In many organisations, training is seen as the silver bullet to ensure proper use of HRIS tools. Yet despite regular sessions and distributed materials, employees still struggle with new features once the system enters the Run phase.
This disconnect between training and real adoption slows down HR performance and causes frustration at every level of the organisation.
1. The Limits of Traditional Training in the Face of Fast-Paced HRIS Updates
With software updates happening more and more frequently, sometimes quarterly, traditional training methods quickly become outdated. Organisations often plan one initial training session but struggle to maintain a pace that matches the frequency of updates. Employees, already busy with day-to-day tasks, simply don’t have the time or headspace to attend long sessions scheduled well ahead of updates.
💡 Tip: Focus on short formats (microlearning) embedded directly in the tool, triggered at the moment of need.
2. Why Users Don’t Retain New Features
Top-down training alone doesn’t guarantee knowledge retention. Users rarely remember features they don’t use immediately, and they quickly lose what they’ve learned when processes evolve. This leads to alternative behaviours: using Excel workarounds, repeatedly contacting support, or inputting errors that affect HR data quality.
💡 Tip: Strengthen the contextualisation of training with help bubbles, in-tool tutorials, and targeted reminders based on user profiles.
3. How to Turn Training into a Continuous Adoption Lever
Training should no longer be a one-off event but an ongoing process. Embedding support into employees’ daily routines, right in the “flow of work” ensures long-term adoption and improves data quality. By tailoring training to different user profiles (managers, HR staff, field employees), companies foster consistent adoption and reduce support costs.
💡 Tip: Combine a microlearning strategy with digital assistance tools like the Shortways Assistant to deliver real-time, contextual support.
Conclusion
Traditional training is no longer enough to support the adoption of HRIS software updates. Given the pace of change and employees’ limited time, organisations must rethink their approach in favour of continuous, contextualised, and in-workflow learning. This shift improves the user experience, enhances HR data quality, and boosts the overall performance of the HR function.
👉 To explore the role of manuals and internal comms in update adoption, our next article will focus on: “Software Updates: Why Your Users Ignore Manuals and Communications.”
