Remote Training: How To Create An Effective Program For Your Startup
All startups begin with a groundbreaking idea. In order to take this idea to market, however, it’s crucial to first find, and then develop, the right people. Finding talent can be a challenge, but is often a relatively straightforward process using one of the many different platforms and resources on the market. The more difficult aspect is developing talent, particularly when budget is a concern, as is the case with every startup.
Any training strategy that you employ should not only cover narrowly defined skills necessary for the job but should work on developing the characteristics and mindsets necessary for driving your idea forward. The success of your startup will largely depend on the commitment, innovation, and dedication of your employees, which in turn should be continuously developed through your training structures. This can be a challenge when working with remote employees, as is the case in many startups.
Luckily, there are some simple tools and strategies that you can take advantage of in order to create a learning structure that answers the needs of your business and can drive your idea forward. Some of these tips are general advice, some are tools that can help structure the processes, but all are valuable to help get your small business just getting off the ground.
1. Make It Collaborative And Practical
There is plenty of different research on adult learning theory, and one thing that stands out is the need for training to be task-oriented and practical. Helping employees gain firsthand experience through practical situations is one of the best ways for you to prepare them for their work, or develop them further in their fields. Making your training both practical and collaborative will also build employees’ sense of community and sense of ownership, both crucial elements for any startup.
2. Encourage Communication To Increase Results
Quite often the best learning happens between trainees, as they discuss assignments, trade ideas, and dive deeper into the material. One of the best things you can do is create the environment for this type of communication. Brosix Instant Messenger is a great option in this regard, as it provides businesses with private secure networks for this type of internal communication. These networks are full of collaborative features for training purposes. Apart from encouraging trainee communication through messaging and customizable chat rooms, you can also organize your training structures.
3. Explain And Show
One of the biggest challenges you might face as you begin training your employees is that many of them may be working remotely, which makes it difficult for any in-person demonstrations and modeling. Luckily there are IM programs that also cover this area with features like remote desktop and virtual whiteboard features. The former allows you to take over a computer remotely, perfect for virtual demonstrations, and the latter is great for presenting material remotely using charts, tables, drawings, and other visual material. With these features, you can explain and show as if remote colleagues were in the same room.
Final Word
There are certainly many other strategies that you can use when training new employees, but in order for your startup to truly grow these strategies should be aimed at not only building certain concrete skills but encouraging collaboration and building a sense of ownership. These are the traits which make dedicated and innovative employees who are ready to grow your business. This may be a challenge if you’re working with remote employees, but thanks to IT advancements it’s not an insurmountable one.
Ultimately, any training program should be sure to emphasize both the content and the delivery structures, as both are crucial for success. Saying the right thing is important, but you also have to say it in the right way. This makes choosing the right training principles and tools just as important as the choosing the content. While requiring some time and costs, these choices will inevitably have huge payoffs in the future as you see your startup grow through the efforts of your committed and capable employees!
