How To Boost The Engagement Of Your Remote Workforce
Most employees relish the idea of bypassing the morning commute and clocking in from the comfort of their living room. However, the novelty of wearing pajamas to work wears off rapidly and their attention starts to wander. While some find it difficult to focus on the task at hand, others might miss co-worker comradery. Fortunately, there is a way to turn the tides and re-engage your geographically dispersed team. In fact, it may even be an opportunity to seize new online training opportunities that weren’t available before, such as exploring new tasks, broadening their skills, and bridging hidden knowledge gaps. Here are 8 things to consider for employee engagement when your team suddenly has to work from home.
1. Live Events Bring Everyone Into The Fold
Web conferencing software opens a whole new branch of online training. Host live events and workshops that target specific performance issues or impart tips and tricks to build vital skills employees need on the job. One of the significant benefits of live training sessions is that they facilitate two-way dialogue. Employees who work remotely still interact with peers and online instructors from afar. They may not be able to get within one meter of each other, but video conferencing brings them face-to-face.
2. Virtual Classrooms Offer The Best Of Both L&D Worlds
Virtual classrooms and VILT sessions provide structure without sacrificing flexibility. They log in to the platform at the appointed time to participate in lively discussions, watch presentations, and ask pressing questions. It’s all done through the video conferencing software and/or LMS with virtual meeting tools built-in. The online instructor can also follow up with home assignments such as self-assessments or simulations that foster practical application.
3. Gamification Boosts Motivation And Tracks Online Training Progress
Another crucial component that many employees miss when they work from home is friendly competition, being able to show off their achievements and compete against peers, which also allows them to test their own limits. A gamification LMS improves motivation and enables them to monitor their online training performance. Badges, leaderboards, and levels are just a few game mechanics you can employ to motivate and inspire your remote workforce. You can also incorporate serious games for quick doses of edutainment.
4. Employee Contributed Content Improves Retention And Relatability
There are numerous reasons to launch a user-generated library for virtual training. It reduces development costs, taps into internal expertise, and boosts employee engagement. However, it also has the added benefit of knowledge retention, active recall, and relatability. Employees must sum up the key concepts in their own words to develop JIT support tools. In the process, they uncover hidden knowledge gaps and put their tech skills to the test. The finished product is realistic and relatable for their peers because it’s based on firsthand experience. The challenges and topics resonate with them since they’ve gone through similar situations on the job.
5. Peer-Based Support Fosters Emotional Connectivity
Emotions are the crux of engagement. Employees must be able to find meaning in online training and see how it connects with their lives. Peer-based support, such as coaching and mentoring, forms this bond. It allows them to share their experiences, learn from peer mistakes, and evaluate topics from different perspectives while working from home. This may be in the form of groups, projects, discussion boards, or live events. Just make sure you have a moderator who can keep the conversation on-topic and occasionally post discussion-starters.
6. Resource Libraries Provide Discreet And Mobile Performance Management
Necessity is often a catalyst for employee training participants. They encounter a problem or personal pain point, which prompts them to seek answers. Implement a resource online training library for JIT support and remote Performance Management. They can focus on tasks or skills that matter most to them, talents or competencies they need to improve productivity and proficiency. Look for an offline LMS that supports downloadable content so that everyone can join the L&D fun.
7. Real-World Activities Bring Back Practical Application
Something that’s often missing when employees work remotely is practical application. They master all the theories, policies, and compliance protocols. But how do these training topics pertain to their jobs? Real-world activities give them the opportunity to put their knowledge to good use, even if they’re away from the office/sales floor. This might be VR or AR training activities as well as stories, simulations, and branching scenarios that drive the point home—pun intended. The goal is to expose them to real-world challenges so that they don’t let their mental muscles or problem-solving skills lapse.
8. Use Online Training Resources To Personalize And Increase Profit Margins
A great way to populate your new LMS quickly is to curate online training content, such as videos, online training tutorials, webinars, and guides from reliable sources. This also stretches available online training resources, since you don’t have to create these assets internally. Another option is to hire an eLearning content provider to develop custom support tools or even off-the-shelf online training solutions that have everything you need to rapidly deploy your virtual training strategy. For example, one that covers all the core subject matter and you can integrate your own branding elements.
Launching an online training program with skill-building resources and team-building activities is just the beginning. Employees must be ready and willing to participate in the online training experience to get the most benefit from personalized resources instead of letting their skills and talents remain stagnant. Working from home may take them out of their element, but it also opens the door to new online training opportunities, events, activities, and social learning experiments that engage them on an emotional level and highlight areas for improvement.
Organizations are in need of innovative solutions in order to overcome the challenges of remote working and retain the high quality of their L&D program. The eBook Remote Work And Virtual Training In Aid Of Corporations Worldwide provides insightful tips and secrets on how virtual training can help you keep your team engaged and still achieve your business objectives. Find out how investing in virtual training solutions can eliminate the stress and facilitate the transition to working remotely.
