How to Train Employees on New Software & Drive Technology ROI
Welcome to Digital Adoption Insider, your source for common challenges and actionable tips on driving digital and software adoption. If you're interested in staying up-to-date on the latest digital and software adoption trends, click the "subscribe" button above.?
Enjoy the Digital Adoption Insider? Support us by sharing our newsletter with your network and subscribing today!?
Every time a fresh software solution hits the scene, promising to elevate our operations and edge us closer to those overarching ambitions, there's an essential piece of the puzzle that often gets overlooked: making sure your entire team is ready and able to jump on board with the new tech.?
The true challenge in new technology and software adoption lies in ensuring that the whole team doesn’t just face change, but embraces it, thriving in the new digital environment that unfolds.
This pivotal transition is where learning and development (L&D) comes into its own, serving as the heartbeat of effective change management. It's not merely about ushering in a suite of new tools; it’s about cultivating a mindset across the company that’s primed for digital transformation.?
With a focus on tailored training programs, L&D ensures that these shiny new tools are mastered. This mastery isn't for its own sake—it's about making sure every piece of tech we bring into our workflow genuinely makes us more efficient, more insightful, and ultimately, more successful.
The real value of L&D is in the development of a culture that sees change as an opportunity for growth. By embedding the principles of change management into our approach, we position our teams to adopt new software and leverage it in ways that propel our business forward. It’s about turning investments in technology into tangible business outcomes, ensuring that every new tool is a step towards realizing our big-picture goals.
The Impact of New Technology in the Workplace
Every year, digital technology proves to have more and more of an impact on workplace functionalities and operations, with AI becoming an increasingly large part of the picture.?
As organizations invest in and begin rolling out mission-critical software like customer relationship management (CRM) tools and enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, it’s essential that employees who use those tools are fully aware of their capabilities and well-positioned to maximize their use.?
Without effective, role-based employee training, businesses run the risk of employees not being prepared to carry out processes effectively, which can lead to a variety of issues for both employees and employers.?
To ensure that teams achieve business goals and avoid poor software ROI and fatigued, frustrated employees, L&D teams need to develop robust software training initiatives for employees.
By laying the foundation for effective employee training, L&D teams can make it possible for businesses to maximize software return on investment and achieve large-scale organizational goals.
5 Challenges When Training Employees on New Software
Every business has unique software needs and an even more unique workforce. This can present different kinds of hurdles when it comes to developing effective software training programming, but certain challenges seem to arise across the board:
1. Change resistance and fatigue
With all the transitions that come with digital transformation, employees often grow tired of change.?
To get employees on board, make an effort to keep them in the loop and communicate all the benefits that new software will bring. When possible, gather feedback from employees and address their concerns as part of the decision-making process. By establishing a culture of transparency and involving employees in the transitional process, IT teams can minimize the potential for internal resistance to change.
2. Variation in employee tech-savviness
Different employees may have different aptitudes when it comes to technology. To level the playing field, cater directly to their needs with personalized learning content. Offer team members ample support and in-depth training to position them for success as they adopt new business software.?
3. The need to get employees proficient quickly
Employees need to learn new software on top of their existing workload. This can leave them feeling overwhelmed and burdened by what they view as additional work. To make training easier, break lessons down into smaller modules or offer flexible, personalized content that meets employees where they’re at and allows them to progress at a speed that works for them.?
4. Inadequate training and support resources
IT teams can get overly focused on the technical aspects of the new software rollout and neglect to devote the training and resources employees need to make the most of their new tools. To avoid this misstep, build training and end-user support resources into software rollout and continued maintenance planning efforts.?
5. One-size-fits-all training approach that isn’t role-based
Traditional training methods approach all employees as if they have the same background, learning needs, and goals, resulting in more flexible and efficient training programs. By making the change to more customized, role-based training, L&D teams can help keep employees feeling engaged and supported, ultimately leading to improved training outcomes.?
How To Train Employees on New Software and Technology
In the age of digital transformation, IT teams need to develop some best practices for training employees on new software in the workplace.?
Here are some essential steps to follow every time:
1. Develop a comprehensive training program
Define learning objectives based on training needs and organizational goals and use them to create training content and related resources. This process can be partially automated with digital learning platforms like learning management systems or digital adoption platforms that use AI and user data to create optimized training content and learner journeys.?
