Change in the workplace could be the result of quite a few factors: updated company goals & strategies, the onboarding of new colleagues/leaders, or the need for more training. Most employees understand that in the modern workplace, technological change happens continually. But implementing new learning still can cause problems for workers, who must balance emerging new technology in the workplace with still getting tasks and projects accomplished.

If you’re implementing new learning in your organization, you want the rollout to go as smoothly as possible — which means getting buy-in from all employees. 

Making an effort to ease the transitions of any kind of change is crucial to getting an organization back on track and get its team players working productively and confidently. To get your team on board, consider these tips for taking workers’ needs into account:

Preparation and Communication

Executives implementing any kind of divergence from a regular process (or a nonexistent process) should be able to communicate why there was a need for a change and also how it could potentially affect members of the company. Clear and honest discussions are encouraged so expectations are understood at the beginning of the process. 

Input and Autonomy 

A worker with autonomy during a difficult change is the most effective and open. To increase employee engagement, morale and motivation, giving your staff more discretion over how they can complete new learnings can be a useful tactic. They feel free to communicate their ideas and offer their own innovative solutions, which will benefit an organization in the long run. An employee who bears more responsibility and ownership of his or her work will work harder and smarter; investing more energy and interest in their responsibilities. This helps to solidify loyalty to an organization when the employee feels their contributions are heard, acknowledged and making a positive impact.

Acknowledgement of Effort

Rewards and accolades can help seal the deal! As new learnings come into effect, positive feedback and reassurance that the change is relevant and helpful can serve as a reminder the new goals are attainable and also being implemented correctly. 

Finally, don’t forget to check in with your employees on their development from new learnings. Providing sufficient, ongoing training is critical for keeping your employees engaged — and for getting buy-in for future rollouts. Employees want to know that their leaders are interested in their progress, so be sure to provide opportunities for them to implement new solutions into their existing workflows and responsibilities.

A thriving learning culture cannot be created overnight. It takes hard work to create a culture where employees are empowered to take time to learn skills that will help them succeed in the roles of today and tomorrow. With steady cultivation, strategic learner engagement initiatives, and a learning platform that is available when employees need it, every employee can be turned into a learner.