Explore how a hands-on training platform can help your employees transition to remote work more smoothly, and prepare your business for the next evolution of technology.
Around the globe, physical distancing measures have mandated organizations to introduce the remote work arrangements their employees have been seeking for years. But if the home office is here to stay, one question remains – are we ready?
The transition to remote work has created a particular challenge for workplace learning providers. Approximately 50% of in-person training sessions have been canceled in North America alone, and that number is higher overseas.
At the same time, the next era of working means it’s even more important to upskill employees to use new communication technology, productivity tools and more. Thankfully, training providers can now deliver hands-on experiences to remote workers in the cloud – and offer more flexible and engaging options to suit learners.
Why hands-on training is a must-have
Since the COVID-19 outbreak, over 90% of organizations have implemented remote working. Along the way, their biggest obstacles have been the lack of technology infrastructure and lack of comfort with new ways of working.
In other words, underprepared employees have found it difficult to adapt to remote environments, communication and productivity software. The secret to overcoming these issues is having the right training strategy. And when it comes to helping employees and customers explore new technology, there’s no substitute for hands-on learning.
An end-to-end digital environment like VMware Lab Platform allows HR teams and software vendors alike to deliver immersive training in the cloud. The only thing employees need to access a virtual IT lab, and get hands-on with remote working software from home, is an HTML5 browser on their device – no complicated installations or in-person appointments.
This way, remote training doesn’t just accelerate learning, it enhances productivity. In an instant, employees can access the tools and knowledge to discover their own efficient and effective ways of using technology – creating an operational advantage in a dissipated workplace with greater flexibility and less supervision.
Building skills for the long term
While training employees for remote work is important right now, it’s also essential in the long run. Over the next 10 years, it’s predicted the demand for remote work will increase by 30% due to Generation Z fully entering the workforce. To stay competitive, organizations need to be prepared – and that includes having a scalable approach to training.
It’s not just the location of work that’s changing. As artificial intelligence and automation reshape the workforce, employees will need to evolve and transition into new roles. Already, digital skills are becoming more important in every sector, with workers in 2030 predicted to spend 48% more time using technology than they do today.
From this point forward, businesses who adapt by keeping pace with their technology training will be in pole position to innovate.
Education’s new front line
As the need for remote training reaches critical mass, one sector at the forefront of change is education. Before the pandemic, fewer than one in five U.S. tertiary students took online-only courses. Now, institutions are looking at more reliable and permanent ways to offer their content remotely.
For example, with VMware Lab Platform, instructors can create a virtual classroom in any of 12 languages, and make it available across the globe. Students can access feature-rich, on-demand lab classes without any installers or plugins. And administrators can set up large-scale events or forums, reimagining community and culture through a seamless experience.
With continued uncertainty about when campuses and offices will reopen, other organizations and training providers can take their lead from the education sector’s way forward.
What’s the right fit?
Every employee’s remote work requirements are different. Likewise, organizations will have their own way of embracing technology over the next decade. This means the right training strategy will be unique from business to business, but there’s one fundamental starting point: your remote training technology should put the needs of your learners, and your business, first.
VMware Lab Platform offers the flexibility to explore learning options that best fit your needs – whether you’re training employees, students or customers, and wherever you’re looking to reach them. Apart from on-demand labs, instructor-led classrooms and event forums, you can also provide:
- Individual software training for employees
- Software and hardware evaluation for your customers or other stakeholders
- Access to your software and reference materials, while eliminating costly lab environments and infrastructure management
And with the growing challenges of IT security, VMware Lab Platform’s isolated labs can help combat threats and reduce time spent on remediation.
With the future of remote work arriving sooner than expected, now’s the time to take advantage of a simple-to-use cloud training platform that keeps you one step ahead.
Learn more today
For all you need to know about VMware Lab Platform, click here.
