Five tips to Improve Hybrid and Remote Workforce Training

After the COVID pandemic, more and more companies adopted a hybrid work environment, where some employees are on-site every day, while others work remotely, and only occasionally come to the office. Though a new way of working, 59% of workers prefer employers who offer remote working opportunities.

Transformation to this new hybrid work environment requires employees to learn new skills and strategies. Therefore, learning needs require to change so as to meet the new needs in this hybrid work environment. Whether someone works from the office or home, creating a high-quality learning experience is a must.

In 2019, IBM transformed its employee learning by introducing a hybrid model that blended on-site sessions with online learning, resulting in remarkable savings of $200 million in costs. This innovative approach not only boosted employee engagement but also improved productivity. Employees experienced a 30% increase in knowledge retention, thanks to the flexibility of revisiting online modules at their convenience. By integrating hands-on instruction with digital resources, organizations can customize learning, to accommodate diverse learning styles, ensuring a more effective and efficient training process.

However, before we learn to improve hybrid and remote workforce learning, it is important to understand what are the challenges of working in a hybrid work culture.

Challenges of working in a hybrid work culture

1. In the hybrid work environment, employees need to use new tools and technology such as messaging apps (like Teams, Slack), email, and task management software to make remote work, efficient and seamless. Therefore, employees should learn all about these tools and technology to be able to use them.

2. As companies move towards a hybrid work culture, manual jobs are being automated, and employees, therefore, need to be upskilled to improve their communication and technical skills.

3. Remote employees do not get the opportunity to interact with their colleagues spontaneously, which results in impromptu learning. The training should take into consideration the learning needs of the employees.

4. In the hybrid work culture, the employees may feel less connected to the values, mission, and vision of the organization, leading to gaps in their communication with clients and other stakeholders.

According to a LinkedIn survey, 7 in 10 people say learning improves their sense of connection to their organization, and 8 in 10 people say that learning adds purpose to their work.

Training should take into consideration this gap and should be designed to help employees stay connected with the organization's vision and goals.

Five tips to improve hybrid and remote workforce training

According to a study by McKinsey, companies that employed hybrid training saw a striking 45% increase in employee engagement and retention. So, even in an environment where employees are given the flexibility to work from home, it is crucial to provide them with training to increase engagement and retention.

Here are five tips to improve hybrid and remote workforce training:

1. Leverage Technology for Interactive Learning: A recent study revealed that organizations leveraging advanced technology for leadership development experience a 35% boost in employee engagement.

In a hybrid environment, companies need to invest in the latest technology to improve communication across the organization. For this, companies need to assess their technological stack and ensure that it aligns with the ever-changing needs of their hybrid workforce. Companies can leverage technology in the following ways:

* Use Collaboration Tools: Platforms like Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or Slack can facilitate virtual discussions, Q&A sessions, and real-time feedback.

* Incorporate Gamification: Gamified elements like leaderboards, badges, and quizzes make training engaging and encourage healthy competition.

* Adopt Virtual Reality (VR) or Augmented Reality (AR): For specific industries, immersive tools can simulate real-world scenarios for hands-on learning.

2. Create Flexible, On-Demand Learning Modules: Creating flexible, on-demand learning modules is essential for training a hybrid workforce because it accommodates diverse schedules, learning preferences, and work environments.

In a hybrid setup, employees juggle different commitments and may work across various time zones, making it difficult to attend traditional training sessions. On-demand modules, such as recorded webinars, microlearning courses, and mobile-friendly resources, empower employees to access training materials at their convenience, ensuring uninterrupted learning. This flexibility not only reduces barriers to participation but also fosters a culture of continuous development, as employees can revisit content as needed to reinforce knowledge. Moreover, such modules enhance engagement and retention by allowing learners to progress at their own pace, ensuring they grasp concepts thoroughly without feeling rushed.

* Implement Microlearning: Deloitte's observation that employees in the modern workplace have just 4.8 minutes daily for learning and development underscores the importance of microlearning. Breaking training into short, focused modules that employees can access anytime allows them to learn at their own pace.

* Offer Recorded Sessions: Ensuring all live training is recorded for employees who may miss the session due to time zones or conflicting schedules, can help improve remote workforce training.

* Provide Mobile-Friendly Content: Making learning materials accessible on mobile devices to enable learning on the go is another way to improve hybrid training.

3. Personalized Training Experiences: According to a 2018 survey conducted by Axonify, around 91% of employees desire personalized and relevant training. You can personalize training experiences for the hybrid workforce in the following way:

* Assess Individual Needs: Use surveys or assessments to understand each employee's skill gaps and tailor content accordingly.

* Adaptive Learning Platforms: Utilize AI-driven tools that adjust content and difficulty levels based on the learner's progress.

* Offer Role-Based Training: Design specific modules for different roles to ensure relevance and applicability.

4. Foster Engagement and Collaboration: As stated in an article in the Harvard Business Review (HBR), a now-famous Gallup survey found that employees who have a best friend at work are seven times more likely to be engaged at their job. For years before the pandemic, companies benefited from the proximity principle. Now, even though people feel isolated due to working from home, 81% of them (according to HBR) still want to continue working from home and don't want to come to the office daily. So, how does one ensure greater workforce engagement and collaboration in the hybrid environment? One can do that by leveraging technology.

Here are some of the ways to ensure higher engagement and collaboration amongst the hybrid workforce:

* Encourage Peer Learning: Set up virtual breakout rooms for group activities or peer-to-peer discussions.

* Host Interactive Webinars: Use polls, live chat, and real-time exercises to engage participants actively.

* Provide Immediate Feedback: Use quizzes and follow-up exercises to offer instant feedback on performance.

5. Measure Impact and Continuously Improve: Even in the hybrid environment, it is important to measure the impact of your training and continuously improve.

Here are the ways to measure impact and improve your training for a hybrid workforce:

* Track Engagement Metrics: Monitor attendance, participation rates, and time spent on modules to identify trends and areas for improvement.

* Collect Regular Feedback: Use surveys and direct interviews to gather insights on the training experience and make necessary adjustments.

* Update Content Frequently: Ensure training materials stay relevant by aligning them with the latest industry trends and company goals.

Conclusion

Effective learning is essential in today's dynamic work environment, even for hybrid and remote teams. A well-trained workforce drives engagement, productivity, and success, regardless of employees' location.

Concordia Solutions specializes in equipping hybrid teams with the skills they need to thrive, offering tailored training programs led by expert and experienced trainers. By focusing on innovative strategies and personalized approaches, Concordia ensures that your workforce is empowered to adapt, collaborate, and excel in a hybrid setting.

Let us transform your training programs to build a resilient and high-performing team.