Negosentro | Training Tips: 6 Tips for Training a New Remote Employee | Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses have transitioned – at least in part – to a remote work setting. With some or all of their employees working from home, these businesses often struggle to adequately train and manage remote workers.
It’s a common problem in today’s work-from-anywhere job model, but the problems can be overcome with the simple tips below. Whether your staff is fully remote or some work from home and others are in-house, these tips can help you train and manage those employees who aren’t always in the office.
1. Take Advantage of Technology
Today’s advanced technology makes it easier than ever to stay connected and collaborate, no matter where your team members are located. For example, applications like Slack, Skype, and Zoom make it possible for employees to chat, call, and see each other whether at the office, at home, or in a local coffee shop.
For that personal touch that still means so much, you can lease a managed office space for your employees to physically gather and work together on projects. While technology is great, face-to-face interactions are generally still preferable wherever possible.
2. Don’t Ignore the Possibility of Telecommuting
When the pandemic hit, many businesses struggled to get their remote processes up and running quickly so people could quarantine and continue to work. Even if you don’t already allow for remote workers, don’t ignore the fact that telecommuting is becoming more and more popular and necessary as time goes on. You must have a plan to implement remote training as quickly as possible to avoid long periods of non-productivity in the event of a catastrophe.
3. Respect Your Employees’ Time
Achieving a successful work/life balance becomes a top priority for many remote workers, so you must respect their time. When creating training materials, streamline the information and make it available on-demand rather than insisting on having scheduled times to meet for training. This gives your remote workers the flexibility they need to tend to their kids, pets, errands, and other personal needs while still finding time to complete training modules when it’s most convenient for them.
4. Make Remote Training Mobile-Friendly
When creating training materials for your remote workers, consider making them mobile-friendly first and foremost. Studies show that most people spend a great amount of time on their mobile devices, and should a natural disaster happen, mobile devices are easier to manage and access than desktop computers.
5. Make Training Information Quick and Easy to Absorb
While creating your training materials for your remote workers, be sure to include quick, easy-to-understand bites of information. Your training modules may be in-depth, but including bulleted points or FAQs can help your workers gather the information they need, perhaps in between caring for kids and tending to their personal lives.
6. Offer Self-Guided and Group Training Sessions
One of the biggest perks of working from home is the fact that workers can make their own schedules. At the same time, however, it’s nice to see and interact with their coworkers from time to time. As such, offer self-guided training as well as group training sessions (in person or via Zoom) to balance the work-from-home model and give your remote workers variety in their days.
Managing remote employees can be challenging, but embracing the tips above will help you give your work-from-home staff adequate training as they navigate a healthy work/life balance.
