7 Tips To Help Train Your Employees While On Lockdown

The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled businesses to look for new ways to train personnel to accommodate the changes brought about by quarantine and lockdown restrictions. To continue operations, business managers have introduced the work from home arrangement for some employees. This arrangement is necessary to minimize face-to-face interaction while being able to pursue business transactions at the same time. 

Since employees are still working while on lockdown, managements have to continuously provide their staff with resources to refine and enhance skills. Aside from that, employees need retraining to know how to use new digital tools and platforms more efficiently. Notably, skill development can be a valuable asset to foster teamwork, knowledge-sharing, and performance amidst the distance. 

Training employees through digital channels is yet another challenge for businesses and organizations. Human Resource staff and training teams should be resourceful, creative, and flexible enough to impart knowledge and skill to the employee through digital means. With that said, this article lists down several tips that can help businesses train employees successfully during lockdown. The discussion will be divided into three phases. These are tips before training, during training, and after training.

Before Training

1. Maximize Technology

The accessibility of technology has tremendously helped businesses thrive while on lockdown. At the tip of your fingertips, you can immediately connect with people, share files, extend services, and communicate through webinars.

Emails tend to limit the depth of debate and conversation. Hence, for in-depth discussions, you need to rely on video conferences. Tech platforms enhance unity and decision-making because it encourages your employees to express personal opinions and come up with alternatives to solve work-related dilemmas. 

Majority of companies may already have various platforms at their disposal. As an example, whiteboard online applications are utilized to encourage collaboration from different remote team members. 

Moreover, the presence of many different platforms implies that there are several systems to tap into when training remote staff. For this reason, decide which applications work best for your company. Through employee surveys, you may be able to assess which platforms best fit your virtual training program. 

After deciding on which platforms to use, spend sufficient time learning how to utilize its functions. Know how to respond to tech glitches so that when they arise, you may be able to prepare a solution and keep your employee’s attention.

2. Reduce Online Training Costs

Traditional training programs would usually entail costs, and that is still true even in virtual trainings. To reduce costs efficiently, you need to be wise in choosing your training systems and designs. For instance, microlearning is a cost-efficient eLearning strategy that saves money, time, and energy, especially for employees who are working from home.

Furthermore, factors such as organization, time management, and planning are significant when you're on a tight training budget. For this reason, create a timeline for your virtual training and delegate duties to your HR and management staff. This allows you to track the progress and make necessary alterations when needed. Involving your staff in the entire process allows them to learn key ways to independently set training programs in the future.

3. Utilize Mobile Devices For Blended Learning

Blended learning can be an excellent way to engage your workforce and deliver consistent outcomes. Understanding both your current business situation and your target training outcome are keys to success.

For this reason, your team should learn ahead how to maximize the relevance and use of mobile applications. These tech tools can be carried around anywhere and can be easily accessed by most employees. This can be an effective and convenient way of delivering training programs across different regions. 

During Training

4. Incorporate New And Practical Systems 

Assess previous training subjects if they are still practical. Your training programs must equip your workforce with the necessary approach to help them navigate the new normal of doing business. Teach your employees to be versatile enough to meet business needs and demands amidst the pandemic. For example, train your Recruitment Staff how to run interviews and onboard employees remotely.

Furthermore, remote employees have to learn how to use new technology in their line of work. To ensure their success, they need to be prepared and trained effectively through virtual programs. Make creative programs not only to educate employees but to promote cooperation and teamwork between them as well. 

5. Provide Short Training Programs

Support continued learning through short discussions on a single subject. These might cover a specific resource, skill, or things about company culture. Convey these lessons among team leaders and encourage them to determine training topics for their staff.

To promote engagement, allow leaders to debrief the lesson and tackle the application and significance of the subject. Encourage conversations among each other to enhance learning and cultivate transparency. Succinct discussions can help hold the attention of most employees as they train and participate at home.

After the Training

6. Designate Accountability Buddies

Managers, as immediate superiors, should learn to delegate tasks to ensure that team members are performing well with their jobs. To distribute this responsibility, instruct managers to select and pair their staff members. The employee’s partner will serve as an accountability buddy that will check on the other’s productivity and engagement at work, and vice versa. 

This shared leadership system promotes mutual support and shields against emotional isolation during the lockdown. For this reason, managers should instruct buddies to evaluate and report the performance and well-being of their colleagues. 

7. Provide Managerial Support

During the lockdown, a manager’s role is crucial in checking and maintaining employee morale, productivity, and engagement. Some managers may even need training in this aspect, especially when it comes to handling a diverse and hybrid group. Hence, support them with training programs that centers on how to manage and ensure the well-being and productivity of their team despite the distance. 

Considering their role’s significance, offer managers adequate guidance on how to approach and unite remote employees. Train your managers when to effectively give constructive feedback and how to praise staff.

The Takeaway

Presently, virtual training programs have become relevant to businesses while on lockdown. Whether employees have to remain in a hybrid system or go back to the office, a virtual training program is still useful to give incoming workers an introduction to the business and its processes.

Despite the unexpected hardships that were brought by the pandemic, your company can still thrive and deliver goals with effective training strategies in place. Moreover, you can use this situation to explore new ways and processes in doing business, and even solidify teamwork and commitment between employees through digital platforms.

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