Tips For Working Remotely: How To Develop An Effective Online Training Strategy
Every team needs an effective game plan to stay motivated and hold themselves accountable. Your remote workforce is no exception. And managers are charged with the difficult task of developing staffer skills, broadening their knowledge, and building core competencies. But what do you do if outbreaks, natural disasters, or other emergencies force you out of the workplace? How can you maintain a solid L&D strategy when business is anything but usual? The solution is to move your training online and use learning technologies to boost employee engagement. These tips for working remotely can help you address the following 9 components in your virtual training strategy.
Smart Ways To Keep Employees Engaged When Working Remotely
1. Employee Online Training
Employee online training is a big L&D umbrella. I know it can seem daunting to tackle every topic and task when your staff is geographically dispersed. However, a mobile-friendly cloud LMS can help you implement learner-centered virtual training that’s easily accessible. It should feature robust reports to track employee progress as well as web conferencing support so that you’re able to host engaging live events. Lastly, let your employees create their own schedules. Outline all the essential tasks they must complete and encourage them to set personal milestones and knowledge checkpoints.
2. Online Training ROI
One of the best tips for working remotely is to always keep your teams engaged and productive. What better way to do that than offering valuable training and evaluating your results. Training returns are always a factor in employee development. Staffers must possess the necessary skills and know-how. But the virtual training strategy must also benefit your bottom line. Thus, it’s a balancing act between their personal goals and your business objectives. One of the most effective ways to boost ROI is to launch a user-generated online training library. Invite employees to contribute their own online training content while working from home. You can also use online training resources, such as guides and video demos, to widen your profit margin.
3. Employee Performance
How do you manage employee performance if there’s no way to observe employees on the job or host on-site training sessions? The solution is real-world activities that test practical application and identify hidden gaps. These qualitative online training assessments don’t just gauge how much they know, but the quality and breadth of their knowledge. Can they use newfound skills to improve customer service scores? Are there performance habits they need to break in order to seal the deal?
4. Skills Training
When talking about the best tips for working remotely, one has to remember that we must keep evolving. So, skills training should be the number one priority across your workforce. Employees must be able to refresh and reinforce skills in cloud-based learning. Particularly skills that are contextual and real-world centered. For example, honing their active listening abilities requires another person. Inner dialogue tends to be a bit one-sided. You can cultivate these talents with social learning and simulation-based training. Recommend online demo videos or webinars that show relevant skills in action so they can improve performance behaviors, such as leaning the right/wrong way to apply negotiation skills on the job.
5. Leadership Development
Leadership development is a two-fold process for managers. You must use virtual training tools to hone your own skills, as well as support emerging leaders within the team, for example, supervisors or top performers who are on the management fast track. Certification paths are ideal because they outline all the steps involved based on personal areas for improvement. They also help leaders track their progress and stick to a more structured schedule when working from home.
6. Gamification
Investing in a cloud LMS with gamification support is a must for employee motivation. They earn badges and points that tie in to performance behaviors or they move up the leaderboard. But these game mechanics also help you monitor their core competencies and identify holes in your virtual training strategy. Half of your remote workforce is still missing that product knowledge badge. Is there an underlying issue with the online training content? Do they lack the necessary support tools, like demo videos that showcase all the selling points?
7. Personalized Learning
How do you tackle personalized learning when everyone has diverse training requirements and preferences? Online training course catalogs, JIT support online training libraries, and optional certification paths are a great place to start. You should also consider live recap events to gather everyone’s eLearning feedback and adjust online training courses accordingly. There are even AI Learning Management Systems that automatically recommend online training resources or courses based on past training performance.
8. Employee Engagement
The (multi) million-dollar question is how do you get your employees to actively engage with the online training content? You’ve uploaded all the necessary virtual training tools, host weekly webinars, and continually update your microlearning repository. But you can’t force them to participate. The secret to employee engagement is emotional connectivity. Use gamification, personal anecdotes, real-world examples, and group collabs to make them feel, put everything into context, and show them how the online training ties into their job roles and responsibilities.
9. Peer-Based Support
Everyone is in the same proverbial boat, working from home, contending with isolation and everyday stressors. Thus, peer-based support is essential to boost morale and keep employees connected. This may be in the form of discussion boards, group projects, social media groups, or even employee hosted events. Managers must serve as moderators to spark conversation when boards go silent and ensure that everyone’s voice is heard. Set some ground rules so that everyone knows the rules of peer engagement and how to participate. You should also provide them a list of all the peer-based support tools and coaches at their disposal.
How To Work Remotely And Maintain High Performance
Managers must always lead by example and get their team on board. However, extenuating circumstances may force them to play an even larger role in employee training. For example, they step in for online instructors and host workshops and webinars. Or use their expertise to develop online training content for the JIT library. Another key concern is holding staffers accountable and boosting their motivation. It’s difficult to focus on skill-building when there are so many distractions at home. But an effective manager knows how to inspire and engage their team with personalized support. I hope you found these tips for working remotely useful.
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.