Using Neuroscience for More Effective L&D

with Stella Collins

Stressors
Stressor Suggested Solution

Include clear instructions about time and place.

Digital links to location, suggestions for transport,
Am I in the right place at the right time?
etc. A photo of the venue helps people to recognize
it when they arrive.

Make sure they have access to refreshments

and services. Agree early on the housekeeping
People may feel tired, hungry, or needing the arrangements, and if someone leaves to go the
bathroom bathroom, don’t comment. Provide healthy snacks
and drinks in the training space. Fruit and water is
great. Explain times for breaks, etc.

Do not do an awkward icebreaker where they have

to speak up. Instead organize a relevant activity
in pairs or threes as people arrive so they get to
Some people are nervous of meeting new people
know someone else quickly. Introduce them and
encourage them to wear name badges so they can
see names—wear one yourself.

Reassure people that they will get support and

Concerns about the training—will they have to give
your job is to make it OK for everyone. Introduce
a presentation?
presentations or role play gradually, e.g., in groups.

Prompt people to inform you before the training

Potential disabilities, dietary or medical needs and make it clear you are open, approachable and
flexible if something arises you weren’t aware of.

You have no control over these. Your choices are

to make the learning as engaging as possible and
External events at home or work that are causing
diverting their attention, addressing the issues if
concern
relevant to the training, or as a last resort giving
someone time/permission to go and deal with it.

Give people choices about where to sit, what to do

The environment is too hot, cold, noisy, etc. about the environment. Do your best to change or
vary it.

Make the atmosphere different to school, university,

Fear of classroom situations etc. Groups of roundtables are less threatening than
rows or boardroom-style layouts.

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Lack of confidence in speaking up in a group
Encourage people to talk in pairs before sharing
with the whole group. It gives people a chance
to test out their ideas with one another first. As
people become more comfortable with each other,
encourage everyone to speak up at some point.

Offer "taster" sessions or clinics to help people feel

Fear of technology
confident.

You usually won’t have to address this directly but

Mental health issues be aware there may be issues. Being respectful and
offering choices may help reduce stress.

Promote a growth mindset—your role is to ensure

Concerns about testing or failing they do well. Learning is a journey and not only
about testing.

Never single out one person to do something in

front of everyone. Always ask for volunteers. Ask
Many people don’t like role play for x volunteers where x is the number in the room;
some people can be observers or notetakers. Don’t
call it role play—call it skills practice or similar.

Here is a useful list of general recommendations to help minimize stress.

Before

• Make contact so people know there is support, for example, personalize invitations, email, phone
• Coach the organization/sponsor to avoid words like “mandatory”—”essential” and “important” are less
threatening
• Value knowledge or information people already have; particularly important with “required” training,
for those who’ve done it before
• Empathize with concerns people have and build rapport; the sales technique “feel, felt, found” can help
Example: “I appreciate you feel frustrated about attending this health and safety training when you’ve
done it before. Other people with your level of experience have also felt the same way. They’ve found their
knowledge helped others and legislation has moved on, so they learned something new too.”

During face-to-face training

• Make the initial environment as welcoming as possible

• Pay regular attention to the environment
• Apologize sincerely once for problems, then move on
• Have backup plans if equipment doesn’t work
• Refer to the purpose regularly

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 • Listen fully to individuals—even if you know you’ve heard it before, you haven’t heard it from that
person’s perspective
• Value all contributions, even if you have to work with the meaning to make sense of what has been said
• Be vigilant about body language—manage yours and watch for messages of theirs
• Don’t criticise, argue, or put people on the spot
Digital or remote learning

• Provide easy access support so people can get help when required
• Keep sessions short to reduce overload
• Pay attention to the user experience

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