Training resistant employees
A common question or concern that comes up when launching training initiatives is how to get everyone on the same page. What if there are employees who like the status quo and are afraid of change? What if employees have been at the company for years and don’t want to “be trained.” There are a wide variety of reasons that people resist training (and change), but most of them have to do with fear of the unknown or concern that their voices will not be heard.
The most productive thing you can do as a Chief Learning Officer or Human Resource Manager is to make sure that there is a forum for addressing your employees’ concerns and hearing their needs. One way to do this is through a needs assessment which might involve a survey or interviews to find out what the current problems in the organization or department might be. By asking the employees directly for their opinions, they are much more likely to “buy in” to the process of training that address their concerns.
We would love to hear from you! Do you have any ideas you have implemented that have helped resistant employees get on the training bus? Let us know!
I’ve found that it helps to set up a forum where resistant learners can talk about why they’re resistant. It can be set up in a way so that they person in question is not put on the spot or singled out in any way. The group is encouraged to share their perspectives on the topic at hand and everyone is encouraged to speak.
The key to bringing people into the fold is to encourage positive behaviors and create an atmosphere that allows people to share freely. It also helps to always keep the door open to further sharing and participation and to praise the person when they behave positively. This type of approach levels the playing field and encourages people to behave positively instead of focusing on resistance.
Great question Jeannie. I’ve found it helpful to help get people on the same page by facilitating meetings where everyone is invited to participate and the playing field is level. People share more freely when they feel that their input is important and will not be discounted or rebutted in any way.
It’s beneficial to set a tone where everyone’s ideas are encouraged and validated and interruptions and judgments are limited or eliminated. It also helps to include a wide variety of people as well as resistant employees so that a range of ideas and approaches are included in the discussion.