Mastering the art of successfully training remote employees

From onboarding new hires to upskilling employees, your organization’s remote training program can significantly impact your workforce’s learning journey.

In this comprehensive blog, we’ll explore the importance of training and development in remote work and why they’re essential for today's learners. We’ll also look at how to train an employee remotely. Additionally, we'll review different types of remote employee training, including must-have skills, online courses, and digital tools. Let’s start with the basics.

What is remote work training?

Remote work training, also known as remote training, helps employees learn the skills they need to work effectively from any location. Regardless of where employees are in the world, they can engage in professional development and training programs that help them build their skills, expand their knowledge, and stay connected. For businesses looking to adapt to the changing workplace and maintain a competitive advantage, remote training for employees is essential.

With the rise of remote and hybrid work models, businesses must ensure their teams possess the skills, tools, and knowledge needed to remain productive, engaged, and aligned with the organization’s goals. Employees often want to learn new skills, advance their careers, and take on more challenging tasks.

A remote training program allows organizations to:

• Show employees they’re committed to growth, which can reduce turnover
• Improve employee performance and productivity
• Accommodate diverse working arrangements
• Appeal to modern workers and those who see remote work as vital to work-life balance
• Save time and money by eliminating the need for travel, physical training spaces, and printed materials
• Provide consistent learning experiences for all employees

The value of adaptive remote training for employees

Adaptive remote training is flexible online learning that focuses on individual needs and preferences while helping new employees learn quickly when joining your organization. Content, pace, and learning methods are based on each remote employee’s individual needs, skills, and progress. Adaptive remote learning uses technology such as AI, data analytics, and learning management systems (LMS) to tailor the training to suit each learner’s strengths, weaknesses, and preferences.

For example, employees with expertise in a specific area may skip or minimize the content on that topic, focusing more effort on subjects requiring additional development. An employee needing more time on a certain topic may receive additional resources.

Similarly, remote training ensures consistent knowledge across your company, boosting employee engagement and productivity. And although in-person training has its benefits, online learning has been shown to increase knowledge retention rates—as much as 25% to 60% when completed online, as opposed to 8% to 10% when done in person.

Adaptive remote training makes employee training relevant, engaging, and effective for skill development in their roles.

Why is remote training a necessity for modern learners?

Remote training is a necessity for modern learners, especially for geographically distributed teams. This type of learning offers convenience and flexibility, enabling remote employees to access resources anytime, anywhere. Furthermore, remote training allows users to learn at their own speed and revisit materials as needed, empowering employees to learn in a way that works best for them.

In contrast to conventional in-person classes, remote training offers multiple formats, including webinars, interactive modules, and virtual reality simulations. These forward-thinking features boost engagement and foster a collaborative learning experience for all team members, even those participating from a distance. When delivered through a learning management system (LMS), your organization can also track progress, provide targeted support, and adjust courses to cater to specific departmental requirements.

What’s the difference between remote training and virtual training?

Although remote training and virtual training are often used interchangeably, there are some important differences.

• Remote training is a broad term that refers to any training designed for employees working away from a central office. This can include virtual training sessions as well as pre-recorded video lessons, eLearning modules, digital guides, and self-paced courses.
• Virtual training involves live sessions conducted in a virtual setting, such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams. It’s similar to in-person training in that it happens in real-time with a facilitator or instructor. Virtual training can be used for employees who work remotely or those who are in the office.

Types of remote workforce training with an LMS

From fast-tracking remote onboarding to developing skills programs that help your team grow—using an LMS makes rolling out training easier and more effective. Here are four of the primary types of training organizations with remote workers often implement:

1. Onboarding for new employees

Onboarding is an essential step in remote workforce training, especially for new employees and hires. To facilitate onboarding, an LMS provides access to benefits materials, company videos, and interactive modules. Your onboarding process should introduce new employees to your company culture, policies, procedures, and job-specific training. Depending on your company’s resources, you can design onboarding as a self-paced process or a live virtual session with HR representatives.

