The document emphasizes the importance of developing effective training strategies for a virtual workforce, addressing challenges faced by managers and leveraging technology to enhance employee engagement and productivity. Telecommuting presents significant cost savings and productivity benefits, while organizations must adapt quickly to maintain a competitive edge. Key takeaways include the necessity of skilled managers and the effective use of technology tools in successful virtual employee development.

2. ?
What is your biggest
challenge with training
your employees?

3. ?
How prepared are your
managers to lead
virtual employees?

4. WHAT YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE-AWAY:
A
How to develop learning strategies that address the specific and
unique needs of a virtual workforce.
Identify the challenges and strategies associated with manager
support of training and development initiatives of virtual
employees.
Ability to identify the specific training challenges some specific
virtual tools can help solve.

5. PER YEAR
A typical business would save
$11,000 per person
The telecommuters would
save between
$2,000 and $7,000
REMOTE EMPLOYEES
LOG AN AVERAGE OF
4 hours more per week
According to Gallup’s 2013 State of the America
Workplace Report:
ARE MORE ENGAGED.
32% COMPARED TO 28% OF
ON-SITE EMPLOYEES.
National productivity would increase
by $334 billion to $467 billion a year
through telecommuting.
SOURCES: GALLUP AND GLOBAL WORKPLACE ANALYTICS

6. In today’s business environment, organizations
must adapt quickly or die. Gaining competitive
advantage in a global environment means
continually reshaping the organization to
maximize strengths, address threats, and increase
speed. The use of virtual teams has become a
common way of doing this.
SOURCE: Mastering Virtual Teams: Strategies, Tools and Techniques That Succeed
by Deborah Duarte and Nancy Snyder
“

7. A virtual team or workforce is an
interdependent group of individuals
who predominantly use technology to
communicate, collaborate, share
information and coordinate their
efforts in order to accomplish a
common work-related objective.

8. Who is a virtual employee?

9. WHAT’S THE ROLE OF HR AND
LEARNING LEADERS?
Develop a learning strategy
Develop the skills and
competencies of your
managers
Understand your strategy,
challenges and opportunities
Acquire and implement
the necessary technology
and tools

10. ORGANIZATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Leverage talent
Enable organizations to
adapt more quickly
Increase the diversity of
perspectives
Decrease travel and mandatory
relocation
Drive down operating costs
Improve engagement and
productivity

11. MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES
Out-of-site, out-of-mind
Employee development
and training
Basic supervision
Loss of spontaneous
communication
Logistics
Teams and complex work
assignments

12. LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
CHALLENGES
Technology
Support
Strategy
Culture

13. THE % OF KNOWLEDGE IN YOUR
BRAIN NEEDED TO DO YOUR JOB
1986 – 75% 1997 – 15-20% 2006 – 8-10%
Source: Robert Kelly, Carnegie-Mellon University

14. Traditional approaches
won’t work…

15. No classroom is large enough.
No individual is smart enough.
No response time is fast enough.
No intervention is complete enough.
No program lasts long enough.
No solution is global enough.
…

16. A
CONTEXTUAL:
Role, location
INFORMAL:
Everyday, ad hoc
SOCIAL:
Discussion, recommendations
TIMELY:
Just in time, moment of need
MOBILE:
Anywhere, anytime
CONCISE:
Short videos, quick updates
DEVELOPING A LEARNING STRATEGY

17. 2%
10%
43%
45%
Less than annually
Annually
Monthly
Weekly
CONTINUOUS LEARNING
SOURCE: Brandon-Hall Group
How often would you
expect your individual
contributor population,
on average, to need to
connect with learning
resources to effectively
perform their job?

18. An information rich world
requires everyone to be
continuous learners.
…remember the 6%...

19. DEVELOPING YOUR MANAGERS AND
SETTING EXPECTATIONS
A
Roles and responsibilities
Formal and informal communication
Project and task coordination
Collaboration
Relationship and trust building
Performance management

20. MANAGER COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS
Coaching Skills
Technology Literacy
Emotional Intelligence
Relationship Building
Effective Listening

21. COMMON
CONFLICTS
• Uneven knowledge dissemination.
• Mistrust
• Misinterpretation
• Relaxed inhibitions.
• Reaching consensus is more difficult.
• Longer to make decisions.

22. TECHNOLOGY AND TOOLS
A
Learning technology
Social learning and networking
Video web conferencing
Performance management
Recognition
Resources and access

23. USING THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR
THE TASK
Instant Message (IM):
Short conversation,
confirmations, quick requests
Video Conferencing:
Collaboration and
complex conversations
Virtual room:
Discussion groups, staff meetings,
cultural norms and values
Short Video:
Quick updates, refresher training,
micro learning, knowledge
sharing
Job Aids and Briefs:
How-to, static content,
references and data
Enterprise Social Network:
Knowledge sharing, networking,
connect with SME’s

24. LEARNER EXPECTATIONS
CONTENT CHARACTERISTICS
Easy to use - intuitive
Learning experience
fits to delivery mode
Content is accessible
no matter what device
I’m using
Content is accessible
in any location or
work environment
Easy to find and easy
to share
Engaging
• Delivery looks
familiar to me and
there is video to
watch
• Content is
personalized to fit
my needs
• Mobile – must
have, it’s not an
option
• I choose when and
how to access
content
• Social – shareable
with friends and
colleagues and I
can comment
• Short, relevant
video
SOURCE: http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/10/09/iphone-app-design-trends/
http://mashable.com/2011/01/26/mobile-app-design-trends/

25. LEARNER REQUIREMENTS
MOBILE DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
Easy to use - intuitive
Learning experience
fits to delivery mode
Content is accessible
no matter what device
I’m using
Content is accessible
in any location or
work environment
Easy to find and easy
to share
Engaging
• Mirror native
environment UI’s
• Lists, layers, and big
buttons
• Responsive web
design,
• Apps versus HTML5
• "Human interface
guidelines"
• Bookmarking
• Location web
accessible
• Cloud storage
accessible
• Online and offline
access options
• Cataloging and
searching
capabilities
• Forward, e-mail,
tweet, etc.
• Colors, textures,
patterns, shadows
• Configurable
visuals versus
simplicity
SOURCE: http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/10/09/iphone-app-design-trends/
http://mashable.com/2011/01/26/mobile-app-design-trends/

26. ADULT LEARNING SHORT-FORM VIDEO
Adults are internally motivated and
self-directed
Self-directed, access as needed and when
needed
Adults bring life experiences and
knowledge to learning experiences
Interaction with others when a social
component is available
Adults are goal oriented Goals promoted through short, timely bursts
of relevant content
Adults are relevancy oriented Easier to be relevant when content is short
and targeted
Adults are practical Little to no workflow disruption
Adult learners like to be respected Employees manage and control pace and
timing of their own learning

27. ENTERPRISE SOCIAL NETWORKS
Platform
Community
Content
Build networks with peers
Ask and answer questions
Share and find valuable
information posted by peers
Find and connect with experts
Access relevant learning
content
Build an internal “brand” and
reputation

28. KEY TAKE-AWAYS:
A
Training a virtual workforce, while challenging, is a necessary
organizational competency in today’s learning environment.
An important component of a successful training program for a
virtual workforce is trained and skilled managers.
The effective use of technology tools is essential to successful
employee develop of a virtual workforce.

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