4 Keys to Learning and Development in a Remote Workplace

In the past, in-person training worked well at most insurance agencies. However, with remote work on the rise over the past few years and a significant spike as a result of COVID-19, in-person training may no longer be the best option.  

Regardless of location, employees will still need training.  How can agencies accommodate this need with a remote workforce?

1. Create digital workflows and tutorials –

Regardless of where employees are located, the use of digital workflows and process tutorials can be a great tool for training.  Having processes documented in a digital format not only saves time, but also provides a consistent, easy to consume training experience. 

Digital workflows and process guides can be created for an entire process or broken down into bite-size pieces for more complicated processes.  This option also provides a repeatable and consistent experience to the trainee.   They can access the information as many times as needed and even more experienced employees can tap this resource any time they need a refresher.  Tools like Wistia and Loom can be great options for creating digital workflows.  

2. Conduct webinars – 

Videoconferencing has significantly improved over the years and is now a necessary communication tool.  Insurance professionals have relied on webinar training for years, but primarily for training from insurance carriers to insurance agents.  However, these tools can be utilized for in house training as well.  

Live and interactive training webinars can be a great way to bring teams together to share new or changes in procedures.   This allows everyone to get the same information, interact, and share thoughts and questions.  The live webinar really gives your team an opportunity to learn from you and one another.  And as an added bonus, trainings can be recorded for employees to access “on-demand” in the future should they ever need a reminder of any details that were shared during the webinar. 

For details on the various video conferencing options available Click Here

3. Create a space for employee collaboration –  

While formal training is an essential part of onboarding and training, informal learning has a significant impact as well.  This is the learning that takes place during casual interactions between colleagues.   In an office environment, this would typically be a conversation between employees where one might share their experience and insight with another employee who may be struggling with a specific challenge. These types of interactions are not an option with a remote workforce, but companies can encourage continued collaboration in a virtual environment.  

Private employee groups are a great way for employees to ask questions, share answers and best practices, and just check in with one another.  Two options available for creating virtual environments for employees are Microsoft Teams and Slack.

4. Follow up on results – 

Conducting a post-training assessment is a critical part of the process.  If the agency is new to training remote employees and employees are new to learning in this way, there’s bound to be a few hiccups along the way.  

Be sure to follow up with employees and confirm if they feel comfortable with the information they have received or if they need additional training.  Also, be open to any suggestions they may have about improvements that could be made to the process.  

Remote work will very likely continue to have a large presence in the insurance industry from here forward.  Taking the steps to ensure that you have the right training programs in place to support employees within or outside of the office is critical to their success as well as that of the agency.