When the Early Bird Catches the Worm: Timing and the Impact of Training in Retail

We econometrically evaluate the performance effects of a six month e†learning programme in a large retail chain with monthly data on organizational level sales revenue, for four years using panel regressions. Members of initiating cohorts show positive performance effects during training and, dependent on the estimated specification, after training, which is not the case for succeeding participants. We conclude that offering training on voluntary basis leads participants with the highest expected idiosyncratic gains and the highest talent to self†select into early participation. As performance effects already unfold during training, our findings put forward the importance of continuous training with close coaching unlike single training incidences.