2. Take a blended approach to training
Avoid falling into old habits with a strict adherence to instructor-led, traditional training approaches. Instead, opt for a blended learning approach that combines in-person training with more personalized, virtual training approaches that reach users within the application to provide contextual guidance. By taking a blended approach to training, L&D teams can provide an engaging training experience and improve training outcomes for employees.
3. Provide contextual in-app guidance and role-specific onboarding
To maximize the efficiency of software training efforts, invest in a digital adoption platform (DAP) to help employees learn new software as they use it with in-app guidance and moment-of-need support. IT teams can boost employee motivation and knowledge retention in the long run by providing role-based training and behavior-based in-app guidance.?
With a DAP, L&D and IT teams are empowered with a no-code Visual Editor to create in-app guided experiences like Tours, Task Lists, and Flows to walk end-users step-by-step through new software, its core features, and contextual workflows to each employee.
With Self Help, provide real-time self-help support to your end-users with a resource center that integrates with your SOPs, LMS, process documentation, training materials, and more – all in a searchable help center.
领英推荐
4. Provide hands-on practice with simulation environments
When employees are ready to put their knowledge to the test, have them practice completing different in-app tasks in simulated training work environments. When it comes to software, many applications have options for working in test mode, where employees can hone their skills without affecting the live environment.?
5. Monitor adoption and analyze use with end-user behavioral analytics
Dig into your employee end-user behavior data to see how employees interact with your software workflows, from module completion to frequency of software usage to overall proficiency in different tasks. Use these data analytics to gauge the effectiveness of application adoption and identify the need for additional training efforts.?
How DAPs Enable Employees With Contextual End-User Training & Support
In-app training software facilitates training by providing personalized, in-the-moment learning experiences within the application as employees learn.?
Here are some of the many ways that DAPs empower employees to make the most of their workplace software:
1. No-code editor for L&D and IT teams to create in-app content
DAPs make content creation easier for team members and subject matter experts of all technical ability levels to create training content. DAPs have robust content creation tools with drag-and-drop builders and asset libraries for quick content creation. These solutions are also often based in the cloud, making it easy for team members to collaborate on content creation, edit, and keep learning content up-to-date.?
2. Role-based, in-app guided onboarding and training with Tours, Flows, and Task Lists
Keep learners on track with personalized tours, focused task lists, and clear workflows. With digital adoption platforms, robust analytics and automation make designing personalized and effective training experiences based on learner roles and behavior easy.?
Continue reading about how to train employees on new software here.?
?? Digital transformation clicks with Whatfix
Whatfix streamlines the build vs. buy decision in user onboarding, offering a no-code platform that crafts personalized in-app guidance and support. It’s an ideal solution for businesses exploring efficient ways to onboard users without the heavy lifting of developing custom software. With Whatfix, create dynamic flows, pop-ups, and task lists for an engaging onboarding experience directly within your apps.
Leveraging Whatfix’s analytics, pinpoint workflow inefficiencies and user engagement blocks to optimize onboarding paths and improve user experiences. The platform’s capability to gather real-time feedback through in-app Surveys further refines your strategy, making Whatfix a compelling choice for businesses seeking a balance between customization and convenience in user onboarding.
?? Essential reads for digital adoption & enablement professionals
Iron Sheepdog is revolutionizing short-haul trucking with its user-friendly technology that enhances efficiency and transparency. Their platform connects companies and truckers, making accepting jobs and receiving online payments easy. Recently, it secured $10M in funding to expand operations. The company prioritizes truckers' needs, resulting in significant growth and a network of over 4,000 truckers.
World Oil — Digital transformation/Late-life optimization: Harnessing data-driven strategies for late-life optimization
The oil and gas industry uses advanced technologies to extend the life of mature fields and align with sustainability goals. Digitalization, AI, and IoT enhance efficiency, predict equipment failures, and ensure environmental compliance. Companies like Imrandd are optimizing inspection processes and maintenance planning for late-life asset management.
Alinma Bank's digital transformation journey embraced innovation by establishing a digital factory. Led by Sami Al-Rowaithey, the bank developed digital capabilities to deliver disruptive solutions for varied customer needs within a year. The digital factory model facilitated collaboration, promoted transparency, and adopted agile practices. Challenges were navigated by fostering a mindset of experimentation, engagement, and openness to learning from mistakes.
?? Whatfix news bites
?? Whatfix podcast catchup?
Don’t forget to subscribe to this newsletter to receive best practices, tips, and insider trends on empowering employees by driving the adoption of new technologies and features.