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§ 18

Return on investment (ROI) of a course

Can the course pay for itself, and how quickly does it earn back?

Answer: When a leader should justify an AMU course, management often asks: what do we get out of it? The Phillips method calculates return as a fifth level on top of Kirkpatrick's four. Gain is the first year's measurable effect in pounds, e.g. fewer errors, less wasted time and fewer temporary hours. It is isolated by estimating what fraction is due to the course and adjusted down by how certain the estimate is. Cost is the full price: participant payment, travel and pay during the course, minus VEU remuneration.

Formula

Nettoomkostning = deltagerbetaling, materialer og transport + løn under kurset − VEU-godtgørelse

Justeret gevinst = første års gevinst × andel der skyldes kurset × sikkerhed på skønnet

ROI (%) = (justeret gevinst − nettoomkostning) ÷ nettoomkostning × 100

BCR = justeret gevinst ÷ nettoomkostning (1,00 = kurset betaler sig selv lige præcis)

Tilbagebetalingstid (måneder) = nettoomkostning ÷ (justeret gevinst ÷ 12)

Symbols and units in the formula
SymbolMeaningUnit
kursusudgiftParticipant payment, materials and transportkr
loenudgiftWages to participants during coursekr
veuVEU allowance the business receiveskr
aarlig_gevinstMeasured gain in the first yearkr
andel_kursus_pctShare of the gain due to the course%
sikkerhed_pctHow certain are you of the estimate%
=ROI%
=Net costkr
=Adjusted gainkr
=Gain per invested pound (BCR)kr
=Payback periodmåneder

Validity and source

Source
Phillips ROI-metode (J.J. Phillips): ROI = (gevinst − omkostning) ÷ omkostning × 100

Does not apply when

  • The standard values are an example: 5 employees for 3 course days at 2026 rates (participant fee 218 kr/day, VEU 137.47 kr/hour × 7.4 hours, hourly rate 220 kr). Phillips calculates only the first year's benefit for short courses. Benefits that cannot be measured in money, such as job satisfaction and retention, belong in the report but not in the ROI figure.

Worked example

The calculator's own default values inserted. The figures are calculated with exactly the formula the tool uses.

Substituted

  • Participant payment, materials and transport3,270 kr
  • Wages to participants during course24,420 kr
  • VEU allowance the business receives15,259 kr
  • Measured gain in the first year40,000 kr
  • Share of the gain due to the course50 %
  • How certain are you of the estimate80 %

Giver

  • ROI29 %
  • Net cost12,431 kr
  • Adjusted gain16,000 kr
  • Gain per invested pound (BCR)1.29 kr
  • Payback period9.3 måneder

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Sådan bruger du den

Når en leder skal argumentere for et kursus, spørger direktionen efter afkastet. Phillips-metoden regner det forsigtigt: kun det første års gevinst, kun den del der skyldes kurset, og justeret for usikkerheden.

Step by step

  1. Læg alle udgifter sammen: deltagerbetaling, materialer, transport og løn under kurset.
  2. Træk VEU-godtgørelsen fra.
  3. Mål gevinsten i kroner det første år, fx færre fejl og mindre spildtid.
  4. Skøn hvor stor en del der skyldes kurset, og hvor sikker I er.
  5. Læs ROI, BCR og tilbagebetalingstid.

Typical errors

  • At tage hele gevinsten med uden at isolere kursets andel.
  • At glemme lønnen under kurset.
  • At regne gevinsten i flere år for et kort kursus.
  • At regne bløde gevinster om til kroner uden grundlag.

Examples from everyday life

Lean-kursus for fem

Fem lagermedarbejdere tager et tre-dages AMU-kursus. Deltagerbetalingen er 3.270 kr, lønnen 24.420 kr og VEU 15.259 kr. Teamet sparer 40.000 kr det første år. I skønner, at halvdelen skyldes kurset, og er 80 % sikre.

Participant payment, materials and transport
3,270 kr
Wages to participants during course
24,420 kr
VEU allowance the business receives
15,259 kr
Measured gain in the first year
40,000 kr
Share of the gain due to the course
50 %
How certain are you of the estimate
80 %

It means: Nettoomkostningen er 12,431 kr, og den justerede gevinst er 16,000 kr. ROI er 29 %, og kurset er tjent hjem på 9.3 months.

Kursus der ikke tjener sig hjem det første år

Otte rengøringsassistenter er på en endags kursus. Udgifter 2.544 kr, løn 11.840 kr, VEU 8.136 kr. Gevinsten er 12.000 kr, 60 % skyldes kurset, sikkerhed 70 %.

Participant payment, materials and transport
2,544 kr
Wages to participants during course
11,840 kr
VEU allowance the business receives
8,136 kr
Measured gain in the first year
12,000 kr
Share of the gain due to the course
60 %
How certain are you of the estimate
70 %

It means: ROI er -19 %, og hver investeret krone giver 0.81 kr tilbage det første år. Kurset er først tjent hjem efter 14.9 months. Arbejdsmiljø og trivsel, der ikke kan gøres op i kroner, hører med i begrundelsen.

Lederkursus uden VEU

En leder med en videregående uddannelse tager et kursus til 45.000 kr med 18.000 kr i løn og ingen VEU. Lavere personaleomsætning sparer 250.000 kr, 40 % skyldes kurset, sikkerhed 75 %.

Participant payment, materials and transport
45,000 kr
Wages to participants during course
18,000 kr
VEU allowance the business receives
0 kr
Measured gain in the first year
250,000 kr
Share of the gain due to the course
40 %
How certain are you of the estimate
75 %

It means: Nettoomkostningen er 63,000 kr, gevinsten 75,000 kr og ROI 19 %.

Rule of thumb

BCR over 1 = kurset betaler sig det første år. ROI 0 % = BCR 1.

How to check the answer

ROI = (BCR − 1) × 100.