIONS
A training needs assessment identifies individuals current level of competence, skill or
knowledge in one or more areas and compares that competence level to the level
required for their position or another position within the organization. The difference
between the current and required competencies can help determine training needs.
Rather than assume that all employees need training or even the same training,
management can make informed decisions about the best ways to
address competency gaps among individual employees, specific job categories or
groups/teams.

Assessments can be conducted at any time but are often done after hiring, during
performance review times, when performance improvement is needed, for career
development plans orsuccession planning, or when changes in an organization involve
changes in employees jobs. It is beneficial to perform these assessments periodically to
measure changes in employees knowledge and skills and also training program
effectiveness.

Step 1: Identify the Business Need

A training assessment is the first step to any successful training program and is critical
as part of succession planning. Conducting this analysis allows an organization to focus
its efforts on areas of training that are necessary for employees to successfully carry out
the organizations goals, make optimum use of the companys training dollars, and
motivate employees by contributing to their career development. The person conducting
the training needs assessment must clearly understand the overall organization and
department goals and priorities, so he or she can properly assess the training options
and identify which training opportunities will contribute most to the overall success of
employees, the business units and the organization as a whole.

Essentially, why are you conducting a training needs assessment? What is the end
result that the employee, manager or executive team is trying to accomplish? Will
training contribute to this accomplishment? Sometimes training is not the answer. There
may be other organizational issues that would be best addressed through another
meansfor example, through job analysis,goal clarification, reorganizing or realigning a
department, or employee engagement. See,Aligning Workforce Strategies With
Business Objectives.

Step 2: Perform a Gap Analysis

Performing a gap analysis involves assessing the current state of a department or

employees performance or skills and comparing this to the desired level. The difference
between the existing state and the desired state is the gap. There are many different
methods for conducting a gap analysis. The method for identifying the gap will depend
on the organization and the situation. Depending on the situation, it may be helpful to
use one or more gap analysis methods. Some gap analysis assessment tools are the
following:

HR records. HR records can include accident and safety reports, job descriptions, job
competencies, attendance records, grievance filings, exit interviews, performance
evaluations and other company records such as production, sales and cost records. For
example, if a department has a dramatic increase in workplace accidents, then it would
be important to review accident reports as part of the gap analysis prior to conducting
safety training.
Individual interviews. Individual interviews may be conducted with employees,
supervisors, senior managers and even sometimes clients/customers or outside
vendors. For example, with safety training, it would be important to talk with the
employees who not only had the accidents but also witnessed the accidents. In addition,
talking to employees who have never had accidents may be helpful to find out what they
may be doing differently. If the accidents involved equipment, it may be fruitful to talk to
the vendor that made the equipment or that services the equipment.
Focus groups. Unlike individual interviews, using focus groups involves simultaneously
questioning a number of individuals about training needs. Best results would occur with
a department or group of employees who would have similar training needs. The
participants brainstorm about all the training needs they can think of and write them on a
flip chart. Then each person is provided five dots or sticky notes. (Note: You may only
want to provide three dots, or maybe you want to provide more than fivewhatever
works best for your organization.) Each individual places the five sticky notes on the
training ideas he or she believes are the most important. An individual could choose to
place one dot on five different items, or all five on one training item.
Surveys, questionnaires and self-assessments. Surveys generally use a
standardized format and can be in writing, electronic or by phone. Depending on the
situation it may be helpful to conduct surveys with employees as well as customers. For
example, when doing a customer service training needs assessment, employers should
ask employees what would help them provide better customer service; employers should
also get opinions from customers about their experiences with employees. See, Skills
Analysis Form and Training: Needs Analysis Form.
Observations. Sources for observation include on-the-job simulations of work settings
and written work samples.

