Why Employees Struggle with Workplace Technology (And No One Talks About It)
Organisations invest millions in software, hoping to streamline operations, boost productivity, and create efficiency. Yet, many fail to see the real issue when technology adoption falls flat: employees aren’t adequately trained to use the tools they already have, let alone new ones.
The workplace runs on a tech stack of ‘expected knowledge’—Outlook, Gmail, SharePoint, Google Drive, Teams, Meet, Chat, Word, Docs, Excel, PowerPoint, and Slides. These are the silent workhorses of productivity, yet they are almost always overlooked in training.
The truth is:
Most employees are self-taught in these tools and don’t even know what they don’t know.
They won’t speak up about gaps in their knowledge because they fear looking incompetent.
AI is now being introduced into these tools, but where’s the training to help employees actually leverage it?
This creates a huge blind spot for organisations. While companies focus on training employees on processes and systems, they completely ignore the very tools that power daily workflows.
The result? Low adoption rates, wasted investment, and a workforce that is overwhelmed, frustrated, and under-equipped.
The Cost of Poor Onboarding and Lack of Training
The data speaks for itself:
Employees leave when onboarding fails.
A staggering 6 out of 10 managers have had employees quit during probation due to inadequate onboarding. (HR Onboard)
The financial impact is massive.
Replacing an employee costs 1.5 to 2 times their annual salary—making poor onboarding an expensive mistake. (Psico-Smart)
Adoption is low, and productivity suffers.
Employees aren’t resistant to technology—they are resistant to struggling with tools they don’t fully understand. Lack of proper onboarding means employees waste hours trying to make tools work for them rather than using them to work smarter.
The ‘Set and Forget’ Mistake: Why Most Tech Rollouts Fail
Organisations fall into the “set and forget” trap—they roll out a tool, send a few emails, maybe host a one-time training, and then expect employees to magically adopt it.
No structured onboarding.
No reinforcement or continuous learning.
No guidance on why this tool matters in their daily work.
The assumption is:
“It’s intuitive—employees will figure it out.”
“They’ve used similar software before, so they don’t need training.”
“If they need help, they’ll ask.”
But here’s the reality:
Even “intuitive” tools have advanced features that go unexplored.
Previous experience ≠ proficiency. Knowing what a tool does isn’t the same as knowing how to use it efficiently.
Employees won’t always ask for help because they don’t want to look incompetent.
So where does this leave organisations? With blinkers on. They assume things are running smoothly, while their workforce silently struggles in inefficiency. And their competition? Probably catching on to this gap and gaining an edge.
How to Ensure Technology Adoption (And Maximise Your Investment)
Instead of a “set and forget” approach, companies need to commit to continuous adoption strategies.
1. Start with “Why” (Not Just “How”)
Instead of simply announcing a new tool, frame it around how it benefits employees directly.
Bad Example: “We’re switching to a new project management tool.”
Good Example: “This new tool will automate task tracking and reduce status update meetings by 50%, meaning less time spent on admin and more time focusing on meaningful work.”
Employees need to understand the “why” behind the change before they will care about the “how.”
2. Train Employees on the Tools They Already Have
It’s time to stop assuming employees know how to use foundational tools. Offer refresher training on:
✔ Email & Calendar: Managing inbox overload, automation, and scheduling hacks.
✔ File Management: SharePoint vs Google Drive, best practices for collaboration.
✔ Communication Tools: Using Teams, Slack, Meet, Chat effectively.
✔ Office Productivity Suites: Excel formulas, PowerPoint hacks, AI tools in Word/Docs.
By optimising existing tools, companies can unlock hidden productivity gains without investing in new tech.
3. Make Training Ongoing (Not One-and-Done)
Adoption doesn’t happen overnight. Organisations need multi-layered training strategies that include:
On-demand video tutorials for self-paced learning.
Cheat sheets & quick guides for easy reference.
Live Q&A sessions to address real-world challenges.
Peer-led training & internal champions to reinforce learning.
4. Reward and Recognise Adoption
Make adoption a part of company culture—acknowledge employees actively using and advocating for new tools.
Recognise “Power Users”—employees who become go-to experts.
Set adoption milestones—reward teams that integrate tools successfully.
Use leaderboards or shoutouts—gamify the adoption process.
Employees are more likely to engage with training when they see value and incentives attached to it.
Final Thoughts: Train Smarter, Not Harder
The ‘set and forget’ approach is a silent productivity killer. Companies that fail to invest in structured, ongoing training are unknowingly slowing down their teams, increasing frustration, and leaving money on the table.
Want to make your tech investments actually pay off?
Want employees who adopt and thrive, rather than resist and struggle?
It starts by fixing the training gap.
What’s one workplace tool you wish your company had trained you on better? Drop it in the comments below! 👇
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