Few will forget the day when the COVID pandemic put the world on pause. Businesses were forced to close their physical doors, some closing entirely for the time being or permanently, and others moving to a work-from-home model, adopting the mindset of “business must go on.”
Now, managers like you are facing a challenge when it comes to training remote employees… How do you train a remote workforce and ensure that your talent is receiving the education they need to do their current jobs well while growing in skill and confidence to rise up the ranks within your organization?
Many businesses decided to forgo training remote employees during this time. While it may have seemed like a good way to save costs, the choice was short-sighted and could actually hinder those organizations in the long run.
Thankfully, you understand that your employees are your greatest asset (no matter where they are located) and you know how important it is to foster a culture of growth and provide leadership training and skills training to usher your employees and your organization forward. A remote workforce deserves the same support and growth opportunities as any other.
With the pandemic raging since 2020, many businesses have opted to keep their employees remote long after the governmental restrictions were lifted – and for good reason! Not only is working remotely safer for your employees and more cost-effective for your company, it’s actually a considerably more productive working environment than expected. Most employees are grateful to forgo the hour or so sitting in traffic to and from work, and work better without the constant distractions they’d normally receive in an office or cubicle.
Like anything, a primarily remote workforce does have its drawbacks. For one, managing remote teams can be challenging when a quick walk to someone’s office down the hall is no longer an option. For those looking to provide growth opportunities for their employees, training remote employees presents its own set of challenges.
Thankfully, there is a way to provide remote employees with the training they need to succeed.
Every business was forced to adapt in some way to the changing world and Rapport was no different. In order to provide equally effective and game-changing leadership training to learners, Rapport developed a series of digital courses perfect for training remote employees.
According to Statista.com, businesses spent more than 1.29 trillion dollars in travel costs in 2019. In 2020, with travel suspended and trips canceled left and right, that number fell to 500 billion. While in-person training and events are making a comeback, many companies are realizing that they can save money without sacrificing their employees’ growth by utilizing digital courses. Flights aren’t necessary, nor are transportation, hotels, or daily food budgets. The Rapport U Leader Series provides quality training without the need to send your employees out of town.
When employees attend a conference filled with hundreds of breakout sessions, it can be difficult to choose between multiple options, and taking in all of that information in a short period of time is often compared to “drinking from a firehose.”
The Rapport U Leader Series is a 9-month, self-paced course that allows learners to digest the information presented and put it into practice before they continue on. Employees will be more likely to internalize what they’ve learned and use it to improve their performance.
Listening to an instructor drone on about a topic is not only ineffective, it’s downright painful. Individuals learn best through interaction and experiential work, “getting their hands dirty” as they put each theory and tool into practice.
All Rapport courses are designed with this interactive concept in mind and Rapport U is no different. Trainers use different teaching methods to tap into the three learning styles and engage participants so they (and you) get the most benefit out of the courses.
While many employees enjoy the freedom of working from home, some remote workers feel isolated in their “silo” and miss the camaraderie and energy that being around co-workers can provide.
The Rapport U Leader Series combats this issue by providing optional weekly Zoom meetings for learners to engage with like-minded peers and a Rapport Trainer. This provides a sense of community for the duration of the training and beyond, as life-long relationships are created.
Classrooms and event centers have a finite amount of space and can only accommodate a limited number of learners. With social distancing restrictions in effect, even fewer seats are available. This leaves some businesses unable to schedule their employees for training when they need it.
Digital courses are not limited by space and can be accessed by as many learners as needed. Training remote employees digitally through the Rapport U Leader Series means that you can provide learning opportunities for as many employees as you’d like. Since you’re saving money on travel costs, your budget is freed up to help many employees grow.
Your employees are busy and getting away from their work responsibilities (and their personal lives) for a week at a time can be next to impossible for many and extremely inconvenient for all. Even stepping out of the “office” for a full day can cause stress for some. With the siren song of work just a few feet away, employees must work hard to draw a line at the end of the workday. Training remote employees needn’t add to the stress by requiring them to work after hours to catch up.
With a digital, blended training experience, learners can do the training on their own time, at their own pace, and schedule one hour each week (if they so choose) to join the Zoom calls and connect with other professionals. Learning is still prioritized, however, without the pressure to conform to a predetermined schedule, participants have the freedom to set their own schedule when they can be fully engaged.
In many ways, business development and personal development are synonymous. The way in which you show up at work is often how you show up in other aspects of your life and vice versa. Communication skills, confidence, and the ability to lead can help an individual live a happier, more fulfilled existence in and out of the office.
From the business’s standpoint, well-developed employees are happier, more productive, work better with others, and bring more value to the organization as creative, confident leaders.
The Rapport U Leader Series teaches the necessary skills to help learners grow as individuals and as employees. All of the courses teach strategies and provide tools that will be useful in every aspect of their lives.
While leaders are often defined as individuals in management positions, there is considerably more to the story. At Rapport, we believe that every individual can be a leader, whether their business card suggests it or not.
The Rapport U Leader Series is designed to cover all of the necessary skills leaders need to succeed. It includes 7 courses that improve learners’ communication skills, goal setting abilities, appreciation, delegation, resilience, and ability to handle change, allow them to better understand who they are as individuals, and manage their emotions and the way in which they react to others.
Training remote employees is an easy way to bring growth opportunities to your most valuable asset. Your employees will have the freedom to learn on their schedule, from an environment where they feel safe. They’ll become the best versions of themselves, all while improving your business. With benefits like these, now is the time to propel your employees and your organization forward with Rapport U.