Training your staff effectively can be a bit of a rollercoaster, especially if your organisation relies on e-learning.

Online learning faces several challenges, including lack of engagement, technical issues, and limited interactivity. Learners can easily become disengaged without the face-to-face interaction and immediate feedback found in classroom-style training.

Technical problems like software glitches can disrupt the learning process, and without hands-on experience and social interaction, participants find it harder to apply what they've learned in real-world scenarios.

The trick to keeping employees engaged with training is making it "sticky"—ensuring that the lessons stay with them and get put to good use. We recommend incorporating specific design elements that enhance Behaviour Modelling Training (BMT) to make your internal training more effective!

What is Behaviour Modelling Training (BMT)?

Behaviour Modelling Training is where employees learn by watching and copying others. It's based on social learning theory, which says people can pick up new behaviours by observing others. BMT is perfect for environments where hands-on skills and procedures are a focus.

According to ScienceForWork, the key elements of BMT are:

1. Trainers describe specific actions

2. They show trainees how to use them

3. Trainers make time for practice

4. They support trainees with feedback and encouragement

Here are three ways to add BMT to your organisation’s internal training:

Implement Rule Codes

Rule codes are like cheat sheets—simple statements or guidelines that sum up the key behaviours to be learned. These codes act as a quick reference for trainees, helping them remember and apply the right behaviours when they need to.

To Implement Rule Codes:

● Identify the key behaviours your employees need to learn.

● Create Clear, Snappy Statements that capture these behaviours.

● Use Visual Aids throughout your training materials with posters, infographics, and handouts.

Let’s say you’re training a team of warehouse workers on the correct way to handle heavy loads to prevent injury. You could develop a set of rule codes that summarise the key behaviours they need to remember, for example:

1. "Bend at the Knees, Not the Back" - This rule code reminds workers of the safest way to lift heavy objects, reducing strain on the lower back.

2. "Keep the Load Close to Your Body" - Holding the load close helps maintain balance and reduces the risk of dropping it.

3. "One Step at a Time" - Encourages careful, deliberate movement to avoid tripping or losing balance.

These rule codes could be posted around the warehouse, included in training materials, and referenced during safety briefings. They act as quick, memorable reminders that help employees retain and apply the correct techniques, even when they’re under pressure on the job. By keeping the language simple and direct, rule codes make it easier for everyone to stay on the same page and maintain safe practices.

Incorporate Mental Practice

Mental practice is all about trainees visualising themselves performing the desired behaviours. It’s like daydreaming with a purpose! 🤔 This technique uses the power of imagination to reinforce learning, making it easier for staff to recall and perform behaviours when needed.

To Incorporate Mental Practice:

● Guide learners through imagery exercises where they mentally rehearse the behaviours.

● Encourage trainees to spend a few minutes each day visualising themselves nailing the new skills.

● Use e-learning modules with interactive scenarios that require trainees to think through the steps mentally.

Imagine you're training a group of customer service reps on how to handle difficult customer interactions. After explaining the key techniques for de-escalating a situation—like active listening, empathising, and staying calm—your learning could lead each rep through a guided imagery exercise.

● Set the Scene: Ask the trainees to close their eyes and imagine themselves at their workstation, facing a challenging customer who is upset about a product issue.

● Visualise the Interaction: Guide them through the interaction step-by-step, asking them to visualise themselves using the techniques they’ve learned. For example, “Picture the customer raising their voice. Now, see yourself taking a deep breath, maintaining eye contact, and responding with a calm, empathetic tone.”

● Reflect on the Outcome: Encourage them to visualise the positive outcome of handling the situation well—seeing the customer calm down and the issue being resolved.

After the session, encourage the reps to spend a few minutes each day at the start of their shift mentally rehearsing how they would handle various customer interactions. The idea is to make the mental practice a habit, so when they’re in a real-life scenario, their response is more natural and confident.

Extend Your Practice Time

Practice time is essential for reinforcing new skills. It’s like muscle memory—without enough practice, employees might forget what they’ve learned. Providing plenty of opportunities for practice helps ensure the new behaviours stick like glue.

To Extended Practice Time:

● Build regular practice sessions into your training schedule.

● Encourage managers to create opportunities for trainees to practice new skills during their regular work. Nothing beats on-the-job practice!

● Promote a culture of positive peer support where staff can practice and get feedback from their teammates.

You might be training a team of admin assistants on a new project management software. To ensure they fully grasp the tool and can use it effectively in their day-to-day tasks, you decide to extend their practice time beyond the initial training session.

● Session 1 walks them through key features like showing how to create and manage tasks, set deadlines, and collaborate with colleagues. They then get hands-on time to explore the software, guided by a trainer who answers questions and offers tips.

● Rather than wrapping up after the first session, you organise weekly workshops for the next month. Each session focuses on different aspects of the software, from advanced task management to integrating with other tools. These workshops provide a space for the assistants to ask questions, share their experiences, and practice using the software with new, real-life scenarios.

● You encourage the team to start using the project management software for small, real-world projects. Like managing the team calendar, or co-ordinating an internal event. This on-the-job practice helps them get comfortable using the tool in a low-pressure setting before going live as part of their workflow.

● You can pair less confident users with those who have quickly adapted to the software. Mentors can provide tips, answer questions, and help troubleshoot issues as their colleagues practice using the software.

Making your internal training sticky is about designing experiences that truly resonate with your team. Adding BMT elements can make a big difference, turning your training sessions from a forgettable chore into something that actually changes the way your team works for the better.

Need more?

If you’d like to apply BMT to your organisations e-learning and need assistance tailoring the concept to your needs, Get in touch!

About the author

Tricia Martin is an FYA Young Social Pioneer and an Australian Women Leading Tech Finalist. She also coached an Under 9’s netball team in her local community, which she thinks is just as impressive. She continually looks for ways to use technology, behavioural science and digital experiences to meet people’s needs and find people-centred solutions to messy problems. She spends her free time reading sci-fi books, scouring thrift stores and watching Buffy for the fifteenth time.

Make Your Internal Training Sticky: Maximise Behaviour Modelling Training with Effective Design Elements