"I will cite two of the top reasons based on my experience. Employee training programs fail because of irrelevant training content and because we are addressing engagement or employee morale issues as competency issues. First, irrelevant training content comes in different forms. It could be that the content is too generic, and some employees don't find it particularly useful for their job. Another way content becomes irrelevant could be how the information is organized. The order of topics must directly address how the learners will apply the knowledge after training. It doesn't need to be organized thematically or academically.

The second reason programs have failed on my watch is when management demands training to improve employees' skills when management should be improving employee morale. For example, if a certain group of employees isn't performing as well as others, it doesn't necessarily mean that they're not as skilled. If they'd previously performed well, then it's impossible for their competencies to disappear. Oftentimes, the underperformance is attributed to poor management by their immediate superior. They might not feel supported, engaged, or motivated. None of these reasons can be addressed by training."