Article 2. Training Challenges and Solutions for Employees

Conducting training is challenging because there is a lot to consider from training preparation to learners’ performance. However, for every challenge, there are several solutions that trainers could apply to overcome those. Here are some training challenges to watch out for, along with the different ways to approach them.

Challenge #1: No time for training

Everyone is busy. Employees have to deal with an already full work schedule, let alone navigate the possible complexities of their new hybrid workplaces and the way these changes affect their work-life balance.

Blocking time consistently in their schedule every week to focus on training may feel impossible. Yet asking them to complete their training in their free time may lead to them resisting, or even resenting the whole process.

Solution: Focus on microlearning & mobile learning

Microlearning, bite-sized training that consists of short videos, infographics, quizzes, and checklists, will be a game-changer for busy learners. Using a microlearning approach in your employee training programs will allow them to find time for training as a few minutes on a daily basis is much easier to plan for than blocks of hours every week.

Also, learning things in small doses is a better fit for the brain’s working memory ability. This way, microlearning improves knowledge retention.

Mobile learning is also fundamental for your employee training and development programs. Delivering your content through an app your learners can download and have on their phones makes it infinitely easier to study or watch courses even on the go, especially when combined with microlearning.

Think about communicating several concepts at once with clever graphics. They’re a valuable time-saver for learners, as well as a welcome break from reading text in emails, reports, and newsletters.

You can also prioritize short, straightforward assessments wherever possible. This provides employees with quick opportunities for feedback on their learning progress.

Challenge #2: Difficulties understanding the content

One of the main reasons learners disengage with a training program and you end up facing training challenges is because the language used is too technical. Particularly when the subject matter is complicated, using abstract concepts or technical jargon is only going to turn learners off and decrease comprehension.

This becomes even more of a problem if the team includes non-native speakers, who already face more challenges understanding jargon, acronyms, and buzzwords.

Another aspect of this is that different people learn differently. Many of the employees may have difficulties processing long stretches of text and prefer getting their content in video format or vice versa.

Solution: Use plain language & a variety of materials in training

Using plain language in training makes the content more accessible to everyone and saves the learners time and effort. If the language used is simple, they are more likely to understand what they read (or hear) the first time around, without having to go back and decode it.

They’re also likely to remember it better.

Another way to aid comprehension and memory retention is to cater to the learners’ learning habits by providing a variety of content types. From videos and instructor-led training sessions to quizzes, infographics, and PDFs.

You could also run a survey before (and after) for learners to pinpoint which content formats work for them and which don’t.

Also, remember these tips when planning content delivery:

• Conduct a thorough needs analysis that focuses on identifying the learning preferences (especially relating to comfort with technology) of your audience. Use the findings to inform your training design.
• Choose software with a simple, user-friendly interface (UI). A seamless user experience is good for all learners, not only those who struggle with technology. For example, pausing a video or downloading an assignment should always be straightforward and easy.
• Open up communication channels (including tech support). Use tools like discussion forums to make it easy for all learners to ask questions and receive both content and technical guidance. 

Challenge #3: Can’t see how training is relevant

It happens more often than you’d think. You could be teaching something as critical as cybersecurity training. Yet, the employees may fail to see how it translates to their day-to-day work.

This doesn’t mean they don’t care about the subject matter or that they don’t want to get better. It means that the content may come off as too generic, outdated, or simply not relevant to them.

Many training programs are too generic and not personalized enough for specific roles or skills. Unfortunately, generic training can strain learners’ time and patience by forcing them to engage with content that simply isn’t relevant to them. This will lead to further training challenges.

Solution: Use relatable scenarios and clear outcomes

Learners need the content to be actionable. Even when dealing with complicated concepts, to begin with, it’s vital that you “translate” this into real-life scenarios that your employees could feasibly encounter in their day-to-day. 

Whether it’s through short animated videos that showcase best practices or hands-on quizzes, bringing the content down from the sphere of the abstract to the realm of everyday life will make all the difference.

