By now, every L&D leader knows that data is crucial. But which data points are getting your attention and energy? Unfortunately, many training managers only measure learner attendance, completion, and maybe feedback scores for satisfaction if they have time. These numbers definitely tell a story, but not the whole story. This data can inform your communication and delivery of training initiatives at best, and send you on a dead-end treasure hunt that doesn't produce results at worst.
But fret not, the data you need likely already exists within your organization. It's just a matter of finding those hidden jewels. Here is our proverbial treasure map for the data you've been missing in your L&D program.
Exit Interviews
Both employee exit interviews, and client exit interviews, can shed light on what the organization is getting wrong. How are your managers failing their reports? In what ways are your front-line project managers ill-equipped to serve your clients?
NPS/Customer Satisfaction Data
NPS (Net Promoter Score) is a proven tool to measure customer loyalty and predict business growth and success. But even if your organization doesn't measure NPS, there is likely a method of some sort to
measure customer satisfaction. Are your clients asking for faster response times? Gear your training around communication etiquette and best practices. Do your customers constantly tout the durability of your products? Then reinforce and build on that loyalty with sustained technical training; losing a positive is more of a pain point than introducing a new negative.
Reviews
Reviews are often far more...um...forthcoming...than internal Customer Satisfaction surveys. Though this can feel a lot like walking the plank, pouring over the review, both the good and the bad, of yourcompany can offer so much insight into training opportunities within your organization. How often does 'customer service' appear in your online reviews? On Glassdoor, which departments have restless employees that need more opportunities to grow and learn? It's scary, but worth it.
Department FAQs
This data point is a great one to begin your hunt, because it doesn't require that any systems are already set up and it can be owned by the L&D team entirely. Schedule meetings with leaders from each department. What are the frustrations and questions that come up over and over? Are new clients creating burnout in your project management department? Maybe you'll discover that this is because your sales associates aren't managing expectations of their prospects - an easy fix with the proper training. What processes are unclear? What best-practices have been forgotten? Knowing all barriers at the department level is invaluable to a holistic and successful training program.
Your online learning platform should make sure you have course- and learner-specific data points at your fingertips, so leave that work to your LMS. Your energy is better spent on uncovering the riches that lie within the data all around you. Spend some time on this worthy voyage before launching your next big training initiative.