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Training completion is a challenge in the learning and design industry. Often training is created then the learning team is responsible for motivating and tracking completion. It’s a tireless effort, I mean, who cares if I email them every day nagging them to complete a compliance training? If your organization lacks support from management and senior leadership, and consequences the point is moot.
Recently my team had to bang out some end of year compliance materials during the organization’s busiest quarter. When I say we were kind of unpopular it’s an understatement. People were trying to survive the most insane, busy time of year and my compliance training was just one more thing on their plate, which brings me to suggestion number one.
Consider the User / Target Audience
I suppose I always go back to having empathy for the user from my qualitative research and UX work, but it’s never failed me.
What platforms work best for the learner?
What time works best for the learner?
Reflecting on the questions above you can see the training was deployed at the worst possible time. So, next year I will schedule the production and release of training to avoid our crazy, busy fourth quarter.
Next, if you plan to hold people responsible for completing anything you need to monitor and track it. Heads up, this can take a lot of time and effort away from actual learning and design work if it falls on you. This task is actually great for an administrative assistant. Here are some suggestions associated with tracking:
Track Completion
Use SCORM files or xApi to create some pretty slick user reports that will help you keep your completion numbers in check
Remember to remove retired and terminated users from the LMS so the numbers are accurate
Account for temporary learners who may not be included in the training, such as interns
Recruit the help of others
You need others to help with the repetitive tasks (hello, administrative assistant noted above). You will also need others to paint a picture of importance associated with the training.
If you nag strangers for completion you won’t succeed, easily or with sanity. You can’t motivate others to do something they don’t really have time for or want to do. Wah-wah sorry, it’s true. What you need is support from managers and senior leaders, according to the Netherland’s Trainer of the Year, Laura Van Den Ouden (DevLearn, 2019). Find a great tool she uses to make the magic happen at the bottom of this blog post.
Gain Support of Senior leadership and Management
Include senior leadership in the creation of content
Bookend your training with introduction and summary videos featuring a senior leader
Have a senior leader or manager send the training link with an explanation of why it is important and the completion deadline
Teach managers to pull completion reports so they can stay on top of their team progress, be sure to cheer them on share their success. We all like kudos
Request managers suggest and allow times for training during work
I would love to hear what works for you. Share your methods for getting people to complete training in the comments below!