People Data & Analytics • 7 MIN READ
Learning Analytics: How to Measure Whether Your Training Is Working
MAR 20, 2026
Most organisations measure training completion. The organisations that improve fastest measure training impact. Here is how to make the shift.
Why completion rates are not enough
Reporting that 94% of employees completed the mandatory compliance training tells you that the delivery system works. It tells you nothing about whether employees understood the content, can apply it in their role, or changed their behaviour as a result. Kirkpatrick's four-level training evaluation model provides a useful framework for measuring actual impact: reaction (did participants find it relevant and engaging?), learning (did they acquire the knowledge or skill?), behaviour (are they applying it?), and results (has it produced the business outcomes it was designed to support?). Most organisations measure only level one; few reach level four.
Practical measurement at each level
Level one reaction is measured through a post-training survey immediately after the programme. Level two learning is measured through an assessment or knowledge check, ideally at the end of the programme and again 30 days later to test retention. Level three behaviour change is measured through manager observation, 360-degree feedback, or a structured follow-up survey asking whether the employee has applied specific skills from the programme. Level four results requires connecting training data with business outcome data: has sales performance improved for those who completed the sales skills programme? Has time-to-hire reduced for hiring managers who completed the structured interview training?
