Onboarding new employees or team members is an exciting opportunity for businesses to showcase their team spirit and organizational skills. A properly run training session can tell new team members all they need to know about management styles and communication in the company. Training sessions are essentially an introduction to the company culture and expectations. Using office backgrounds during virtual training helps create camaraderie and is important, but it is not the only helpful tip for establishing trust and creating a positive training environment. Discover five ways to ensure effective virtual training sessions.
1. Sending an Agenda Before the Meeting
Every trainee should receive a detailed outline of the training agenda before the sessions. New employees have a right to know what to expect from their sessions. Also, providing an agenda before the training offers ample time for trainees to write down questions or gather information.
A standard outline should include a list of the topics to be discussed with a brief description. It should also provide a list of learning objectives, required software or platforms, and log in or join instructions. Also, if you expect the trainees to read, watch, or participate in any activities before the training, list that in the agenda.
Lastly, an agenda should provide a breakdown of how long each section or topic will be. Providing timings can help trainees assess the importance of each subject and how knowledgeable they should be.
2. Setting Proper Expectations
A training session should also set proper expectations. You should explain why the training is being provided and stipulate who it is relevant for. A training guide sent out before the sessions should list participation expectations, including whether cameras should be on or off, how to ask questions, and whether breakout rooms will be used. These guides should take a moment to offer trainer introductions so trainees can gain some familiarity.
3. Ensuring Accessibility
You must ensure that all attendees have access to the proper technology. For example, you cannot require a branded Zoom background without ensuring each person has access to Zoom and knows how to use backgrounds.
Beyond ensuring everyone has the correct tech setups, you should create a backup plan in case of technical difficulties. For example, maybe you can pre-record some content in case live sessions fail or use alternative communication channels.
4. Creating Opportunities for Engagement
Effective training sessions should focus on open communication because that is how you ensure people are following your instructions. To encourage communication, you can start with a short icebreaker exercise to build rapport. Also, during the training, break up presentations with:
- Breakout rooms
- Polls and surveys
- Short quizzes
- Question and answer sessions
5. Scheduling Breaks
Don’t forget to schedule regular breaks, especially during all-day training sessions or seminars. Short breaks can combat fatigue and keep everyone engaged. The breaks should be 5-10 minutes long.
Incorporating an office background into virtual training sessions is beneficial, but it is not the only thing you can do to encourage engagement and learning. Talk to a business professional or consultant to learn more about virtual training sessions.