Tips for Training Remote Workers

Hiring remote workers is becoming more and more commonplace amongst a range of different industries today. There are many types of jobs that can be done from home or from a remote field office, and there is no need to have all of the staff cloistered together in one building. Technology makes it possible to work from nearly anywhere with a connection to the Internet. Fortunately, technology also makes it possible for companies to provide remote training to their workers.

Those who are just now considering hiring remote workers will want to make sure that they understand how to train their workers properly, though. The following are some tips that will help to make the process flow smoother and will ensure that the workers have the training needed to excel at their job.

The Training Should Be Easy to Access

First and foremost, you will want your training to be as easy as possible for your remote workers to access. They should have a simple login, so they can get started, and the format itself should be straightforward and easy to understand, even if the subject matter might be in-depth.

Provide Comprehensive Training

Not only should the training be easy to access, but it should be comprehensive. When you use high-quality software, you will be able to create simple or complex courses and lessons that include a range of different types of files. You could have video segments in your training, for example. The training that you are providing should mirror the type of training that you are providing to the employees in your office. It needs to provide the employees with all of the information they need in order to complete their job.

Have a Way of Assessing the Worker’s Training

During the training, you will want to have a good idea of where the worker is in the training process, and you want to know how the training is going. You will want to have an understanding of whether there are areas where they are having trouble. When you create your lessons and courses with the right software, you will be able to create quizzes and surveys that they will need to take.

This can give you a better idea of how the students are understanding the content that you have provided. It may also provide you with some ideas on how you might be able to make improvements to the content when future workers are going through training.

Provide Ongoing Training

One of the mistakes that some companies make is only providing training during the initial onboarding phase of their employees. However, in order to make sure you are getting the very best out of your employees, and that you are providing them with challenges and room to grow, consider ongoing training. There can be semiannual refreshers, for example. However, you can also provide other types of training for the employees who might be looking to expand their role in the company. Look into using an LMS to help coordinate and track remote worker training.

Provide a Training Manual

In addition to the training that will be provided to the remote worker, you will also want to provide them with a training manual and employee handbook. A PDF of your manual and handbook will provide them with resources that they need, as well as a better sense of your company culture. Since they are not in the office every day, the manual can serve as something of a guidepost for them. It should also contain the contact information of people in the company.

You will likely already have an employee handbook created for your in-house workers. If it is not already in PDF form, you will want to make one. Send this to your remote workers, so they will have it on hand if they need it.

Provide Feedback to the Worker

When you have quality training software available, it will be possible for you to monitor the worker’s progress as they go through the training. When they have completed the training, it is important that you provide them with feedback regarding their training and ask them if they have any questions or concerns.

You will also want to make sure that you continue to provide feedback to the remote worker, just as you would an employee who was in the office. Let them know that they are doing well and let them know if there are any areas of concern with their work. Essentially, you want to treat the remote employee just like you would an employee who came into the office each day.

Allow for Communication

When it comes to training, you need to be prepared for questions from the workers who are going through the lessons. There may be points where they need to have some clarification. There need to be ways that they can contact someone at your company to get the answers they need. Keep in mind that this should go beyond just the training period. There should always be ways for remote workers to get into contact. They will have the same questions, concerns, and problems that in-house workers have. Make sure they have a way to let you know.

It is Time to Hire and Train Your Remote Workers

More and more companies across the world are considering hiring remote workers. It can offer financial savings for the company, it allows for a larger potential employee pool, and it reduces the need to expand your office size. With all of the benefits that can come from using remote workers for your business, there is no reason not to consider the option.

However, you will need to make sure that you understand the importance of using proper training software and keep the above tips in mind. You want to develop a long-lasting relationship with the worker, and you want them to succeed at their job. When an employee is trained well, whether they are in-house or they are working remotely, they will have a much better sense of their role within the company.