Why Your IT Training Is Failing—and How to Fix It for Real Adoption

Why Your IT Training Isn’t Working

You’ve spent millions on new IT systems, yet employees aren’t using them effectively. Sound familiar?

Most companies invest heavily in software but fail to invest in the right kind of training. Instead, they rely on outdated methods that don’t drive real adoption.

The problem? Traditional IT training focuses only on education—teaching employees how to navigate systems and use features—without ensuring they actually apply those skills in their daily work.

The Biggest Mistake: “Little t” Training

Most organizations rely on what I call “little t” training—a one-time event that covers:

• Navigation: How to move through the system
• Features & Functions: What each button does
• Check-the-Box Training: A session that meets compliance but lacks reinforcement

The result?

Employees forget what they learned, avoid using the system, and revert to old ways of working. That’s why adoption rates stay low, and ROI on IT investments remains disappointing.

The Solution: “Big T” Training for Real Adoption

To see real business impact, you need “Big T” training—Training as Conditioning.

Just like professional athletes train daily to build habits, strength, and consistency, your employees need ongoing conditioning to use IT systems effectively.

What Does “Big T” Training Look Like?

✅ Reinforces daily system usage through continuous coaching

✅ Rewards behavior and performance, not just knowledge

✅ Engages immediate managers to drive accountability

This approach doesn’t just teach how to use a system—it conditions employees to use it correctly as part of their daily routine.

The Role of Managers in Driving Adoption

A critical mistake many companies make is leaving IT adoption entirely to the training team. But the real key to success? Immediate managers.

When managers:

• Set expectations for system use
• Coach employees daily on best practices
• Provide feedback & reinforcement

… adoption skyrockets.

How to Fix Your IT Training Today

If your employees aren’t fully adopting your IT systems, your training needs to change. You need an approach that provides both the skills they need to use the system, AND reinforces user behavior so people actually adopt your system!

Here’s What to Do Next:

If you are looking to improve your user adoption and deliver a more effective training program, do these 3 things:

1️⃣ Assess your current training—Is it education-based or behavior-based?

2️⃣ Engage managers—Make them responsible for reinforcing system use.

3️⃣ Shift from one-time events to ongoing user behavior conditioning.

🚀 Want to maximize the ROI on your IT investments?

Implement a Big T training program that conditions your users for success.

Need help driving IT adoption? Let’s talk. Contact me here.