Learning New Tools and Processes

Automation affects jobs as part of doing business. More so after the Pandemic when with the labor shortage. The current uncertainty in the marketplace prompts companies to come up with new ways to keep pace with buyer needs. They’re also looking for ways to reduce costs and deliver a sought-after product. New technologies and new processes are keeping companies competitive in a challenging business climate. New innovations can make your workplace an exciting and energizing place to be. Even so, learning new things can cause some stress for workers that have to get work done in a limited time. But change is the only constant in business, so it pays to stay flexible and open to new ways of doing things. Below are tips to help you embrace change and adapt faster to the new tools and processes your company implements. 

#1. Use a Thoughtful Timeline

Work with your manager to develop a training plan that includes time at work to learn. Make sure your manager factors in your on-the-job learning when setting your performance and output goals. Get a clear timeline for completion from your manager. When you know what your manager expects from you and when, you’ll be able to pace your learning and set personal milestones for your progress. Break down your learning into smaller segments to make it less daunting. Those little steps add up quickly with diligence. You might be surprised at how quickly you’re able to master the new methodology.

#2. Overcome Learning Difficulties

If you find yourself struggling to understand and execute the new tool or process at hand you can take control of the situation and correct your course in a few different ways. 

• Practice in privacy.
  It can help to practice on your own without an audience. Your home may offer a more relaxed environment for you to review the new tool or process at your own pace, as many times as needed.
  
• Enlist the help of others.
  Practice with a coach or senior staff member. Sometimes another person’s perspective can help to solidify newly learned information. You can benefit from someone else’s experiences in both successful and failed implementations. A business coach can show you a better way to learn than the one you’re using. It might be a tactic you wouldn’t have come up with alone. Learning is often a group endeavor, so don’t isolate yourself when you hit a wall. That’s the most important time to reach out for help. 

Related: The Do’s And Don’ts Of Adapting To New Management 

#3. Overcome Hang-ups

• Find value.
  It’s hard to learn anything if you don’t see the value in it. Ideally, your manager explained the reasons for the change. But if you’re struggling with faith in the new solution, it’s ok to ask questions for clarity. It’s possible your manager left out a few key details that could make a world of difference for you. Prepare a few thoughtful questions and preface them positively as a way for you to fully understand how the new change can help you perform better in your role. You can also research examples of other companies that converted to the same solution and note their outcomes, specifically in your department. Having more background understanding of the solution’s potential can help you mentally commit to the learning effort it takes to make potential your new reality. 

• Find self-confidence.
  If can feel discouraging when you have trouble remembering new information and recalling it quickly. But if you allow yourself to stay discouraged, your brain will search for a way out instead of a way forward. Bring yourself back to “good” with reflection and positive self-talk. Remember all the things you’ve learned over the years. Think of other struggles you’ve faced and overcome. Think of how much better you are today because you were challenged to think and grow. A lot of skills you use now with ease took time to learn. You’re still as capable now!

• Keep a positive attitude.  
  People that exhibit a positive attitude with their colleagues and managers get more done. Research has proven that happy people are 31% more productive. They focus on what they can do to reach solutions instead of lamenting problems. To make sure your outlook remains sunny, make a point to hang around with the positive coworkers on your team. These people can feed your energy and support you when you have to learn and implement a difficult change. Spend time encouraging others around you. Thinking about others leaves less time for worry and frustration. Plus, your colleagues will appreciate it and that feels good. 

Practicing gratitude, perhaps as part of your morning routine, sets the scene for a more upbeat day. Spend time thinking about all the ways you’ve been blessed recently and in the past. Think about the things that are going your way, and the people that matter to you. You can even practice gratitude around the new solution you’re learning. Imagine the ways that your new knowledge or capability will help others. You may be able to serve more customers or serve them better. You may get more time out of your day to do other things. Imagine all the positive directions the new solution can take you. 

Even if you champion the new solution coming in, learning and implementing it causes some stress. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep and leaving time to decompress. Nurture your relationships and your life outside of work. Shouldering workplace adaptations takes a lot out of you. Get recharged so you can keep pushing toward the end goal.