Training objectives set employee expectations, measure success, and monitor resource-draining gaps. In this article, I´ll share 7 insider secrets to re-evaluate and re-define them in order to maximize returns.
How To Maximize ROI By Re-Defining Your Training Objectives
Every organization must endure its fair share of growing pains. Expanding your online presence and global reach is the key to maintaining forward momentum. As a result, desired outcomes are always in flux. Undisclosed gaps, management change, and a variety of other factors may force you to reevaluate your current goals. How do you re-define training objectives to maximize ROI and secure future success? Self-analysis, business analytics, and accurate evaluation criteria are a good start. These insider secrets can help you put objective statements under the microscope and adjust your L&D strategy accordingly.
1. Conduct A Thorough Training Needs Analysis
It begins with a training needs analysis to determine which training objectives require a major overhaul. Some may even end up on the chopping block. A lot has probably changed since you set those statements. Especially if you’ve experienced rapid growth or there’s been a significant time gap between L&D checkups. Take a closer look at your current goals and outcomes to see if they still align with your vision, if they still fall within your parameters of success and meet employees’ needs.
2. Break Desired Outcomes Into Desired Behaviors
Getting from Point A to Point B involves active employee involvement and self-reflection. You can’t simply highlight the destination and expect them to arrive on their own. Outline the desired behaviors they must develop and display to achieve the desired outcomes. Skills, performance habits, and employee know-how are the most basic components of training objectives. Statements must emphasize which behaviors you need to reinforce and how they connect to real-world results. Lastly, identify which competencies employees must demonstrate and prioritize. For instance, they must be able to apply their skills on-the-job to improve customer satisfaction, reduce product return rates, and provide superior CX.
3. Use LMS Reports To Identify Emerging Gaps
Every employee who joins your organization has strengths and weaknesses. It’s part of the package. It’s not just their gaps you need to worry about though. There may be emerging L&D or organizational gaps to consider when you re-define training objectives. Evaluate LMS reports to look for patterns and undisclosed pain points that hinder success. Current objectives might focus on areas for improvement that have already been addressed through continual training. Analytics allow you to spot new ones that crop up and maximize training ROI. Surveys and assessments are other diagnostic tools at your disposal. Self-aware employees may be able to shed light on their sticking points so you can delve deeper into performance issues, instead of solely relying on LMS metrics and business reports.
4. Map Out Resources, Conditions, And Scope
Training objectives are circumstantial. You need to complete the picture to achieve the best results. Which resources can employees use to accomplish the goals and change their behaviors? Are there any special conditions or situations involved? Does it have a broader scope or is the focus narrower? For example, the objective pertains to a work-related task or job position. Training objectives must be concise, but detailed. Employees need to know how to proceed and if the objective even falls under their purview. This is also the time to specify the time frame in which staffers must achieve the outcomes.
5. Consider The Evaluation Criteria
Success is relative and you must determine what it means for your organization. Specifically, how the objectives will contribute to your success and what you must do to monitor progress, as well as how employees are evaluated, so they’re aware of the criteria in place. For example, the talents they must possess or the level of task proficiency. You won’t be able to maximize training ROI if employees are kept in the dark. They require a detailed breakdown of their roles and what’s expected of them.
6. Ensure Current Training Objectives Are Measurable And Manageable
Many organizations make the mistake of crafting objective statements that are vague or too broad. Some even venture into the territory of unattainable. You can’t expect sales employees to suddenly triple their monthly figures without extensive skill-building and product knowledge training. Thus, you must ensure that your training objectives are measurable and manageable for everyone involved. That includes your L&D staff, employees, and the accounting department. How long will it take to achieve the objective? How will you monitor performance or skill gaps? Can employees accomplish the goals within the time frame with the available support resources? It’s best to divide long-term objectives into more manageable tasks that employees can tackle one at a time.
7. Outsource To Save Time And Money
As you can see, there are multiple steps to re-define training objectives. From needs analysis to developing evaluation criteria. Therefore, outsourcing the task may be more cost-effective and improve resource allocation. The right provider offers an unbiased perspective of your outcomes, goals, and undisclosed obstacles. Hire an external team to look at staff requirements and sift through the analytical data. The outsourcing partner must have experience in your industry and understand your brand to maximize training ROI.
Most organizations are resistant to any kind of change. Even if they know it’s for their own good and can maximize training ROI. However, it’s necessary to re-define training objectives from time to time in order to adapt and evolve. Think of it as ‘survival of the fittest’ in the corporate world. Self-evaluation and training needs analysis may require an investment of both time and money. But these insider tips can help you re-think your definition of success and align your objectives with current KPIs. Is it time for your organization to shift focus and fine tune those outdated desired outcomes?
Is your online training course putting a strain on your profit margin, or boosting your bottom line? Read the article 9 Things Training Managers Can Do Today To Improve Online Training ROI to discover how training managers can yield the best online training ROI.
