New research launched yesterday by The Industrial Society reveals 2 out of 3 companies have increased their commitment to training evaluation techniques in the past two years, in order to raise efficiency.

Training Evaluation, the latest report in the Managing Best Practice series, finds that companies are increasing their commitment to evaluation for three key reasons. In order to:

1. Establish links between training and business strategy
2. Develop improvements in training methods
3. Establish future training needs.

The survey of nearly 500 human resource and personnel specialists revealed that management training is more likely to be evaluated systematically than is any other area. Within the top five training areas evaluated are Management training, IT/Computer training and Communication Skills training.

Training courses, both internal and external, are most likely to be evaluated. 86% of respondents evaluate internal training courses and 74% evaluate external courses. Computer-based training packages and training to acquire qualifications are also evaluated by over a third of respondents.

Commenting on the survey findings Andrew Forrest, Director of Learning and Development, at The Industrial Society said: "The most effective organisations see evaluation as an indispensable part of the training cycle around which all training activity should be planned and designed. Hopefully, the predicted growth in commitment to evaluation, combined with the fact that many companies increasingly realise the direct link between training and business efficiency, show that this attitude is developing."

Anna Lagerkvist