Introduction
The main goal of the analyzed article is to evaluate the effectiveness of employee training programs in the banking sector in Malaysia. In the presented report, the implemented application of Kirkpatrick’s assessment model is explained (Mohamed et al., 2020). This article is aimed at clarifying several essential characteristics: the reaction of employees to the introduced training programs, the level of improvement of the qualifications of workers after training, and the transferring of learning outcomes to the workplace, and behavior change. The applied survey was carried out among 36 employees, researchers conducted tests before and after the training and organized interviews with people who received education to assess the acquired knowledge. The results after evaluating on Kirkpatrick’s scale showed that the level of knowledge increased, and workers developed the level of productivity as well, which indicates the transfer of information to the workplace and helps human resources managers prove the effectiveness of training and make it the primary strategy of the organization.
Main body
Learning and development are some of the main tasks of HR managers, as highly qualified employees help to increase the competitive advantage of the company. Conducting training helps to improve the level of education of workers, but such practice cannot be carried out without evaluation because then the effectiveness will not be revealed. In addition to the apparent benefits to large corporations, the presented framework is also useful in the academic sector. For example, it can be implemented when introducing new educational technologies (Paull et al., 2016) or when conducting training directed at developing personal qualities in students (Razanaufal & Lantu, 2019). Assessment of training is the identification of whether the learning or educational program fulfills its tasks, as well as determining the strengths and weaknesses of the curriculum, defining the economic benefits, ascertaining for whom the training was most useful, and collecting data for future programs. This assessment is based on Kirkpatrick’s model and is directed at determining efficiency. The effectiveness of learning is the level of productivity of the program and the level of the impact of this training on the employees’ outcome.
This paper details Kirkpatrick’s model, which contains four levels: reactions, learning, behavior, and results. As Jones et al. stated in their paper, “the Kirkpatrick evaluation model has been developed over the past six decades to become one of the most popular frameworks for evaluating the impact of workplace training” (p.499). The study used only the first three levels, as the effects for the organization can be determined only in the long term. The first level is reactions, and it defines the attitude of employees towards training. Program participants decide the usefulness and effectiveness for them, and the best response is positive, as it will increase the motivation for further education. In the study conducted, respondents rated the content and effectiveness of training as crucial, which implies that the respondents were satisfied with the content of the modules and the overall efficiency.
The second level is training, and it assesses the level of knowledge, improvement of skills, and change in attitude to work. Tests were carried out before and after learning to determine changes, and in the study, the average score of tests after training increased by 11.4%. The third level is behavior that determines whether acquired techniques and information are used in the workplace. In a practical study, 68% of respondents claimed that they transferred the acquired knowledge to their work.
The contribution of this study is that it confirms the effectiveness of employee training. This article proves that employees increase the level of their skills and develop their qualifications after training. Zainol et al. (2017) claimed in their article, “the Kirkpatrick Assessment Model is widely used locally and internationally with various fields to assess the effectiveness of training” (p. 365). These papers also state that a proper assessment of the learning as essential as an excellent training program because it helps organizations to define the input of the education. These studies add value to employee growth literature and support companies that transfer investment in the learning sector.
The analyzed practical work indicates that the UAE government has directed a certain amount of investment in the field of employee training. So that these funds are not spent on ineffective training, Kirkpatrick’s assessment model can be applied. After examining the presented article and the attached sources, it can be concluded that the use of Kirkpatrick’s model can be useful in various sectors. In this article, the researcher uses Kirkpatrick’s indicators to measure learning outcomes to explain how stakeholders in the federal government of the United Arab Emirates can improve learning outcomes among their staff. Moreover, the research work investigated presents a conceptual framework that is associated with the studied Kirkpatrick’s model. The result of the theoretical framework is positive feedback, and Kirkpatrick’s model is an evaluation tool that aims at a positive effect at all four levels as well.
Conclusion
Furthermore, a proper assessment can determine if the digital transformation in the federal government of the United Arab Emirates and the learning infrastructure directly affect organizational education. The outcome of this study may be the adoption or non-acceptance by the governmental structures in the UAE of digital transformation as a way to improve organizational learning. Since several evaluation objects are estimated in the research paper, such as learning infrastructure, student ability, education, and development policies, and learning culture, each of them should be evaluated by applying the represented model.
References
Jones, C., Fraser, J., & Randall, S. (2018). The evaluation of a home-based pediatric nursing service: concept and design development using the Kirkpatrick model. Journal of Research in Nursing, 23(6), 492–501.
Mohamed, R., Ariyani, A., & Alias, S. (2020). Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Training Program Using the Four Level Kirkpatrick Model in the Banking Sector in Malaysia. University Putra Malaysia. Web.
Paull, M., Whitsed, C., & Girardi, A. (2016). Applying the Kirkpatrick model: Evaluating an ‘interaction for learning framework’ curriculum intervention. Issues in Educational Research, 26(3), 490–507.
Razanaufal, M. W., & Lantu, D. C. (2019). Evaluation of leadership training program using Kirkpatrick model case study in Telkom Corporate University. Research Journal of Finance and Accounting, 10(4), 119–132.
Zainol, M. Z., Hashim, A., & Kasim, A. Y. (2017). Application of the Kirkpatrick model for the effectiveness of the Islamic education teacher program. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 7(11), 2222–6990.