It doesn’t matter what kind of business or organization you run; you could be the owner of a bakery, a retail store, or a bank or part of a church or charitable organization; introducing new technology to your staff can be quite an uphill battle. From new computer software to touch screen cash registers, training your employees to use new technology can be daunting.
Employees tend to get used to certain types of technology whether they have been at your company for years or used the same technology at a previous job. Suddenly introducing new ways of doing things, no matter how much of an improvement it may be, can affect your staff in a negative way.
However, there are a few things that you can do when it comes to training your employees, making the transition smooth and efficient. In this article, you will see some of the most valuable tips to take on board when training your employees on a new technology.
Research
If you own or run a company, you will know that one of the most important aspects of success is research, and the same goes for introducing new technology. If you want to save time, money and protect your employee’s sanity, make sure that you research the new technology that you wish to introduce to make sure that it is the right fit.
Go online, ask around, delve into market research and make sure you know your new tech inside and out before you start training your employees. Doing so will yield the best results.
Figure out the right method
Just as you should research the right technology to use, you should also research the best method to train your employees. No one knows your staff like you do, so you should be aware of the best way to train your employees in the right way. Remember that one method might work for one company but may be disastrous for yours, so figure out your method before you start training.
Set goals and achieve them
You need to treat technology training in the same way you would any other day-to-day objective. That means setting goals for exactly what you want out of the training and doing your best to complete them. If your employees have a good idea of what is expected of them and what targets they need to reach they will take to the training a lot easier than if they were to go in blind, without any idea of what the company wants to achieve with the new technology.
Cater to everybody on your staff
The fact is some people will enjoy the new technology as well as the training more than others. It’s your job to make sure no one falls behind so you need to cater to every member of your staff undergoing training no matter how adept or resistant they are to it. Do your best to avoid using blanket techniques when training your employees, and instead, teach each member of your staff as well as the whole group.
Train the right employees
Training the right employees will save you a lot of time and money when introducing new technology. That doesn’t mean only train the employees that are more advanced or capable, instead, train the employees who NEED the training.
For example, if you own a retail store and want to introduce a brand new cash register, there is no reason to train someone that is in the stock room every day. So only focus on the members of your staff that will benefit from the training.
Ask for feedback/monitor results
Finally, when it comes to any form of training, trial and error will always be a factor, so the two things you need to focus on both during training and after it is completed is monitoring results and asking your employees for feedback.
Take note of all of the tips mentioned above and put them into practice when you decide to introduce a new technology to your staff. Doing so will give you the best results, as well as keeping your employees happy.
What mistakes do you think employers make with new tech in the workplace? Let us know in the comments.
Layla Fenston is a writer behind eVoice New Zealand – a premier provider of virtual telecommunications solutions in New Zealand. Passionate about helping others achieve success in their careers, Layla regularly writes about small business and entrepreneurship.