How can you effectively manage resistance to training among employees?

A simple survey sent out to the team can help pinpoint or personalize training needs. They will engage with training that they asked for and is relevant. Include questions that help determine other barriers to engagement with training. For example, is it just because the training isn’t relevant or do employees not have time for professional development?

I like to sit down either before or at the beginning of a training session with the people I'm going to be training to find out their current situation and understanding, and what they're looking to learn from any workshop or training session I deliver. Starting off by letting people feel heard often means I can quickly build trust and rapport with the attendees.

It is important to tie the training needs with the career goals and performance goals of the employee. Sometimes there is lot of resistance to be a part of training programme. Incentives or external motivation can be a great booster to make them less reluctant. The training has to be fun, engaging and loaded with wisdom which will then ensue them to come for training without resistance.

Very often the training related communication carries an underlying judgement "you are not good enough." This is not a good starting point for change. Confident people are much more eager to develop and change. So make sure your communication is empowering and reassuring rather than threatening to your employees' sense of self-worth and confidence.

True learning at work is a two-way street. It thrives when employees drive their education, choosing what and how they learn to match their goals with the company's vision. When workers help design their training, they're more engaged and the lessons stick. It's not enough to hand out manuals or sit through slides. Ask employees what skills they want to hone and what knowledge gaps they see. This turns learning from a task into a tailored growth opportunity, where every every moment counts. By owning their learning, employees become proactive, resourceful, and invested in their progress. It's empowering for the staff and beneficial for the company, creating a workforce that's not just skilled but also motivated and self-driven.

Considering different learning styles, information processing methods and ways of making sense of change is a true challenge of diversity and inclusion. Adult learners are problem-based learners - they want clarity about what problem the training is addressing and how they will be able to solve this problem better after the training.

Creating a safe space for development is part of masterful facilitation. Sharing a personal story of change that includes some of the common fears and challenges will help people open up, as they relate to you.

Overcoming the fear of training starts with small, sure steps. Imagine giving a puzzle to a child and cheering them on with each piece they fit right. It's the same with adult learning. Start with easy tasks that employees can master quickly. This builds their confidence. When they see they can do these well, they start to believe they can handle more. It's important to show them that every small win is a big deal. This helps them feel safer trying new things and less scared of failing. Once they get past the first few wins, they often start to like learning and see its value. This approach turns fear into courage and challenges into chances to grow, making training something employees look forward to, not something they want to avoid.

Evaluating training in a workplace might look like this: After a customer service workshop, you check how quickly employees respond to emails. If they're faster and customers are happier, the training's working. You could also give quizzes after a session to see if the team understands the new system. Getting their feedback helps too. Ask them what they thought and felt about the training. If they're excited and using new skills, it's a success. If they're confused or uninterested, it’s back to the drawing board. You measure results by better performance, behaviors by how they apply the training, learning by tests and observations, and reactions by their feedback.

The mot important part of the training is to enable implementation of the skill learnt. I have seen many organizations follow the Kirkpatrick model and do several pre/post inputs to measure progress and also encourage participants to self-track progress. Engaging with stakeholders, managers, 30-60 days post training touchpoints are all methods to contextualize. The feedback loop to make the next version of the program is very vital too.

People don’t resist training. They resist their perception of what it will be. People always fear being put on the spot. Looking stupid. Failing in front of colleagues. Being humiliated and more. People learn in different ways. Stories. Video. Group work. Listening. Watching. Video and so on. A good trainer has an obligation to read their audience, assess engagement, and adapt to those who have not zoned out but can’t embrace the form of training being offered. The onus is on the trainer. Not the student.

Individual needs and requirements need to be the top consideration - the 'one size fits all' approach doesn't work, especially when there is potential resistance!