July
19,
2023
You Really Need These Answers Before Day One
Your new system and processes are going live pretty soon. You have solid training and communications in place. So you’re ready, right?
Not necessarily. There are organizational dynamics that can scuttle your smooth transition plans. Ask yourself these questions, and plan to go live with no unpleasant surprises.
- What message is the boss sending? If he or she does not support the change, the team will not buy in. Ensure executive leadership visibly and vocally supports the change.
- Is the old way faster? People might revert to doing what they know to get the job done. Think of ways to ensure workers do their work in the new way, with the new tools.
- What are the consequences for not working the new way? If there are no consequences, expect noncompliance. Prepare to demonstrate the business impact of not doing it the new way.
- How “real” is the training? Without realistic scenarios and simulations, you can’t expect good performance on the job.
- Are you training roles or tools? The tool is simply the means for executing job functions. Effective training is role-based and teaches to day-to-day business processes.
- Will they learn to handle mistakes? If you only teach people what to do when everything works perfectly, that is not realistic. Train people on what to do when things go wrong.
- Where do people turn when they need help on the job? Do they turn to peers, their boss, procedure manuals, or online help? Create a post-training support system that makes sense for these users.
