Remote Work – OpenSesame https://www.opensesame.com/site Tue, 30 Nov 2021 00:11:18 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.9.2 https://www.opensesame.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/opensesame-favicon.svg Remote Work – OpenSesame https://www.opensesame.com/site 32 32 Why Elearning Can’t Be One Size Fits All https://www.opensesame.com/site/blog/why-elearning-cant-be-one-size-fits-all/ https://www.opensesame.com/site/blog/why-elearning-cant-be-one-size-fits-all/#respond Mon, 29 Nov 2021 23:21:14 +0000 https://live-marketing.opensesame.com/site/?p=19917 Remote work is a new reality, that means your new colleagues might live in the next state or an ocean away. And the coming of age of Generation Z means for the first time ever, there are now five generations in the workforce, each of which relate to the Digital Age differently. This leads to people arriving to elearning from countless avenues with wide-ranging expectations and varying capabilities. How do we make learning and development that’s accessible for everyone?

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The workforce is more diverse than it’s ever been. And we mean diverse in every way. Today’s workforce represents a vast array of cultures, socioeconomic backgrounds, ages, genders and geographic identities. 

Now that 68 percent of companies expect remote work to be part of their new reality, that means your learners might live on opposite sides of the country or oceans apart. And the coming of age of Generation Z means for the first time ever, there are now five generations in the workforce, each of which relate to the Digital Age differently. This leads to people arriving to elearning from countless avenues with wide-ranging expectations and varying capabilities. How do we make learning and development accessible for everyone?

1. Our workforce is forever in flux, so the ways we learn must be also.

It can be a challenge to know the best approach to learning and development for the world we inhabit now. No two brains are exactly the same. So why should learning ever be one size fits all? We process new information differently  and have different experiences and skills. How we learn should be adaptable to those differences.

There’s no right way to learn. It’s however you learn. By having a diversity of materials that embrace all types of learning styles, you can make sure you’re engaging everyone. That means more opportunities to upskill, reskill and cross-skill—no matter where your employees happen to be in their career development journey.

2. Different learning styles mean we need more ways to capture attention.

The advantages of a wide catalog is you never have to choose between quality and quantity. You can have both. A marketplace like OpenSesame with tens of thousands of courses from many publishers allows you to match the type of content to the type of learner. Instead of elearning content that’s made in identical styles and treatments, you have modalities that are as diverse as your workforce.

It’s commonly understood that there are at least four learning styles: visual, auditory, reading/writing and kinesthetic. This is known as the VARK Model and was popularized by education researcher Neil Flemming in 1987. 

Read six tips and strategies for cementing engagement in your training initiatives.

Visual learners best process information by seeing it graphically represented. So think of charts, diagrams, animations and sketches. Visual aids for these types of learners can be useful in helping them remember what they’ve learned. 

Auditory learners need to listen to someone explain a concept before they can fully digest it. Hearing information out loud or having key takeaways repeated during a course can improve retention. These folks might enjoy podcasts and audiobooks.

Reading/writing learners love the power of the written text. Reading ebooks and pamphlets allows them to really sit with new information or just quickly skim it for what they need. 

Kinesthetic learners might enjoy interaction and gamification. So courses where they take quizzes and collect points throughout would better motivate them to complete each module. 

3. Individualized learning paths help to democratize career development.  

The various learning styles go beyond just what’s above. Someone who has a short attention span might enjoy bite-sized micro-learning that they can do in 10-minute bursts. Someone who is a tactile learner likely would appreciate workbooks and handouts to accompany lessons. Learners don’t always neatly fall into just one column but may be a combination of several modes. 

So it’s important to find a course vendor that can deliver courses in every format you can think of. With a variety of options, you can personalize a learning path for each individual. And with a feature like SmartPath, elearning experts at OpenSesame can curate the perfect blend of courses and styles relevant to each learner at your company. These customized curriculums are based on your specific goals and tailored to your specific learners.

Every mode of learning has a part to play when it comes to unlocking human potential, and utilizing different types of elearning content is what keeps learning interesting. Flexible learning that varies in style, format and even language has the power to bridge the gap between diverse learning needs. By catering to our learning differences, we ensure that elearning can truly be for everyone. 

