Distant Working In The Future: 6 Key Areas
Development opportunities for remote workers
Advances in all areas, including remote working, are relentless. The recent pandemic probably only helped drive trends. In the world of education and training, we see customers setting priorities in a number of areas that otherwise would have remained unchanged in the short term. Here are some of the key issues organizations should consider when working remotely in the future:
eBook release
Working From Home – How to Maximize Remote Training and Development of Your Colleagues
Learn how you can support your remote workers and overcome business challenges with eLearning solutions.
What the future holds for remote personnel development
1. The creation of a learning culture
This is something that we don’t see enough business for. As we have already stated, creating a culture of accountability is an important foundation for learning and development. According to a CIPD report, 98% of learning and development practitioners want to develop a positive learning culture, but only 36% believe this is the case in their organizations. This type of environment could be implemented in a number of ways, including a review of the existing corporate culture using experts in the field. To achieve the required leverage, the review would need to be sponsored at the board level. This is important because something so crucial is in line with the company’s vision and underlying strategic mission.
2. Reassessing the benefits of face-to-face training
The sudden move from the office to remote work was an unexpected seismic shift. But perhaps the most unexpected result was the speed with which we all adapted to the new way of working. Companies in all industries had to focus on survival, as only essential training for video conferencing platforms such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams was carried out. However, as we move into the next phase of hiring, confidence in the value of distance learning in all of its formats grows. The regular Zoom sessions are now being replaced with the proven effectiveness of self-directed and blended training, employing many low-cost options as mentioned earlier.
While face-to-face training is still of immense value, it is only done when needed. For example, when personal guidance or assessment might be required.
3. Provision of learning content at department level for future remote work
Our discussions with customers already show that both the mixed and the self-determined learning approach are increasingly being defined in a way that is aligned with the hierarchy of a company.
For example, all new starters could have a more cost-effective standard model of distance learning at their own pace applied to ensure a certain level of basic knowledge. Moving up the chain of command may make the training more bespoke, and the C-suite gets the equivalent of fully bespoke one-on-one coaching.
This approach would take advantage of the cost savings from distance training, with that resource reallocated to pay for each executive training course.
4. Continuous technological improvements to increase attractiveness and accessibility
One of the main disadvantages of distance learning has been its lack of attractiveness due to certain technological limitations. For example, using video conferencing has been challenging due to the bandwidth limitations, poor quality, and perceived security risk. With the introduction of improved technologies like 5G and more advanced APIs, these problems will be a thing of the past.
The need to work remotely has led many organizations to rethink areas such as business continuity, operational stability, and data management.
Training and development are influenced by all of these factors. Therefore, the core technology areas such as content delivery, LMS security and remote functionality have been further developed to meet the requirements of demanding companies. With so much investment in distance learning infrastructure, it’s unlikely that things will ever be the same again.
5. The growth of geographical work centers – the “work from anywhere” approach
The pursuit of continued efficiency, as well as the demographic and political shift away from the inner cities to smaller settlements with better quality of life, mean that companies are considering the long-term options of operating without the traditional headquarters.
Instead, it is likely that coworkers will be encouraged to use a regional hub or rented shared office model, where local offices are only used when needed.
6. Standardization and commercialization of distance training
Ultimately, all things of mass attractiveness become commodities. And associated with this is the need to adapt or standardize products and services. Distance learning and development are no exception to this rule. This process will also accelerate its growing attractiveness as costs continue to fall, value for money increases, and acceptance normalizes.
Your guide to working remotely in the future
Recently, we have seen unprecedented changes that have impacted almost every aspect of our lives, including the way we evolve in the workplace. Training and development are still vital to the success of any business. Hence, we have tried to offer advice on how to maximize your success in this area.
Download the e-book “Working From Home – Maximizing Remote Training and Your Colleagues Development” to learn how to use online training solutions to meet your L&D challenges.
eWyse
eWyse is an award-winning agency that uses a unique method called the 3C Approach to create the perfect eLearning courses that engage, entertain and train learners and help companies achieve their goals. Let’s discuss your ideas!
