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We’ve passed the inflection point of remote workers being a small segment of the workforce to the majority of it — 64% of all workers are fully remote, up from 49% in 2022.

Developing and scaling training programs that accommodate remote workers, rather than treating them as an afterthought, is no longer optional. Organizations must build programs that effectively increase productivity, cohesion, and security.

It’s clear the training paradigm of the past needs to be updated. So, let’s explore why scaling training solutions is critical and what best practices you can follow to get the best results.

Key Challenges with Global Workforces

Several challenges need to be addressed as the modern workforce continues to evolve into a geographically dispersed tapestry of remote teams. Some of the most urgent challenges to solve are:

• Time zones and scheduling: When one person wakes up and gets ready for work, another person on the same team might be clocking out for the day. This makes planning live, instructor-led training sessions.
• Language and cultural barriers: You might not be primarily hiring employees from the same country as your headquarters; instead, you might have a multilingual workforce in need of training.
• Technology infrastructure variations: Remote workers are dependent on their own local infrastructure to ensure power and an Internet connection. Having training that’s available on-demand is crucial for organization-wide training.
• Consistency in training quality: Providing the same quality of training ensures that the organization receives the same benefits from these programs, regardless of the instructor, training time, or individual. Legacy solutions often struggle with consistency.
• Measuring effectiveness at scale: How will you know if your training program is working effectively? Do you have the tools available to measure results? You must keep data capture and analytics at the front of your mind when building new training programs.

Each of these challenges needs to be tackled as you build, scale, and refine new training solutions.

Effective Solutions and Top Best Practices for Remote Training

It’s clear your organization needs remote training that consistently delivers high-quality results. Offering training for a dispersed workforce is no easy task, but it’s also not impossible. 

Adopting the right technologies and supporting processes will allow you to solve the above problems and develop an effective training program for the entire organization.

Offer Self-Paced Training

Self-paced training is a cornerstone of any scalable, global training program. Each employee has varying schedules and learning styles, which can make it difficult to ensure a uniform experience when relying on live, synchronous training.

By providing self-paced training, employees are able to complete their training programs when it makes sense for their current workday schedule and take the time they need to absorb the material.

Cloud-Based Learning Platforms and Virtual Training

Platforms that employees can access from their chosen device and any location are vital for providing a comprehensive training experience. An easily accessible cloud-based platform simplifies accessing materials while also enabling significant scaling throughout the organization.

Additionally, the right virtual training platforms provide back-end tools for organizations to develop, deploy, or update training material in real-time. Trainers are able to ensure all employees have access to the latest information to provide a consistent experience.

Leverage Modular, Easily Localizable Content

Adopting a modular approach to training helps streamline learning programs and offers bite-sized pieces of information that are easily digestible. This strategy is highly effective in a global environment where learners often have different cultural backgrounds. A modular strategy allows for creating localized content by changing one module rather than the entire course.

We offer a potent new feature that goes far in helping learners move through modules and retain what they learn — Guided Journey. Our platform allows trainers to keep an eye on learner programs and step in if it’s ever needed. If a learner is struggling with a specific module, you can proactively help them to provide a better learning experience.

Build-in Microlearning and Mobile Learning

Microlearning is the practice of delivering training in short, focused bursts that complement a modular training strategy. Additionally, when combined with mobile learning platforms, employees can complete training material in a frictionless way throughout their workday. 

Shorter courses and mobile platforms allow them to complete courses whether traveling, working remotely, or simply wanting a break from the desktop. For many types of learners, quick courses and flexible learning can go far in enhancing learning potential.

Prioritize Cultural Sensitivity and Multilingual Support

Training a global workforce means considering the range of cultural norms and practices. Material and processes that work well in one region may not be effective in another — so it’s crucial to prioritize cultural sensitivity and inclusion when designing courses.

Additionally, multilingual support is essential to ensure every learner has the support they need to address any technical concerns, ask questions about the material, and ultimately provide a consistent learning experience for everyone.

Ensure Data Analytics for Continuous Improvement

A truly scalable platform needs built-in data capture and analytics capabilities so trainers have the complete picture. We’ll explore specific KPIs in greater detail below, but at a high-level overview, standardized KPIs allow trainers to identify strengths, weaknesses, and chokepoints in training programs.

Additionally, a feature for real-time feedback is available for learners to share frustrations or express appreciation. Trainers can provide support and even quickly make necessary changes to enhance outcomes.

Effective Engagement Strategies to Boost Retention

Retaining learning material is crucial for any training program. There are several strategies to consider, and many can be combined to ensure high-quality results. Let’s quickly explore a few engagement strategies to consider:

• Gamification and hands-on elements introduce badges, leaderboards, and point systems to keep learners motivated.
• Blending synchronous and asynchronous methods Combining synchronous (live) and asynchronous (on-demand) learning methods provides a more flexible experience.
• Building global communities of practice and collaborative learning allows for peer-to-peer interactions and feedback, supporting learning outcomes.
• Chatting with learners during sessions via Slack channels and chat to provide the necessary support organizations need.
• Looking over users’ shoulders to guide them when they spend much time on a specific task or get stuck on a quiz.

The right strategies for your global workforce may vary from others, so explore different methods to learn what works well for your teams.

How to Measure Training Success

You’ve invested time and resources into building a global training program, but was it worth the investment? Understanding how to measure success or lack thereof, is necessary for continually improving the effectiveness of your training program.

Develop KPIs that make sense for your organization. A few common training KPIs to consider are:

• Course completion rate shows the percentage of learners who have completed the course and demonstrates engagement. This stat largely reflects the training material and overall training processes that support completing the course.
• Learner engagement measures how actively participants interacted with the training content, such as time spent on modules, number of activities, and participation in community-centric activities.
• Assessment scores typically encompass the various learning checkpoints, like tests, quizzes, or assignments, that ultimately show how well learners absorb the materials.
• Knowledge retention rates are follow-up assessments that occur weeks or months after the learning material. This metric helps understand a critical aspect of the training program — if the material was absorbed and put to use.
• Learner feedback can be open-ended surveys or a numerical rating, making it an easily measurable KPI. Asking for feedback at the end of the training session can help better gauge the learner’s experience that goes beyond other KPIs.

Standardizing KPIs across the organization is critical to measuring the overall results across the global workforce. 

However, it’s crucial to consider how regional customization might be applied to your chosen KPIs. Allowing for regional, localized training courses to have different KPI targets or even unique KPIs can go far in accurately understanding your results.

Adopt the Right Platforms for Global, Scalable Training

Developing and building an effective global training program can take time and investments, but when done well, can keep organizations secure, efficient, and cohesive. The process begins by adopting the right training platforms that support the entire workforce, including different languages and cultures. 

From there, crafting modular courses with on-demand support and engagement strategies will go far in helping build a self-paced training program. Continuous improvement will help build training courses that reliably deliver ideal outcomes.

CloudShare offers virtual training solutions with the flexibility you need to craft a highly effective training program. Our latest Guided Journey feature takes training to the next level by equipping trainers with new tools to greatly enhance learning outcomes.
Are you ready to get started with a platform designed to help you build an effective training program? Book a demo today to learn more about how CloudShare can form the backbone of your global, scalable training program.

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