we found that the average completion time for what would be a 15-20 minute training was around 4 minutes. All questions/tasks had a 90-100% rating.
Mandatory trainings are a joke. I know they have to be done legally and they may be mildly interesting for a first-timer, the fact that they are mandatory means I have done about the required ~13 per year (so times 20-25 years of working). I can answer them in my sleep.
Adding insult to injury, they are so silly and stupid that the average person can answer the questions without the training.
To make sure even the dumbest person actually gets a good score on the training (because the company cannot claim they successfully trained them, if they fail the test), tests more often than not look like this:
Given a working power outlet and a fork laying around, should you
- stick the fork into the power outlet pointy side first
- stick the fork into the power outlet round side first
- better not stick anything into a power outlet
Yes, you have to read and comprehend it to answer, but it takes three seconds and it will cost an additional number of braincells that die of frustration while you are trying to understand why you have to do something so mindboggingly stupid or if this maybe is some kind of trick question.
Given that many people are working remote now, this training tells them not to stick their own forks into their own power outlets at home. Something their mom told them when they were toddlers, and which they have managed ever since, proven by their continued existence.
If you want people to engage with your training, make it worthwhile. I would love to hear about the chemicals we use as a company and how they can be a fire (or health) hazard. And what we use them for, that makes that risk acceptable. I know all about the theoretical fire hazards of a theoretical workplace. I have done that silly training 20 times over. If it's flamable and there is an ignition source and enough oxygen, it can burn. Burning is bad. Baaad. Thanks. Never would have thought of that on my own.
Very likely, that is not your stated goal from the company. Your goal is to deliver a good average training score to your company so they can check that box and move on to whatever they do to make money. Put the questions first and only let me do the training if I get any wrong.
And for gods sake don't let me watch a 10 minute unfunny youtube video by amateur actors on how to not stick forks into power outlets. I am not 5. I have been with the company for longer than that. That's ridiculous.
So why do people finish quickly? Because they can and your training is not worth the time they spend. They can cheat any method you use. The one thing they would not be able to cheat would be an actual training on interesting topics. Provide that and you will find people will engage with it. Once.