Online training: how to conduct it effectively

To adapt to the present challenges, events like meetings, seminars, conferences and training sessions move from the physical space to online platforms with the use of technology. There are pros and cons to this scenario -- it allows everyone the opportunity to take part of these virtual sessions regardless of location, but poses some limitations on what can be done and cannot be done.

“We conduct our online training by first having our systems and processes documented.”

Anthony Lam

Managing Director, Punchy Digital Media

As one of Australia's leading animated explainer video production agency, Punchy Digital Media has been serving several big names in various industries through their teams across major cities in the country. Training their people is essential in getting the work done successfully.

Documentation and proper systems and processes are essential. Other than that, Anthony cites other points that make online training done effectively in their organization. “We have someone on our team create a flow chart which is colour coordinated and outline a certain workflow. We use a tool called Lucidchart which is very easy to create and edit flow charts and share online. We then create an additional flow chart which outlines every single task this particular person has to do.”

“Finally, we use screen recording tools, such as Loom.com, to talk through a certain process and explain how and why we are doing certain tasks. We record and store these videos for ongoing training. 

I've found this approach to be very visual and easy to follow and gives team members a reference to go back to. As the business owner, I find I am the worst person at documenting anything! Luckily, we have team members who are great at this so I delegate the task out. This is ideally someone who is very process-driven and has great attention to details,” said Anthony.

But how do they keep their training engaging and effective? “We always start with a communication starters/ice breakers,” Anthony shared. He also mentioned these following pointers: 

• Use Lots of screen sharing

• Make it visual and fun by using lots of videos

• Communication is mostly non-verbal so we turn our camera on for that sense of connection

• Ask for permission to record your training sessions, so you can send them a copy of the video

• Keep the sessions short

“What I have learned is to set the guidelines and expectations upfront very clearly.”

Jeni Clift

Professional EOS Implementer and Director/General Manager, DWM Solutions

Jeni is a Professional EOS Implementer and a transformational coach specialising in business, leadership and personal development who give other entrepreneurs the skills and systems for ongoing success. As such, training is part of her routine.

“I normally run full-day sessions of face-to-face training. Of course, in recent months, I have had to learn how to deliver these sessions virtually. As the training is focused on business strategy, planning and review, it can be quite difficult to keep people engaged whilst in the room. The thought of having to do this virtually was daunting, to say the least,” Jeni remarked.

Moreover, shifting towards the online space is not only the only concern Jeni has to deal with when it comes to training people. “I work with leadership teams, so I have everything from highly visionary people, some of whom are very busy and may have very short attention spans, to those wanting to go into all the details and analyse all the data, such as engineers and accountants, to name a few, as well as everything in between. Thus, keeping the sessions interesting for so many different personalities keeps me on my toes.”

Training different kinds of people in various settings have brought so many learnings to Jeni. “What I have learned is to set the guidelines and expectations upfront very clearly.  The camera should be on. Let everyone know that they can stand up if they need to, but to keep the camera on.  All distractions off, such as notifications of emails or messages on Teams or Slack. Phones must be silent, turned off or on flight mode and face down. Watch for distractions and call them out. Ask if we need to take a break so people can take a 5 to 10-minute walk around the house or outside for some fresh air and then get everyone back on track.”

Jeni also cited a few tips to keep the online training sessions more engaging:

• Do some short activities. “I watch closely when people start to flag, then we take a break or have some exercises or activities to get people up and active for a few minutes. Sometimes I let them run around their house on a ‘treasure hunt’. The great thing about entrepreneurs is that they are very competitive? You’d be surprised at what you can get people to bring back to their desk.”

• Ensure attendees have plenty of water. “I always have insulated water bottles to make sure I have a supply of cold water. I advise my participants to have water ready as well.”

• Allow everyone to participate. “I have found with online sessions, it is easy for the noisier people to dominate the sessions, and the quiet ones to either not speak up or they just don’t get heard. Make sure you set an ‘order’ for the participants in the session and as you go through the day, follow the same order and constantly check in with everyone.”

• Ask for feedback from everyone at the end of the session. “I always ask ‘what worked well and what didn’t work’. I am constantly learning from this feedback on how to do things better. You start to understand the different personalities and how to manage the sessions to suit as many people as possible.”