2. Skills training for remote workers

Skills training equips remote workers with the necessary abilities to thrive in a work-from-home environment. Practical skills like time management and virtual meeting etiquette are examples of items to include in your program. Additionally, providing opportunities for professional development through virtual webinars and workshops can enhance your employees' role-specific skills. To ensure engaging LMS content that’s relevant to your users, your organization must design adaptive remote employee training to tailor the material to meet individual needs.

3. Partner training sessions

Partner training sessions involve collaborating with external organizations or individuals to provide industry or company information to remote employees. These sessions are often conducted through live video conferences and on-demand webinars. Examples of session topics include market insights, sales techniques, and technical skills. The objective is to enhance employees' skills and knowledge by sharing expertise from external partners.

4. Extended enterprise training

Extended enterprise training includes programs designed for external individuals like customers or suppliers. Initiatives like this help foster product knowledge, enhance customer satisfaction, and build stronger relationships with external stakeholders. With the support of an LMS, your organization can deliver extended enterprise training, expanding reach beyond in-person sessions.

5. Compliance training

For many companies, compliance training is crucial. Compliance training ensures employees understand and follow the laws, regulations, and internal policies relevant to their roles and industries. In some industries, compliance training is mandatory to mitigate risks, protect against legal liabilities, and create a safe work environment. Safety protocols, anti-harassment workshops, data protection, and industry-specific regulations all fall under compliance training.

Essential skills and online courses to stay ahead

In remote work, the right training sets employees up for success. Regardless of job function, nearly all roles require ongoing learning, from technical training to company values. Below are some of the necessary courses to consider for your remote workforce:

Cybersecurity awareness

Educating employees on cybersecurity gives remote workers the knowledge to protect sensitive corporate and personal data. For example, many online courses offer cybersecurity training on identifying phishing attempts, creating strong passwords, and securing Wi-Fi networks. Regular updates and reminders keep employees vigilant against emerging threats. Employers should consider certifications or assessments to verify employees' understanding of remote security protocols.

Company culture

To prepare your employees for success, it’s important to educate them about your company's culture, especially those who work remotely. One easy way to do this is through online courses and training programs. These initiatives offer a valuable opportunity for employees to learn about their company's mission and values. Additionally, virtual team-building activities such as cross-department games or online forums foster connection among employees.

Hard skills

Employees must continue to acquire and improve hard skills to excel and grow professionally. Depending on their role, these can include proficiency in software programs, data analysis, and project management. No matter what the skills are, it’s crucial to make them actionable and measurable to effectively gauge the impact of your learning programs. Moreover, regularly updating and expanding these skills is important to support your organization’s performance and, ultimately, industry success.

Soft skills

Prioritizing soft skill development promotes a healthy virtual environment. For instance, effective communication and time management are crucial skills for employees in any role. Team-focused interactions and workshops significantly enhance soft skills in a remote work setting. Additionally, regular feedback and coaching sessions offer employees guidance and opportunities for continuous improvement.

How to train an employee remotely

Now that we’re familiar with the types of online training and skills to prioritize for employees, let’s learn how to train an employee remotely.

To ensure productive corporate learning, a thoughtful approach is a must. Here are some key steps to consider when implementing your remote employee onboarding plan:

