If you’ve never used a conference calling service for employee training, now is the time to give it a try. There are many services available on the web, and many of them include extra tools such as screen sharing and video conferencing, so you can make the most out of your calls. Here’s how to use these services for training your employees.
Choose The Right Service
This is an essential step in utilizing conference calling services. With so many services out there, which is the right one for you? This depends on a few factors. What kind of training will you be doing? Will it require a visual medium, or is audio enough? Is screen sharing a necessity?
Many of the best conference calling services provide such extras in their monthly or yearly packages. Video conferencing makes a conference call much more personal than a simple phone call, and screen sharing tools make sharing information directly from your computer simple and effective.
Once you’ve identified your needs, you can begin to research cost. While there are free conference calling services out there, free doesn’t always mean better. Paying a little extra for a better service can have a major impact on the effectiveness of your training.
Create A Training Plan
The best projects and endeavors start with a plan. Your training program should be no different. Creating a solid plan will ensure the effectiveness of the training, and increase employee confidence in your ability to train.
First, decide what you’ll be training the employee on. Different subjects will likely require different training methods and should be accounted for when choosing the right services. You may not require a video chat to train an employee on the employee handbook, but a training course on workplace safety may require something like screen sharing software.
When you setup a conference call, you’ll be able to train multiple people at once. This is one of the greatest advantages of choosing conference calling services to train with. When you have a remote team, it becomes almost a necessity since you can’t have an in-person meeting.
Include Managers In The Call
When you first implement your new training method, it’s important to include the managers in the conference calls as well. This allows them to get an idea of how the new training is done, and provide valuable feedback after the call is completed.
You’ll want your management team to be on the same page when it comes to the training methods you’re using. If everyone trains in a different way, employees will not be consistently trained correctly, and you end up having to retrain, which is costly and time-consuming.
After the training call, ask your managers for feedback. Learn how they felt about the service you used, the methods for training, and whether or not this is something they think would be valuable to the company.
Ask For Employee Feedback
Equally as important as your managers’ feedback is that of the employees being trained with the new method. They’re on the front lines, experiencing the training first hand, and can attest to its effectiveness (or lack thereof).
You can provide a survey for the employee to fill out and return, or simply do an interview with the employee to gauge their feelings on the subject. Use this feedback to modify your training program for maximum effectiveness.
Use Those Extra Features!
If your conference calling package included video conferencing or screen sharing, use those tools to your advantage. Augmenting your audio call with some visual material can help keep employees engaged and ensure the effectiveness of your training.
Video chatting is a great tool because it can show something an audio call can’t: body language. Body language is a major part of communication, and if you can’t see the person physically, it’s impossible to understand their body language.
You’ll be able to see if the employee is uncomfortable or even struggling with the training, even if they won’t say it. From there, you can modify the training or review any information that wasn’t understood.
Always Learn and Evolve
As the company grows and changes, so should the training. Always be sure to keep your training updated so as to avoid any problems in the future. Make sure that your employees are made aware of new training methods before you implement them.
New training material can be easily included in your conference calling method, you’ll just have to make some adjustments here and there for content. Some content can’t be relayed via a conference call, and that’s ok. It just means you’ll have to do some in-person training as well.
Don’t Be Afraid To Experiment
Training doesn’t have to be boring. Try experimenting with different methods to keep your training engaging for the employees. Remember that an engaged employee is much more likely to retain the information that a disengaged one. Well-trained employees can give you a serious edge over the competition.
Conclusion
Training is just one of the many uses for conference calling services. With plenty of extra tools, these great services can transform meetings and training alike. You’ll be able to effectively communicate with remote and local teams alike, and share information like never before. Take your training to the next level by using a conference calling service, and see for yourself why they come so highly recommended in the business world.
