Remote teams need the same training and professional development as onsite teams. But remote teams report they feel left out of this benefit. They often need to seek growth on their own and without financial help from the company. Online training programs such as Lynda.com and Udemy offer sound solutions to this problem.
Lack Of Remote Professional Development Hurts The Company’s Bottom-Line
Companies rely on well-trained employees to represent its brand and win more sales. Leaders train them to do this and nurture company culture. Training remote teams is a little more difficult but still requires equal focus.
Asking remote employees to teach themselves – or providing minimal training – breeds chaos. They won’t take the initiative, or may not be able to afford it. A situation like this can hurt your bottom-line as much as undertrained on-site employees.
Critical Professional Development Areas
There are four main areas harmed by lack of professional development training. Each group covers the core needs of each company and dedication to consumers.
- Communication
- Technology
- Quality Assurance
- Industry Specific Knowledge
Miscommunications hurt businesses more than any other team member error. Your team must be able to convey service options, upsell clients, and rectify problems. Customers who feel disrespected or uninformed will seek another company.
Remote teams rely on technology to get the job done. They need more than an overview of the company’s system and protocols. Remote communication, screen sharing, and system security are critical training areas. Time management, typing speed, and basic operating system training increase productivity.
Quality assurance and industry knowledge go hand-in-hand. Manufacturing companies expect production workers to understand products and provide quality merchandise.
Remote teams responsible for selling these products should adhere to industry and company quality standards. Arming them with this information helps the team convey the company’s commitment.
Online Platforms Help Organize Remote Training
One of the most common problems with providing training to remote teams is location. It is impossible to host an onsite session that everyone can attend. The solution is to use virtual training platforms: Lynda.com, Udemy, and Study.com.
1. Lynda.com
Lynda.com is a premium online training platform owned by LinkedIn. The service costs more than most training platforms but for a good reason. Lynda.com only uses vetted professionals with demonstrated expertise in the topic.
Teachers submit documentation proving their expertise. Students who complete the webinars receive diplomas. Some courses offer basic certification.
This platform is best for advanced training, industry-specific topics, and professional development. The best Lynda.com benefit is library subscriptions. Many local libraries provide residents to sign up and take courses for free. Lynda.com also offers company memberships that reduce the retail price for classes.
2. Udemy
Udemy is a cheaper alternative but has more subject material and benefits. Instructors aren’t vetted, as anyone can sign up for an account and teach classes. Udemy weeds out scams and unqualified professionals via crowdsourcing.
Each teacher markets hir or her material, and relies on customer reviews. Udemy is like Fiverr in this respect. If teachers want to sell their classes, they must work for it.
This platform has more subjects available. The program offers English skill, basic software training, professional communication, sales, and marketing. Udemy classes are often shorter than Lynda.com. Students do receive a certificate of completion.
Udemy also offers a business account for company training courses. Companies can sign up for a corporate account and host its training program.
3. Study.com
Study.com takes a different approach to corporate training. The company started as an academic platform but expanded to meet professional needs. Study.com offers curriculums leading to 35 professional licensures and certifications. Courses include:
- WEST Business and Marketing Education
- Praxis Family and Consumer Sciences
- MTLE Communication
- International Standards Organization (ISO)
All Study.com teachers hold either and master or doctorate’s degree in the subject they are covering. Teachers don’t get to choose the curriculum. The company predesigns all coursework.
Well-Trained Remote Employees Are Happier And More Productive
Using online training is the first step to happy and productive remote teams. You need to incorporate similar strategies into your in-house training. Search the above platforms for highly-rated teachers. See what techniques they use to teach and use in your orientation.
Ask your remote team for feedback. Collaboration is the key to success. The team knows what training helps them the most, and what training slows down productivity. They will guide you towards a more efficient curriculum.
Don’t be afraid to accept negative criticism. Employees aren’t complaining or dictating policy. They only want to help you create a company culture beneficial to all parties.
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