Dive Brief:

• Despite a large shift to remote work at U.S. companies during the COVID-19 pandemic, many employees have not yet participated in remote training, according to the Aug. 5 results of survey by business review service Clutch.
• The firm's survey of 1,001 people in the U.S. found that 57% participated in a remote training session in the past three months, while 43% had not done so this year. Most respondents who did attend such training (61%) said it was effective, but 27% said it was ineffective, according to Clutch.
• Employers can choose a number of strategies for improving remote training, including hiring facilitators and focusing on shorter lesson blocks so as to discourage multitasking or distractions, Clutch said in an analysis of the results. Employers can also choose user-friendly technologies that mimic platforms, like video conferencing software, that remote workers are already using.

Dive Insight:

Estimates vary on the exact number of employees moved to remote status because of the pandemic. But research appears to suggest a general trend of openness toward flexibility as organizations look to the future. Gartner, for example, found in a study last month that more than 80% of a pool of surveyed company leaders said their organizations planned to permit employees to work remotely at least part of the time upon reopening.

Remote work can be unfamiliar territory for those in positions that have never been remote. Earlier on in the pandemic, employers approached the issue of maintaining productivity by distributing help guides to workers, upping one-on-one meetings over teleconferencing software and intentionally setting short-term goals, among other strategies. Others suggested a focus on collaboration within teams as well as transparency — i.e., allowing workers to admit what they did not understand about working remote, sources previously told HR Dive.

Though challenging to implement, online learning also provides employers with a variety of opportunities for talent development. Workers can access modules including podcasts, webinars, games and video content over long periods of time. Those dealing with budgetary issues might take advantage of free training and resources offered by vendors like LinkedIn and Coursera.

Overall, the pandemic is likely to kickstart widespread adoption of learning technologies, HR Dive previously reported. Though many options are available, from live virtual training to virtual reality applications, L&D leaders will still be tasked with developing the right mix of resources to best prepare for the future.