Step 3: Assess Training Options

The gap analysis generates a list of training options/needs. Now you can assess the list
based on the goals and priorities of the organization, both currently and in the future.
A scale of 1 to 3 could be used with number 1 being critical, 2 being important and 3
being not important at all. Here are some example criteria for rating the level of
importance for training options:

Solution to a problem. For example, when there is an employee performance problem

that has clearly been identified as a training issue, then providing the training would
generally solve the problem and the company would have a fully competent employee.
Cost. Cost of training is a significant factor that needs to be weighed in terms of
importance. Depending on the situation the organization may be willing to invest a
significant amount in one training but not in others.

Number of employees trained x cost of training = total cost of training

Return on investment. Return on investment is a calculation showing the value of

expenditures related to training and development. It can also be used to show how long
it will take for these activities to pay for themselves and provide a return on investment to
the organization. See, Human Resource Development Series Part III: Measuring
Training & Development ROI.
Legal compliance. If any of the training needs from the gap analysis are legally
required based on federal, state or industry laws or to keep employees licenses or
certifications current, then typically these trainings would be a high priority. See, Legal
and Regulatory Training: What Training Must Employers Provide to Employees?
Time. Sometimes the amount of time involved to build the capacity within the
organization will create more of an issue because it will take away from employees
completing their other job duties. In this case, it may be more beneficial to hire the talent
from outside the organization or outsource the task. In other cases, like succession
planning, the organization can afford a long-term commitment to building the capacity
from within.
Remaining competitive.This may including being competitive in the marketplace or the
ability to hire top talent, among others. Maybe a lack of employees competencies in a
particular area is affecting company revenue. For example, if the employer trains
employees in a new product or service and that product or service can be used to
generate more revenue, the revenue could possibly far outweigh the cost of training.

After you have assessed all the training needs/options, you will have a list of training
priorities for individual employees, departments or the organization as a whole.

Step 4: Report Training Needs and Recommend Training Plans

Report the findings from the training needs assessment, and make recommendations
for short- and long-term training plans and budgets. Start with the No. 1 priorities from
the training option list. If there is a timeline for any of the trainings, such as a date to be
trained by to be in legal compliance, then this training is a priority for budgeting and
scheduling. The report should include a summary of why and how the assessment was
completed, the methods used and people involved, and the training recommendations
with a general timeline.

Considerations for the report and recommended training plans include:

What training is already being offered, and should it continue to be offered?

Will the training be conducted in-house or externally?
Does it make sense to bring in a trainer to train several employees on the same subject
matter, rather than send everyone to an offsite training?
Does the company have the subject matter expertise within HR or the training
department or in another department to conduct the training?
Can and should the training be conducted online?
What is the learning style of the participants?
Are all participants at one location, or are they decentralized?

Needs Analysis: How to determine training

needs
Chapter Highlights

1. Types of Needs Analyses

2. Knowledge, Skills, Abilities
3. Techniques
4. Checklist for evaluating an assessment

Training Needs Analysis: The process of identifying training needs in an organization for
the purpose of improving employee job performance.

Introduction
Today's work environment requires employees to be skilled in performing complex tasks in
an efficient, cost-effective, and safe manner. Training (a performance improvement tool) is
needed when employees are not performing up to a certain standard or at an expected level
of performance. The difference between actual the actual level of job performance and the
expected level of job performance indicates a need for training. The identification of training
needs is the first step in a uniform method of instructional design.
A successful training needs analysis will identify those who need training and what kind of
training is needed. It is counter-productive to offer training to individuals who do not need it
or to offer the wrong kind of training. A Training Needs Analysis helps to put the training
resources to good use.

Types of Needs Analyses

Many needs assessments are available for use in different employment contexts. Sources
that can help you determine which needs analysis is appropriate for your situation are
described below.

