3.4 Evaluate strategies to overcome barriers to learning and development of digital skills that may exist within the workforce

This guide will help you answer 3.4 Evaluate strategies to overcome barriers to learning and development of digital skills that may exist within the workforce.

Digital skills are now part of daily work in adult care. Workers need technical skills for digital care records, communication software, and online training. Improving these skills raises service quality, saves time, and meets standards set by regulators. Many barriers can still prevent workers from developing digital skills. Leaders must find ways to spot and reduce these barriers.

This guide covers the different barriers and then explain clear strategies to tackle each one.

What are Digital Skills Barriers?

Barriers to digital learning and development can take several forms. Some relate to the individual, while others relate to the workplace or technology:

• Low confidence or anxiety
• Lack of access to digital equipment
• Poor internet connection
• Limited time for training during shifts
• Language differences
• Physical disabilities
• Unclear expectations
• Limited digital culture in the workplace

These barriers can stop staff from taking part in training or using technology at work. Identifying the causes helps teams put in place suitable plans.

Providing Practical and Personalised Training

Staff come from diverse backgrounds. Training should match individual starting points. Some staff have never used computers at work, while others use smartphones daily. Offering flexible, hands-on training improves confidence. Staff often learn best by doing, not just reading or watching videos.

Organisations can:

• Run drop-in sessions or digital clinics
• Pair staff with digital ‘buddies’ for support
• Use real-life scenarios from daily work
• Allow practice time on devices

Using plain language in training and showing patience when staff need explanations encourages participation. Some may feel embarrassed to admit a lack of skill. Managers should create a supportive atmosphere to encourage questions.

Improving Access to Devices and Internet

Some staff cannot develop digital skills if they do not have reliable access to devices or the internet. This may affect agency staff, those working remotely, or those on night shifts.

Steps to improve access include:

• Providing shared laptops or tablets
• Offering staff WIFI access on site
• Loaning devices to staff for learning at home
• Scheduling sessions in computer rooms

Managers may monitor device use to avoid bottlenecks or waiting times. This shows fairness and keeps learning available.

Making Time for Digital Learning

Workloads in adult care can be heavy. Often, digital training is treated as extra work. Staff may feel too pressured to attend, or may skip learning sessions to meet care needs.

Leaders can address this by:

• Setting protected time for digital learning
• Rotating staff to release time without care tasks
• Including digital skills in supervisions and appraisals
• Recognising learning as paid work, even if completed out of regular hours

This signals to staff that digital skill development is valuable and expected.

Supporting Different Learning Styles

Staff learn in many ways: reading, watching, doing, discussing. Some learn quickly through visual tools, while others need to repeat tasks.

Improving engagement means offering:

• Written guides and step-by-step instructions
• Interactive workshops
• Online video tutorials
• Peer-sharing meetings

Tailoring delivery helps staff with lower literacy, or those who speak English as a second language. Translating guides or using symbols can remove these barriers.

Tackling Low Confidence and Anxiety

Digital skills training can raise anxiety—people may fear making mistakes, losing data, or ‘breaking’ equipment. Past negative experiences with technology can increase this worry.

Managers can support staff by:

• Normalising mistakes in learning
• Using positive feedback and reward
• Building a culture of shared learning
• Including digital champions in teams for encouragement

Regular practice and supportive supervision help reduce this anxiety over time.

Adjusting for Physical or Cognitive Needs

Some staff experience physical barriers—issues with vision, dexterity, or memory. For example, arthritis may affect typing, or dyslexia may slow reading on screens.

Reasonable adjustments can include:

• Larger screens
• Speech-to-text software
• Screen readers
• Ergonomic keyboards or mouse alternatives
• Clear, consistent screen layouts

Instruction sheets with clear visuals suit many learning needs. Checking what each staff member finds accessible is the first step.

Creating a Supportive Digital Culture

An organisational culture that values digital skills means digital learning is not just a one-off. Encouragement from managers, sharing achievements, and regular updates can make digital learning part of everyday work. Staff trust the process when leaders also embrace learning.

Ways to nurture this culture include:

• ‘Digital skills’ themes in staff meetings
• Celebrating examples of digital problem-solving
• Recognising digital skill improvements during appraisals
• Encouraging two-way feedback about tech rollouts

Cultural barriers shrink when leaders share clear reasons for change and give ongoing support after new systems launch.

Addressing Language and Communication Barriers

Language differences can make digital learning tough. Complex instructions in unfamiliar terms cause confusion. Digital jargon needs to be reduced or explained clearly.

Strategies include:

• Using supported language with simple instructions
• Translation of key training materials
• Using diagrams, pictures, and real examples
• Providing bilingual staff support where possible

Sites can also encourage peer teaching among colleagues with shared languages.

Avoiding Information Overload

Trying to teach too much at once can overwhelm staff. Digital learning should introduce new skills in short chunks. Each topic should have a clear aim.

Practical steps:

• Break training into modules
• Use basic and advanced options
• Provide short refresher sessions
• Check understanding by asking staff to demonstrate new skills

Regular check-ins allow managers to see where staff need extra help. This makes ongoing support possible.

Alignment with Policies and Legislation

All digital learning and development must follow current rules for data safety and professional standards. Training must include:

• How to handle, store, and share information safely
• Password best practice
• Social media use in relation to privacy
• Recognising fake requests or security threats

Following these policies keeps people safe and builds staff confidence.

Monitoring Progress and Adapting Strategies

Once strategies are in place, monitoring progress matters. Managers can track:

• Staff attendance at digital sessions
• Skills assessment scores
• Daily use of digital records
• Feedback from staff on confidence and barriers

Regular review lets leaders adjust support as needed. This avoids wasted time or effort and shows that staff feedback is valued.

Leadership Qualities for Digital Learning

Leaders play a big role in this process. Staff watch how they adapt to and use digital tools. Leading by example, showing patience, and being open about their own learning needs encourages the team.

Good leaders:

• Are visible during digital training
• Ask staff what works and what does not
• Share their own digital successes and challenges
• Accept that change takes time

They support everyone to move forward together.

Involving Stakeholders in Overcoming Barriers

Other people impact digital learning beyond care staff. These include people using services, families, and external professionals. Leaders should keep everyone informed about why digital skills matter.

Approaches include:

• Involving families in digital learning sessions
• Sharing simple guides with people using services
• Working with technology companies on tailored solutions
• Using feedback from all groups to guide improvements

Inclusion builds support for new initiatives.

Example: Applying These Strategies in Practice

Consider a supported living service looking to introduce electronic medication administration records (eMAR).

Barriers:

• Senior staff may lack confidence with new software
• Night staff struggle to attend training
• Some care workers have limited English
• Older staff have never used tablets before
• There is only one tablet per shift

Strategies Used:

• Drop-in sessions with a digital champion for hands-on eMAR demos
• Extra tablets provided so staff can practise when not on shift
• Printed step-by-step guides in multiple languages
• Short, focused training during staff meetings
• Recognition for staff who demonstrate improvement
• Regular supervision questions about eMAR use and challenges

These actions helped the team grow in confidence. Errors decreased. Staff began using eMAR comfortably in daily work.

Final Thoughts

Evaluation means checking if the actions taken actually work. Use staff feedback, retention of digital learning, and how smoothly new technology is embedded. Look for improvements in:

• Staff confidence
• Reduced mistakes in records
• Staff feedback on ease of use
• Fewer requests for technical support

Adapting strategies by reviewing results makes digital learning effective for all, no matter their starting point.

In summary, overcoming barriers to digital learning and development in adult care is possible through practical, inclusive strategies and strong leadership.