Overcoming Learning and Development Challenges

Any training professional will admit that the road to learning success is not always smooth. Wherever there are people, even the most well-thought-out training sessions can hit any number of stumbling blocks. There are those who do not want to learn and those who feel uncomfortable in a training session. Equally, there are some who should not be there and then there will be those who are keen to progress.


There are often key elements that can hinder the development of any member of staff, and any business needs to be aware of these so that they can be overcome before they become a problem. One such problem is getting employees on board the learning and development process. When employees fail at training, it can make for difficult sessions for all who attend. There may be valid reasons as to why some employees would prefer not to attend. They may have learned the information previously, they may have difficulties studying at computer screens, or they may not be technically savvy. Or, there will be those who may have eyesight difficulties and cannot see PowerPoint^® presentations if not seated at the front, but many employees will not want to specify this in front of others.
But there are other issues, too. Learning how to improve the effectiveness of learning programs is of the utmost importance. You can have the most in-depth training programs and yet individuals will not retain the information or be able to utilize their new knowledge in article application. So, the business must consider their learning outcomes. They must understand how the employee will learn the required information and then consider the delivery method. This could be through classroom style training, e-learning resources, Web-based training, and so on. Creating a library of training programs helps to instill the positive benefits of learning and development within the organization, and it also encourages the reluctant employees to participate in their own progression.
One of the key aspects for any business is product knowledge. Whether training is for a retail or corporate environment, any products or services must be understood in full and the unique selling point recognized. Product issues should also be discussed so the employee is easily able to counter any problems that may come his or her way.  Importantly, product or service training must be consistent, and this must be enforced by senior management.