How to Efficiently Train a Remote Workforce

In an ever-changing world, making the transition to remote employees is becoming more common. It saves companies a great deal of overhead when they don’t need a large office space. It’s also a way to accommodate staff with more flexibility. Employees can find a better balance between family and work life when they are able to work out of the home. Workers are more satisfied and comfortable when they are in an inviting environment. You can’t create a workplace that is better than home. Whether you have been forced to switch to a remote strategy or it is your choice, learn how to efficiently train your remote workforce to improve performance.

Stress the Importance of Being Professional

One of the biggest pitfalls of working from home is becoming too comfortable. Your employees need to treat their home office with the same degree of professionalism as they would when coming into work. They should keep the same hours they normally would. Breaks should not be extended. Casual clothing should not be the norm. This especially holds true when your staff is working through video platforms online with clients or for training. Give your remote employees plenty of notice about a training session that will involve a live video. They should make sure they have dressed appropriately, their workspace at home is presentable, and there are no outside distractions. This is not the time for the kids to be playing in the next room while employees are supposed to be concentrating on learning new techniques or an e learning strategy.

Less is More

Go with short and sweet training sessions when possible. If you can hold several training opportunities that run an hour or less instead of one full day of training, you are more likely to get better results. You can also choose different modes of delivery. While a live session is best when employees are able to interact with a trainer, recorded training is helpful as well. Pre-recorded sessions allow your employees to find the best time in their schedules to complete training. They can also return to the recordings as needed when they need to refresh their skills.

Capture Your Employees’ Attention

You cannot pick someone boring when you are training your staff online. Tap into team members in your workforce who crackle with vitality. You need more than someone who is skilled at a particular aspect of the job. A trainer needs to make the session come to life. If you are hiring someone to come in, connect with companies that concentrate on remote staff development. Ask for a preview of training opportunities to make sure you get what you want for your workforce.

Make Sure Your Staff Has the Right Tools at Home

Before your employees can engage in remote training, they need to be prepared. In addition to having a laptop, send out supplemental materials as needed. Your employees may need to engage in hands-on work during the training. It shouldn’t be up to them to round up their supplies.

Ask for Feedback

Once your employees have completed their remote training, ask for their input. Find out what worked well for them. Ask for areas of improvement. Ask your employees if they will be able to apply it to their daily work in order to be better at what they do. Don’t forget to ask your staff numbers what they want. If training sessions don’t seem to have any point, it isn’t going to make a difference on the job. Your staff will feel much more invested in what they are learning if it matters to them.

Training your staff always poses challenges. You can’t throw new information at your employees without preparation. Think about timing and when you think it will be most productive. You may get the best results if you choose the end of the workweek as opposed to the beginning. Determine if your employees need monthly sessions or if you can spread them out throughout the year. Recognize the need to educate your staff properly when you are rolling out changes in your company. You can’t give your staff a brand new platform without showing them how to use it. Put them at ease by giving them the skills they need to thrive.