Book a demo to see how SmartPath can match the needs of every learner!

Spencer Thornton is the Senior Vice President of Curation at OpenSesame. He has more than 20 years of learning and development expertise. Before joining OpenSesame, Spencer served in leadership positions with several global HCM organizations, including SumTotal Systems (SkillSoft), GeoLearning and Dice.

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Digital learning in the new way of work https://www.opensesame.com/site/blog/digital-learning-in-the-new-way-of-work/ https://www.opensesame.com/site/blog/digital-learning-in-the-new-way-of-work/#respond Mon, 10 Aug 2020 04:52:52 +0000 https://live-marketing.opensesame.com/site/?p=13747 In a recent OpenSesame webinar, David Perring, Director of Research at Fosway Group, and Medhi Tounsi, Senior Regional Director at OpenSesame, explored digital learning in the new way of work. Fosway Group is Europe’s leading HR and consulting research group. In this webinar, David Perring uses Fosway’s Digital Learning Realities Research conducted at the start... Read more »

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In a recent OpenSesame webinar, David Perring, Director of Research at Fosway Group, and Medhi Tounsi, Senior Regional Director at OpenSesame, explored digital learning in the new way of work. Fosway Group is Europe’s leading HR and consulting research group. In this webinar, David Perring uses Fosway’s Digital Learning Realities Research conducted at the start of the year to discuss how ready we were for the L&D crisis brought on by COVID-19 and the challenges that lie ahead.

Companies have been working on a digital transformation for years. According to Forbes, 70% of companies were thinking about digital transformation but were not far enough along to make the rapid changes that COVID-19 required. When the pandemic hit, many companies had to transition their workforce to a virtual one, faced a huge economic shock, and were forced to adapt quickly. 

    • 71% of organizations experienced an increased demand for digital learning from end users 
    • 82% of organizations experienced demand for digital learning from senior stakeholders
    • Organizations with mature digital learning approaches were twice as likely to report that they found coping with the pandemic easy

Organizations have used many different kinds of learning content during the pandemic, the most successful being:

    • Video content
    • Curated content
    • Mobile learning
    • Blended learning

Learning has also been delivered in many different ways, the most successful being:

    • 53%– Virtual classroom
    • 48%– Learning experience platform
    • 36%– Collaborative Learning
    • 29%– Learning management system

The pandemic has changed the way we live and learn. Only 5% of the companies surveyed think that their learning strategy will go back to what it was pre COVID-19. This has created an opportunity for companies to create an agile learning mix. This mix connects individual pupils, experts, employees, and the L&D team. It fosters learning as you go, creating an educational culture, and putting learners in the driving seat. The nature of supporting learning must also be shifted. Learning must be looked at for today’s results, for future success, and for yourself. 

Fosway’s Digital Learning Realities Research showed that COVID-19 pushed organizations out of their comfort zones and created innovative ways of learning that may not have been explored until years from now. People are more willing to explore, create and adjust on the spot. Watch the webinar to hear more about these changes and how the workplace is evolving.

With courses offered in multiple languages, and available on multiple devices we help companies like yours develop the world’s most developed and admired global workforces. For more information on how OpenSesame can save you time and money by curating the right courses for your organization, contact us at info@opensesame.com today.

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Working and learning in the age of digital disruption https://www.opensesame.com/site/blog/working-and-learning-in-the-age-of-digital-disruption/ https://www.opensesame.com/site/blog/working-and-learning-in-the-age-of-digital-disruption/#respond Wed, 17 Jun 2020 00:24:50 +0000 https://live-marketing.opensesame.com/site/?p=13402 Global access to the internet and the resulting digital tools that’ve been developed have transformed society. We’ve seen powerful trends emerge that are reshaping business, with a shift in human behavior and a new set of expectations around talent. Will these changes affect you?  Chart Learning has been mapping the trends that impact private and... Read more »

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Global access to the internet and the resulting digital tools that’ve been developed have transformed society. We’ve seen powerful trends emerge that are reshaping business, with a shift in human behavior and a new set of expectations around talent.

