Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Choosing a communication platform
• Method 2 of 3: Develop effective training materials
• Method 3 of 3: Managing the employee

Teleworkers can offer many benefits to your business. But training these employees can be difficult. You can encounter the necessary challenges during the training. If your employees live far away from where you work, make sure you set up a reliable communication platform. Send your employees good training materials so that they can learn a lot themselves. With consistent control and feedback you get the employees on board quickly.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Choosing a communication platform

1. Ask them to come to the office for training if they can. Even if an employee is teleworking, he or she may be able to come to the office for training. This is often the fastest and most effective way to teach teleworkers who live close to an office or branch of your company the tricks of the trade. If the teleworker lives far away, this is not always possible.
2. Organize conference calls for a more personal training. Telephone training or video training gives a more personal character to the training and can help to clarify important details for the position. If you make weekly calls or video calls with your employee, you can monitor his or her progress well while still giving the employee a lot of flexibility of the position.
   • Conference calls work well for teleworkers involved in strategy or marketing, for example, because that way you can easily talk about plans and exchange ideas.
   • If you and your employee are in different time zones, make sure to choose a time that is convenient for both of you.
   • Well-known software that you can use to make and receive calls over the internet is Skype or Slack, for example.
3. Use an instant messaging service to answer questions quickly. For work that requires collaboration or frequent communication between colleagues, instant messaging can be very useful. Colleagues can quickly establish contact with each other.
   • If your teleworking employee has questions about the work, he or she can reach you via the instant messaging service and get a quick answer that way. Moreover, you can quickly give feedback via instant messaging.
   • Many free instant messaging services are available, such as WhatsApp, Line and Spark.
   • Instant messaging is less useful if your teleworking employee works at completely different times than the rest of the team.
4. Use e-mail if the employee sets his own hours. Email is a good way to communicate if the teleworker works at different hours, in a completely different time zone, or sets his own schedule. You can easily send announcements, training materials, links and attachments by e-mail.
   • Agree on how quickly you expect a response to emails.

Method 2 of 3: Develop effective training materials

1. Compile a training manual for the employee. Having detailed instructions on paper makes it easier for employees to find answers to their questions. E-mail this manual to the employee or put it on a shared hard drive or shared cloud. In any case, you describe in the manual:
   • The activities associated with the position
   • The rules of the game that apply at the company
   • How software and online communication tools should be used for work
   • How employees can reach their manager
2. Explain in detail what the activities entail. Try to think about what questions the employee might have and what problems he or she might encounter. Include the answers to those questions and the solutions to those problems in the training manual. The more extensive you are, the easier it is for the employee to learn the trade.
   • For example, do not say "Send your work as soon as you are done", but rather "Click the" Send "button to send your work when you have it ready. This saves your work and returns you to the main menu. ”
   • Also explain how the employee can write down his hours, which costs he may declare and who he should contact if something goes wrong.
3. Set goals. Not only tell your employee what to do, but also how much to do. Is there a minimum production per day or per week? What deadlines apply? How often does the employee have to inform you about the progress? Be clear about this to your employee.
   • For example, you could say, "We expect you to handle five calls an hour" or "You should check at least once every hour between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM to see if you've received any new emails."
4. Add instructional videos and images. If the employee needs to use certain software or equipment, provide clear instructional videos or images that explain how the employee should use the software or equipment.
   • To explain how a particular computer program works, it helps if you take a screenshot of each step in the process.
   • Diagrams and drawings can be useful for employees who need to install special equipment.
5. Invest in a web-based training program for large companies. If you have a lot of teleworkers, consider hiring a company that creates an online training module that automates part of the training process ("e-learning"). Such a company helps you to develop a platform tailored to your company on which your employees can get started and learn on the basis of videos and interactive tools.
   • Large providers of personnel services can often create training modules online, but there are also small companies that specialize in this.
   • Although this is a more expensive option, it will save you a lot of time in the long run if you often have to train employees.

Method 3 of 3: Managing the employee

1. Give the employee objectives that he or she must achieve. Give the employee tasks that he must perform in a certain order, and set a deadline for each task. With this you give the teleworker direction, and the employee knows what is expected of him or her.
   • For example, say, “I would like you to know how this software works by the end of your first week. We expect you to bring in a total of € 10,000 in assignments in the first month. ”
2. Provide lots of feedback in the beginning. During the first few weeks, provide constructive feedback on the employee's work on a regular basis. If you notice that the employee understands the work, you can gradually give less feedback. With constructive feedback you help the employee to quickly master the profession.
   • For example, say, “Your designs are very good, but I think you should stick to one color scheme. That suits our brand better. ”
   • The first task is preferably something small. A clear task that can be completed quickly. For example, a short article or a simple spreadsheet that can be created within a day. That way you can give feedback quickly.
3. Ask for feedback from the employee. Encourage the employee to ask questions. Also ask the employee what he thinks of the induction program. You can learn from that. If things are unclear in the training material, for example, you can adjust them for the next time.
   • If the employee comes to you with a question, answer as well as possible. If the answer is in the training manual, refer the employee to the appropriate chapter.
   • If the employee does not ask any questions at all, ask the employee how it goes. Does everything work with the training and the activities? Are there perhaps things still unclear?
   • If you'd like more general feedback, consider doing an online survey. With a short questionnaire you can get a lot of useful information above water.
4. Communicate regularly with all teleworkers. Stay in touch with all teleworkers both during the induction period and afterwards. Inform them about developments within the company. Your teleworkers stay involved with the company with newsletters, webinars or weekly conference calls.
   • It's easy for teleworkers to feel left out. Because they do not come to a business location, they miss news that is shared there at the coffee machine. Encourage teleworkers and non-telecommuting colleagues to keep in touch with each other through social media and instant messaging, and opt to make more frequent video calls instead of "just" calling.