Organizational Analysis. An analysis of the business needs or other reasons the

training is desired. An analysis of the organization's strategies, goals, and
objectives. What is the organization overall trying to accomplish? The important
questions being answered by this analysis are who decided that training should be
conducted, why a training program is seen as the recommended solution to a
business problem, what the history of the organization has been with regard to
employee training and other management interventions.
Person Analysis. Analysis dealing with potential participants and instructors
involved in the process. The important questions being answered by this analysis are
who will receive the training and their level of existing knowledge on the subject,
what is their learning style, and who will conduct the training. Do the employees
have required skills? Are there changes to policies, procedures, software, or
equipment that require or necessitate training?
Work analysis / Task Analysis. Analysis of the tasks being performed. This is an
analysis of the job and the requirements for performing the work. Also known as a
task analysis or job analysis, this analysis seeks to specify the main duties and skill
level required. This helps ensure that the training which is developed will include
relevant links to the content of the job.
Performance Analysis. Are the employees performing up to the established
standard? If performance is below expectations, can training help to improve this
performance? Is there a Performance Gap?
Content Analysis. Analysis of documents, laws, procedures used on the job. This
analysis answers questions about what knowledge or information is used on this job.
This information comes from manuals, documents, or regulations. It is important
that the content of the training does not conflict or contradict job requirements. An
experienced worker can assist (as a subject matter expert) in determining the
appropriate content.
Training Suitability Analysis. Analysis of whether training is the desired solution.
Training is one of several solutions to employment problems. However, it may not
always be the best solution. It is important to determine if training will be effective in
its usage.
Cost-Benefit Analysis. Analysis of the return on investment (ROI) of training.
Effective training results in a return of value to the organization that is greater than
the initial investment to produce or administer the training.

Principle of Assessment: Use assessment instruments for which understandable and

comprehensive documentation is available.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Today's workplace often requires employees to be independent thinkers responsible for
making good decisions based on limited information. This kind of work may require training
if the employee does not have these skills. Below is a list of various competencies that
employees may be required to posess in order to perform their jobs well.

Adaptability
Analytical Skills
Action Orientation
Business Knowledge/Acumen
Coaching/Employee Development
Communication
Customer Focus
Decision Making
Fiscal Management
Global Perspective
Innovation
Interpersonal Skills
Leadership
Establishing Objectives
Risk Management
Persuasion and Influence
Planning
Problem Solving
Project Management
Results Orientation
Self-Management
Teamwork
Technology

Are any of these KSA's required before the employee is hired? Are the required KSA's
included in any job postings or advertisements? Do they need to be?

Techniques
Several basic Needs Assessment techniques include:

direct observation
questionnaires
consultation with persons in key positions, and/or with specific knowledge
review of relevant literature
interviews
focus groups
assessments/surveys
records & report studies
work samples

Conducting an Organizational Analyses

Determine what resources are available for training. What are the mission and goals of the
organization in regards to employee development? What support will te senior management
and managers give toward training? Is the organization supportive and on-board with this
process? Are there adequate resources (financial and personnel)?

Conducting a Work / Task Analysis

Interview subject matter experts (SME's) and high performing employees. Interview the
supervisors and managers in charge. Review job descriptions and occupational information.
Develop an understanding of what employees need to know in order to perform their jobs.

Important questions to ask when conducting a Task Analysis:

1. What tasks are performed?

2. How frequently are they performed?
3. How important is each task?
4. What knowledge is needed to perform the task?
5. How difficult is each task?
6. What kinds of training are available?

Observe the employee performing the job. Document the tasks being performed. When
documenting the tasks, make sure each task starts with an action verb. How does this task
analysis compare to existing job descriptions? Did the task analysis miss any important
parts of the job description? Were there tasks performed that were omitted from the job
description?

Organize the identified tasks. Develop a sequence of tasks. Or list the tasks by importance.

Are there differences between high and low performing employees on specific work tasks?
Are there differences between Experts and Novices? Would providing training on those tasks
improve employee job performance?

Most employees are required to make decisions based on information. How is information
gathered by the employee? What does the employee do with the information? Can this
process be trained? Or, can training improve this process?

Cognitive Task Analysis

Develop a model of the task. Show where the decision points are located and what
information is needed to make decisions and actions are taken based on that information.
This model should be a schematic or graphic representation of the task. This model is
developed by observing and interviewing the employees. The objective is to develop a
model that can be used to guide the development of training programs and curriculum.

