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When conducting staff training, preparation is crucial. There will always be unforeseen circumstances you couldn’t have accounted for, but there are also lots of stuff you can predict that might happen. In particular, we’ve identified 10 staff training challenges you can avoid.
Staff Training Challenges You Can Avoid
A successful staff training session is only possible if you are ready to tackle any issues that arise during training. Here is a list of common challenges to keep in mind when creating a training schedule:
1. Boredom
This is the number one issue in most staff training. Employees will not be interested in learning anything new if your sessions are dull and they are only passive participants that are supposed to sit and listen. It will take longer for them to learn new skills and concepts this way, so instead, focus on making them active participants.
2. Confusion
This often happens when employees don’t see how the training session benefits them, or when they do not understand the concepts covered in the session. In such a case, training becomes just another chore that takes up their free time. Therefore, communicate the benefits to them and invite them to ask questions as soon as they have them.
3. Assuming everyone knows complex concepts
When staff training is highly technical in nature, part of your staff might lack understanding of technical language and concepts. Make sure that all your staff members understand the basics before you delve into the technical part.
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4. Lessons are not relatable
You might notice that participants easily forget things they learn. This happens when they can’t connect new concepts to something they already know. You can solve this issue by using analogies that are directly connected to their daily tasks, which makes it easier to relate.
5. Resistance
Some staff members might simply resist training, usually because they do not want to switch from the current system and they don’t see any benefit from implementing something new. Avoid this by explaining how training will make their work easier.
6. Lack of engagement
This is actually more of a symptom that points toward an underlying issue. The issue can be anything from not seeing a benefit, not understanding the terms used in training, to not being comfortable with training methods or simply because of poorly constructed training sessions. Remember, active participation is the best way to learn.
7. Methodological gaps
Your staff probably includes different generations, from younger employees who are either millennials or Generation Z, to older employees belonging to Generation X or baby boomers. Preferred training methods will differ considerably between these generations, with baby boomers and Gen X preferring traditional training while Gen Z prefers online courses and microsessions.
8. Too much on their plate
When your staff has very crammed schedules, training will be a drag to them. Ensure that you lower their workload during training periods or deliver training continuously through easily digestible microsessions.
9. Consistency
Having consistent session quality is a common challenge amongst larger or geographically dispersed teams because there are issues like language barriers and different methods between teams can lead to a very different quality of training.
10. Choosing the right toolkit
Ensuring you use the right tools is another key point to address. Before you start training, take your staff’s preferences into account and choose a delivery method that would best benefit them.
While you can’t prepare for everything that might happen during training, keeping the above challenges in mind while preparing staff training lessons will make training smoother and easier for everyone involved.
