Your remote team is struggling to adapt to a new software system. What can you do to help them adjust?

When asking employees to change the tools they use in their jobs, one often overlooked but critical component is their current capacity. Take into account their day-to-day workload, stress levels, and competing organizational priorities and then factor in time for learning and processing new information. In my experience, employees are often asked to keep all their existing work running smoothly while integrating a new tool into their work. Unless it's absolutely necessary to "build the plane as we fly it" please (please!) give employees the time and space they need. Is there a deliverable that can be delayed or an admin task they can skip? Ensure you've explicitly given that permission to give them some temporary breathing room to adapt.

I would start with understanding of the stakeholder beliefs about the software (i.e. “It is worse than what I currently use”), their experience (“I tried it and I do not like it”) and the story they tell themselves (“This software is too complicated”). Once you understand what you are dealing with, you can decide what kind of action is required.

During a team meeting, have a candid conversation about barriers to adopting the new system. At the group level, gauge whether it’s a “will issue”, a “skill issue” or whether the system isn’t meeting business needs, by gathering insights on any workarounds team members may be using to get the same result. Leverage 1:1 conversations to dig deeper on any skill barriers, as team members may share more openly if there is an individual skill need.

If a system has been rolled out, user guides should have been uploaded to enable end users to reference. Comprehensive training and revisiting of same should be a norm for any systems roll out. Communication and hand holding is a god given, superusers should be readily accessible to help and support. Any systems roll out will come with lessons learned.

To support a remote team in adapting to a new software system, comprehensive training sessions should be provided, ensuring all team members understand the system's functionalities and workflows. Accessible resources and documentation should also be made available for easy reference. Encouraging open communication and feedback enables team members to voice their concerns and share their experiences, fostering a supportive environment. Establishing peer support networks allows team members to learn from each other and collaborate effectively. Regular check-ins and progress assessments help track the team's adaptation and address any challenges promptly.

I agree, communication isn't just about the 'whys' and 'hows.' It's also about being open about potential challenges and having a plan to tackle them. You want to make sure everyone in your team understands the benefits and goals of the new system. For example, you could share success stories from other teams who've smoothly transitioned. It's like saying, "Look, others did it, and so can we!" They'll feel more confident navigating the changes.

Communicate the compelling ‘why’, both from the organizational/outcomes perspective, but also from the team/individual level perspective. Setting this important context allows for common understanding of what’s changing and why it’s so important to be part of the change. Show process maps to highlight efficiencies, share vignettes to tell the story from the end user’s standpoint, share case studies to illustrate proper use, and (probably most importantly) recognize those who are using the new system well.

Emphasizing the "Why?" and "How?" is, in my view, the most effective approach. Change, in and of itself, doesn't have to be an intimidating and complicated process; it's the uncertainty that can add complexity. When the change aligns with the company's goals, strategy, and values, the team is more likely to view it as the optimal and desired course for the company and the team. Heading in the right direction, even if it entails change, resonates with people and builds trust. Therefore, it's essential to articulate the "Why?" for understanding, and subsequently, clearly communicate the "How?" to gain certainty about the necessary measures, actions and specific next steps.

Communication is the most important part while adopting anything new in the existing system. Identifying and creating a pilot batch from all the teams and making them a SPOC is a good approach. Information should start flowing a lot before the actual implementation which makes teams curious at the same time aware of what is coming in instead of surprising them. Taking constant feedback from the Pilot team and improvising the user experience is needed.

1. Communicate Effectively - Communicate the change's justifications, advantages, and effects on the team in a straightforward and consistent manner. Respond to any queries or worries in an honest and open manner. 2. Provide Support Resources - Provide team members with continuous support tools, such user forums, helpdesk support, or specialised support staff, to help them solve problems, troubleshoot problems, and get the most out of the new software system. 3. Lead by example - By actively utilising the new software system in your own work and encouraging others to do the same, you may show your own dedication to it. Setting a positive example helps bolster confidence and emphasise the significance of the change.

I like to offer step by step training that is documented so that anyone could pick it up and follow it. Visual aids and explicit instructions work well. This ensures people don't make wrong assumptions on how something should work versus how it actually does work.