Since the training is based on specific job tasks, employees may feel more comfortable
taking the effort to participate in training.

Gather information about how the task is performed so that this can be used to form a
model of the task. Review job titles and descriptions to get an idea of the tasks performed.
Observe the employee performing the job. Review existing training related to the job. Make
sure you observe both experts and novices for comparison.
Critical Incident Analysis
Critical Incident Interview Guide.

Conducting a Performance Analysis

This technique is used to identify which employees need the training. Review performance
appraisals. Interview managers and supervisors. Look for performance measures such as
benchmarks and goals.

Sources of performance data:

1. Performance Appraisals
2. Quotas met (un-met)
3. Performance Measures
4. Turnover
5. Shrinkage
6. Leakage
7. Spoilage
8. Losses
9. Accidents
10. Safety Incidents
11. Grievances
12. Absenteeism
13. Units per Day
14. Units per Week
15. Returns
16. Customer Complaints

c) Training & other development programmes and their evaluation

Abstract

One of the most nebulous and unsatisfactory aspects of training programmes is the evaluation of
their effectiveness. Evaluation is any attempt to obtain information (feedback) on the effects of a
training programme, and to assess the value of the training in the light of that information.
Training Evaluation is the application of systematic methods to periodically and objectively
assess the effectiveness of training and development programmes in achieving expected results,
their impacts, both intended and unintended, continued relevant and alternative or more cost-
effective ways of achieving expected results.

INTRODUCTION
Evaluation leads to control which means deciding whether or not the training was worth the effort and
what improvements are required to make it even more effective. Training Evaluation is of vital
importance because monitoring the training function and its activities is necessary in order to establish
its social and financial benefits and costs. Evaluation of training within work settings can assist a
trainer/organization in learning more about the impact of training. It is important to understand the
purpose of evaluation before planning it and choosing methods to do it. Some advantages of using
evaluations are difficult to directly witness, but when done correctly they can impact organizations in
positive ways.

Training Evaluation is the process of deep examination and analysis of:

Selecting measures,

Gathering information based on those measures,

Comparing what participants learn to some standard, goal, or expectation.

Evaluation is a process to determine the relevance, effectiveness, and impact of activities in light of their
objectives. In evaluating a training and development programme, one needs to consider that most
training and development activities exist in a larger context of projects, programmes, and plans.

Definition:
"Training Evaluation is a systematic process of collecting information for and about training activity
which can then be used for guiding decision making and for assessing the relevance and effectiveness of
various training components."

TYPES OF EVALUATION
On the basis of the time dimension, evaluation may be classified as (1) formative evaluation and (2)
summative evaluation.

Raab et al. (1987), however, classified evaluation into four major types: (1) evaluation of planning, (2)
process evaluation, (3) terminal evaluation, and (4) impact evaluation.

Stakeholders of training evaluation involve participants, curriculum developers, trainers and training
organizer as depicted below:
Objectives of Evaluating Training and Development Programmes
The major objectives are:

To validate training and development as a business tool

To justify the costs incurred in training and development

To help improve the design of training and development programme

To help in selecting training and development methods

Purposes of Evaluating Training and Development Programmes

1. At Macro Level
To assess training and development programme's business impact as a whole.

To facilitate selection of training and development programmes performance metrics related to

organization's goals and objectives.
 To get at the business impact measure through direct correlation to organizations goals and
objectives.

2. At Micro Level
To measure a specific training and development programme's business impact

Perhaps looking at the benefit of specific elements of the programme, or of the training model for a
specific issuer

The specific training and development programme's business impact measure has a visible link to the
organization's goals and objectives.

To combine a number of these to project overall programme business impact.

