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Linking prior learning and future behaviours
1. Linking Prior Learning and Future Behaviours
One of discussions concerning workplace training on a drug and alcohol policy and
testing program centres on evaluating the link between learning from the past and
future behaviours. How does management know the training delivered many weeks
ago is creating a culture of zero tolerance for substance use in the workplace? How
does leadership know that employees are learning and retaining information on the
drug and alcohol testing program and behaving in an optimal manner? Connecting
the investment of resources in training and training activities to business outcomes
is important because the linkages or lack of linkages tell management whether it
should continue the training in its current form or restructure it to achieve greater
effectivess.
Collect and Evaluate
The concept of linking training and outcomes is not new. In 2000, authors Chris
Doucouliagos and Sgro Pasquale discussed this very issue in their paper “Enterprise
Return on a Training Investment”. The research presented numerous case studies
of Australian businesses investing in workforce training to determine the best
approaches for evaluating training programs. There were four steps recommended
for evaluating program effectiveness, and today’s businesses can still use it as a
guide for developing a strategy to measure and evaluate drug and alcohol program
training in particular.1
1. Determine the data necessary to evaluate training programs and techniques
for performing evaluations
2. Collect the data
3. Quantify the net gains resulting from training, including the financial costs
and benefits
4. Develop a simple process for training evaluation, the simplest being
comparing pre- and post-training data and developing a cost-benefit ratio or
return on investment
Businesses can consider different levels of evaluation criteria to measure different
impacts and outcomes. Applying D. L. Kirkpatrick’s model to drug and alcohol
training WA programs would mean evaluating:2
Worker perceptions of the training
Improvement in knowledge of the policy, testing program, and risks of
substance use
Changes in behaviours
Business outcomes and return on investment
Pre- and post-training data can be as simple or as complex as the business desires.
Some companies will hire professional services to collect and evaluate data,
reporting results to management. However, managers can also develop tools like
employee surveys administered before and after training to measure raised
2. awareness and to test knowledge. Business outcomes include metrics like reduced
days of absenteeism, fewer sick days, fewer injuries, and so on. These outcomes
have a direct financial impact on the business.
On the Right Path?
Setting goals is critical because it also determines training effectiveness. Goals
need to be specific, measurable, realistic, and relevant to the workplace. Managers
will also want to set a timeframe. For example, if there were 25 positive tests for
drugs or alcohol last year, what is a reasonable goal for improvement in the current
year? Every manager hopes no one is using substances in the workplace. However,
it is unlikely, which is precisely why random drug testing program is so important.
An evaluation of the data collected can lead to none, one, or more than one change
in the drug and alcohol training program. If employees learned and retained the
information, and the health and safety of the workplace is improved, the current
training program will continue. However, it might be necessary to improve the
program by adding additional elements or changing the presentation of the
program. If could be that more frequent training is needed or a new training
system. Without measurement and evaluation, there is no way to know what
changes to make.
The crucial point is that linking prior learning and business outcomes is important.
Companies have limited resources and need to ensure that investments in training
programs are productive. The only way to make that determination is through a
system of measurement and evaluation. Mediscreen can become an important
partner in the training effort by providing quality health screening services and
workplace health and wellness assessments, providing key data for evaluation.
This article has been taken from: http://www.mediscreen.net.au/linking-prior-
learning-and-future-behaviours/