Will these changes affect you? 

Chart Learning has been mapping the trends that impact private and public life for the last several decades. Together with industry experts across the globe, we review and compile valuable insights that are employed in the creation of our learning programs. Our goal is to ensure that our programs support students and learners in meeting the evolving market needs.

Technology has affected how work and life are viewed

We used to be restricted by a traditional concept of work and physical workplace objects. Desks, filing cabinets and desktop PCs forced us to be in the office to complete our work, and productivity was demonstrated first and foremost by one’s physical presence. Now, we can work from anywhere using our laptops, tablets and smartphones to connect with our colleagues and access and edit files. But this connectivity has removed the distinction between being at work and not being at work; we need never “switch off,” we’re accessible 24/7.

“The office environment of yesteryear is no longer allowing employees to interact with a global market, and even take work out on the road. The influx of new technologies that has been making the general convenience of our personal lives has grown exponentially and has taken over our professional lives as well.” writes Elizabeth Dukes, Author at iOffice in “5 Ways Technology in the Workplace Has Improved Our Lives.”

 There are two competing trends at play here, with work and personal time having become merged. Some folks attempt to draw a clear line between the two, whereas others embrace the merge and accept that their work is their life.

The latter trend has created a movement of self-employment, with people setting up businesses that support their passions and being able to work from anywhere. For those who remain employed, the office may become like a satellite. Tools for remote work and adapted organizational structures allow employees to take control of their schedules and to find a balance that suits them.

Reflecting on what this means for employers 

Employers may seek to engage employees in new ways, helping them to develop new skills and shifting how work is perceived and approached. Incorporating elearning into existing training and development programs is an effective way to do this. eLearning tools are delivered through “blended learning,” a mix of digital and in person education.

To make the introduction of elearning smooth, Chart Learning uses the best practice learning methodology available for blended learning, called the Performance Assurance System. This is particularly helpful to workplace trainers because it means the role of trainer is adapting and growing. Within the Performance Assurance System, trainers can become Certified Coaches to elevate their role and responsibilities.

Trainers and coaches are valuable resources 

Supportive elearning content is not created in a vacuum. Subject matter experts seek assistance in producing learning material, no matter the format.

So how does “pre-packed” content fit into a trainer’s suite of materials? Off-the-shelf content acts as a template for customization. Subject matter experts can lend their expertise to foundational courses by:

    • Providing additional context and materials to complement the content
    • Interpret and apply real-world scenarios to difficult pieces of information
    • Facilitating discussion around the material
    • Providing organization-specific examples and application

Many trainers who embrace elearning content will see their role evolve from that of presenter or facilitator to that of a guide or resource. Employees can learn the basics from a video, but they may not understand what those basics mean to the company, or how they should be applied.

Most importantly, in an age of dedicated content consumption, digital tools represent greater opportunities to put materials in learners’ hands.

The recipe for success

Blended learning gives employers the tools to remove the burden of traditional workplace training. While it’s not a replacement for corporate learning specialists, or anyone in a training capacity, it makes the job of trainer far more efficient and effective.

The use of blended learning also allows for better analysis of training and how successful it is. Digitized training data allows employers to analyze results and demonstrate program effectiveness. eLearning tools and content make it easy to keep control over the aspects of training that are helpful and remove those that are burdensome.


Peter Horwing is the CEO of Chart Learning Solutions, headquartered in Sweden. Chart Learning Solutions is a performance improvement company in professional development, focusing on leadership, sales, customer service and team performance. This is accomplished using Chart’s Performance Assurance System, which has produced industry proven, award-winning courses with coaching.

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Use WFH time now to complete compliance training https://www.opensesame.com/site/blog/use-wfh-time-now-to-complete-compliance-training/ https://www.opensesame.com/site/blog/use-wfh-time-now-to-complete-compliance-training/#respond Thu, 21 May 2020 17:27:43 +0000 https://live-marketing.opensesame.com/site/?p=13152 As a leader in your organization, your role is to maximize employees’ efficiency and productivity. This may seem daunting as most companies are simply trying to stay afloat, however, there are still ways to boost productivity as you prepare for the rest of the year. Many employees have been working from home for a few... Read more »

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As a leader in your organization, your role is to maximize employees’ efficiency and productivity. This may seem daunting as most companies are simply trying to stay afloat, however, there are still ways to boost productivity as you prepare for the rest of the year. Many employees have been working from home for a few weeks and they are settling into their new routines, making this the perfect time to complete compliance training usually done in Q3 or Q4.