Categorize learning outcomes into essential and nice-to-have for each role undergoing training. Only make essential training compulsory, but use other methods like gamification through rewards, badges, and points to encourage learners to engage with nice-to-have content.

You should also focus on making learning outcomes clear from the get-go and stay clear from employee training challenges: make a list of key takeaways learners will get after completing the course and ensure they’re often featured within the content (perhaps after the completion of a module or before starting a new one).

Another best practice is leveraging just-in-time training for updating skills or conveying new information when needed. Relatable case studies and scenarios can also reinforce the relevance of the training program to employees’ jobs.

Last but not least, don’t forget to conduct post-training feedback surveys to discover what appeals most to learners and where your training program needs refining.

Challenge #4: The training process feels lonely and boring

Self-paced training can be hard especially nowadays when hybrid work environments have increased feelings of isolation for many employees.

Solution: Add gamification & social elements

Gamification has been used for years, but now is perhaps more important than ever. Learning together with their colleagues will help your employees feel like a part of a team. And gamification elements such as points, leaderboards, and badges can help achieve that in a stress-free way.

Apart from creating friendly competition, gamification is known to help with engagement.

Use discussion forums and other informal live online spaces for learners to interact casually. This encourages learners to engage emotionally with other learners and the training process.

Establishing an active learning culture and making all employees feel like a part of that culture can boost emotional engagement. This emotional investment leads to increased learning and is a great way to overcome multiple employee training challenges with a single LMS feature. 

Challenge #5: Dispersed workforce

A steady rise in remote/hybrid work and a decentralized workforce has led to new training challenges.

With a geographically dispersed workforce, training can be quite hard: misunderstandings are common, and cultural differences may even lead to inconsistent training. For example, some cultures are less comfortable with being vocal on online forums than others.

Solution: Use tools to bring your remote workforce together

 

Using tools like video conferencing, webinars, discussion boards, social media, and communication channels can help foster trust and empathy between your teams no matter where they are located. Training becomes much more effective as it helps clarify communication–discussion boards, for example, can be used as a safe space to voice questions or concerns, or share experience and knowledge.

What’s also helpful is to set clear training goals from the beginning. Team members must know exactly what is expected of them during training, and how their learning achievements will benefit them in their day-to-day tasks. Communicating the importance of each training session is vital, as employees (especially those who work remotely) don’t just get a random “complete your training” notification. You can spread the word by sending emails to your employees before, while, and after training to keep them engaged!

Summary

Training employees to improve their performance involves more than simply lecturing them. There are challenges in related to training and overcome common challenges by paying close attention to how employees learn best, deciding when the training will fit into their work schedule, introducing new information slowly and creating personalized lesson plans. Above all, it is important to listen to employees’ feedback and develop a framework to evaluate employee satisfaction with the training program by capturing its key indicators use it to make adjustments.

References

Organizational & Employee Development
https://www.shrm.org/ResourcesAndTools/hr-topics/organizational-and-employee development/Pages/default.aspx
Accessed on 23^rd August 2023

 

R. Sudhakar, January 2019, THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT - “REVIEW OF LITERATURE”, Volume 9, Issue 7, pp. 932–943
[online] available at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330366708_THEORETICAL_FRAMEWORK_ON_THE_EFFECTIVENESS_OF_TRAINING_DEVELOPMENT_-_REVIEW_OF_LITERATURE
Accessed on 23^rd August 2023

N. Emily, Training Industry; How to Overcome Common Training Challenges for Improved Performance
https://trainingindustry.com/articles/performance-management/how-to-overcome-common-training-challenges-for-improved-performance/#:~:text=One%20solution%20is%20to%20create,learn%20at%20their%20own%20pace.
Accessed on 23^rd August 2023

K. Elena, talent lms; 8 training challenges in the workplace and how to rise above them
https://www.talentlms.com/blog/training-challenges-solutions-workplace/
Accessed on 23^rd August 2023