ContactCare has coined a new term: TFH, which stands for Training From Home.
The number of COVID cases increased significantly this autumn, forcing us and many other companies to innovate our training methods. But how do you onboard new staff from home? How do you conduct online training sessions for both new and existing staff? And what should you definitely focus on when delivering training completely digitally? We offer you tips & tricks on how to approach TFH and what our findings have been so far.
1. Maintain focus and keep active
Doing an online course or training from home requires a lot of self-discipline and concentration from participants. As a trainer, ensure your participants get enough breaks and physical activity throughout the day. While this is challenging to monitor, you can encourage it. Have you heard of the term gamification? This involves applying game principles and techniques in a non-game context to positively influence behaviour. Create challenges for your participants. Fun examples include: during your break, take at least 5000 steps, and whoever achieves this wins a prize, or whoever makes the healthiest lunch receives a cool cookbook on their first day in the office. This encourages your employees not to spend breaks at their laptops, but to go outside, eat healthily, and engage in activities that relax the brain. And as a participant! Ensure you also stay active during your training day, get fresh air, and drink plenty of water to maintain concentration.
2. Quality E-learning
Following your training online also offers a lot of freedom. Both participants and trainers will experience this. A good E-learning path allows people to plan their schedules. However, arrange set moments to discuss progress or submit deadlines. This way, both trainers and participants know when they will meet, bringing a lot of peace to the calendar.
3. Subsessions or one-on-one sessions
If you provide training to large groups, ensure you schedule enough subsessions. For example, midway through the training week. This gives participants the opportunity to ask questions, brainstorm with fellow participants, and fosters a sense of togetherness. Also, regularly schedule one-on-one sessions. Some participants find it difficult to ask questions digitally. To gain insight into how they are doing, whether they are on schedule, or need extra explanation, it's wise to plan a personal call with each participant.
4. Be creative with training elements
A training consists of three elements: knowledge transfer, application of new knowledge & interaction. As a trainer, you can choose to deliver the material in different ways. Just broadcasting is dull for everyone, and listening for eight hours straight is unsustainable. Therefore, include creativity in your training! Think of a quiz halfway through or at the end of the day to test knowledge, let participants complete assignments that you discuss together after an hour, and end the training periods with a digital social event!
5. Practice with fellow trainers
Even when working from home, you can schedule practice sessions with fellow trainers. Use your free moments to conduct exercises yourself or end the day with a digital meeting. During these times, you can conduct role plays, rehearse conversations, quiz each other, or help with challenging questions. This way, you not only help each other but also gain a more collegial feeling while following your training sessions from home!