Business has slowed for many organizations but you still want your employees to be productive and get ready to return to normal without skipping a beat. So what can you do? Ensure employees can produce at full capacity when they return to the workplace by shifting your compliance training schedule. Typically, companies go through their annual compliance training cycles in the third and fourth quarter of the year, however, most companies anticipate transitioning back to the workplace in the latter half of 2020. Use the WFH time now for mandatory training of your employees so when you need them ramping back up at the workplace they won’t have to worry about taking time out of their busy schedules to complete their training.

In addition,  you can ask employees for more in-depth feedback on the training. In some cases and under normal circumstances, employees will speed through their mandatory training, however, with more time on their hands, employees can look at the courses with a more critical eye and provide feedback so you can improve and adjust your compliance training in the future. 

At OpenSesame, we help companies develop the world’s most productive and admired workforces. As the world grapples with the impact of coronavirus, we believe elearning can assist your organization in improving employee productivity later in 2020 by completing mandatory training now. 

Not only can OpenSesame help you with your compliance initiatives, but we’ve also curated a list of courses geared towards adapting to a new business environment, staying healthy at work, best practices for safe business travel and collaborative working with virtual teams to help your team prepare to return to the workplace.  These courses are made available free of charge through 15 June 2020. Please use them to help your employees return to the workplace more prepared and knowledgeable. 

Sign up for these free courses at go.opensesame.com/return-offer 

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How can L&D respond to times of crisis? https://www.opensesame.com/site/blog/how-can-ld-respond-to-times-of-crisis/ https://www.opensesame.com/site/blog/how-can-ld-respond-to-times-of-crisis/#respond Tue, 21 Apr 2020 23:29:49 +0000 https://live-marketing.opensesame.com/site/?p=13061 We are all in the middle of a situation that we don’t fully understand, and it’s really hard. Any sense of what is “normal” just completely changed for many of us. For some, this means uncertainty about the future, and for those of us fortunate enough to still be working – we now realize and... Read more »

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We are all in the middle of a situation that we don’t fully understand, and it’s really hard. Any sense of what is “normal” just completely changed for many of us. For some, this means uncertainty about the future, and for those of us fortunate enough to still be working – we now realize and understand that we need to find a new path forward. The learning and development role just fundamentally changed for many companies. We are all adjusting to working at home, working around our families, teaching our children, while also concerned that our families and friends stay safe and healthy. Many of us in the L&D world now face an entirely new reality and need to figure out how we can help our employees during uncertain times. 

What can we do to help

We need to remember that every person is likely still adjusting to changes in work and the new reality of life in general. Each person will have a unique response to these stressors. So what can we as L&D professionals do to help our employees and their families? 

Our role during these times is to help ensure employees are safe, healthy, and know they have the support of the company. Many employees will find their workload significantly increased, while others may need to transition into a temporary new role or take on different responsibilities that are new to them. Things will change for many of us, and our job is to try to anticipate the needs of employees as we and our companies adapt to this new (hopefully short-lived) normal. 

At OpenSesame, we want to ensure our employees feel the support they need to be successful and productive through these trying times. Here are some of the ways we’ve addressed this within our own (and new) work environment:

Physical health and safety:

    • Released an elearning course package educating our employees about COVID-19 and general best practices for staying healthy.
    • Implemented a mandatory work from home policy to ensure employee safety.
    • Redistributed budget to employees to purchase items if needed to work more comfortably at home, such as a desk or more supportive chair.

Mental Health:

    • Educated employees frequently about about available mental health and support resources through health insurance and local organizations. 
    • Released elearning courses about maintaining and discussing mental health at work 
    • More frequent and personal check-ins with employees. Sometimes a “How are you doing?”, or “How is your family doing?” makes a world of difference.
    • Created virtual socializing opportunities: morning meditation, daily stretches, virtual lunchroom, coffee breaks and happy hours using platforms like Zoom or Google Hangouts. Human beings crave connection, some of your employees live alone and may be particularly needing this more than others or even you do  personally.

