Effectiveness of Training in Organizations: A Meta-Analysis of Design and Evaluation Features

The authors used meta-analytic procedures to examine the relationship between specified training design and evaluation features and the effectiveness of training in organizations. Results of the meta-analysis revealed training effectiveness sample-weighted mean d s of 0.60 ( k = 15, N = 936) for reaction criteria, 0.63 ( k = 234, N = 15,014) for learning criteria, 0.62 ( k = 122, N = 15,627) for behavioral criteria, and 0.62 ( k = 26, N = 1,748) for results criteria. These results suggest a medium to large effect size for organizational training. In addition, the training method used, the skill or task characteristic trained, and the choice of evaluation criteria were related to the effectiveness of training programs. Limitations of the study along with suggestions for future research are discussed.