Introducing a new system to your organization can be both exciting and challenging. While the decision to adopt a new technology is made by leadership, it’s the end-users who drive the success of its adoption. To ensure a smooth transition and maximize the benefits of the new system, here are five key strategies that can help you build an effective System Training Program.
1. Roll in the change
Any adoption goes hand in hand with a cultural and organizational transformation. It’s crucial for employees to see the bigger picture and understand the business drivers behind the new system. Take the time to onboard your employees “culturally” for the transformation journey before training them on the technology itself. Leadership buy-in, mailers, events, videos, and surveys are all excellent tools for onboarding.
By educating employees about the process and getting their early buy-in, you ensure readiness and minimize resistance. Timing is also critical – make it a smooth and transparent process to avoid unnecessary stress and frustration.
2. Provide the right training at the right time
While software tools are becoming more intuitive, a well-structured training program is still essential. Have a clear, holistic training plan in place right from the start, with leadership buy-in. An effective software training program should be both relevant and engaging.
- Relevance: Employees remember information best when it is immediately useful to them. Focus on practical skills that can be applied in their day-to-day work.
- Engaging Format: A 60-page manual or a long classroom session won’t make employees excited about the adoption journey. Adults learn best when they are engaged, so incorporate interactive elements and hands-on practice. Use the tell-show-do approach to increase engagement and retention.
- Ensure modalities: Provide opportunities for system demonstrations and ample practice sessions. Tracking these practice modes can provide valuable insights into areas where users may face challenges.
Remember, the Forgetting Curve suggests that users forget 90% of what they learn within a month. So, timing is key – don’t train employees too far in advance.
3. Allow adequate time
Training can often feel like a tedious chore, especially when employees have busy work schedules. Plan and allocate enough time for training sessions. Avoid scheduling sessions when you know employees are likely to be busy, as this may lead to inattentive trainees. Also, avoid scheduling training too close to or after the system launch, as it may create unnecessary pressure on users to master the system quickly.
4. Ensure availability and ease of accessibility
In the absence of proper training, employees may seek help from colleagues or managers, resulting in loss of collective productive time. The purpose of implementing technology is to bring efficiency, so it’s crucial to provide the right training. Utilize in-app training or just-in-time interventions with micro-learning modules for maximum impact.
Keep the training contextual and specific to each role or function. This way, users can access the required training easily without being burdened by unnecessary information.
5. It’s not a one-time intervention
Effective training programs need to be continuous. Without ongoing reinforcement, information is easily forgotten over time. To ensure long-term retention, your training plan should include interventions at regular intervals. Consider strategies such as meeting with subject matter experts or process champions, tests, videos, mailers, Q&A sessions, and follow-up sessions. These methods can effectively reiterate and reinforce the information.
Building an effective System Training Program requires careful planning and execution. By following these strategies, you can empower your employees to embrace the new system with confidence and maximize its benefits for your organization.
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