1. Plan and design your training program: Clearly define the learning objectives and outcomes you want to achieve. Determine the content, resources, and tools needed to deliver the training effectively. It's important to choose the right LMS to organize and track your learners’ progress.
2. Assess training needs: Identify skill gaps in your organization by conducting employee surveys or interviews, reviewing performance metrics, and analyzing feedback from managers and customers. Determine whether training needs vary by role, team, or location.
3. Choose the right tools or platforms: Consider whether you’ll host live sessions, require progress tracking and key performance indicators (KPIs), want interactive materials, and need pre-recorded content.
4. Create engaging content: Whether you’re onboarding a new remote employee or upskilling your current workforce, your remote employee onboarding program should be interactive and engaging to maintain participants' interest. To keep your learning program exciting, we recommend incorporating a mix of formats, such as videos, slides, quizzes, and discussions.
5. Break down training into modules: Beyond developing great content, structuring it in a logical format is equally important. Divide employees’ training into manageable modules or sessions to avoid overwhelming participants and provide them with ample time to digest the information.
6. Set up a schedule and stick to it: Clearly communicate the training schedule to employees and adhere to it. Many LMS will automatically assign lessons to learners based on your training requirements. Consistency is essential for remote training success.
7. Encourage an active learning culture: Foster a collaborative environment where employees can ask questions, provide feedback, and participate in discussions. Encourage peer-to-peer learning and knowledge-building activities beyond onboarding.
8. Monitor progress: Track employee progress and provide feedback so they understand how well they’ve learned and retained the relevant material. Consider offering check-ins and surveys to get their feedback on the learning experience, so you can revise and enhance it.
9. Reinforce learning: Ensure employees retain and apply what they’ve learned through follow-up sessions, real-world projects, or refresher courses. Repetition supports long-term retention and improved on-the-job performance.

Overcoming challenges for learners in remote employee training

To effectively address the challenges that come with remote training, your organization can lean into digital learning tools for support. Plus, we’re here to help your organization combat these common issues. Below are some of the common difficulties that businesses face when offering remote employee training:

• Tackling scheduling difficulties across time zones: When it comes to remote employee training, scheduling sessions is a challenge, especially for participants across time zones. To overcome this issue, there are scheduling tools that allow participants to choose their preferred time slots based on individual preferences. Additionally, cloud-based LMS technology supports flexible learning no matter where your learners are tuning in from.
• Resolving technical issues: Technical issues often pose a significant challenge during remote employee training. Reliable internet connection and access to proper technology are crucial to support learning across your workforce. To empower your learners to address common tech issues independently, creating clear instructions with troubleshooting guidance serves as a valuable resource. Furthermore, having dedicated IT support helps resolve problems quickly.
• Minimizing distractions: To keep your learners focused, encourage employees to create a dedicated workspace, free from distractions. One way to support this is by providing guidance on work-from-home best practices like turning off notifications and closing unnecessary tabs. Regular check-ins also help address any specific distractions employees may encounter and offer solutions or additional support as needed.
• Retaining knowledge: Without quick hands-on practice or follow-up for reinforcement, remote employees can quickly forget what they’ve learned. Breaking content into small, focused microlearning sessions makes it easier to absorb and retain. Regular refreshers help reinforce key concepts over time, while assigning tasks or projects that apply learning in real-world scenarios ensures employees put training into action.
• Engaging diverse learners: Remote teams often have diverse learners, who each have their own learning styles, skill levels, and backgrounds. This makes it difficult to create one-size-fits-all content for the remote workforce. Using an LMS to create adaptive remote training programs will help to address the diverse workforce and keep employees engaged.
• Limiting peer interaction: Without going to an office for work or classroom-based training, the lack of in-person collaboration can result in employees feeling isolated. In-person sessions often incorporate time for employees to connect, collaborate, and share ideas and perspectives. Remote training may reduce the opportunities for informal learning or networking and could affect employees who thrive on social learning or collaboration. Businesses can use collaborative tools to facilitate group discussions that mimic the face-to-face nature of meetings. These tools include breakout rooms for discussion, role-playing, and problem-solving, encouraging employees to lead sessions in their areas of expertise. Virtual networking sessions, team-based activities, and virtual learning communities also help address challenges related to limited peer interaction.

Empowering remote teams: The transformative benefits of online learning

Although remote training has its own set of challenges, it offers significant benefits for teams by providing flexibility in terms of when and where employees can access materials. Furthermore, it fosters continuous learning and professional growth while promoting collaboration among team members. Finally, it enables organizations to appeal to employees who value flexible working arrangements.

Ready to elevate your remote training for employees? Schedule a demo with our eLearning experts at Absorb today to see how we can help your team thrive, no matter where they work.