More than 50% of the entire workforce hold remote and telecommuting positions. While these positions are becoming popular due to their flexibility, versatility, and work/life balance, they also come with a few distinct challenges. Learning how to properly train this workforce — from the onboarding process to regular training sessions — can be a challenge, particularly when your team members live thousands of miles away in different time zones. However, this doesn’t mean it can’t work. Here are several proven tips for training your remote workforce:
Five Training Tips for Your Remote Workforce
1. Be Diverse
Many online resources, such as videos, webinars, and even podcasts, can help you easily train and communicate with your entire team. Find the methods that work best for your team members’ needs. If video conferences work well, that’s excellent, but don’t use them exclusively. Individuals learn via different methods and tools. Diversity of mediums will encourage these learning styles and prevent boredom.
2. Don’t Waste Time
Keep your trainings short. Don’t try to cram too much information into one meeting. If trainings are consistently long, your employees will begin to dread them and may even find excuses not to attend. In addition, you will begin to lose their attention, making the meetings ineffective. Keep in mind that humans have shorter attention spans than goldfish. When planning your training, think about the most important information to relay to your employees. Focus on that first, moving on to additional topics only if time allows.
3. Be Convenient
A common challenge when training a remote team is scheduling. Finding a time in which everyone can meet is very difficult due to different time zones, inconsistent work hours, and regularly scheduled meetings. If this is a struggle for your workforce, look for training methods that allow team members to receive information according to their own schedules. For example, employees can download pre-recorded trainings and podcasts onto digital devices and access them while eating lunch or riding buses. Be willing to branch out; don’t cling to old-school training methods.
4. Consistency Is Key
Irregular trainings provide little benefit. Aim to hold a training session at least once a month. Even if you have no new policies, processes, or tasks to discuss, utilize the time for regular discussions about topics that can bring your team together and help develop camaraderie.
Don’t push remote training sessions to the bottom of your to-do list. By keeping the above tips in mind, you can create effective, successful, and motivational training sessions that every member of your remote workforce will enjoy.
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