Back in the days before COVID, manager away days could be hugely effective, bringing out new skills, breaking down barriers and building a team ethos. But sadly these are no longer viable in the midst of a pandemic. Managing remote workers requires a completely different skill set – one that many managers do not possess. So how can you up skill them when getting them into a classroom is impossible?
Why is training on managing remote workers so important right now?
Managers are currently facing unprecedented challenges with managing remote workers, returning employees and, often, a mix of both. The challenges are mounting up, and few have been trained for the new way of working.
How can managers be prepared for maintaining morale, teamwork and productivity in such disparate times? As well as looking after the needs of their team, managers have to adapt their own working practices.
What alternatives do business leaders have?
During the early days of the pandemic delivering the same training content via video meeting platforms seemed like a viable alternative for away days. However, without a compelling in-person experience virtual instructor-led training (VILT) decreased by 31% within the first few months of COVID-19.
Fortunately, there are resources out there for managers (and employees). Technology has advanced exponentially over the last few decades and there are few subjects that cannot be studied online.
E-Learning can be a wonderful alternative for organisations that have reduced their training budget and don’t have time for managers to attend a virtual away day. Managers can dip in and out of an interactive e-learning course at a time that suits their demands. As an efficient, affordable alternative, organisations can rapidly address training needs with e-learning content.
Choosing the right e-learning course for your managers
There can be no doubting the potential and breadth of e-learning, but it is not always the ideal solution. Firstly, there is the issue of finding an authoritative course. Anyone can record an instructional video (all you need is a smartphone), but not everyone is qualified to set themselves up as a professional trainer. The variation in quality is enormous.
Secondly, not everyone can engage with online learning. It takes will-power to plough through a course and it is easy to find your mind wandering (or your eyelids drooping).
Thirdly, it is not always easy to find a relevant course – particularly given for many managing disparate teams . Does the course meet your exact needs as a line manager who is managing remote workers?
How WeThrive can help
The key is to find a learning method that is practical and targeted to the needs of the manager. WeThrive has an e-learning programme which is highly relevant as it links to the results of an employee engagement survey. ‘Thrivology’ training has been carefully designed to strike the right balance between theory and practice – ensuring managers leave with the knowledge, skills and resources they need for managing remote workers.
About WeThrive
Employee Engagement, Evolved
WeThrive is the agile employee engagement platform that uncovers how your people truly feel, enabling managers to create highly effective teams, increase employee retention and employee wellbeing and deliver better business results.
