What is a training evaluation form and why is it so important?

Before we dive into the details, let’s define what a training evaluation form is and why it is so important to evaluate training programmes.

What is a training evaluation form?

As the name suggests, a training evaluation form is a tool that collects data from staff who have attended a training session or course. The data collected can be qualitative and quantitative and should provide feedback on the value of the training to staff. The objective of such forms is to ensure that the course delivered to employees is impactful, relevant and of interest for employee development. The form should be succinct enough not to be time-consuming for employees to complete, and it provide sufficient feedback to be of value.

Why should you evaluate training?

Businesses continuously assess their staff and invest in their development. In this context, they need to ensure they provide the appropriate development opportunities by evaluating the quality of the training they select for the workforce. There are several benefits to evaluating training on an ongoing basis. We highlight some key benefits in the section below.

Assess course material for gaps and continuously improve it for participants

The training evaluation form aims at understanding if the content and channel used to deliver training are appropriate for employees. As such, results might reveal that the course material contains gaps. For example, if the majority of the participants in a training session fail on core questions, this means that the training is not well matched to their level of expertise, and it should go back to basics. Conversely, if all attendees are successful in their answers, the training material is too easy and needs to be made more difficult.

Generate savings by choosing training providers wisely

When identifying a training provider, it is essential to supervise the quality of the training to ensure that you are getting a sound cost—benefit ratio. As such, employing a training evaluation form at the end of the training session will allow for the collection of valuable information to assess the provider and establish the return on investment (ROI) of the partnership.

There are many more reasons why training evaluation is important, such as for the identification of skill gaps within teams, for example. All training courses should be assessed, even in the most basic ways, to ensure that the audience is satisfied with the content, the trainer and the channel used to deliver it.

What to consider when creating a training evaluation form

There are some dos and don’ts when it comes to creating a training evaluation form. Factors to consider include the following:

Make the form easy to use and understand

It might seem obvious, but the form should be short and straight to the point. When doing training, employees are taking time out of their day-to-day tasks. This might result in an increased workload. The form should not be felt to be burdensome. Rather it should be a short questionnaire showing that the employee’s feedback is valued. Keep the language simple, free of acronyms and straight to the point. The learning and development team (L&D) should look at collecting feedback that allows participants to be open and provide details if they wish to. Additionally, the content of the form’s answers should be easy for the L&D team to analyse.

Gauge the overall satisfaction of the audience

While the form aims at assessing each of the components of the training course, it is just as important to assess the overall output. In other words, the feelings of satisfaction or dissatisfaction that the participants might have about the training as a whole.

Evaluate the performance of the trainer

Not all training sessions or courses have a direct trainer. For those that do, the performance of the trainer and their ability to engage with participants form a big part of the overall impact of the training.  The trainer should be evaluated in different areas, including:

• Their preparation
• Their knowledge and expertise
• Their ability to engage the audience
• Their communication style
• Their willingness to take on feedback

Understand if the right tools and solutions were used

Even a top-class training can fail if the tools or channels used for it are not well matched to the participants. Choosing the right learning management platform is essential to make sure that the training is accessible and easy to use, and that accessing it does not present technical issues or incompatibilities.

Assess the impact of the time spent on training

The length of the training should be kept in mind when developing the training materials. Each hour spent on training is time not spent delivering on the job. There is a fine balance between keeping it short and covering all the content required. Time should be factored into planning, and it will benefit both the participants and the company to find the best ratio between time spent on training and the value delivered to the audience.

What you should keep in mind when creating a training form

To help you create the best training evaluation form, we have selected some tips. These will ensure that the form ticks all the boxes and gets you what you need when assessing the course.

Stay succinct

The form should be no more than a single page. The questions in it should be succinct and straight to the point. If too long, the employees answering it will get bored, and the results they input will be inaccurate and charged with negative emotions. The form should take just a few minutes to complete.

Stay focused

The questions asked in the form should be directly linked to the training itself. It should stay focused on that and not diverge to other topics. This ensures that the objective, i.e., the evaluation of the course, is attained. 

Focus on what is actionable

When creating the form, you should anticipate the type of responses you might get. The questions asked should lead to answers that give actionable insight. Additionally, questions should be specific and easy to answer, opening the door for suggestions.

Give options

Consider that you will need to analyse the responses. Using multiple choices questions makes it easier to analyse data. Overall, there should be a blend of multiple-choice questions and open questions that allow the audience to express themselves and provide feedback.

Incorporate the evaluation into the course

To maximise the response rate, the training evaluation form should be incorporated into the end of the training. If this is not done, there is a risk that participants will not answer the form, and that the request will be forgotten in their inbox.

Keep it anonymous

To ensure you get true feedback, and that participants are able to share their emotions, it is important to make the form anonymous. This approach helps eliminate fears participants might have of offending the trainer.

Kirkpatrick’s Four-Level Training Evaluation Model with template

There are several techniques or models you can use to evaluate your training programme. Some of those are the Phillips ROI model, Kaufman’s Five Levels of Evaluation, The CIRCO model, and Anderson’s Model of Learning Evaluation. In this section, we focus on one of the most famous evaluation techniques: Kirkpatrick’s Four-Level Training Evaluation Model.

Kirkpatrick’s Four-level Training Evaluation Model is a model whereby training programmes are assessed on four levels: reaction, learning, impact and results. Let’s dive in.

Level 1: Reaction

When the audience has completed the course, their emotions should be assessed. You might want to ask them how satisfied they are with the content of the training and their learning experience.

Level 2: Learning

To make content relevant, understanding the level of knowledge acquired during the training is essential. Testing the audience at the end of the training with some quiz questions will provide insight on the effectiveness of the session.

Level 3: Behaviour

Some training courses are meant to lead to behavioural change. In this case, 360-degree feedback may be of value. It should aim at assessing the effectiveness of the training by comparing the employee’s behaviour before and after the course.

See How 360-degree feedback can benefit your company culture.

Level 4: Results

The reason that L&D teams create training programmes is to enhance teams’ results, and thus business performance. As such, evaluating the impact the training has had on the business with some key metrics such as customer satisfaction, productivity and quality of services will assert the value of the training.

Regardless of the model or method used to evaluate your training, assessing it is critical to ensure that it is relevant and impactful, and that it brings value to the audience and ultimately to the business. Conducting evaluations helps employees develop in a specific area through participating in targeted, high-quality training.

For more on training and development programme, check the following content:

• 5 Steps to Creating an Effective Training and Development Program
• How to Implement an Effective Employee Training and Development Program

Training evaluation form templates for PDF & Word

Download these training evaluation form templates to effectively learn what training sessions and learning opportunities your employees are interested in.

*Indeed provides these examples as a courtesy to users of this site. Please note that we are not your HR or legal adviser, and none of these documents reflect current labor or employment regulations.