Changing your training program can feel daunting, whether that’s because it’s so large to scale or simply because it impacts every employee. However, a more effective training program makes it easier for everyone to deal with and thrive through subsequent company pivots. This guide is designed to help training leaders keep their training initiatives effective and provide employees with the skills they need to thrive. 

Imagine a restaurant chain that’s undergoing organizational changes, with hundreds of employees across dozens of locations. How do you ensure that new training initiatives reach every corner of your company? How do you maintain consistency while adapting to local needs? And how do you overcome resistance to change and foster a culture of continuous learning?

Before we dive into the 6 steps in the framework, remember that every company has different needs, and you should pick and adapt pieces to fit your company's needs. 

1. Establish Clear Objectives and Metrics

When transitioning your training program, it’s important to establish clear objectives that align with the company goals. During periods of change, it's essential that training efforts directly support the company's broader mission and strategic direction.

✔️ Action item: Define specific, measurable objectives for training outcomes. These objectives should include key performance indicators (KPIs) that you can track progress with. Some effective KPIs for frontline training include:

  • Content feedback: Gathering qualitative input from employees on the relevance and effectiveness of training materials
  • Star ratings: Implementing a rating system for individual training modules or courses
  • Employee performance over time: Tracking improvements in job performance metrics following training completion
  • Management engagement: Monitoring the completion rates of managerial tasks such as check-ins and performance reviews

2. Implement a Continuous Feedback Loop

Managing change in frontline training requires a robust feedback loop to make sure training programs are relevant, engaging, and effective as the company evolves. This allows organizations to iterate and improve their training content and delivery methods based on data and employee input.

✔️ Action items: To create an effective feedback loop, consider the following actions:

  1. Create a system to regularly analyze feedback collected through your e-learning platform like Opus and sort it across as many dimensions as possible (role, location, tenure, course). 
  2. Develop monthly reports that track training satisfaction levels across different locations or departments
  3. Hold regular review meetings with your team to discuss feedback and brainstorm improvement strategies

3. Provide Leadership and Managers With Necessary Training

Implementing change management requires strong support from leadership and management. And that requires giving them the skills necessary to support and adapt the training initiatives.

✔️ Action items: Two key improvements can help prepare managers: leadership-specific training and mentorship.

  • Consider developing specialized manager training modules that focus on change management, coaching techniques, and constructive feedback. These modules can help managers better understand their role in facilitating change and supporting their teams through the transition.
  • Introduce a mentorship program that pairs experienced managers with newer ones. Experienced managers can share best practices in training facilitation and change management and help create a stronger foundation for successful change implementation.

4. Develop a Multi-Pronged Communication Plan

A well-crafted communication strategy helps keep all levels of the company informed about changes and updates to the training program. This level of transparency can reduce resistance and foster buy-in.

✔️ Action items: To develop an effective communication strategy:

  1. Create a comprehensive communication plan that includes regular updates via email, internal newsletters, or a dedicated training portal
  2. Host monthly town hall meetings to discuss changes in the training program and gather employee input
  3. Establish a dedicated channel for managers to submit immediate training-related concerns or suggestions
  4. Build and involve your internal champions to help increase buy-in with field leadership. Include both executive and field leaders.

With open lines of communication, companies can address concerns promptly, celebrate successes, and keep everyone aligned.

5. Monitor and Assess Training Impact

Leveraging data-driven insights can help companies make sure the training program is effective and relevant as the company goes through change. This ongoing monitoring allows companies to identify areas of success and opportunities for improvement.

✔️ Action items: To effectively monitor your training program:

  1. Use your e-learning platform's dashboard to track real-time data on training engagement and completion rates
  2. Conduct bi-annual audits of the training program to assess its alignment with company goals and employee needs
  3. Analyze trends in KPIs and adjust your strategy accordingly

6. Incentivize Employee Participation and Recognize Success

Fostering a positive training culture often requires recognizing and rewarding engagement. Celebrating success can help build momentum and enthusiasm for the training program, even in the face of significant changes.

✔️ Action items: Consider implementing the following strategies:

  1. Create a recognition system for employees who actively participate and excel in training programs
  2. Offer incentives such as bonuses or career advancement opportunities for successful completion of training milestones
  3. Celebrate successful training outcomes and improvements company-wide through internal communications and events

How Mobile Training Supports Training Program Changes

Throughout the change management process, leveraging mobile training and e-learning technologies can significantly enhance the effectiveness of frontline training initiatives. These technologies offer several advantages:

  1. Accessibility: Mobile learning allows frontline workers to access training materials anytime, anywhere.
  2. Personalization: E-learning platforms like Opus can adapt content to individual learning styles and paces, improving engagement and retention.
  3. Real-time updates: Digital training materials can be quickly updated to reflect changes in processes or policies, so frontline workers can access the most current information.
  4. Data collection: E-learning platforms can automatically collect data on user engagement, performance, and feedback.

By implementing these strategies and leveraging the power of mobile training and e-learning technologies, companies can successfully navigate changes and adjustments in their training programs. Frontline teams will remain resilient and adaptable to meet evolving company challenges.