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Training Remote Teams

Training remote teams and delivering blended learning to your remote staff didn't really make sense at first. But with the dynamic shifts teams have made in 2020, we've found some useful applications of blended learning any remote team could benefit from—read our article to learn them!

30 Oct 2020 by Rocco Brudno

Since March 2020, every business is reevaluating how to use training methods like blended learning for remote teams. Employees that aren’t used to working remotely or new hires that have yet to work in-person both require training—and before 2020, blended learning was a popular method to share knowledge with any employee effectively.

Knowing the best approach to online training for remote teams can make all the difference between a successful (or failed) learning experience. Below we have three proven blended learning models for remote teams to train effectively and easily.

Asynchronous virtual training with blended learning

One of the biggest concerns managers bring up with remote team training is being unable to interact with them directly. The feeling of in-person training and the ability to instruct someone that’s in the room without a lag in communication is hard to imagine for remote workers. Asynchronous virtual training combines the benefits of instructor-led training with remote work tools.

Leveraging the best tools for working remotely can help you replace in-person training flawlessly. Especially tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams that offer virtual replacements for most in-person training needs.

A great way to deliver asynchronous training is scheduling a time for remote teams and individuals for a session. The training leads the asynchronous training via video call and delivers blended learning resources that complement the training after the session.

A mix of asynchronous virtual and online training ensures higher knowledge retention and provides that “in-person” feeling for remote training. Gallup reports that this combination of learning delivered makes the best training environment for remote teams

A blended learning model for onboarding remote teams

Onboarding employees in-person can be difficult—so doing onboarding remotely only further complicates the process. Thankfully, the blended learning model is perfectly suited to remote teams as much as on-site staff. You just need to ensure three simple things for the blended learning model to work:

Authenticity

Online training is only effective if it connects with your staff. If you deliver a welcome video from a new hire’s manager and the CEO, it can make the onboarding process feel personal. When a new hire starts, send them a welcome pancake with their favorite treats on their first day from a local spot. A great way to ensure success with new hires is to create a checklist like this one from Time Doctor for onboarding remotely. The possibilities are endless, so long as you’re authentic with your remote team.

Empower

Onboarding programs for remote teams work best when they have clear direction and autonomy. If you empower them with the best training, you guarantee higher success rates for onboarding. Delivery a blended learning course on what’s expected of a new hire, and include examples from work they’ll be doing with your organization.

Have their manager create a resource library for all of their training content. Then they can access the knowledge they need when they need it. This is a great approach for the blended learning model that delivers contextually relevant training.

Socialize

Social learning is possibly one of the oldest forms of learning and remote teams can still benefit from it! Referred to as peer-to-peer training, this is an effective blended learning method that encourages your remote team to train each other.

You can create a weekly virtual hangout where teams interact and share the knowledge they’ve gained. We also recommend starting a virtual water cooler communications channel—this is a great space for remote teams to ask for help or share knowledge.

Mobile delivery of blended learning

Blended learning models that leverage mobile delivery have high engagement rates. This is because it enables remote team members to access training when it’s convenient for them. Mobile blended learning allows remote employees to learn how to run a sales call during a train ride or catching up on the latest product update while doing laundry—the training comes to them.

Business Insider found that mobile learning has exploded in the US thanks to rapidly developing technologies. More remote employees have access to high-end technology standards, enabling mobile blended learning to dominate remote team training. Brandon Hall Group published the “High-Performance Assessment Practices” study in 2020. In the study, they found a mobile delivery of blended learning helps with the assessments of remote team knowledge. This is because most online training platforms track training data from anywhere their learners.

Mobile blended learning in action

Our favorite mobile blended learning method is delivering interactive training content. Have a new feature for your SaaS product? Update your remote sales team on the USP’s of the feature by allowing them to engage with it on their mobile device. Or send a quick video on a new process for your product team and include a quiz at the end. Feel free to use your imagination to suit your team’s mobile learning needs.

Mobile learning also combines the “in-the-moment” aspects of in-person training with the benefit of flexibility. A global workplace analytics study found that employees are at their desks 50% of the workday. That means delivering blended learning via mobile devices means your remote team has access to training 50% more than in-person training.


We hope you'll be able to use these 3 ways to deliver blended learning to remote teams like yours. We believe in the power online training has to scale the sharing of knowledge and growth of teams. If you have any questions or need guidance on how to deliver blended learning to your remote team, chat with us! Our experts are experienced in hundreds of ways to use online training effectively and easily.

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