How should a compliance professional assess the effectiveness of a training program?

Assessing the effectiveness of a training program is best done by comparing assessment scores before and after training. This approach provides measurable data that highlights changes in knowledge or skills directly attributable to the training. If there are significant improvements in assessment scores, it indicates that the training was successful in enhancing understanding and retention of the material.

Using pre-training and post-training assessments allows the compliance professional to quantify the learning outcomes. It establishes a baseline of knowledge and offers concrete evidence of improvement, making it clear whether the training objectives were met.

Other methods, while informative, do not provide the same level of direct evidence regarding learning efficacy. For instance, employee feedback forms can capture subjective opinions but may not reflect actual learning or changes in behavior. Similarly, attendance records only indicate who attended the training, not whether the participants learned or retained the information presented. The number of training sessions conducted is also a metric that does not measure effectiveness; it only indicates frequency without assessing the impact on knowledge or compliance behavior.