Introduction
When the productivity level of an employee, a team, or a department falls, one of the most common complaints you hear is that the software used is a blocker. However, often, the digital environment of the organization is not at fault. It could be management obstruction, business process inefficiency, misalignment of purpose between the business and the software, as well as employee resistance due to software frustration. Software frustration can result from multiple scenarios like insufficient training, incompatibility between business goals and software function, improper implementation, or even familiarity bias.
Familiarity bias in digital adoption often turns out to be the biggest issue an organization must deal with during software migration. Because it has no technical basis, companies often ignore how important it is to deal with employee bias in software usage and expend all their resources and time on technological preparations. However, this could become their biggest obstacle, with the team rejecting the new application completely, resulting in massive losses. The best way to counter such a scenario is to use a digital adoption platform that not only trains the target userbase but also educates them on how the new software will make their life easier. Assima is the first name that comes to mind for this. It helps employees learn to use the software in a realistic, risk-free way to provide confidence before using the live application.
Assima is the ideal solution to create a loyal, future-ready workforce that eagerly welcomes digital transformation.
Understanding Familiarity Bias in Software Adoption
Familiarity bias in digital adoption has become quite a common phenomenon in workplaces with rapid digital transformation efforts and frequent software updates. It is more commonly observed among senior employees who have become highly accustomed to using a certain application for a long time. Familiarity bias refers to their reluctance to switch from the current application to a more efficient solution, due to their familiarity and comfort with the old system.
Even when the old tool is less efficient and takes more time and effort to complete a task than the new tool, employees would often prefer to stick to it. They do not welcome change as it puts them in an unfamiliar territory that they must come out of their comfort zone to learn about. The fear of not achieving the same level of expertise in using the new digital tool as the old one, and struggling to perform their tasks, is also a valid concern. Older generations are also not comfortable using newer advanced technology, as they feel it is way beyond their skills.
This is observed frequently with ERP systems, particularly during new installations or major upgrades. Any ERP software has a steep learning curve, so moving from one to the other raises alarms among the workforce. EMR and EHR software migration can also raise issues due to familiarity bias, since strict laws like HIPAA govern medical record regulation, and the staff might have fears of making mistakes in the new system and getting in trouble. Teams that have been using internally developed tools will also not welcome the idea of shifting to a generic solution. The only way to overcome this resistance is through a comprehensive digital training strategy that incorporates training optimization and change management.
The Cost of Software Frustration in the Workplace
Employee resistance to new technology can have adverse effects on your digital transformation efforts, including but not limited to:
- Loss of productivity
- Reduced engagement
- Training fatigue
- Stalled innovation
- Software adoption failure
- Loss of resources
- Lowered efficiency
- Helpdesk overload
Common Signs of User Resistance to New Software
Familiarity bias in digital adoption shows up as a variety of symptoms. These include:
Rejection of Training and Onboarding
The first indication that users might resist new digital technology is their refusal to attend training or engage with the learning content. They will consistently miss sessions or remain disengaged from the training program as they feel it is a useless endeavor for them.
Reluctance to Use New Software
The next most common sign of user resistance is a visible reluctance to use the newly implemented technology. A quick look at the user adoption data will reveal dismal numbers and poor feedback despite great reviews of the digital tool in similar use cases.
Preference to Follow Old Workflows
Many resisting employees will try to keep using the old, inefficient workflows despite more efficient methods being introduced through new technologies. They will feel comfortable in their familiar territory and cling to it despite clear evidence of the futility of the exercise.
Maintenance of Resistive Culture
Employees against the digital transformation movement will also try to bring others under their fold. They will perpetuate an organizational culture of resistance through criticism, blatant rejection, and in extreme cases, even sabotage.
Unnecessary Helpdesk Calls
Another common symptom in a resistive culture comes in the form of raising too many support tickets and helpdesk calls. It could either stem from a fear of using the new tools confidently or a deliberate attempt to make them seem difficult to work with.
How Assima Train Helps Overcome Familiarity Bias
Assima is a safer, smarter alternative to the trial-and-error exercise most organizations conduct when introducing new tech to a workforce known for its reluctance to digital transformation. Instead of jumping through hoops to find a compromise, Assima employs digital learning optimization by utilizing training methods proven to increase retention and engagement and reduce resistance. Moreover, it uses enterprise training insights to improve and adapt training to the needs of the target user base, ensuring a more compliant attitude towards new software.
Simulation-Based Training
Assima Train utilizes a 4X patented cloning technology to create life-like simulations of system processes. These fully interactive simulations provide scenario-based training in a safe environment so that you can learn and practice your skills without the risk of impacting the live system. It allows users to get comfortable with using the new application and deal with any doubts and fears before they start dealing with the real software.
In-App, Contextual Guidance
Assima In-App Search is the perfect support tool for a workforce that displays familiarity bias due to discomfort from the uncertainty of new technology. It elevates user experience by overlaying live applications as a search widget tool that provides you with role-based, contextual information in the form of dynamic results based on your current task. You no longer need to worry about making mistakes; In-App Search acts like your personal information assistant.
