Business Climate Survey
RESULTS OVERVIEW
WorkplaceXpert, in the October issue, conducted a Business Climate Survey. The intent was to learn from training and HR professionals their 2002 results in a number of business and training-focused areas, identify their expectations for the same areas for 2003 and measure their individual expectations for 2003 for their own career, their company, the industry they operate as well as the overall economy.
Overall, it would appear that the trainers responding experienced some hard times in 2002, made cuts in controllable budget areas while investing in the technology and materials for next year. It was a year of cut-back and retrenchment, while getting ready for the "good times” ahead. The areas of the biggest cuts, except for staff, were not the areas of the most growth.
If you are interested in seeing the detailed charts and findings, please click here.
In 2003, the prospects for e-learning initiatives and technology investments are planned to take off. It would seem they are moving towards a customized, grown at home approach rather than a train on the outside mentality. This does not bode well for conference producers or outside training consultants, but looks good for technology, infrastructure and custom materials people, yielding growth in terms of sales and profits. It is little wonder readers are interested in technology information and ROI measurements.
For the question asking respondent description of their expectations for 2003, the summary below reports negative, neutral and positive expectations. See the table below for actual response totals. Clearly, people are more optimistic than pessimistic, as illustrated in their summary groupings as well by examining the percent responding in the most extreme ends of the scale.
How Do You Feel about Prospects for 2003 for:
Generally negative Neutral Generally Positive
Your Career
21% 23% 56%
Your Company
22% 17% 62%
Your Industry
15% 24% 60%
Overall Economy
35% 24% 41%
To analyze the results of 2002 budgets and results, the responses are grouped as negative and positives. The choosing N/A or Neutral responses explain the fact that totals do not equal 100%.
Those Line Items receiving the highest percentage of INCREASE are highlighted below:
Significant Budget Area % selecting a Increase Increase
17% 1. Technology investments 58%
11% 2. Custom Training Materials 52%
5% 3. Classroom Training Initiatives 43%
9% 4. Overall Staff Headcount 40%
Those Line Items receiving the highest percentage of DECREASE are highlighted below:
Significant Budget Area % selecting a Decrease Decrease
18% 1. Travel Expenditures 54%
6% 2. Overall Staff Headcount 40%
9% 3. IT Training Investment 38%
9% 4. Overall Profitability 34%
14% 5. Conference/Seminar Participation 32%
12% 6. Outside Training/Consultants 30%
To analyze the results of 2003 budgets and expectations, the responses are grouped as negative and positives. The choosing N/A or Neutral responses explain the fact that totals do not equal 100%
Those Line Items receiving the highest percentage of INCREASE are highlighted below:
Significant Budget Area % selecting a Increase Increase
6% 1. E-Learning Initiatives 60%
6% 2. Technology Investments 58%
9% 3.Sales 56%
6% 4. Overall Profitability 50%
5% 5. Custom Training Materials 42%
3% 6. Classroom Training Initiatives 41%
Those Line Items receiving the highest percentage of DECREASE are highlighted below:
Significant Budget Area % selecting a Decrease Decrease
11% 1. Conference/Seminar Participation 31%
8% 2. Travel Expenditures 27%
12% 3. Outside Training/Consultants 26%
5% 4. Off-the-shelf Training Materials 25%
2% 5. Overall Staff Headcount 24%
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