Consider the different formats and modalities that people learn though, the key ones are visual and auditory. Create good guides for processes and contact points. Consider simple lunch and learn sessions where one team member can prepare and walk through a process. The old adage if you believe you know something well the best way to demonstrate it is to teach it to others. This provides great rewards over and above the actual learning itself to both parties. David S

One thing I've done in a coule of businesses is put on drop in sessions & 121's that people can attend after the impelmentation of a new process of system. It gives peole the opportunity to show up and ask questions on any topic they choose in order to answer a question or improve their understanding. I always find that providing multiple opportunities over a set period of time reaps huge benefits as peolple know they aren't on their own after a business change. A good term to use is 'Hypercare'

Training, unfortunately always has the least budget when it comes to change. But it's the easy-win strategy to provide the best opportunity for change to be adopted and embedded. Ensure you conduct a needs analysis to cover what you need to support your team through the change.

Training that is interactive, presented on a regular cadence leading up to the change, and making sure that training continues after the change. It has been my experience that a change goes much better if there is continued conversation following the change. This gives everyone an opportunity to share friction points and wins that resulted from the change. I believe it is also important to celebrate the change and in doing so recognize everyone for their hard work.

With new technology, I've learned it's important to monitor its usage and continue to get feedback from your teams consistently. I meet with my operations team weekly and during our team meeting, we revisit the new technology to see what needs to be updated or changed as well as to develop action items for how the rest of our team needs to re-engage with the platform going forward.

Sustainment is important and can make or break the long term adoption goals and success of a project as large as tool adoption. 30,60,90 check ins and sponsorship transitions in support of sustainment is pertinent.

It has been my experience that monitoring usage of new tech is very important. This will help identify individuals who may need more help or explanation. Monitoring also includes gathering feedback from everyone asking the hard questions in a survey to conduct a lessons learned conversation. From this feedback you can learn what worked well and what did not then utilizing that information when implementing future change.

With the help of tools like learning management systems, managers and supervisors should be accountable for tracking team progress. Review metrics such as course completions and quiz scores for each training module. Identify pain point patterns, adjust training materials, and continue to meet with employees to help navigate residual challenges.

Acknowledgment and appreciation are powerful motivators. We celebrated milestones in the adoption process, such as when a team completed all training modules or when we saw significant improvements in efficiency due to the new system. These recognitions were shared in our virtual all-hands meetings, fostering a sense of achievement and encouraging continued engagement.

Software company Pendo claims that 80 percent of features in the average software product are rarely or never used. That suggests that people stop learning a new system when they can get by. Buy-in is what you want. One way to go about it is to challenge staff to share something new they learned to do with the software. We submitted it on Mondays, and the staff voted on the best tip. Whoever received the most votes received dinner and a movie for two. It energized the team, and people were learning beyond the 20 percent capability of the software. I even caught people reading training manuals. The exchange of ideas benefitted the whole team, and each felt more proficient, productive, and valuable to the team.

I have found that connecting learning with value creation resonates with employees and is rewarding. Determine how areas and teams across the organization are benefiting from a more efficient process or system, and acknowledge via announcements, town halls or other similar venues.

Appoint CHANGE CHAMPIONS as relays on the ground to represent functions/locations where new system has been implemented. (1) Look at adoption of new software system as CHANGE adoption, not IT system adoption. (2) Be crystal clear on role & responsibilities of change champions. (3) Identify users by name, by function/department. (4) Change champions hold users' hands, guide them step by step. User guides are useless if no one takes time to "show and tell". Explain each step clearly. (4) Use REAL projects when applying new steps using demos. Guide them from end-to-end, repeatedly. Start with small projects, celebrate small successes. (5) Allay their fears of using new system. Show them BEFORE & AFTER scenarios. Seeing is believing.

Provide a safe space to practice and get good together. Some will want to be seen as the go to person but it can make others feel like they are never going to be good at using it. Don’t delay playing with it together and dispelling feelings of inadequacy.

There's more to consider beyond training for a remote team to adapt to a new software system. A few examples include: 1) user testing to bolster engagement and early feedback on the new system 2) virtual showcases to highlight the system's new features and demonstrate the value 3) a reward and management approach that aligns to the desired usage and adoption of the new system. 4) virtual social learning circles for the team to discuss what's working and not working so they can resolve any blockers. Of course, there are many more options to apply here, but the point is that training alone may have been limiting in this instance.

Create space for the teams to work together virtually, regular town hall sessions on what worked what isn’t, spend time with the teams to what is causing the challenges as new systems will have challenges, historical data and unique ways of working required, create confidence in the knowledge and expertise…

Don't overlook the power of peer support. We established a 'buddy system' where more tech-savvy team members were paired with those less comfortable with the new software. This not only facilitated knowledge sharing in a more personal and less intimidating way but also strengthened team bonds in our remote work environment.