• Make the most of online/virtual training. “I also tend to not make such a big deal of online/virtual training.  I believe it will be our only way of doing things for a while and we are now used to working and training this way. The more of an issue I make it, the more it is an issue -- it is what we have and we will make the most of it.”

• Put the fun in learning. “Make it as fun and interesting as you can. My cat often jumps up on to my desk, so I just introduce him. I was hosting a fireside chat session for our clients and my two dogs came and sat with me. I have met so many animals and babies, sung happy birthday to people’s kids. None of this would have happened without our current online sessions!”

Share your tips

What new insights have you learned from the tips and experiences mentioned above? If you have additional tips to share, feel free to leave your comments below.

Platforms you can use for online meetings

Doing business in different parts of the globe or having team members in various locations may require a lot of communication to ensure that things go well. In this age of modern technology, being physically apart is not a hindrance in doing business transactions or official meetings. Within EO and among EO members, online meetings are also common and widely used.

Several online platforms are currently available to make video calls and meetings more plausible. Nowadays, you can see each of the meeting participants on your screen, share files and record conversations, depending on the features of the application. Take a close look at 11 video conferencing platforms that you can consider for your remote meetings.

GoToMeeting

You can access GoToMeeting on your desktop or mobile devices, which makes it easy for participants who are on the go. It goes beyond screen sharing because it also has drawing tools which you can use to direct your participants’ attention and focus on a particular part of the screen. It can record and store your meetings on cloud storage. GoToMeeting offers a free 14-day trial with up to 50 attendees.

Skype

One of the many platforms that have been around for some time is Skype, which offers free calls and messaging globally. You can even connect to a mobile or landline number. It Is downloadable to computers and mobile devices. Skype is widely used and popular, which makes it easy to use for video calls and conferencing.

Join.Me

You can customise your meeting link and personalise your meeting background. There are one-click screen sharing and free conference calls. Join.me is also downloadable in any device, which makes it easier to have an online meeting. It offers simple integration solutions for Chrome, Outlook, Office 365, Trello, Slack, G Suite and other apps.

Google Hangouts

Google Hangouts is one platform to consider because it is easily accessible through Gmail, Google Calendar and Chrome. Google users can open the application from various devices and use it for messaging and calls free of charge. Another advantage of Hangouts is that Gmail and Google are widespread globally because many Android phones already have the app built-in upon purchase or activation.

WebEx

Cisco’s WebEx has cloud calling that has the advantages of a traditional phone system, less the intricacy of securing and managing it. WebEx products have features for video conferencing, team collaboration, webinars, online training, video support, conference calling, conferencing devices, and cognitive collaboration. There are different plans available according to your meeting size and needs.

Zoom

Users and attendees can do video calls and online meetings through the Zoom site or its downloadable app. Companies and organisations also use Zoom for webinars, virtual conference rooms, phone system, business messaging and file sharing. Apart from its free basic features, Zoom also has other plans for your various business communication needs. Zoom caters to industries like education, finance, government and healthcare.

Zoho Meeting

Zoho Meeting provides an avenue for participants to connect online and integrate other apps like Zoho CRM, Zoho Projects and Zoho Calendar. Hosts can also have webinar polls and Q&A to facilitate discussions.

ezTalks Meeting

You and your team can hold virtual meetings with a real video conferencing experience where you can share your screen, use online whiteboard tools, record discussions, and chat as a group or privately. It also allows attendees to use the app on any device.

Highfive

Highfive is a cloud video conferencing software that is easy to use as there’s no need to download an application. You can join meetings by going to the Highfive URL in your browser, making it smooth for users and administrators to conduct online video calls. The URLs are also simple, which you can customise and make it easy to remember. Lengths of meetings are unlimited. Although it does not use PIN codes, meetings are still kept secure.

AnyMeeting

Another browser-based app is AnyMeeting, which is accessible on any device. The online meeting software allows hosts to customise their meeting rooms where they can include their business logo on the background. It has a built-in phone conferencing, video sharing, screen sharing, recording and meeting notes.

With all these platforms and many others that are available online, distance is no longer a problem to meet and discuss important points. You can even use the applications to further your business and exchange knowledge and information with others.

Let us know in the comments section below which ones you have tried and which ones you find suitable to your meeting needs.