Remote work might just be the new normal. 2017 State of Remote Work stated that companies with remote workers experience 25% less turnover. Companies that are unwilling to pay steep rehiring costs can appreciate it.
12 best practices for training remote employees
76% of workers feel that they would appreciate their current employer more if they had flexible hours. Remote work can be an effective solution. However, remote work training is important for the learning and development of the employees. The following remote training strategies and practices can change the game.
- Set short-term goals
Remote employees benefit from having a set plan and a list of goals. Completing short-term objectives will give them a sense of achievement. - Use the latest technologies
You can enhance remote employee training with the help of digital e-learning tools. - Recognize the strengths and weaknesses of your employees
You can identify the skill gaps and customize the training accordingly. Virtual class training and knowledge platforms are helpful. - Be responsive
If you are invested in your employees and provide them with unconditional support, you will notice an improvement in their productivity. - Monitor progress regularly
To know whether your remote virtual training is successful, you must monitor the team’s productivity regularly and make adjustments to the training accordingly. - Mobile learning
Mobile learning is the future because of its accessibility. The mobile learning market was worth $27.32 billion by the end of 2019 – and the pandemic has only improved its prospects. Now, you can use mobile learning materials to drive engagement among your employees. - Transparent communication
Responsiveness and honesty are the cornerstones of remote work training. The learning process will be much more effective with transparent communication. - Focus on the goals
As long as your employees achieve their goals and are productive, do not worry about their process. - Document the training
If you document the learning process, you can create an accessible learning archive that can be easily archived later on.
Remote virtual training tips
You can follow these tips for remote job training:
- Create a schedule
You will find that employees are more active and responsive when they can follow a consistent training schedule. Being transparent with them will increase engagement. Make sure that everyone has access to the learning materials at a convenient time and date. - Follow a checklist
Before your first remote training session, you can make a checklist so that you can execute all your duties. Having an agenda will help you remember all the essential steps and be responsible. - Appoint remote training support
When it comes to virtual training, technical assistance is a must. Members of your IT support team can help to support the session by attending to disruptions. Inform them beforehand so they can be ready to help. - Over-communication is better
When communicating with remote employees, it does not hurt to be extra careful. Send them information about the training session ahead of time. Discuss your goals for the meeting and share any important links. An online facilitator can help cover any communication gaps. - Establish rules
Remote staff can also benefit from having a few ground rules. Convey your expectations from the learners so that the training is effective. The onus is on you to increase engagement by providing exciting content. Schedule check-ins and give assignments so that everyone remains attentive during class.
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How to support remote employees?
A recent Gartner poll found that 90% of HR leaders are willing to allow remote work in 2021, even after vaccines become more accessible. 42% of employees who have the option to work remotely want to do it more often in the next five years. To ensure that your remote employees deliver their best performance, you must be supportive and flexible in your remote training methods.
- Ensure that your employees are comfortable
You can encourage your employees to be open and honest about their concerns and challenges. If they are having trouble adjusting to this alternative work model, be supportive and answer their questions, so they are more confident. Organize remote workshops to give them essential information. - Provide equipment
Remote work is heavily dependent on technology. Providing your remote staff with hardware equipment is important for them to communicate and collaborate virtually. Give them some time to get used to online exchanges. - Develop relationships based on trust
Trusting your employees is the best way to enhance their performance. As a manager, it can be difficult to manage work in the physical absence of your employees, but micromanagement is not the solution. Instead, you can communicate your expectations and give them responsibilities to track their performance from afar. - Remind them of organizational values
Employees in 2021 want to know that their employers will support them during crises. Companies can outline their employee support policies and constantly reinforce them so that the staff feels secure. - Set fixed objectives
When it comes to remote work, objectives can help to motivate employees and increase greater engagement levels. They want to feel confident about their work being important to the company’s progress. Remember to focus on the outputs instead of the processes.
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How to be a successful remote employee?
Professional development for remote workers is impossible unless the workers make an effort. These are the best ways to be a successful remote employee.
- Communicate frequently
Since you are not in the physical presence of your employees, you must rely on virtual collaboration tools. Communication is one of the best skills to learn to work remotely. Become familiar with your team’s habits and share your progress with them over virtual meetings or calls. Your team will be your support system so make an effort to develop healthy relationships with your co-workers.
- Have expectations from yourself
Transparent and honest conversations will help you discover what is expected of you. You should then set goals for yourself so that you can progress quickly. Ask for clarifications whenever necessary and deliver stellar work to push yourself. - Work during fixed hours
Remote work is not synonymous with working whenever you want. In fact, your work will become difficult if you do not have fixed working hours. Create a schedule that is convenient for your team members and be punctual. 40% of people appreciate the flexible schedule offered by remote work, but you can still maintain your timings. Dress for work so that you look professional during video communication. Structure your day and make a to-do list so that you can complete all your tasks. - Educate yourself about latest remote work tools
You are free to offer suggestions that will improve your productivity. Being a successful remote worker requires you to do your own research and increase your technical knowhow. You will then be able to work with more innovative remote work tools.
How to train remote employees- Best Tools
You can explore the increasing number of remote training tools that are available in 2021. Setting up suitable remote training tools will make the learning process more efficient.
- Video Conferencing
You need software and hardware that will support virtual communication at all times of the day. Setting up meetings on video conferencing software will allow you to train all your remote employees at once. Webinars and remote workshops can be effective training modules. - Learning Management Systems
These learning portals act as repositories of learning resources that can be accessed by the employees at any time. The trainees can follow their own schedule, and the trainers can continue adding new learning materials. - Project Management Software
It is easy to collaborate with employees through project management software and track their progress. It is very easy to hop on a call and discuss queries.
A unique tool like Bites will help you communicate with your remote employees directly in an engaging manner. You can create training material on the go and generate a training playlist for your employees.
Bites has an intuitive user interface that will help you compile professional content with videos. The analytics dashboard will help you monitor the progress of your employees. If you have to convey critical information, you can make a quick bite and share it.
Summary
Remote working has gained popularity in 2021. The pandemic forced many companies to switch to remote work but the results have been excellent. Workers want to continue remote work beyond 2021 which is why training is essential. Companies can harness latest technologies and tools to train employees effectively.
Bites encourages microlearning and allows you to break up complex concepts into tiny nuggets. You can use any kind of media to make short training videos that can be consumed quickly. There are different tools available to add a personal touch to the videos. Once you make a playlist, you can directly share it with all your remote employees and ensure standardized learning.
What makes Bites such an effective remote training tool is its various assessment features. You can test your employees’ progress by making custom quizzes and track their workforce performance with ease. You can connect Bites with popular instant messaging channels so that your employees pay attention.
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