Many companies have been allowing employees to work remotely for a long time. In this time of the pandemic, those companies may have gained an advantage over their competition. For the rest of the business world, it may be a time of uncertainty. Big changes necessitate rapid adjustment. Especially when companies were unable to prepare in advance for the transition. Here at Pan Atlantic, we have been advising many of our clients on how to manage and train remote workers during this time.
Many companies jump straight into training with scheduled video conferences. A single facilitator holds a session during a short time slot, imparting information to those in attendance. However, this system has many flaws. Training sessions need to be carefully planned, and if not enough notice is given, it may conflict with employee schedules. Even in the best circumstances, illness or unforeseen circumstances can lead to an employee missing vital information.
One of the main strategies we advise our clients to start taking advantage of is asynchronous learning. Also known as ‘self-paced’ learning, this model allows employees to access learning content, be assessed, and communicate in their own time. The trainer can also assess employees as and when necessary. This leaves more time to develop more detailed and concise training plans, as they can be written once, and used for many years in some cases.
Using the right tools is also important. While many companies get by using cloud documents and group chats to disseminate training materials, it really pays to use the right tool for the right job. There are many useful services out there for video conferencing, virtual classrooms, and video hosting and sharing. But ideally, if a company can afford the slightly higher initial cost, it’s beneficial to develop your own in-house training platform.
At Pan Atlantic we have a centralized hub for training and development, were our people can gain access to video training, listen to past conference calls and webinars, and take part in interactive training. This allows us to keep our edge even in challenging times.