Trainers:
Careful consideration should be given to the selection of trainers, the scheduling of training and pilot
testing. In selecting trainers, two equally important abilities must be sought: knowledge of the subject
and teaching ability. Not everyone who has the required job knowledge will necessarily have teaching
ability. On the whole, it is easier for people to acquire knowledge than it is to acquire teaching ability. In
most workplaces, including the shop floor, there will be a number of people who have a natural teaching
ability, and they will have the advantage of knowing the workplace and being able to understand
practical examples. In small group learning, a "group learning facilitator" may be used in place of a
trainer. In this case, the facilitator is learning along with the group but has responsibilities for the
process of learning.

The scheduling of training involves several important considerations. For example, it should be arranged
at a time convenient for the learners and when interruptions can be minimized. Training can also be
packaged in self-contained modules so that it can be spread out over time perhaps a three-hour module
once a week could be scheduled. Not only does this approach sometimes cause less interference with
production, it also allows time between sessions for learners to try to apply what has been learned.

CONCLUSION
Every training programme should be pilot tested before initial use. This allows the programme to be
tested against training objectives. Pilot testing should involve not only the trainers but a representative
sample of the prospective learners as well.

References
1. TRINING AND DEVELOPMENT BY GUPTA

2. HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT BY L.M.PRASAD

3. HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT BY LAKSHA

Evaluation involves the assessment of the effectiveness of the training programs. This
assessment is done by collecting data on whether the participants were satisfied with the
deliverables of the training program, whether they learned something from the training and are
able to apply those skills at their workplace. There are different tools for assessment of a training
program depending upon the kind of training conducted.

Since organisations spend a large amount of money, it is therefore important for them to
understand the usefulness of the same. For example, if a certain technical training was
conducted, the organisation would be interested in knowing whether the new skills are being put
to use at the workplace or in other words whether the effectiveness of the worker is enhanced.
Similarly in case of behavioural training, the same would be evaluated on whether there is
change in the behaviour, attitude and learning ability of the participants.

Benefits of Training Evaluation

Evaluation acts as a check to ensure that the training is able to fill the competency gaps within
the organisation in a cost effective way. This is specially very important in wake of the fact the
organisations are trying to cut costs and increase globally. Some of the benefits of the training
evaluation are as under:

Evaluation ensures accountability - Training evaluation ensures that training programs comply
with the competency gaps and that the deliverables are not compromised upon.
Check the Cost - Evaluation ensures that the training programs are effective in improving the
work quality, employee behaviour, attitude and development of new skills within the employee
within a certain budget. Since globally companies are trying to cut their costs without
compromising upon the quality, evaluation just aims at achieving the same with training.
Feedback to the Trainer / Training - Evaluation also acts as a feedback to the trainer or the
facilitator and the entire training process. Since evaluation accesses individuals at the level of
their work, it gets easier to understand the loopholes of the training and the changes required in
the training methodology.

Not many organisations believe in the process of evaluation or at least do not have an evaluation
system in place. Many organisations conduct training programs year after year only as a matter
of faith and not many have a firm evaluation mechanism in place. Organisations like IBM,
Motorala only, it was found out, have a firm evaluation mechanism in place.

The Way Forward

There are many methods and tools available for evaluating the effectiveness of training
programs. Their usability depends on the kind of training program that is under evaluation.
Generally most of the organisations use the Kirk Patrick model for training evaluations which
evaluates training at four levels - reactions, learning, behaviour and results.
After it was found out that training costs organisations a lot of money and no evaluation
measures the return on investment for training, the fifth level for training evaluation was added
to the training evaluation model by Kirk Patrick which is called as the ROI.

Most of the evaluations contain themselves to the reaction data, only few collected the learning
data, still lesser measured and analysed the change in behaviour and very few took it to the level
of increase in business results. The evaluation tools including the Kirk Patrick model will be
discussed in detail in other articles.

Kirkpatricks Model of Training Evaluation

Organizations spend a huge amount of money for training their employees at various levels and
on various competencies, behavioral and technical. Every year new tools are designed to try and
cater to individual learning styles and make the training more effective. After all an organization
is concerned about its spending and the return on the same!

