Two-thirds of companies fail to provide employees with adequate training when introducing new technology

Two-thirds of business leaders believe they have not given their employees the necessary support and training when implementing new technologies – according to a survey conducted by Managed Business IT Services (M-BiTS) provider TDM Group.

The research was carried out across 152 C-level business leaders and 155 employees from UK-based organisations with 250-500 employees in late 2021. Companies’ failings from a training perspective are further underscored by the research, which shows that only 39% of employees receive training every 3-5 months.

Tarek Meliti, CEO of TDM Group, stated: “Amid the pandemic, most companies had to tighten their purse strings and focus on survival – pushing training to the bottom of their agenda. As they emerge from the pandemic with ambitions to grow, training should be at the centre of the business strategy.

Business leaders must not implement new technology without laying the foundations for its successful adoption throughout the organisation. To achieve this, they should underpin the digital transformation process with effective – and regular – training for end-users. This will empower them with the skills and confidence to harness its potential.”

In the finance sector, 45% of employees said they received training every 4-6 months, while in the human resources sector, 43% said they received training every 7-10 months.

Meliti concluded: “At best, employees receive training twice a year, while people working in the human resources sector typically receive training only once a year, highlighting that those businesses aren’t training their employees enough. To address this, a comprehensive training programme should be established in partnership with your partners.

As the business adopts a digital strategy to help it operate more effectively, training must be a core element of deploying systems within the organisation. Your M-BiTS provider can use their experience to identify areas that will impact end users and training needs to be focused. Digital transformation cannot be successful without training being applied at the right stages. The end-users must feel confident using the system when it’s deployed.”