Workforce Push Back on New Learning Methods- Aim High

Adapting your organization to new training trends can be very difficult. If the workforce is a young and using technology in their daily activities, then this adoption will be very easy. However, in many of the organizations we engage, the workforce age range is 18 to 60. The adoption of new learning trends within older, more established organizations will have difficulty. For the sake of training and your company’s bottom-line, don’t give up.

Like our schools, you must make a decision. Do I train to meet the needs of the slowest person in the class, or do I keep the standard high and not let my slowest be my bottleneck to my overall goal. Our schools have suffered for taking the first approach. Let me encourage your organization to take the latter approach to successful learning.

For the workforce that has difficulty in adjusting to online learning trends, such as on-demand, online and webinars, we must create an environment and incentives to move this group forward. They will always pull back from new methods, but your company cannot afford to train in the same manner as it did yesterday.  Why?

1. The speed of change within our industries requires each company to adapt more quickly to change and facilitate training to meet new processes and needs.
2. The cost of face-to-face training is cost prohibitive, but may be necessary in only a few areas.
3. The time it takes to schedule and re-schedule missed training is simply ineffective.
4. The results are equal. The online, on-demand training for adult learners has been determined by the Department of Education to yield similar outcomes as face-to-face training. http://ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/pi/AdultEd/tdlearn.html

So what do you do?

First, look at your audience.  Determine the best method (medium) of training delivery that meets their need and reduces the overall cost of the training budget. I always recommend the “bang for your buck.” Go with developing online training that must reach the most people in a given year’s time.

Second, develop good processes. Most organizations we come into have training developed that has no consistency. If you don’t want to frustrate your employees or users, develop style guides for all developed training. Be sure navigation is simple and the learners know what to expect. Ensure internal and external development teams follow these guidelines. Last, your company needs an owner of this process and I recommend having (or establishing) the Training and Development Department own it.

Third, put in rewards by investing your savings. Create incentives for your workforce on utilizing training in new mediums. You can justify such investments in t-shirts and simple giveaways by looking at the overall time and cost savings to the company.

Fourth, look to your vendors. Many of to tools and products your company uses comes with vendor training. Sometimes it is available in and online format, but many times, it is delivered via webinars or videos. Capture the webinars or repurpose the videos for online use. Last, ask the vendor to allow you to record their next onsite training.

As the Air Force says, “Aim High.”

Mitch

Just a Visitor

Have you ever sat and thought about, in disbelief, all of the chatter you hear when in a waiting room or restroom? What you see and hear when visiting a company’s location, I find quite intriguing and a little amazing. In many cases when I am onsite, I have a very clearly marked badge that has the word “VISITOR” in big, bold letters for everyone to see. I would expect that when employees see a visitor coming down a hallway or dropping by the canteen for a cup of coffee, they would try to avoid the idle chatter and look as if they are on purpose with their company’s objectives. Regretfully, this rarely happens. I am simply ignored, and most of the time, they carry on about their personal problems and complaints, not business.

It is mind-numbing to think that employees would talk so openly about another person on their team, Saturday’s game, or as we so learned from Seinfeld, nothing that matters. Let me clarify, I am not talking about small talk on the way to the meeting, I am referring to a solid fifteen plus minute conversations that doesn’t seem to bring any cohesion to the workforce; no advice given or received in order to get better as a person or company; and  no encouragement for a job well done. If you ever want to really hear a great conversation, just sit in the waiting area and listen to the receptionist talk to a family member or friend about the current issues in her life. I find it embarrassing to hear the issues discussed in plain view.

So what can a company do about such idle chatter? Proverbs 10:8 gives us great insight as to what to do:

“The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin.”

While we do want to encourage teamwork and instill a sense of family for our associates, we must command values to our associates that such chatter brings not only ruin to them but to your organization. The time wasted, the insults hurled, the customer’s need not met, and not to mention the innocent bystanders having to hear this chatter, will bring ruin to many.

So as a leader in your organization, you may need to command more in the hallways. You’ll soon know that those who don’t accept your commands and leadership are those who can bring ruin to your organization. Be clear in your direction, give insight as to why they need to stay focused on the organization’s needs and your clients. Here is a promise- your business will accelerate.