It is important that trainers not take such conduct personally. The employees involved are merely rallying against whoever mandated their presence at the training session. Resistance to Training Resistance to training can stem from a number of factors, including the educational nature of the process, the specific topic being presented, the current skill sets of the participants, the personality mix present in the room, or even the perceived competence of the instructor. Many employees may not have been in a structured learning environment since high school. While supervisors traditionally have more exposure to training activities, production workers tend to be slightly more intimidated at the prospect of returning to the classroom.
Employees usually develop personal relationships with their co-workers.
Whether the company has adopted a team approach or has maintained a hierarchial arrangement, most employees interact with each other constantly throughout the workday and some even socialize after hours. It is essential for trainers to recognize this natural anxiety and take steps to ensure that everyone feels comfortable and relaxed. This type of atmosphere is necessary for trainees to be open to new ideas, concepts and skills. Participants in a corporate training session can change from enthusiastic, eager learners to defensive, intimidated trouble-makers in a matter of minutes if the instructor fails to correctly monitor the response to each training activity. Resistance to training tends to be manifest as either unresponsive or disruptive behavior.