How to train remote employees virtually

There is no denying that Covid-19 changed the way businesses operate. With social distancing becoming a norm, employers had to make adjustments accordingly and that’s when remote working became a worldwide phenomenon during the pandemic. As more employers embrace remote work and the remote work population reaches 44 percent, it becomes important for employers to build a strategy for training remote employees virtually.

If this is you right now, thinking about how to train remote employees virtually, keep on reading this article to discover tried and tested ways that can make this work with the aid of online tools in the most efficient way possible.

Here’s how to train remote employees

Step 1: Select a Model of Training

First, before you start training your remote team, you need to choose a training model – meaning, how you intend to pass on information to your remote employees?

There are various models of training to consider, some of them are:

• Synchronous training model: In this training model, you announce the available dates and time slots when training will commence, and employees can decide on what days and periods are most convenient for them. Training will not be available to employees after the days announced have passed. 
• Asynchronous training model: With this model, employees don’t need to participate in the training simultaneously. Whatever learning material you want to pass across to your employees will be uploaded to a specific server. Interested employees can access them remotely and at their most convenient time.
  
• Blended learning: This training model takes bits and pieces from the two models above to craft a custom training solution. 

Deciding on the model will help you in the next step of training. 

Step 2: Pick a Training Platform

The next step is to pick the tools and platforms you will be using to train your virtual office. You don’t want your employees to have sub-standard training experience, so invest in the right tools and platforms before you commence your training.

Some platforms to consider include:

• Webinar platform: Platforms like Zoom and Webex can be considered.
• Virtual events platform: Platforms like vFairs provide employers several options for training employees effectively. From organizing a virtual conference to hosting a virtual onboarding fair, there are a lot of ways in which employers can leverage the power of online events.

Whatever method or platform you decide to use, make sure the following features are available to you:

• Screen sharing with your trainees
• Chat with the trainees via the platform
• Send and receive documents on the platform

Step 3: Prepare Training Material

Now, it is time to prepare the training material you need for your upcoming virtual training session. You can do this in-house or take help from online content writing service providers to prepare training material for you.

Here are a few tips to help you out:

• Craft content according to the training model you chose to use from step 1. Creating material for the synchronous model of training is less cumbersome than creating material for asynchronous training models. 
• Prepare reference materials and videos to insert in any webinar-based platform learning. Reference materials from various authority websites relevant to the topic you are training your employees on. 
• Use standard templates to create your course content. By adding things like title slides, table of content, information slides, timelines, chapters, navigation, etc., you create a better experience for your trainees. Some platforms come with pre-created templates you can use in your content creation. 
• Do proper research and take your time when preparing your content. This is a training and you want to make sure you are passing across the right information to all participants of the training. 
• Make use of various content forms in your training. You could use embedded video to explain a topic quickly and effectively.
• Add dialog simulation in your training to help build the communication skills of your employees. 
• Engage your trainees with polls, surveys, assessments, etc.

This step requires the bulk of work you will put into training your employees, virtually. It will also have the biggest impact on the outcome of your virtual employee training. So, take your time and do it right. 

Step 4: Conduct Virtual Training

Your training process doesn’t have to be cumbersome; in fact, this might be the simplest step of all our listed steps. As long as you passed through step 3 and have all the materials you need for your training ready, simply:

• Upload your training material on the platform you have decided to use. 
• Depending on the model you are using, set the necessary deadlines, and list all relevant pieces of information. 
• Ensure all your employees are aware that training is going on. 
• Make the training invite easily clickable and accessible so all interested employees can participate conveniently. 
• Use the available features to demonstrate the different areas you are covering in your training. 
• Take charge of the training by using the screen share feature to access and demonstrate various models included in your training.

Step 5: Track, Track, Track

Finally, it is time to track the effectiveness of your training. The reason why tracking is so relevant is that it helps you understand what worked for your employees, and what you could improve on.

Now, the question you might be asking is what you are going to track and how you can measure results.

From your remote employees’ feedback to the average time it took your employees to complete the course and even their level of understanding, what you track will be dependent on the specific needs of your organization. 

In Conclusion

Online training of employees is no longer stressful and virtual teams have become easier to manage, thanks to cutting-edge technology. If you want a better training experience for your employees, then simply follow the steps provided in this article to train employees without any hassle. Good luck!

About the Author:

Jamie Fry is a purposeful and promising writer. He is fulfilling his passion by working at Writing Judge while enhancing his blogging skills. He has a knack for producing original and thought-provoking content and is always in search of fresh ideas.