How to Transition to Virtual Learning

With the recent outbreak of the COVID-19 virus in the U.S. and worldwide, organizations are cancelling meetings and telling employees to work from home. The world has already been getting more virtual, and this virus is only encouraging people to work remotely more often.

While suddenly having to switch from in-person training to remote learning can be daunting, there are some easy ways you can make the transition smoother. If you ensure the process is seamless, you’ll be able to keep employees motivated, continue building their skills, and maintain their collaboration.

Here’s how you can handle transitioning your team to a more remote workplace.

Build Your Emergency Plan

Determine the current level of work your organization must maintain, and figure out what resources you need to ensure goals are met. Create a solid plan for quickly developing a remote workforce, paying attention to the tools and program the team needs to get the job done. Allow the team time to gather what they need from the workplace and get set up at home. You should also be realistic about your plans – for example, some projects may need to have their milestones and deadlines pushed to when people are back in the office.

Be transparent, honest and open about the situation

Keep up with the news so you can deliver the correct information effectively. Pay attention to what local governments are saying and what other organizations are doing. Many people are anxious about the virus and its effects – schools are closing, stores are shutting their doors, supplies are dwindling, events are being cancelled. Maintain your composure and use your leadership skills to send a firm but positive message to your team. While everything else is up in the air, your organization can keep its feet on the ground with set plans and procedures. Be honest about the situation and let your staff know what the process is for working and training, and tell them what you expect in the duration.

Give employees the proper tools to work virtually 

A remote employee needs communication tools to be able to connect with colleagues instantly. Utilize Skype, Zoom, or GoToMeeting platforms to keep your scheduled meetings on the calendar. Chat programs like Slack and Microsoft Teams allow you to create groups for discussions and send information instantaneously. If an employee works from a desktop in the office, set up a VPN so they can access their computer from their personal device at home. Work with your IT department or contractor to install any software they need to get their jobs done.

Migrate your in-person learning to virtual learning

The value of face-to-face, small group learning can be replicated in a virtual setting. You can still be connected while being virtual – so shifting to online training doesn't mean you'll lose connectivity or the team aspect. We know there are times when you need to be flexible, and transitioning in-person training to online training is proving to be necessary today. Fortunately, if you have the right tools, you can easily move a classroom training session to an online session. Learners are safe at home, and they can still be just as involved as if they were right there in the classroom.

We have the solutions to support your virtual event, no matter the size of the training program you are planning. Here are two of our online offerings:

• HRDQ e-Assessments offers 39 powerful, online tools delivered, scored, and managed from a distance. Your learners can perform the assessments online and receive a comprehensive, actionable report. Complete the learning experience with a virtual follow up, one-on-one session, or small group coaching by you or HRDQ Consulting trainers.
  
• HRDQ Consulting delivers on our small group learning philosophy with full support for both classroom and virtual learning. Our consultants can pull your teams together online from remote locations, deliver a high-quality, interactive learning experience – building the camaraderie, communication, and learning you need to stay productive.

There's an urgent need to not only keep the learning going but to also do it safely. And you can't simply throw your classroom learning online and label it as effective training. It must be done correctly in order to be effective. HRDQ is an experienced provider of virtual learning classes and online resources that are easy to implement and cost effective. Contact us for ideas and support with your virtual learning needs.

How are you preparing for online learning? Let us know in the comments.

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