I was passing e-mail messages with a colleague this week when she asked a question that I thought would be valuable. "How do you go about training people that are not technically savvy?" (I am paraphrasing the question here). After thinking about it, I realized that this is a huge issue. One that a lot of HR Managers and corporate trainers deal with every day. Believe it or not, in the year 2011, there are people (even under the age of 40) who just don't use computers too much. Sure, they have a computer at home, to send an email or surf the web, but that's it. They have cell phones to make calls and send texts, not the 5G itele cool 8 mega pixel smart phone, just a phone. These people are out there; in fact, it is safe to say they are a silent majority of workers not only in America, but around the world. Why are they silent if there are so many of them out there?
MARKETING! That's right, marketing. When every other commercial on TV talks about the new 4G network, and all the cool things you can do on the most updated phone, it weighs down a little on the people who simply want to make calls. Heaven forbid I can understand what manufacturers of operating systems and office related software suites are trying to advertise, It's like they are saying life is better with their software. Darn it! I just want to learn more about my spreadsheet program. These folks don't care about having a Twitter or Facebook. They look at social networks as people, who actually meet people and talk to them eye to eye. All this other stuff is gobblygook.
Now, I'm not that guy. Still, I have to train that guy. That guy builds weaponry used by our soldiers in Afghanistan. That gal runs into burning buildings to save people. That guy takes care of terribly injured children in an hospital's Emergency Room. That gal makes sure a staff of 500 is properly schedule every week. The fact of the matter is that these people are out there. What they do is valuable to us and to society as a whole. Now, they need to learn how to use Workforce Timekeeper, and we are going to have to find a way to relate to these guys and gals.
Over the next couple of weeks I will write about this topic. I will cover the following:
As with most challenges in life, it is our perception of a challenge that defines how we work at it. When working with non-technical learners, we have an opportunity to really understand what they need to learn, and become better at what we do. So let's dig in, shall we?
Good luck with your Kronos training implementation.