Cipd Report the Value of Learning
Change agenda
The value of learning A new model of value and evaluation
This Change Agenda was written by Valerie Anderson, University of Portsmouth Business School.
The value of learning
1
Introduction
Human capital has become an important issue, and organisations are increasingly aware of the need to treat people development as a high-level strategic issue and systematically to analyse, measure and evaluate how investment in people creates value. Learning and training play a key part in the valuecreation process. HR professionals recognise the importance of aligning learning processes with organisational priorities and the need to assess, demonstrate and report on the value contribution that learning makes to the organisation.
The value of learning project In November 2006 the CIPD appointed members of the University of Portsmouth Business School to undertake research into this important area. This Change Agenda highlights the main findings from the project. The research indicates that a ‘one size fits all’ set of metrics to establish learning value is inappropriate. A wide-ranging approach is required, which involves:
• aligning learning processes and investment to
organisational strategic priorities
• using a range of methods to assess and evaluate
the contribution of learning
• establishing the most relevant approaches to
assessing and reporting on the value of learning for the organisation.
2
The value of learning
Key challenges for value and evaluation
Previous CIPD research has highlighted two areas of challenge 1 The evaluation challenge Learning and training professionals have always recognised the need to evaluate the effectiveness of learning and training interventions. Most traditional approaches to training evaluation (see, for example, Kirkpatrick 1975, and Bramley 2003) have advocated a series of levels through which an assessment is made of the effects of individual learning and
The value of learning A new model of value and evaluation
This Change Agenda was written by Valerie Anderson, University of Portsmouth Business School.
The value of learning
1
Introduction
Human capital has become an important issue, and organisations are increasingly aware of the need to treat people development as a high-level strategic issue and systematically to analyse, measure and evaluate how investment in people creates value. Learning and training play a key part in the valuecreation process. HR professionals recognise the importance of aligning learning processes with organisational priorities and the need to assess, demonstrate and report on the value contribution that learning makes to the organisation.
The value of learning project In November 2006 the CIPD appointed members of the University of Portsmouth Business School to undertake research into this important area. This Change Agenda highlights the main findings from the project. The research indicates that a ‘one size fits all’ set of metrics to establish learning value is inappropriate. A wide-ranging approach is required, which involves:
• aligning learning processes and investment to
organisational strategic priorities
• using a range of methods to assess and evaluate
the contribution of learning
• establishing the most relevant approaches to
assessing and reporting on the value of learning for the organisation.
2
The value of learning
Key challenges for value and evaluation
Previous CIPD research has highlighted two areas of challenge 1 The evaluation challenge Learning and training professionals have always recognised the need to evaluate the effectiveness of learning and training interventions. Most traditional approaches to training evaluation (see, for example, Kirkpatrick 1975, and Bramley 2003) have advocated a series of levels through which an assessment is made of the effects of individual learning and