Donald Kirkpatrick, professor emeritus, university of Wisconsin began working on

evaluating the effectiveness of training very early in his life. His early work on the same was
published in the year 1959 in a journal of American Society of Training Directors. He laid out
four levels for evaluation of any training. This model is arguably the most widespread for
evaluation in use. It is simple, very flexible and complete. The four levels as described by
Kirkpatrick are as follows:

1. Reaction of the Trainee - thoughts and feelings of the participants about the training
2. Learning - the increase in knowledge or understanding as a result of the training
3. Behavior - extent of change in behavior, attitude or capability
4. Results - the effect on the bottom line of the company as a result of the training.

The fifth level which is the ROI has been recently added which is not but a part of the original
model. The graphic description is as follows:

Level 4 - Results
Was it worth it ?

Level 3 - Behaviour
KSAs being used on the Job ?

Level 2 - Knowledge
Did they learn anything ?
 Level 1 - Reaction
Was the environment suitable ?

The beauty of the model is that each level can only be predicted when the lower level prediction
is complete. Thus evaluation at the level of behaviour may not be useful unless evaluation at the
knowledge has been completed.

Reaction

Reaction implies how favorably the participants have responded to the training. This evaluation
is primarily quantitative in nature and is a feedback to the training and the trainer. The most
common collection tool is the questionnaire that analyses the content, methodology, facilities and
the course content.

Learning

At the level of learning the evaluation is done on the basis of change in the ASK (Attitudes,
skills and knowledge) of the trainees. The evaluation involves observation and analysis of the
voice, behaviour, text. Other tools used apart from the observation are interviews, surveys, pre
and post tests etc.

Behaviour

Behaviour evaluation analyses the transfer of learning from the training session to the work
place. Here the primary tool for evaluation is predominantly the observation. Apart from the
observation, a combination of questionnaires and 360 feedbacks are also used.

Results

The results stage makes evaluations towards the bottom line of the organization. Here the
definition of the results depends upon the goal of the training program. The evaluation is done by
using a control group allowing certain time for the results to be achieved.

There are many other models that are unique in their own ways, nut as mentioned earlier
Kirkpatricks Model is the one that is accepted and used widely across all industries and with
wider applications.

Measuring the Effectiveness of Your Training

Program
By Rose Polchin | Published: July 02, 2014 | Comments (1)

Over the course of 2014, weve explored a number of topics from chat to social media to one that
I am exceptionally passionate about this month, learning and development. Every month, theres
been a discussion around measures, specifically what the most effective metrics are for that
particular area. In keeping with that theme, it seems appropriate to put the spotlight on ways to
measure the results of our investments in training.

One of the most well-known approaches to measuring training effectiveness is Kirkpatricks

Four-Level Training evaluation model. And whether you are a trainer looking for a way to
report on the impact of training or a stakeholder/budget holder trying to determine if your budget
dollars are being invested wisely, this model can help objectively analyze the effectiveness and
results of training programs and identify ways to improve them for the future.

So lets start by taking a look at the four levels and then identify areas where we can apply
them. Then, well finish up with some key points to consider in determining if/when to apply
each of the 4 levels.

We need to first give credit where credit is due, to Donald Kirkpatrick, Professor Emeritus at the
University of Wisconsin. He first published his Four Level Model in 1959 in the U.S. Training
and Development Journal. The model was updated in 1975 and again in 1994, when he
published his best-known work, Evaluating Training
Programs. (Source: www.kirkpatrickpartners.com)

The following is a summary of the four levels along with a few suggestions for implementing
measurement at each level.

Level 1: Reaction: To what degree participants react favorably to the training.

To measure reaction, develop ways to address some of the following questions:

Did the seminar participants believe that the training was worth the investment of their time?
What topics were most valuable; least valuable?
Would they recommend this course to colleagues?

Level 2: Learning: To what degree participants acquire the intended

knowledge, skills, attitudes, confidence, and commitment based on their
participation in a training event.

