While remote and hybrid work models have their perks, they also pose some glaring challenges — one is supporting productivity in a distributed team.

Some of its root causes include:

• Diverse time zones.
• Problems in tracking employee performance.
• Lack of face-to-face communication and collaboration.

These can delay approvals and hamper workflow for remote employees. It can make them feel isolated, decreasing morale and the sense of fraternity, which can negatively affect productivity. On top of that, volatile market needs require employees to juggle agility and productivity simultaneously. This makes it even tougher for remote teams to complete tasks quickly. So, what’s the best way to combat this? Training your remote teams.

In a study, 89% of learning and development (L&D) experts agree that proactively building employee skills will empower them to navigate the evolving business landscape. Upskilling remote employees can improve confidence and collaboration across the workforce. In this article, we’ll discuss best practices for training remote and hybrid employees, cultivating skills to enhance productivity in a distributed workforce.

How Training Remote Employees Supports Productivity

1.      Promotes autonomy.

Companies transitioning to a hybrid or a fully remote work model may fear their workforce’s productivity will decrease. However, recent studies contradict this notion. In fact, reports show that workers with full schedule flexibility are 29% more productive and have 53% more ability to focus. But for that, you must give your employees autonomy to carry out tasks on their own. This can help them stay productive even with time zone differences. In fact, a study by NLM also shows autonomy raises productivity.

Training for remote employees should help them acquire the necessary skills to complete projects independently and understand how the organization operates and work is accomplished. Self-paced online courses can help employees learn relevant skills at their convenience without feeling overwhelmed. Platforms like Coursera, Udemy and Skillshare are ideal for employee training.

2.      Boosts employee morale.

Full-time remote employees are more likely to feel isolated from their colleagues, which reduces their morale. However, it’s not a problem regular training can’t solve.

Whether contractors or employees, training is a great opportunity to connect with and learn from peers, building a sense of belongingness and improving morale. Training hones their skills, makes them more confident and empowers them to complete complex tasks efficiently. Instead of entirely focusing on training, virtual team-building activities can improve morale and build team cohesion. Confetti, TeamBonding, or Let’s Roam are great solutions for tailor-made employee activities.

3.      Facilitates continuous learning.

Reports note a 25% change in skills sets for jobs since 2015, which is expected to double by 2027. With inflation, talent disruption and other global business issues, the demand for new and diverse skills is huge. Regular training creates a culture of continuous learning, where everyone strives to develop their skills and acquire new ones, diversifying their expertise. This enables individuals to handle a wider range of tasks smoothly, boosting workflow efficiency and productivity.

Using microlearning techniques can help break down information into small, manageable chunks, enabling employees to quickly learn on the job. The best way to streamline this is by using tools like Axonify, Absorb LMS or Grovo.

Best Practices for Training Remote Employees

Running haphazard training initiatives once every blue moon will do nothing for your organizational productivity. L&D professionals must create an organized and robust training strategy that efficiently upskills remote employees. Here are some best practices to consider:

Conduct timely training.

L&D professionals must create a consistent and transparent schedule for employee training to ensure employees have time to plan their work accordingly on those days. A proper schedule maintains the regularity of your training efforts and maximizes attendance without compromising on assigned tasks.

Maintaining the activities and schedules of your L&D strategy in multiple files, to-do lists and Excel sheets can be very confusing for you and your employees. Using a shared calendar to schedule the training activities can simply the process. You can use Google Calendar or opt for productivity tools like Asana and Trello.

For example, Amazon offers extensive training programs for both on-site and remote employees. After the initial training phase, the company provides customer service associates with ongoing coaching, feedback sessions and upskilling opportunities. Such regularity keeps them updated on new processes, policies and customer service techniques and empowers employees to resolve customer issues quickly.

Use collaboration tools.

Manually creating training programs for each remote employee is inefficient and time-consuming. Using collaboration tools for communication, document sharing and video conferencing can make the process much easier. Some popular options include Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Digital Samba, Google Workspace, etc. These platforms offer screen sharing features to help remote employees follow along with the learning instructor as they consume the training.

You can conduct live sessions and Q&A’s for a more personalized and collaborative experience. Instead of individually going through training material, your employees will learn new skills with their teammates, nurturing mutual bonds. Consider implementing adaptive games to make learning fun. You should also create discussion forums or chat channels within collaboration tools where remote employees can ask questions, share insights, and learn from each other.

Integrate a learning management system (LMS) to organize and track training progress. Tools like Moodle, Canvas or TalentLMS can help you manage courses, quizzes and assessments. For example, Marriott International uses a virtual learning environment for training its employees. As the company reported, it was a cost-saving method of training that was cool and cutting-edge, and boosted their productivity.

Centralize the information.

Besides training remote employees, you must ensure that all training materials and resources are easily accessible to them. One way to do this is centralizing the information. They can refer to it while performing tasks to reduce errors. It can make the workflow more efficient and maintain the quality of the projects.

Many times, remote employees must reach out to other departments to access the data they need to complete tasks. If remote teams are distributed in different time zones, getting required assistance from their teammates or managers may take time, compromising productivity.

Here are a few tips to help you get started:

• Categorize all the learning materials based on topics, departments or skill levels. Add tags or metadata to simplify searching.
• Dedicate resources to ensure the training modules are updated. Implement version control so that employees have the latest knowledge. Track these with a change log.
• Use cloud-based collaboration tools so it’s easy for remote employees to access it from any location. These tools also allow commenting and sharing features, encouraging engagement, knowledge share and collaboration.

Encourage autonomy.

Creating a culture of learning where employees can independently access training materials and feel a sense of ownership over their learning experience can empower employees in their roles. Clearly communicating expectations and goals upfront can ensure remote employees understand their roles and responsibilities from the start — allowing them to find and access learning as they need it.

Using real-world training scenarios can help remote employees develop critical thinking and an ability to make decisions without constant monitoring. Further, trust-building activities, role-play, icebreakers and simulations for problem-solving can help to build trust between employees and their immediate superiors. These can help bridge the physical distance and promote mutual respect and camaraderie, leading to better work results.

A simple yet effective way to do this without micromanagement is asynchronous video updates. With tools like Loom, Camtasia or Vimeo, employees can share their progress and insights, fostering transparency without the constraints of real-time check ins.

Focus on communication.

Communication gaps are a glaring roadblock for productivity within remote teams. So, develop training programs that emphasize communication skills. You should also establish dedicated channels where employees can contact the right people for assistance.

Make sure you communicate every team member’s availability. Create feedback loops to help remote employees identify areas of improvement. Mention how they can apply what they learned to improve their roles. These behaviors can encourage a continuous learning culture.

Efficient communication can also prevent remote employees from feeling isolated. Regular feedback and check ins show them that you take an active interest in their professional growth and want them to do better. This can boost employee morale and productivity.

Conclusion

As we wrap up our discussion, here’s a recap of best practices for training remote employees:

• Run consistent training programs.
• Opt for tools to establish internal communication.
• Create groups where your employees can share knowledge and bond.
• Choose a learning technology that centralizes your training modules so that your remote teams can refer back whenever they need it.
• Avoid micromanagement to encourage autonomy.

All these elements may seem overwhelming initially, but the payoff will be rewarding for both parties.