VIRTUAL TRAINING
Cindy Huggett, CPTD
Interactive design, engaging delivery and working technology. You’re all set, right? Almost everyone would think so, but you’re still missing one key ingredient: prepared participants!
How much emphasis you place on their preparation is often the difference between the success and failure of a virtual training program.
Why is this often-overlooked preparation step so important? Because we ask participants to stop what they’re doing in the middle of their workday, make a mental shift and focus on learning.
We also ask them to concentrate on practicing new skills while they can still see their to-do task list on their desk. Distractions abound and entice their attention away from the online program. Even the most disciplined of learners struggle with this challenging task.
So, by helping participants prepare in advance, while setting expectations for involvement, we can affect the learning experience and influence the outcomes.
Here are three specific things you can do:
Today’s typical worker attends multiple passive virtual meetings throughout their day. They are used to multitasking without consequence. So, they will likely be surprised to join an online class and be asked to actively engage.
Therefore, let participants know prior to the program start what it will be like. Will they need to collaborate on a case study and practice new skills with a partner? Will they be turning cameras on?
Don’t leave these assumptions to chance. Let them know from the very start that this online event will be an active learning experience instead of a passive presentation. Craft the program description, registration details and reminder messages to emphasize the type of interaction needed and expected.
Participants may be used to receiving automated registration messages and learning management system reminders, but these notes are often lost in an overcrowded inbox. Calendar invitations may contain helpful information but those are rarely opened before the meeting start time.
Create a warm welcome email message that comes directly from the program facilitator to each individual participant. This personalized communication will stand out and is more likely to be read. Use it to help set the stage for engagement by starting a conversation between the facilitator and participant. Include a request for response, which begins the interaction and dialogue.
Ideally this message is sent a few business days prior to the program start time – far enough in advance that it gives everyone time to read and respond, but not too far away that it’s forgotten. This seemingly simple message may seem unimportant, but its ability to change the narrative of a virtual training program shouldn’t be overlooked. Every bit helps.
The biggest benefit of virtual training is the ability to stay at your desk. But that’s also one of its biggest challenges. While it’s tough to deny the convenience, if it’s not the right place to learn, then help participants make space for virtual training.
Give them tips for organizing their workspace. Encourage them to put away distractions, clear off some space, silence their phones and turn on their “do not disturb” settings.
These rudimentary reminders may seem obvious but calling them out makes them more likely to happen. You can create a checklist or include this information in the pre-session communications.
If sorting their workspace isn’t feasible, then remind them that it’s OK to move to an alternate location. If they are typically in an office setting, tell them to reserve a conference room or to work from home that day. Or if they work a hybrid schedule, then perhaps going to the office makes sense. The point is to normalize creating an environment that’s conducive to learning.
In addition to sharing what to do, also explain why these steps are recommended — it’s so they will benefit from the interactive program and be able to fully engage in the learning experience. Remind them that they are participating in a training class, and not just dialing into a meeting or attending a passive presentation.
Of course, there are additional steps you can take once participants log into a virtual class to encourage participant attention and involvement. Those actions are good and helpful. But they should reinforce the clear messaging that has already been sent.
All the above recommendations specifically occur before the start time. Proper participant preparation begins well in advance of the program and leads to better learning results.
Cindy Huggett, CPTD, is a consultant and author whose books include The Facilitator’s Guide to Immersive, Blended and Hybrid Learning and Virtual Training Tools and Templates. Email her at Cindy@CindyHuggett.com or connect with her on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/cindyhuggett/.