Training has always been a critical component of implementing a technological solution. Without training, you risk lack of adoption. And without adoption, you risk serious loss of ROI. But in today’s workforce landscape, things are a bit different with the nuances of remote working.
After you invest in legal matter management software, it’s critical to protect your investment by adjusting your implementation strategy to include for training in this new territory of remote working.
What is Remote Training?
Remote training takes place when the learner and instructor (or source of information) cannot be together in a traditional classroom setting because of time and/or distance. Information is then typically transmitted via technology so that no physical presence in the classroom is required.
While remote training isn’t new, what has changed is the number of organizations now using it for their entire workforce because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Remote training methods commonly used are:
- E-learning courses
- Webinars
- Face-to-face live training
- Custom training podcasts
- Video tutorials
The remote training environment is constantly evolving as new technologies are introduced. Many organizations appreciate the flexibility that remote training offers and the ability to reach team members who are located in different offices (or states), with ease, as well as the reduced (or eliminated) costs associated with travel and lodging.
Challenges of Remote Training
While there are numerous advantages to remote training, there are a few challenges that legal organizations should take into consideration before adopting. These include:
- More distractions. In a typical classroom setting, all employees are in a conference room together focusing on the training material being presented. With remote training, individuals are working from home or a co-working space and may not have the distraction-free setting that is needed for information to really sink in. By giving employees enough advance notice, you can help minimize this problem so they can block off as much time as needed on their calendar and reserve a quiet space.
- Less collaboration and participation. In-person meetings naturally promote engagement because employees are more likely to ask questions and collaborate with their peers. Virtual training settings can often make it easier for employees to sit back and act as an observer, not engaging with the content as much. Keep this in mind as you remotely train employees so you can think of intentional ways to have your employees engage the trainer despite being virtual.
- Technical issues. As with any technology, issues occasionally arise and outages can occur. You will want to have a backup plan and alternative training dates if, for some reason, your training can’t occur because of technical issues. The last thing you want is for implementation to be delayed because of technical problems. You can even plan to do a test run with the trainer prior to the session just to make sure that everything is running smoothly.
Five Tips for Successfully Training Team Members While Working Remotely
As with all education, there’s a balance between fundamental learning and engaging experiences that spark passion. We’ve assembled a list of tips for how to make your remote training something that your employees will truly look forward to and retain for the future:
- Set goals for your training program, and make it a priority.
Before you begin any training program, it’s important to establish clear training priorities and realistic deadlines for reaching them. You may have specific employees who need training on different components of the system in addition to general training, such as administrators or managers. By establishing goals for what you want each individual to accomplish, you’ll be able to assess whether or not the training was effective.
For example, at the end of a document assembly training, you may want each individual to know how to create one or two new templates. Setting these goals will ensure that your employees can make valuable use of your new system. Allocating the time and resources to make sure your training is comprehensive and thorough will prompt employees to prioritize it as something worth giving extra time to.
- Conduct training sessions live.
Whenever possible, try to set up live training sessions (instead of pre-recorded) so employees can participate and ask questions in real time. This not only allows employees the chance to ask questions as they arise, but gives them the ability to walk away from the training having actually seen or performed tasks in the system instead of just learning about them.
- Have product experts available to help before and after the initial training.
There’s no doubt that individuals who are best equipped to train others are those who have been using the technology day in and day out. Ensure you have a product expert conducting your training to troubleshoot any problems that may arise and minimize frustrations. In addition, it’s important that employees have easy access to someone who can answer their follow-up questions (whether the original trainer or someone else in implementation) after the training has ended.
- Give employees a variety of training resources.
In addition to having a training expert to contact with questions, it’s important to give employees various resources they can reference as other options. Some great resources for your employees include:
- Dedicated client resource website (documentation or wiki)
- Training manuals (available online)
- Built-in software application help center
- Customer service phone numbers to reach live representatives
Providing employees with a “cheat sheet” of all the training resources available to them will speed adoption of the platform. When employees know they can get help as they need it, it boosts their confidence to jump in and adopt the platform more fully.
- Incentivize employees to improve buy-in.
Rewarding employees for a job well done not only drives participation, but long-term adoption. Consider establishing aptitude levels of product knowledge that allow employees to eventually boast mastery or expert status. Or, set up training journeys where employees can achieve milestones (rewarded by various swag or prizes) over time.
Legal Files Successfully Leverages Remote Training
We know you’re looking for a provider who can help solve your remote training challenges, and help support you long after your implementation is over. Legal Files provides all the support and training necessary for you to customize our case management systems legal using built-in tools to meet your own unique requirements. All training is conducted by full-time, expert professionals who are proficient in Legal Files after years (even decades) of use. We offer multiple options for training and work to build relationships with each customer so that we can provide the most hands-on support possible.
“[Legal Files] training was fantastic. We had the greatest trainer. She answered any question we had and was always willing to stop training and re-explain things or respond to our emails even after onsite training was completed.”
Darcy Jablonski
CannonDesign, a Legal Files customer
Our training and implementation team members are experts at setting your team up for success and are there to give you the resources you need—whether remotely or in person.
Request a demo today and learn more about how we help organizations like yours manage what matters most.