How can you overcome common barriers to change management training?
Change management training is essential for any organization that wants to adapt and thrive in a dynamic environment. However, many leaders and employees face various barriers that prevent them from engaging in effective learning and development. In this article, you will discover some of the common challenges and how you can overcome them to achieve successful change management outcomes.
One of the most common barriers to change management training is the lack of time. Leaders and employees may be too busy with their daily tasks and responsibilities to dedicate time to learning new skills and behaviors. However, this can be a short-sighted approach, as change management training can help them improve their performance and adaptability in the long run. To overcome this barrier, you should prioritize change management training as a strategic investment instead of a cost or distraction. Additionally, it is important to schedule regular and consistent time slots for change management training, without interruptions or distractions. Online and blended learning methods can also be useful as they allow you to access change management training anytime and anywhere, and at your own pace. Furthermore, breaking down change management training into bite-sized chunks that focus on the most relevant topics and skills can make the learning process more manageable.
-
Alexandra Hartman
Analytics Alchemist & Change Catalyst: Driving Change with Data
Diversify your training (live sessions, Q&As, shorter videos, PPT training decks, job aids, in-app training, gamified training) helps to be able to hit the different types of learners where they want. Gather that training where and when they need to use it, that's the most helpful- rather than attending a live training session and then not needing to use the learnings for months and now they've forgotten what they've learned. It also helps to align this change with all other changes or work that may be going on for that group. Since we're in a constant state of change, leaders need to prioritize what changes are happening at a strategic level and be the gatekeeper for the people on the ground who are getting hit with daily change.
(edited)
Resistance to change is a common barrier to change management training. Leaders and employees may have negative emotions and attitudes towards change, such as fear, anxiety, anger, or denial. They may also have low trust in the change vision, goals, and process. To overcome this barrier, you should communicate the purpose and benefits of change management training clearly and frequently. Involve people in the design and delivery of training, address their concerns and questions, provide support and resources during the process, recognize their efforts and achievements, and celebrate their successes and learnings. Doing so will help motivate them to participate in change management training.
-
Alexandra Hartman
Analytics Alchemist & Change Catalyst: Driving Change with Data
Involving people early can also help develop a change champion network where the people on the ground are helping to share and train others, rather than, say, leadership telling them they need to do xyz change. It may help gain some buy-in if their peers are on-board and spreading the word.
A third common barrier to change management training is the lack of skills. Many leaders and employees may not have the necessary knowledge, abilities, and competencies to cope with change effectively. To overcome this, it's important to conduct an objective assessment of the current and desired skills of leaders and employees, so that you can identify any gaps or needs. Additionally, you should design and deliver change management training that is tailored to the specific skill levels and learning styles of leaders and employees. It should also be aligned with organizational objectives and standards. Furthermore, providing multiple and diverse learning opportunities like workshops, webinars, coaching, mentoring, or peer learning is essential. Lastly, monitoring and evaluating the progress and impact of change management training is a must in order to provide constructive feedback and guidance.
-
Alexandra Hartman
Analytics Alchemist & Change Catalyst: Driving Change with Data
It's most important to measure training outcomes against the actual program's outcomes. It's great if you have 100% attendance at training, but if users aren't applying the training in the new system or changing their behavior to work in a different way, it's not very valuable. This will help detect any ongoing needs for additional training or interventions.
A fourth common barrier to change management training is the lack of support, which can come from managers, peers, or stakeholders. This lack of backing may be due to organizational or cultural factors such as bureaucracy, silos, politics, or inertia. To overcome this barrier, you can create a positive and supportive learning culture that values and rewards change management training. Additionally, you should engage and align those who are responsible for supporting change management training and foster collaboration and communication among leaders and employees. Finally, you should provide platforms for leaders and employees to share their learnings and experiences from change management training. By implementing these strategies, you will be able to create a conducive and engaging learning environment for yourself and your team in order to achieve your change management goals.
Rate this article
More relevant reading
-
Staff TrainingHow do you integrate change management principles and practices into your training programs and processes?
-
HR OperationsHow can you align training and development programs with department needs during change management?
-
Human ResourcesWhat are effective methods for identifying change management training needs?
-
Change ManagementWhat are some effective ways to incorporate real-life scenarios into change management training?