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5 Common mistakes to avoid when implementing remote training

More businesses are becoming increasingly reliant on their employees working away from the office, especially in recent months. While remote work benefits are undeniable, having a dispersed remote team can create challenges for businesses to help new hires get acclimated to their jobs and maintain effective communication throughout the company.

All of these challenges can be minimized or even diminished with proper training. This will help create alignment on what is expected of your remote employees and establish a baseline of information.

However, remote training comes with its own set of challenges that will need to be addressed.

5 Common mistakes to avoid when implementing remote training

As you begin to implement remote learning within your organization, try to avoid these common pitfalls.

  1. Not spending enough time with new hires

    It will likely feel like an awkward transition for a new hire to start working in a remote setting. Simple business practices such as onboarding and training will be completely different. Implementing online training will be a priority, but if you don’t spend enough time onboarding your new hires, all the training in the world will not help them.

    You need to make sure that you are spending as much time with your new hires as you would if they were in the office. Spending more time with new hires will help them feel more comfortable with their new work setting.

    Spending time with every employee should be a focus as it directly affects their productivity, as well as their feelings about the company.

    When your new hires start, make sure to schedule some time to have them meet everyone in the organization. Have some group video calls where you discuss both work and non-work topics. It will make them feel more comfortable and more ingrained within the team.


    Read more: How cloud computing can onboard and train employees


  2. Using dated technology

    Remote learning will lean heavily on technology, and if your organization is not equipped with modern technology, your trainees could suffer.

    Implementing upgraded technology will allow your employees to be as efficient as possible when training remotely. A new computer, a second monitor, a wireless mouse, and different collaboration software offerings will all help promote a better learning experience.

    Certain employees may need specific pieces of equipment to help them better learn in a remote setting. To ensure that every employee has the tools they need to learn effectively, we recommend sending out a remote learning technology survey.

    While an expensive investment, purchasing the correct equipment for your employees will help improve remote training effectiveness and, in-turn, remote efficiency. If you need assistance with equipment financing, there are different business loans available to help your business with the cash needed to upgrade its technology. The type of loan needed will change depending on your organizational needs.

    Providing the most up-to-date equipment will help your employees better adjust to remote work and remote learning.

  3. Choosing the wrong LMS

    There are a variety of tools available to help business leaders better implement remote training. If you aren’t using an online learning platform yet, now is the time to invest in one.

    Years ago, digital learning was extremely basic. You would have an employee sit at a computer and watch a few videos and answer some questions. Those old ways of learning are dated and tend to be ineffective. Modern learning management systems can complete much more complex tasks and allow management to create more robust and in-depth training programs.

    Some features to look for when choosing an LMS for your organization are:

    • Complete customization — The best LMS will allow you to customize almost everything in your training platform. From aesthetics to usability, customization is key when promoting unique learning experiences.
    • Data analytics and reporting — Modern LMSs track almost everything a trainee does when going through a course. This data helps provide insight into each employee’s strengths and weaknesses, which can help pinpoint more widespread organizational issues regarding training.
    • Third-party integrations — With such an interconnected digital world, it is an absolute necessity to use software that integrates easily with other software offerings you may be using. Third-party integrations will allow you to implement your favorite tools into your learning platform easily.
    • Easy to use — The best LMS will offer complex features, but presented in a simple, easy to use manner. If you need to spend days just learning how to use the system, imagine how long it will take to actually get a learning program in place.

     
    Using an LMS will allow you to easily create an efficient remote learning environment.


    Read more: 3 Perks of using an LMS for training remote workers


  4. Not asking for feedback

    Your employees will be the most in-tune with how a new company initiative is going. As your company adopts remote learning, be sure to gauge how the employees feel it is working.

    Ask your employees to give their honest opinion about how every aspect of the new remote training program is working. Everything, from their newly acquired tech-tools to the learning management system you chose, should be investigated.

    Gathering unbiased, relevant feedback from your employees will give you valuable insight into where your training program can be improved.

    If you are having trouble thinking of ways to collect feedback from your employees, here are a few of the most effective methods:

    • Use survey software: Using an online survey will help take the human element out of conducting a survey. This will ease any concerns that employees may have when filling, giving honest feedback.
    • Create a suggestion system: Allowing your employees to openly suggest new ways to make the company better is a cost-effective way to identify internal issues.
    • Conduct employee interviews: Sometimes, employees will still feel hesitant to voice their concerns, even if they have a system in place too. Setting up employee interviews with the HR department can help find out more about their thoughts and feelings about the company.

     
    Giving your employees a platform to convey their feelings about the company will help improve your remote training program, while also creating a sense of inclusion within your workforce.


    Read more: Things to know about employee surveys


  5. Having unrealistic expectations

    After dumping a large amount of money, resources, and time into developing an adequate remote learning program, you will likely want to see results right away. Be mindful of how long training and onboarding would usually take and remember that remote learning could take even longer.

    This is the first generation of a truly digital workforce, and tasks such as training could take some time to be fully optimized. There will be obstacles along the way, which should be expected.

    Try to think about the bigger picture when it comes to adopting remote training. You are bettering the future of your organization, even if it comes with some growing pains. The longer you utilize remote training, the more efficient it will become.

    Also, understand that your remote learning program will need to evolve over time. It cannot be a one-time thing that never changes. As remote work changes, so too should your training program.


MATRIX White Paper: Thriving through change with continuous skills development for your workforce


Over to you

Now that you know what to avoid, it’s time to create a remote training program for your company.

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