The importance of investing in Developing and Training (T&D) has become stronger in a scenario of constant transformation dominated by new technologies such as this one that is configured today.

T&D has a fundamental role in reaching the company’s objectives, as it develops the potential and prepares professionals to act in a coherent and efficient manner accordingly to the companies’ objectives.

According to Weldson Sant’Ana, a Human Resources analyst in Brazil, in order to develop a good T&D program, companies need to follow 4 steps:

  1. Investigate the companies’ training and development goals;
  2. Develop a game plan;
  3. Put the plan into practice;
  4. Evaluate the results.

The last step is one of the most important, as it will give you information to make investments in an assertive way. That’s what we’ll see next.

Measuring the results to make investments

Independently of what the goals you intend to reach are, measuring results is the most important thing. It is through this measurement that it will be possible to evaluate the strategies and paths that were adopted and to elaborate the next steps based on these results and direction. It would be no different in T&D area.

It is an essentially subjective area, as it deals directly with the human being. That’s why it’s difficult to express T&D’s results in numbers, especially if face-to-face training is used without a management system.

However, there are currently several tools to facilitate this process. Managers can use them to confirm the level of achievement/involvement with courses; adjust the courses to the “level” of employees over time, forming learning paths; justify investments in new training; monitor the professional evolution of employees; encourage the application of knowledge in the daily work of employees, among other benefits.

How can my company perform this measurement?

Firstly, it is extremely important that the T&D team is oriented to achieving results, that is, they must know and understand the company’s direction and goals very well, as these will guide the T&D area’s strategies too.

This question understood, it’s time to measure and evaluate the results, and the team can use the following metrics:

  • Performance analysis: this metric compares the employee’s performance before and after the courses that made up the T&D strategy.
  • Climate Researches: an important assessment that measures the employee’s satisfaction and dissatisfaction with points that impact the company’s overall performance.
  • Turnover assessment: using this metric will target resources in the most correct way to avoid waste and wrong investments.
  • Reaction Assessment: a good alternative for understanding and measuring the employee’s perception of the strengths and weaknesses of online or face-to-face training.
  • Participant Engagement: it is necessary to check the level of interest of the employees in the training courses.

These are only a few metrics that can be used. Remember it is important to understand that they should be aligned with other tools and analysis, as they alone will not be able to bring all the answers to your questions.

How to invest and make a good planning in T&D? Here are 5 quick tips:

  1. What should be taught and to whom?

It is important for the team to ask these questions and get a good outline of these questions so that training courses are effective.

  1. How, where and who should teach?

The methodology, the environment and the facilitator have a great influence on the learning process. So, look for a comfortable space that has to do with the theme and for a trainer who knows the methodology to perform the training. This is also true for online courses, the care must be the same.

  1. When should it be taught?

Search for the ideal moment for the company and the employees.

  1. Keeping up with the latest trends

Think about the themes, produce the content and adapt them to the instructional media (manuals, presentations, videos, infographics, e-learning). It is important that the T&D team is constantly updated with the latest trends.

  1. Look for specialist companies

When you have the training theme outlined, hiring a specialist company will make all the difference.

By following these tips, the T&D team will be able to find a breadth of possibilities to carry out the companies’ strategies correctly, bringing good and consistent results.

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