Although it feels as though technology is commonplace in the current world, for many who have to rely on it for work, thorough training and understanding is essential in ensuring staff are making the most of the tools they are given.
In their 2019 study, ‘What Workers Want’, Hays found that over half of employers across all business sectors felt their workforce lacked digital skills. What’s more, Digit explains when writing about the study, “One in five workers feel the technological change is happening too fast, with more than a third (37%) stating there needs to be more training. This is despite around half (55%) of businesses introducing internal training and improving employee communications.”
Despite that, 90% of British workers surveyed believed that digital change and technology could improve their working lives. So, for those who are struggling with technology, how can employers be better at training?
Choose your technology well
If employees are given the wrong tools for the job, however advanced their technical knowledge may be, they will still struggle to get the desired outcome. When bringing new technology into your business, make sure that technology fits your needs and, when properly incorporated, it will make your employees lives easier, not harder. It can be tempting to take a leap of faith with buzzword pieces of technology that other businesses are raving about, but, if that technology does not serve you properly, your staff are already fighting an uphill battle.
Take payroll technology, for example. Depending on your business size, employee type or myriad other needs, the technology that would suit your business might not be adequate for another company. When choosing your technology, make sure you are talking to professionals, a payroll consultant, for example, to ensure you are utilising the best tools for the job.
Ensure training materials are easily accessible to all
When your technology is installed and in use, make sure that staff have the ability to find the answers to their questions by making training materials easily accessible to all. By making sure staff can access all of the learning materials they need, they can look up the answers to their own questions, and even brush up on their skills in their own time.
This is especially useful in large businesses where a new system has been rolled-out company-wide. By giving staff the ability to find the answers to their own questions, they’ll be able to do so independently and it will mean that your focus can be on the harder to answer questions. It also means employees can get the answers they need on their own schedule, which is a great way to minimise delays.
Emphasise the benefits and advantages
The old adage ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ can come to mind for many when employers bring in new technology to enhance practices. When staff have been with the business for a long time, they may have perfected their current routine and system and not be able to see the benefit of implementing new technology. In cases where this happens, staff might not be motivated to embrace the training as passionately if they are unable to see the end goal.
Whenever you bring a change into a business, you’ll do so for a reason. Whether that’s to save staff time using automation, to save money, to expand your services or just to help omit human error, there will be a reason that the change is good for your business. Where it’s easy to slip is up to not convey that to your workforce. Before training even commences, when rolling out new technology you should ensure that all staff fully understand the benefits and advantages of this change, and the end goal. This way, they’ll be more motivated to get behind the training and adapt.
How to help employees who struggle with technology
- Choose your technology well
- Ensure training materials are easily accessible to all
- Emphasise the benefits and advantages
When implementing new people technology, as HR Technology Consultants, we at Phase 3 are able to advise you on the correct system for your business, as well as offer training for all employees. Please contact us to find out more.
For more tips and advice, make sure to visit our blog.
This blog has been written by Mike Westwood, Lead Consultant at Phase 3.