Personalized Onboarding
Assima is a highly customizable platform. You can capture simulations and then simply edit their interface and data to create separate versions for employees with different roles and access rules in the live system. As we mentioned above, In-App Search also provides information based on your role as entered in the system. Moreover, you can create rules for users to only be able to unlock a specific task after they have successfully completed the respective learning module.
Data-Driven Training Optimization
Using the centralized Assima Train analytics dashboard, you can streamline both user behavior tracking and training effectiveness measurement, which gives you a chance to optimize training with data obtained directly from the training program. You no longer have to guess what your employees need or estimate their progress. Tangible, actionable data allows you to bring about positive changes with a guarantee of success.
See for yourself how Assima transforms training experiences in enterprise digital adoption initiatives.
Change Management Tips to Reduce Resistance
Alleviating familiarity bias in digital adoption should not fall entirely on the systems training platform you use. It is only one piece in the puzzle. The other pieces depend greatly on how you handle the transition, prepare your workforce, and communicate with them. Here are a few pointers on how to ensure smooth digital transformation:
Create a Solid Change Management Plan with Employee Conditioning
Many businesses do not invest in a robust change management plan because they wrongly believe it to be unnecessary. They feel that employees will simply accept the new digital environment as a better, more powerful, and more efficient option. However, your employees did not sit in your chair during the software demo, nor did they conduct deep research on its pros and cons. Moreover, any change can be disconcerting unless you are prepared for it. A thoughtful change management strategy can create a smooth path for your digital innovation plans.
Communicate Changes Early and Align Them with User Pain Points
In the same vein, it is necessary to give your teams sufficient time to prepare for the changes coming. They not only have to start using new software but also have to alter the ways they approach business processes and manage workflows. Timely and clear communication can resolve much of their apprehension. Make it a point to find out common pain points of your employees during and after the transition so that you can modify the adoption plan accordingly and ensure that it aligns with their essential requirements and work preferences.
Offer Proactive Support During Transitions to New Software
When you invest in your workforce, they'll invest in you in return. If you provide proactive help and guidance to your teams during a software migration, they will not feel abandoned. They will understand that even if they run into setbacks as they get adjusted to the new digital environment, you will be there to guide them and get them out of their problems. It will make them more eager to support your innovation efforts by welcoming the change and being open to more changes in the future. You will cultivate a positive attitude for the present as well as the future.
Celebrate Progress and Empower Early Adopters to Encourage Others
Recognition is one of the biggest rewards for employees. You can use it to your and their advantage in a digital transformation move. Keep an eye on the progress of the target users and recognize and reward positive results in them. This will create enthusiastic adopters who, in turn, will encourage and guide others to make the best of the new digital tools. It will not only create an environment of motivated learning and adoption but also generate healthy competition for performance and improvement among your employees.
Measuring Progress in Digital Adoption
The most powerful weapon you can have for fighting familiarity bias in software adoption is digital adoption metrics. By tracking how your employees are learning and performing, how your training program is faring, and if the training process is suitable for the digital adoption initiative, you get your hands on powerful data. This data can be used to make modifications and improvements to your training program content, delivery, and deployment to ensure an optimum learning experience for your employees and optimize your onboarding strategies for maximum productivity.
While every organization should do its own research to find out which metrics will give it complete visibility into the training process, certain metrics can be universally used by all enterprises. This includes user engagement rate, feature adoption and usage, interaction depth and frequency, training completion, NPS, pass and drop-off rate, drop-off point, training return rate and point, software adoption rate, support ticket volume, etc. How much weightage you give to each metric again depends on your business.
Conclusion
Familiarity bias in digital adoption is widespread, yet it is one of the least addressed concerns in an organization. More than digital ignorance, familiarity bias needs to be tackled in a smart manner with training. Experiential training, real-time support, change management planning, and clear communication with all stakeholders is a must to ensure problem-free digital adoption. With a solution like Assima, that is built to support long-term digital adoption, you too can ensure a resistance-free path to innovation and future-readiness.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Let’s Answer Some of Your Questions.
Familiarity bias refers to the condition in which your workforce has become so comfortable with the current digital environment that they resist any efforts to migrate to newer, better software.
Fear due to digital ignorance, a reluctance to move out of their comfort zone, and a lack of enthusiasm to learn new things are some of the top reasons for employees to resist new software.
Assima Train provides a safe environment in the form of hyper-realistic simulations for employees to get used to new software before they work on the new system. Experiential training methods such as the one used by Assima are proven to boost retention and engagement as well as improve user confidence.
A low digital adoption rate despite having a robust training program is the biggest indicator of user resistance. If you have talked to your employees and know about their reluctance to use new software, low digital adoption metrics would be the data-based evidence for the same.
Thoughtful training coupled with sensitive change management can completely change people’s attitudes towards digital adoption. By transitioning them smoothly to the new software and assuring support at every stage, you can soften how jarring the change can be and prepare people amply and in time for it.