7 Bad Employee Habits That Hinder Your Productivity
Your L&D team has gone above and beyond to create the ideal training conditions. However, some employees still haven’t earned their certifications or bridged performance gaps. The problem doesn’t reside with the design or quality of content. The issue is that employees have bad habits they need to break in order to maximize online training benefits. It may be personality traits, past experiences, or personal attitudes that hold them back. Here are 7 employee habits to be aware of and tips to change their mindsets.
1. Procrastination
There’s always someone in the organization who puts off tasks until the last minute. When the pressure is high, and stress is a continual state of mind. Procrastination is one of the most damaging employee habits because it usually leads to cognitive overload. Staff members are unable to receive online training benefits because they’re racing the clock. In this situation, creating individual contracts or peer coaching is the way to go. Employees are held accountable for their training (or lack thereof) and they have a support network to fall back on.
2. Fear Of Self-Evaluation
Some employees are simply too scared of what they might discover. So, they never fully commit to online training because they don’t want to evaluate their own performance and identify gaps. Simulations and serious games are the best ways to overcome this fear and them on the fast track to success. These activities break the news to them gently and discreetly. They can disclose areas for improvement autonomously and learn from mistakes. Instead of being singled out during exams or made to feel less-than in classroom settings.
3. The Need For Immediate Results
Training is much like a marathon. You may reach the first milestone, but there are still many more up ahead. Which makes it challenging for employees who need immediate results to feel fulfilled. They need to be reminded that instant gratification isn’t part of the lifelong learning process. Encourage them to set short-term goals to make long-term objectives more manageable. You can even incorporate game mechanics to recognize their achievements along the way and fuel their motivation. A badge shows them that their hard work has paid off and gives them the immediate results they need.
4. Short Attention Span
Children are known for their short attention spans, but some adults are still plagued by the problem. A half-hour course seems like an eternity, even if they know the information is vital. This is where microlearning comes into play. Give them bite-size resources they can access when the need arises. A 5-minute tutorial or video demo serves an immediate purpose and doesn’t test their attention span. They can get the information they need, solve the problem, then move into the next task. If longer courses are necessary, try to break them into smaller modules or include interactive elements. They’re more likely to pay attention if hotspots and triggers are involved.
5. Negative Attitude
There are two primary reasons why employees have a negative attitude. The first is that they’ve had horrible training experiences in the past. They think they know what to expect, so they don’t bother showing up. At least, not mentally. The second is that they aren’t aware of the practical online training benefits. They think it’s all theories and rules that don’t really tie into their job duties. In both cases, you need to challenge their assumptions and stress the real-world connections. Create engaging content that keeps them focused and relates to their roles and responsibilities.
6. Poor Planning
This employee habit may be a side effect of procrastination, or they simply lack organization and planning skills. Possibly a bit of both. Incorporate progress bars and personalized training maps to help them plan ahead. They need to know what they’ve achieved and what they still need to accomplish. All the tools they require are in the training library, and trackers give them better oversight. You can also develop certification paths that map out the entire journey from start to finish. For example, they must complete the first module and pass the exam to move on to the next activity. They know exactly what to do to reach the employee training goals and what’s required of them.
7. Easily Distracted
This isn’t merely a short attention span that calls for microlearning resources. In this case, employees are led astray by social media, co-workers, and possibly even the course design. They’re easily distracted and can’t concentrate on the objectives. The catch is that online training leaves them vulnerable to online distractions. Set some guidelines so they know how to use LMS resources and social media groups effectively. Streamline your course design and cut the clutter to keep wandering minds to a minimum. Another approach is to launch peer coaching or mentoring programs so co-workers keep each other in check. For example, they meet up once a week to discuss their progress and provide feedback.
Some employee habits are hard to break. Especially if staffers are set in their ways and unwilling to evaluate their own behaviors. The secret is to give them an incentive. Stress the importance of training and the real-world benefits it yields. Empower them to take charge of their own development and let them set the pace. Unless, of course, you have a high percentage of procrastinators who wait until the last minute to train. In which case you may have to incorporate contracts and personalized plans to hold them accountable.
Invest in an employee training LMS that encourages positive change and supports your organizational objectives. Use our free online directory to find the best tool for the job without going over budget. You can search by industry, pricing model, and features to simplify the search.
