Online Training : Effective Online Training for a Remote Workforce

How do you train employees in today's world of the COVID-19 remote workforce? Remote employees can be trained successfully, as a 2020 workforce is further developed. No longer in-office or sitting at the same desk daily, today's employers and employees can take advantage of online training.

Since "being on the job" has changed drastically, employers are seeking new means of remote training that engage the remote worker as employees can no longer retreat to their familiar cubicles. Even before COVID-19, it was predicted that by 2020, 50 percent of the United States workforce would be home-based, rather than office-based. New online training solutions are now required more than ever, and new technologies and strategies for implementation must be considered carefully.

Ways to Learn

Remote training offers a variety of means to meet learning needs through advanced technology and highly scalable custom solutions. Some of these solutions include:

Gamified eLearning
Serious Games
Simulations
Mobile Learning
Augmented and Virtual Reality
Training Videos
and other means

Some Things to Consider For Training

Before designing the online training, as a manager, you should take the time to get to know and understand the members of your team. Since everyone learns differently, it is worth the time to ask about their preferred learning style, frustrations regarding training, and skills they might want to enhance and develop. Taking the time to learn about your employees and the preferred ways in which they like to learn can be a huge benefit when shaping the training

As an employer, you’ll want to be prepared going in. Ask yourself, do I have budget requirements set for eLearning solutions? Determine the costs associated with remote learning that are the most beneficial for your organization and for successfully training remote employees as a happy and productive workforce.

Design your eLearning to allow remote employees time to work at their own pace, since people learn at different rates. Learning in a home environment might provide unforeseen challenges, so it is critical that employers consider those factors, rather than take a one-training-fits-all approach.

Before the training, you can prepare remote employees by sending out emails detailing what to expect. An easy sign-on process will make it simpler for employees to get needed information and access. Ensuring compatibility with a number of devices will also make it easier for remote training to be effective. Be sure to ask for feedback after the training.

Training should be a part of the company culture, with ongoing occurrences. Many employees seek opportunities for development and learning as they grow their careers. This is often why an employee may leave one job for another that will provide them with more opportunities for growth. Remote employees are no different. They also want growth opportunities available to them.

Your team is not just a machine to train online to work for the company; you will do well to encourage, promote, and assist with the advancement of their careers. Find out what skills they need and what areas they wish to develop; then implement training opportunities in those areas.

Some Benefits of eLearning for Business

According to Cascade Business News, eLearning has been very successful. In the past, it made training easier; in today's world of COVID-19, it is a necessity.

It allows for faster delivery of information, as employees can learn from anywhere, at any time. A group of people no longer needs to gather in one place. Learners can choose the time and place to complete the training when it is convenient for them, unlike traditional methods.

Remote training is cost-effective for businesses. A venue and trainer are no longer needed, as the needs are focused on a particular learner. Real-time feedback can be attained, where a more personalized experience is offered.

It can be more effective, as new ways of learning and interactive approaches, such as gamification, are employed. Studying textbooks is no longer a requirement for remote employees.

Things to Remember

An LMS should be available, no matter what the connectivity, especially if learners reside in remote areas without widespread cellular coverage. Access from any device is critical for accessibility.

Video learning is a great tool, and an effective one that many organizations utilize as a permanent resource with access available wherever they are. Mobile, as well as laptop devices, should be able to be deployed for remote learning.

The era of COVID-19 and working from home has created more challenges as well as opportunities for organizations to ramp up their online training. Prior studies have shown that for employees, working from home has a positive effect on productivity, employee engagement, and even happiness. In spite of this, the challenge remains with you, the employers, to create effective and engaging eLearning opportunities that are welcomed by your workforce.

You can begin the process of discovering your blueprint for eLearning with a Needs Analysis. It is done with an analysis of your audience traits, their current skills and knowledge, your training goals for the project, and the technical requirements for the final output.

Next Steps

If you are not sure where to start, we’d love for you to begin your online training journey with our team. Contact us today to see what options are best to enhance your remote employee training and development strategies.