Productivity

    • Reimbursement for home office setup. We don’t all have an office at home, and we need to make sure our employees have what they need to be productive.
    • Flexible hours. Now, more than ever, our employees need to know that they can be there for their family and friends when needed.
    • Elearning courses and resources on best remote work practices.
    • More frequent checkins in the form of 1:1s, daily standups, or other ways to over communicate to stay productive.

Roles/responsibility changes

    • Thinking ahead to anticipate training that will be needed for employees to take on new roles or responsibilities.
    • Provide opportunities for employees to let their skills shine. Provide the information your employees need to identify where their unique talents can help the company. 

We’re all in this together. If L&D can help us understand where the shifting needs of our employees might land, we can be ready to help support them at the right time. Outside of work, we’re all dealing with much more stress than normal. Now is not the time to overload our employees with training lacking intent. If we can try to anticipate the training and resources our employees need, then we can have it ready for them when they need it. Where L&D can shine now, is by being a source of support, care, and love for our employees. 

As the world grapples with the impact of coronavirus, we believe elearning can provide a critical and efficient path to rapidly educate employees about preventing the spread of coronavirus, how to work and manage remotely and the importance of social distancing. Our team has curated a list of courses about coronavirus preparedness and remote working for training your employees. These courses are made available free of charge through 15 June 2020. Please use them to help your employees reduce their exposure and spread of the virus. Immediate education and containment are key to saving lives.

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Share how your team is practicing #LearnInPlace https://www.opensesame.com/site/blog/share-how-your-team-is-practicing-learninplace/ https://www.opensesame.com/site/blog/share-how-your-team-is-practicing-learninplace/#respond Thu, 16 Apr 2020 18:28:16 +0000 https://live-marketing.opensesame.com/site/?p=13018 Win 2 tickets to the OpenSesame User Conference or $500 toward the professional development program of your choice by sharing how your organization is continuing employee training efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. At OpenSesame, we’ve always believed that elearning presents the best option for organizations to scalably and effectively train their workforces.  But the staggering... Read more »

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Win 2 tickets to the OpenSesame User Conference or $500 toward the professional development program of your choice by sharing how your organization is continuing employee training efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

At OpenSesame, we’ve always believed that elearning presents the best option for organizations to scalably and effectively train their workforces. 

But the staggering impact of the coronavirus on corporate training — McKinsey estimates 50% of in-person programs in North America (and nearly 100% of programs in Asia and Europe) scheduled for the first half of 2020 have been postponed or canceled — has made it clear that every organization needs to incorporate digital learning into their training strategy. 

We understand that rapidly moving to a completely online training environment while working remotely during a pandemic might be overwhelming.

To help companies now facing substantial gaps in their L&D programs adapt or replace planned in-person training with digital learning, we invite you to share how you are delivering effective employee training virtually during this crisis through our #LearnInPlace video contest!

How to participate:

1. Create a short video (1 to 2 minutes) explaining how your organization is continuing its training efforts virtually during the coronavirus pandemic. No need to worry about making it look like a professional movie — feel free to just use your smartphone or computer webcam!

Consider these questions when making your video:

      • How did your organization deliver employee training before COVID-19?
      • How has your organization had to adapt its training efforts in response to this crisis?
      • What tools or programs does your company use to deliver learning content virtually?
      • What have you personally learned as a result of your efforts to transition your organization to a completely online training environment?

2. Post your video to social media by 15 May, making sure to tag OpenSesame and include the hashtag #LearnInPlace.

      • Tag us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn: @OpenSesame
      • Tag us on Instagram: @OpenSesameNow


3. Don’t forget to follow OpenSesame on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram, where we’ll be sharing our favorite #LearnInPlace submissions and more tips for achieving success with elearning.

