Posted: January 11th, 2024

Professional Development Courses: How to Measure Their Return on Investment

Professional Development Courses: How to Measure Their Return on Investment

Professional development courses are a common way for employees to enhance their skills, knowledge and competencies in various fields. However, not all professional development courses are equally effective or beneficial. How can employers and employees measure the return on investment (ROI) of professional development courses and ensure that they are worth the time, money and effort?

What is ROI of Professional Development Courses?

ROI of professional development courses is the ratio of the benefits gained from the courses to the costs incurred for taking them. Benefits can include improved performance, productivity, quality, customer satisfaction, retention, innovation, etc. Costs can include fees, travel expenses, materials, time away from work, etc.

To calculate the ROI of professional development courses, one needs to follow these steps:

1. Identify the objectives and outcomes of the courses. What are the specific skills or knowledge that the courses aim to impart? What are the expected results or changes in behavior or performance after taking the courses?
2. Collect data on the benefits and costs of the courses. How can the benefits and costs be measured or estimated? What are the sources of data and how reliable are they?
3. Analyze the data and calculate the ROI. How do the benefits compare to the costs? What is the percentage or ratio of ROI? Is it positive or negative?
4. Evaluate the results and make recommendations. How does the ROI of the courses align with the organizational goals and strategies? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the courses? How can they be improved or optimized?

Examples of ROI of Professional Development Courses

To illustrate how to measure the ROI of professional development courses, here are some examples from different fields and industries:

– A study by Phillips and Phillips (2019) found that a leadership development program for managers in a manufacturing company had an ROI of 253%. The benefits included increased sales, reduced turnover, improved quality and customer satisfaction. The costs included course fees, travel expenses, materials and time away from work.
– A report by PwC (2020) showed that a digital skills training program for employees in a financial services firm had an ROI of 145%. The benefits included enhanced productivity, efficiency, innovation and collaboration. The costs included course fees, materials and time away from work.
– A research by Cedefop (2021) revealed that a soft skills training program for workers in a hospitality sector had an ROI of 87%. The benefits included improved communication, teamwork, problem-solving and customer service. The costs included course fees, travel expenses, materials and time away from work.

Conclusion

Professional development courses can be a valuable investment for both employers and employees, as they can improve various aspects of performance and outcomes. However, not all professional development courses are equally effective or beneficial. Therefore, it is important to measure the ROI of professional development courses and ensure that they are worth the time, money and effort.

References

Phillips, J.J., & Phillips, P.P. (2019). Measuring ROI in Learning & Development: Case Studies from Global Organizations (3rd ed.). Routledge.

PwC. (2020). The Value of Digital Skills: A PwC Report on Upskilling for a Digital World. Retrieved from https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/issues/upskilling/value-of-digital-skills.html

Cedefop. (2021). Return on Investment in Soft Skills Training: Evidence from Six European Countries. Retrieved from https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publications-and-resources/publications/5586