Measure the impact by recognition and training in feedback
Well-recognized employees are 45% less likely to leave after two years, according to Gallup research (1) of 2022-2024. Another study revealed that rolling rates dropped by 14.9% (2) when employees received comments adapted to their forces. However, most talent leaders find it difficult to prove how their training initiatives really stimulate these retention improvements.
The commercial impact is important. Replace the costs of an employee 50-200% of their annual salary, with management positions 400%. This means that in a company of 500 people with average wages of $ 70,000, the reduction in turnover of only 2 percentage points saves $ 700,000 per year in replacement costs only (by assuming a replacement cost at 100%).
I learned the power of good comments at the start of my career when my boss approached my habit of interrupting in the meetings. He delivered it in a way that affirmed my contributions while helping me see a blind spot. This conversation immediately increased my loyalty – when people know that their managers care about their development, they remain.
Better feedback stimulates retention, which has an impact on results. But you have to measure it.
The measurement challenge
Understanding the importance of feedback is one thing; Proving its impact on retention and trade results is another. Traditional L&D metrics – completion rate, satisfaction scores, knowledge tests – do not tell you if behavior has really changed or if this change has affected retention. You need methods that connect training activities to real business results.
Some innovative organizations borrow in other areas to resolve this challenge. The A / B test, used for a long time in pharmaceutical products and digital marketing, offers a convincing approach. Having provided these tools to digital marketing specialists in my previous business, I watched the companies make important clicks, conversions and income by testing what really worked. Now, talented leaders apply a rigor similar to L&D initiatives.
How do measurement -oriented approaches work
A / B tests provide a clear path to prove the impact. Here's how it works: divide your audience into two groups. One receives the new training, the other not. Then measure the difference in results.
Imagine launching comments and recognition training for 2,000 intermediate level managers. You would provide training to 1,800 managers while holding 200 as a comparison group. After the implementation, you can measure concrete differences in retention rates, engagement scores and other trade measures between groups.
This approach is not always practical for each organization. Key computer science is to focus on measurable behaviors that connect to commercial results. Whether you use A / B tests or other measurement frames, you need to follow specific behavior changes and their downstream effects.
Common measurement traps to avoid
Many talent leaders measure what is easy rather than what matters. They follow the hours of training recorded, the completion rates of the course and the quiz scores after the training – the metats that tell you nothing about the question of whether someone gives better comments three months later.
The biggest trap? Measure only at the individual level. If your training in comments has improved the skills of the individual manager but the retention of his team has not moved, what has really changed? The actual measurement links the change in individual behavior to the results of the team and companies.
Another error is to measure too early. The behavior change takes time. Checking improved feedback skills the week after training is like planting seeds and checking flowers the next day.
That measure for a real impact
A good measure starts by focusing on the right measures:
- Immediate feedback on the efficiency of the training
Simple rating systems after each learning activity help you understand what resonates. More importantly, they confirm completion and commitment. - Context and application stories
Gather specific examples of when and how people apply new skills. Did they use a head-to-face feedback technique? During a project review? These stories reveal whether the training results in real behavior in the workplace. - Behavior assessments before and after
Ask participants to assess themselves on specific behaviors (such as active listening or the supply of comments in a timely manner) before the training begins and once again finished. Include manager's assessments for a more complete image of the real behavior change. - Commercial metric correlation
Connect the behavior changes to the measures that count: retention rate by department, managerial engagement scores or team performance improvements. This last step proves the king who cares about the frames.
Move forward
The measure does not concern perfection – it is a question of proving that development initiatives create a real change. Whether through A / B tests, before and after assessments or monitoring of commercial metric improvements, the objective remains the same: to demonstrate that better comments and recognition skills lead to an improvement in retention and commercial performance.
Organizations that see the best results are those ready to measure behavior change, not just training training. They prove what talented leaders have been suspecting for a long time: when you help managers develop better comments in comments, their teams stay longer and work better.
References
(1) Employee retention depends on the right recognition
(2) Employee feedback loop: secret sauce for employee retention
At Learnopoly, Finn has championed a mission to deliver unbiased, in-depth reviews of online courses that empower learners to make well-informed decisions. With over a decade of experience in financial services, he has honed his expertise in strategic partnerships and business development, cultivating both a sharp analytical perspective and a collaborative spirit. A lifelong learner, Finn’s commitment to creating a trusted guide for online education was ignited by a frustrating encounter with biased course reviews.