Getting Staff More Excited About Learning

It seems that the perpetual enemy of the trainer is the neutral or negative attitude that many people have towards training. The negative attitude takes a few common forms. The most prevalent is the idea that the individual needs to just go through the motions and tick the box. This attitude is the opposite of engagement, it is a compliant attitude that doesn’t yield results. The other common negative view is the “seen it all before” approach. 

These two prevailing negative approaches to training tell us that many people see training as a chore, and as something that isn’t particularly useful to them. So how do you create a shift in the people you work with and train? Here are a few pointers:

Start with a one-on-one conversation:

As we want to be treated as individuals with most things in life, it holds true with training. Have a discussion with the members of your team about what they see as their weaknesses or areas of improvement. If the training comes from a basis of you helping the individual address needs that they’ve identified the level of engagement is already infinitely higher than prescribed training. Find out more about their long-term career goals; draw links between the proposed training and their goals. What is in it for them? Maybe find a way for them share the knowledge they gain with others, and always show interest in how the new skills will be used and provide those opportunities.

Change the focus:

Training is about improving oneself, or being provided with skills and knowledge that are essential to the job. You need to frequently reinforce the message that the training will make people better at their jobs. People will sigh at the idea of interrupting their time with training sessions as the work piles up, so the focus on the long term benefit is really important.

 Make it interactive:

If you give a poorly engaged audience a chance to sit there without participating then you’re inviting trouble! Challenge the members of the audience to take part, to provide examples of where the training could be applied. You may even ask them to challenge you with tricky scenarios and how you would handle them. Training needs to be treated like a series of conversations. Lecture style training will only engage those who are already highly motivated.

Create a system of ongoing improvement:

Those that are not particularly interested in workplace training have a tendency to view it as an infrequent event. We all know what regular reinforcement is the best way to produce lasting change, so create systems that will encourage people to follow up. You could create an online learning community, implement an email based reminder to reinforce key points or provide ongoing email support.

The bottom line is that training and skill building is an important part of the workplace. With the common aversion to it being such a huge problem is it up to trainers and managers to work hard at creating an attitude shift – this means giving individuals a reason to look forward to training, ways to enjoy and follow ups that reinforce the messages.

This blog was written by Eve Ash, Eve is a dynamic speaker and regular keynote presenter on creating a winning mindset. Eve understands the business of communication, relationships and success.

She is a renowned international expert on creating a powerful culture at work where people are switched on and engaged.
View Eve Ash's full range of Training Videos here.