Making it Stick: 5 Tips for Introducing New Software in the Workplace

So you’ve completed the implementation of a new software tool and you’re excited to get started, but how to do you make sure that all of your hard work isn’t lost?

Adoption of new software can be tough on an organization and you want to succeed!

Here’s a checklist we compiled to help ensure your organization is engaged, whether you’re introducing online performance appraisals with Trakstar or something different altogether.

These tips consist of a few things our support team encounters frequently. Knowing them in advance will help you make a difference when introducing new software in the workplace.

• Make sure you have communicated information about the new system to your organization. New things often receive push back. Highlight the ease and efficiency of the new software. The more frequently someone hears about a new tool and the positive reasons for using it, the more excited they will be to try it out.

• Share training materials with employees and managers often-and in as many places as possible. Use various channels for communication to reach all of your audiences. Introduce the new program in a team meeting, email training materials and post announcements in shared place. Pro-Tip for Trakstar customers: check out our PDF Employee and Manager Quick Start Guides.

• Set clear expectations about what needs to be done and provide a schedule. Does each user know what they should be doing? What should be their first clicks inside the new tool? Pro-Tip for Trakstar customers: Make sure users know if they are expected to add a goal or start scoring their appraisal and why it is important. 

• Ensure engagement by reviewing usage of the software and following up with slow adopters. Re-train as necessary. Pro-Tip for Trakstar customers: Check the status of your performance appraisals to ensure that no one is  getting behind.

• Attend free webinars provided by the software company and consult support articles for extra help. Pro-Tip for Trakstar customers: Check out our upcoming webinars or review recorded versions from the support page.

As CX Managers at Trakstar, we have the opportunity to work with a variety of organizations across the globe. The feedback that we’ve collected along the way, in addition to industry trends, have all contributed to the checklist above. Whether you’re introducing Trakstar’s online performance appraisals or other software into your organization, we believe that keeping this information in mind will set you up for success in your first year and many more to come!

Cheers to making it Stick!