Chief Learning Officer
Buy Naltrexone OnlineSUBSCRIBE


Webinars
Talent-Based Learning: Goodbye to the Stand-Alone LMS
Feb 18, 2010


Breakfast Club
Philadelphia: The Next Frontier for Learning and Development
Mar 18, 2010 07:30 am
Four Seasons Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania


CLO Symposiums
The Networked Organization: Leading Learning in the New Economy
Apr 12, 2010 - Apr 14, 2010
Boca Raton Resort & Club
Boca Raton, Florida


See More Events



Industry News

 

Survey Indicates Drop in Training Budgets and Limitations in Measuring ROI

Print this Article  Email this Article

 

Mountain View, Calif.
A November 2008 study by Expertus and Training Industry Inc., "Measuring Learning as Budgets Tighten," reveals that far more training budgets are decreasing than increasing in 2009. Despite the need to demonstrate the return on increasingly limited training investments, the study found that ROI and business impact metrics are not being used very often.

For 2009, more than twice as many respondents expect budget decreases rather than increases. Forty-eight percent expect their budgets to decrease in 2009, up from 41 percent in 2008. By contrast, only 17 percent expect their budgets to increase in 2009, up from 31 percent in 2008. Similarly, since 2008 budgets were first approved, far more saw decreases (38 percent) than increases (11 percent).

"This research offers perspective on the current business environment's impact on training budgets and how organizations are measuring their activities," said Ramesh Ramani, founder and CEO of Expertus. "With nearly half (48 percent) of respondents watching their budgets decrease for 2009, the challenge becomes measuring investments and understanding their impact."

As training budgets become more limited in today's challenging economy, it is increasingly important to demonstrate the impact of training funds through effective measurements. However, this survey of corporate training professionals revealed that volume and cost metrics, as well as Kirkpatrick Level I and II evaluations, are still used far more than business impact or return on investment metrics.

As a result, those metrics are seldom used to influence budget or other types of important decisions. However, when they are collected, cost, ROI and business metrics are almost always used to support budget requests.

"We weren't surprised that there is a connection between how difficult a metric is to collect and how often it is collected," added Doug Harward, CEO of Training Industry Inc. "However, we recommend that organizations make measuring the value and impact of learning a priority. This way, training organizations can make better-informed budgetary decisions about which training should be supported and which training needs to be improved."

In addition to reporting on budget changes and metrics use, this research report also provides fresh data on:

  • How cost-reduction pressure is increasing.
  • Major challenges of learning measurement.
  • Types of decisions that are well-supported by learning metrics and reporting capabilities.

The survey was completed by 84 corporate and government training professionals in organizations with varying sizes throughout 19 industries. Technology companies represented 25 percent of all survey-takers, while banking and finance companies were represented by almost one in six respondents.

For more info: http://www.trainingefficiency.com/system/files/Survey+Results_Learning+Measurement_+Expertus_Nov08.pdf

Executive Search

ESI International Director, eContent Strategy
01/14/2010
The Director, eContent Strategy is responsible for providing ESI’s executive team with strategic-level direction to implement alternative blended learning delivery formats to our worldwide client base.

Senior Manager, Global Learning & Talent Development
11/19/2009
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (DTT) is an organization of member firms devoted to excellence in providing professional services and advice. We are focused on client service through a global strategy executed locally in nearly 150 countries.

Director, Leadership & Organizational Development Parkland Health & Hospital System
10/26/2009
Parkland Health & Hospital System (www.parklandhospital.com) located in Dallas, Texas has been voted one of "America's Best Hospitals" by U.S. News & World Report for 16 consecutive years and recently named one of the "Top 100 Hospitals to Work For" by Nursing Professionals Magazine.

Columnists

February 2010
Dirty Words
by Jay Cross

What not to say to executives.

February 2010
Managing Through the Tipping Point
by Josh Bersin

Time to capitalize on growth opportunities.

February 2010
Connecting the Dots
by Michael E. Echols, Ph.D.

Invest available resources for the future.

Case Study

February 2010
Learning Acceleration
by Tony Bove

Cancer treatment provider Procure prescribed an accelerated training strategy to treat the challenges of rolling out complex new proton therapy centers.

Business Intelligence

February 2010
Bridging the Leadership Gap
by Sylvester Taylor

A study reveals skills essential to effective leadership and the steps needed to develop them.

Profile

February 2010
Telecom Training
by Deanna Hartley

Cisco’s CLO is on a mission to make learning as essential as e-mail.

1