3 Tips To Train A Remote Workforce

Training your workforce is essential, but with many jobs moving to remote positions, the process can seem more difficult than ever. The pandemic has made working from home the “new normal“ and there‘s plenty of evidence to suggest that this will continue, at least for the foreseeable future. Employers have gradually come to realise the potential of home working, but training staff remotely remains a largely unexplored frontier.

Here are some tips to make the process more efficient.

#1 Utilise Learning Management Systems

Learning Management Systems are easily the most cost-effective, efficient and popular way to train staff. That applies to remote work just as much as office settings, perhaps even more so. The digital nature of many of these courses makes them ideally suited to a workforce that‘s operating largely from home. LMS systems were introduced in the 1990s and have gone from strength to strength since with an expanding range, so employers are spoiled for choice.

A quality Learning Management System like Thinqi.com has a set of distinct advantages for remote workforces. Training is easy to access and digital; the learning experience is personalised and can be as self-directed as the employer chooses. Courses are organised and curated so that employees can schedule them around their timetables and work on them anywhere. Remote work and flexibility go hand in hand, and there’s no more flexible training system than an LMS.

#2 Upgrade to full webinar software

Generally speaking, there are two types of training: group and self-guided. Self-guided is the easier of the two for a remote workforce, but group training still has its place and shouldn‘t be dispensed with. Self-guided training is useful for developing individuals and helping them to flourish within the company. On the other hand, group training is important for advancing the workforce as a whole.

You will, however, require different video call software for each. Standard video messaging services are fine for self-directed training that requires minimal intervention, but businesses should consider opting for a full webinar for their group training. Zoom remains the most popular software to host a webinar, although Microsoft Teams and Google Hangouts are good alternatives. Webinar is widely used across the UK to train remote workforces, and it will remain invaluable.

#3 Use eLearning authoring tools

Authoring tools are similar to LMS, but they give employers even more control over the direction of staff training. “Authoring tools” is a broadly encompassing term for any content creation software (Microsoft Word, for example, is an authoring tool), but eLearning tools are designed specifically for training. They allow employers to create content, including quizzes, bespoke presentations and entire courses for their workforce.

The biggest benefit of these tools is that their content is highly interactive. Keeping employees engaged with remote training (when face-to-face contact is impossible) can be difficult. For the best results, look for eLearning authoring tools that allow HTML5 for hyper engaging, hyper interactive content. Optimise your courses for mobile devices and package them so that they‘re available offline.