To measure learning, consider the following:

What do you need/want to evaluate? Was the goal of the training program to change skills,
knowledge, attitudes, confidence and/or commitment?
It is often useful to test participants in this area before they attend the training and then again
after they attend the session.
Level 3: Behavior: To what degree participants apply what they learned
during training when they are back on the job.

To measure level 3, develop ways to address some of the following questions:

Did the trainees put any of their learning to use?

Are trainees able to teach their new knowledge, skills, or attitudes to other people?
Are trainees aware that they've changed their behavior?

One of the most effective ways to assess behavior change is to conduct observations and
interviews over time.

It is also important to keep in mind that the environment the trainees return to impacts whether or
not they can apply what they learned. If the culture, management and reward systems do not
support behavior change, then trainees may not be able to apply what they have learned.

Level 4: Results: To what degree targeted outcomes occur as a result of the

training event and subsequent reinforcement.

To measure level 4 results it is important to determine which outcomes are the most directly
linked to the training program. Then youll need to develop ways to measure these over time.

Here are a few potential benefits/outcomes to consider, that are often linked to training programs.
(Please note: not every item on the list will apply to every training situation and this list is not
exhaustive, there may be others that do not appear on the list.)

Increased employee retention

Increased employee engagement
Increased productivity
Increased customer satisfaction/retention
Decreased errors and rework
Increased sales/deepening of customer relationships
Fewer customer complaints

(Source: www.kirkpatrickpartners.com )

A couple of important notes about this model:

Evaluation should always begin with level one, and then, as time and budget allows, move
sequentially through levels two, three, and four.
Information from each prior level serves as the foundation for the next level's evaluation.
Thus, each successive level represents a more precise measure of the effectiveness of the
training program, but at the same time requires a more rigorous and time-consuming analysis.

I will be the first to admit calculating the ROI (level 4) on training is challenging for many
reasons. However, that doesnt mean we shouldnt try! As you consider what levels you would
like to pursue, it is important to consider some of the following if you are going to go to level 4
(and to a degree level 3).

1. The time and resources required to use levels 3 and 4.

a. For example, it may not be practical if your organization doesnt have a dedicated training
department.
b. In addition, you need to assess the system, tools, and processes your organization has in place
to collect the data necessary to report on these levels.
2. The impact of other variables on all four levels. Most organizations experience change in a
variety of ways and the rate and pace of those changes can influence behaviors and results as
much, if not more, than the training itself. For example, the implementation of a new more
user-friendly website may be the reason for an increase in customer satisfaction, rather than or
in addition to the Customer Service Refresher training program all representatives just
attended.

And finally, remember that measures only tell you how you are doing, it is up to each of us to
find root causes, determine the appropriate next steps, and then to take action!

More Resources

Webinar: The 4 Game Changers of Customer Service

Whitepaper: Overcoming Productivity & Efficiency Challenges in the Multichannel Contact
Center

Research: The Multichannel Agent: A 2014 Contact Center Roadmap Research Report and Best
Practices Guide
Training: ICMI OnDemand All-Access Training Pass

Rose Polchin is a Senior Consultant for ICMI. She brings over 25 years of contact center
experience, both as an independent consultant and in contact center leadership roles within the
financial services and health care industries. During her tenure as senior director of customer
service strategies for one of the countrys largest health care services organizations, Roses
leadership was instrumental in creating and implementing a common vision, strategy and
processes across the companys multi-site contact center network, which helped establish the
contact centers as strategic assets for the business.

Rose now continues her commitment to excellence in customer experience through her delivery
of ICMI seminars and by partnering with customers on key projects. Her hands-on experience
has equipped her with the ability to consult with contact centers on all facets of contact center
management from strategic development and deployment of resources to quality program design
and employee engagement. Roses passion and focus is partnering with customers to develop
and implement strategies that create value for their respective organizations, customers and
employees.

D) Strategies for improving HRD activities in the organization