Analytics are an essential part of a successful employee training program. The term refers to the collection and analysis of data. Companies that use a learning management system usually have instant access to analytics. These systems constantly record information and include features that allow users to compile that data into usable reports.
Analytics show organizations how to identify and correct employee training misalignment. When used effectively, the data can help businesses improve their course offerings to produce more knowledgeable, capable workers.
If you don’t currently have a learning management system or if you aren’t utilizing the analytics features included, now is the time to start. The information will provide valuable insights that lead to better decisions. Discover ways to lower training costs while increasing the quality of the experience for your trainees.
Why should you care about analytics in your employee training program?
Know Which Courses Perform Well
Knowing which courses perform well will give you insights into how your trainees learn. The methods and resources used can be applied to other courses to give you the best outcomes possible.
You can also use your best-performing courses as inspiration for future training content. Does the topic apply to other areas within your business? Are there associated topics that could be included in a new learning path with different training goals?
A good learning management system will give you more ways to utilize your best-performing content. Read LMS reviews online to see what is out there and which platforms would be a good fit for your business.
Find Weaknesses in Your Employee Training Program
Just as you need to know which courses are your best performing, you also need to know which are your worst performing. This will tell you where to begin when improving your employee training program.
Review the content included in these courses. Is it clear and concise? Is it delivered utilizing multiple learning types to address different learning styles? Compare them to your best performing content and see what functional differences exist. This will shed light on what you may need to add or change to get them up to speed.
Consider how these courses align with your overall business goals. Are they a match for what you hope to achieve this year? Could parts of the course be repurposed into learning paths that align with your corporate objectives?
Analytics will show you where each course stands so you can make educated decisions about what to do next.
Identify Skill Gaps and Find Ways to Fill Them
Skill gaps cost a business money. These are areas where the knowledge of your workforce isn’t strong enough to manage efficiently and effectively.
Analytics can show you where skill gaps exist through data related to both learners and courses. Look for skills that are consistently missing among your employees. Many LMS platforms include employee profiles that list skills and proficiencies. This data can be compiled into a report that will reveal your workforce’s strongest and weakest skills.
Once you know where your skill gaps lie, you can start adding training content to close them. Create new courses that cover these topics or import courses from third-party marketplaces.
Adding the content is an important first step, but you also need to inform your team that the new courses exist.
Send notifications through your LMS to any user that might be interested in taking the course. Also, make sure the course is added to relevant learning paths. This ensures that your team builds those skills and gives team members more ways to work on career development. It’s a win-win for the company and the individual employee.
See Which Trainees Need Additional Support
Along with courses, analytics can track data related to each employee. Test scores and completion rates identify individuals who may be struggling with the material. Additional support could be offered to get them caught up and comfortable with each topic. The more proficient the individual is, the stronger your overall team will be.
You can also use this data to identify your subject matter experts. These are people who know a specific area of business well and can be relied on as a training resource. They can assist with developing course materials or be used as a mentor to answer questions.
Track Certifications and Compliance
Many businesses work with compliance and certifications. This is especially important if laws or industry regulations apply.
Analytics will show you which workers have completed their compliance courses or have earned their certificates. It can also show you who may need to re-certify in the next few months so training and testing can be scheduled.
Having the data on hand is beneficial if the government or organization responsible for oversight requests confirmation of compliance. Building an ongoing record and staying on top of certification is helpful when avoiding costly fines for non-compliance.
Measure Trainer Performance
Your trainers are an essential part of your employee training program. They assist with the creation and distribution of course content. They are the people that your trainees will go to with questions or when they need assistance.
Analytics can also apply to trainers. See their overall success rates when it comes to course completions. If a trainer is consistently getting low completion rates, it may be time to address how they approach training.
It also helps to ensure that each trainer is using different types of learning material in their content. For example, when you know how to use storytelling in your employee training, you can open up a whole world of ways to teach.
Make sure each trainer understands best practices and how to incorporate a varied approach into their training content.
Determine Time to Competency
Analytics can show you the average time to competency for your employees. Time to competency is used to describe how long it takes for a trainee to obtain the knowledge and skills they need to perform their job. The quicker they become competent, the sooner they can begin producing for the company.
A quality training course is an important part of reducing time to competency. Training material should be relevant and focus on those essential skills. Access to social learning, a mentor, and knowledgebase information can also streamline the process.
It’s difficult to learn about any of the items listed above without access to a solid analytics system. Most LMSs have built-in analytics to help you get started.
