Here are two simple ways to train employees about the latest technological bells and whistles they’ll need in the future: give them adequate time during work to learn and allow opportunities for them to practice.

Just 50 percent of working Americans said they have sufficient time to take on career development activities, writes David Ballard, the director of the American Psychological Association’s Center for Organizational Excellence, in the Harvard Business Review. This can easily be countered, he said, by giving employees enough time during work hours for training and development, so they don’t have to put in extra hours or use personal time.

“Align training and development activities to fit with employees’ workload and workflow, so they don’t place undue demands on employees during times when they are already stretched thin,” he said.

Of course, all the training in the world doesn’t matter if employees can’t practice their new skills, and Ballard said executives should make time for practice as well.

“For the new knowledge and skills gained during training to stick, employees need to actually apply them on the job,” Ballard wrote, noting that a recent survey from his organization showed that less than 60 percent of U.S. workers said their employers give practice opportunities.

That means training resources aren’t always used well and there’s room for improvement.

For Ballard’s full article and his additional training recommendations, click here.

Source: Harvard Business Review