Amazing Ways To Improve Your External Partner Online Training Course
The gig economy and Millennials have normalized telecommuting for jobs that were previously office-based. But even before that, there were positions that required you to largely remain off-site. These included franchises, sales positions, field researchers, and regional branches. Because you didn’t, and don’t, see these staffers every day, you may forget to include them in basic office tasks. They might be overlooked for training opportunities and job advancement. You’ll probably forget their birthday and may even neglect their job appraisal, contract renewal, or salary review. How can you adjust their partner online training course and embrace their, sometimes unseen, role on the team?
6 Tried-And-Tested To Enhance Your External Partner Online Training Course
1. Closed Social Media Groups
We’re all fairly familiar with social media, and your preferred platform is a fairly accurate indicator of your age. Baby boomers love Facebook, Xennials are on Twitter and Telegram. Millennials use Tumblr and Snapchat, while iGen is drawn to Instagram and TikTok. We all use WhatsApp, so that’s a workable compromise. It doesn’t take up too much bandwidth, though it can be murder on your battery. And because it’s primarily used on smartphones, it’s accessible wherever there’s a mobile signal. It’s an established part of our daily lives and is already our default communication tool in social set-ups. It makes sense to repurpose it for work-based training and communication. Plus, it’s instant and technically free. Create a closed group with a trainer as admin and ground rules that entice active participation.
2. Microlearning Libraries
Self-directed training is the most effective type for adults. It’s also the most realistic option for employees who aren’t physically based at head office. Their remote posting or mobile role means it can be hard to synchronize training sessions. For this type of learner, on-demand resources are a better training tool than structured virtual classes. This doesn’t mean your course is redundant. It just means reformatting can be helpful. Review your training content and summarize the key points, recreating them as infographics and how-to videos. Think of them as the 30-second or two-minute version of your content. They’re not comprehensive, but they’ll do in an emergency. Give employees offline access to these databases. They can use them even if they’re, literally, driving in the middle of nowhere to close a sale.
3. Extended Enterprise LMS
Learning Management Systems are generally centralized, for data security purposes. However, there are Learning Management Systems developed specifically for remote workers. Extended enterprise products exhibit features like portability, expanded reach, and streamlined training. It facilitates the tracking of your staff and their assets, like cars, devices, etc. It’s cheaper than calling in your field staff for periodical workshops and seminars. It can be especially helpful for distribution teams and franchises. Aside from a partner online training course, it’s an effective communication tool. It can provide one-touch product updates and disseminate real-time memos to field staff. Possibly its most important benefit is collaboration and inclusion. It creates a sense of cohesion, making your external partners feel like valued members of the team.
4. Awards And Recognition Systems
Programs like ‘staffer of the week’ or ‘employee of the month’ might seem silly. But for many workers, this kind of acknowledgment holds merit. Raises, promotions, and bonuses are great, but they’re not sustainable. After all, you can’t change someone’s job title every week, and salary reviews are annual at best. Keep your team motivated with mini-goals and micro-targets they can brag about. It’s especially helpful for staffers based elsewhere. You only see them in person periodically, so it can be hard for you and for them to gauge their effectiveness. Incorporating tasks in your partner online training content and awarding badges can help. It puts in-house staff, remote colleagues, and external partners on an even training field, validating them with uniform measures and metrics.
5. Incorporate Self-Assessments
Self-evaluations give external partners the ability to spot gaps on their own and reflect on their performance. They don’t have to rely on formal assessments and can figure out the best course of actions based on their strengths and weaknesses. For example, include pop quizzes that center on skills or product knowledge for your sales team. Follow it up with feedback and personalized recommendations.
6. Survey Them Early And Often
Surveys serve two purposes. The first is to gather feedback in partner online training so that you can continually improve. The second is to give partners a sense of ownership. They know that their opinions count and that your organization values their insights. They are not just outsiders who don’t carry any clout but valued members of the team. Yet another way you can incorporate surveys is to personalize their training paths. Ask them which activities they want to use, what gaps they need to fill, and which goals they hope to achieve. Then use the findings to customize their plan and make it more beneficial.
Conclusion
Organizational partners based elsewhere are a bit like your kids in college. You love, value, and pay them, but you sometimes forget their existence on a day-to-day basis. Out of sight, out of mind means you might forget to restock their favorite cereal. Or praise them for a job well done. Use digital training tools to keep your off-premises workers happy and well-equipped to do their job. Form closed social media groups, preferably on WhatsApp, for real-time communication. Develop keyword-based digital libraries for JIT training. Invest in high quality extended enterprise LMS. Incorporate badges and awards in your course for validation and bragging rights. Make your external partners feel they’re part of the team.
Setting up an extended enterprise LMS is just one step in external partner training. First, you need to choose the best system in your price range. Visit our online directory to find an extended enterprise LMS to train your external partners and stay within budget.
