To motivate a hesitant team, I’d start by making the training relevant to their roles—showing them how it directly benefits their work. I’d encourage open dialogue, creating a safe space for questions and feedback, making it interactive and less of a one-way lecture. Highlighting real-world applications, offering incentives, or gamifying the activities can also boost engagement. Most importantly, I’d lead by example, showing enthusiasm and participation myself, which often encourages the team to follow suit. When people see the value and feel involved, they’re more likely to engage.

In my experience, staff who express their opposition to training likely have negative underlying feelings about their workplace, supervisor, or other job-related concerns that they don’t feel can be helped by training. There may be a an organizational culture that outwardly values training and getting ahead but not its people. In this situation, it’s important to earn the trust and respect of an employee who is opposed to training to understand the real reasons why they do not believe training to be worth their time or effort within a confidential and supportive environment.

To motivate a hesitant team to engage in training, align the learning with their personal and professional goals, making it relevant and practical to their daily challenges. Foster a culture of growth, create interactive learning environments, and offer flexible formats to make training more engaging and valuable. By doing this, training becomes an investment in their development rather than just a requirement.

To motivate your team, focus on making the training relevant and rewarding. Show them how these skills can help in their personal growth and career advancement. Share your own experiences of how training has benefited you. Encourage them with recognition, like small rewards or shoutouts, to create a positive, supportive atmosphere. Sometimes, a little personal encouragement and a reminder of their potential can spark engagement.