Prize

The person who submits the winning video chooses from these prize options:

      • 2 complimentary passes to the 2020 OpenSesame User Conference 13-15 October in Portland, Oregon (value of $598); OR
      • $500 to use toward the professional development training of your choice
Contest eligibility

Only posts that are visible/public will be accepted as submissions for this video contest. For more information on how to view or update privacy settings for specific posts, click on the links below:

Looking for curated content to help you deliver effective online training to your employees? We curated several lists of elearning courses to help you and your team stay healthy and productive during this crisis. These courses are made available as a public service free of charge through 15 June 2020.

Sign up for these free courses at go.opensesame.com/free-offer

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Working from home etiquette tips and tricks https://www.opensesame.com/site/blog/working-from-home-etiquette-tips-and-tricks/ https://www.opensesame.com/site/blog/working-from-home-etiquette-tips-and-tricks/#respond Wed, 15 Apr 2020 17:10:45 +0000 https://live-marketing.opensesame.com/site/?p=13001 Since the onset of COVID-19 globally, workplaces are quickly establishing, possibly for the first time, a work from home policy for most if not all employees. This new setup can create its own great opportunities, but of course for many this comes with new challenges in every way, including the what were once simple, even... Read more »

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Since the onset of COVID-19 globally, workplaces are quickly establishing, possibly for the first time, a work from home policy for most if not all employees. This new setup can create its own great opportunities, but of course for many this comes with new challenges in every way, including the what were once simple, even subconscious ways we communicated with our colleagues in the office. 

Communication (actually, over communication!) is key when you can no longer just pop over to your coworker’s desk to ask a quick question, or chat in the hallway about a recent meeting follow up. Here are some quick tips and tricks to keep channels open while still respecting your coworkers time. 

Pay attention to calendars and away messages

When you’re in the office you can tell when someone is working and doesn’t want to be disturbed: headphones in, head down, maybe in a designated quiet area or work space in the office? Working from home makes that a little less clear so it is important to pay attention to your coworker’s calendar if they’re set to “away” on your instant messaging system, or have blocked time on the calendar to not be disturbed. 

Mute yourself on large conference calls 

A little background noise on a call with three or four people doesn’t cause much of an interruption, but  in larger groups it can be a major distraction and waste time. Be sure to keep yourself on mute unless you’re the one talking so that the person leading the meeting can have everyone’s undivided attention.

Keep your phone on hand

Your internet connection at home may not be reliable, so make sure to keep your phone close by so that you can call in to any important meetings if your internet is running slow or malfunctioning. Most video conferencing systems have a dial in number to quickly rejoin the meeting if your internet drops. When one person in a meeting can’t speak or be heard, it wastes time and energy for others on the call. 

Avoid multitasking during video conferencing

Think because you aren’t physically in the room together that your coworkers can’t tell that you are multitasking during a virtual meeting? Guess what, they can. Close other browsers or distractions that may tempt you during a virtual meeting out of respect to the meeting organizer and to help stay productive. 

Keep meetings productive and on time

Earlier we mentioned the importance of over communicating and this is especially true for virtual meetings when everyone is working from home. Always have a visible agenda and description so others know why they were invited to a meeting and try to keep meetings starting and ending on time. Since there is less follow up happening to meetings in person, it is good for the meeting organizer to do a recap at the end of the meeting or via email about appropriate next steps and set a follow up meeting if necessary. Over communicating and being clear on next steps is more of a challenge when working virtually than the reminders we get just by physically seeing one another at work. 

If you’re looking for training on how to help your workforce stay productive, manage remote teams and collaborate working from home, we’ve curated a list of courses for organizations. These courses are made available as a public service, free of charge through 15 June 2020. Please use them to help your employees, customers, partners, and families reduce their exposure and spread of the virus. Immediate education and containment are key to saving lives. Sign up for these free courses at go.opensesame.com/free-offer.

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Coronavirus preparedness, remote working, and safely returning to work: free courses until 15 June 2020 https://www.opensesame.com/site/blog/coronavirus-preparedness-and-remote-working-free-courses-until-15-may-2020/ https://www.opensesame.com/site/blog/coronavirus-preparedness-and-remote-working-free-courses-until-15-may-2020/#respond Mon, 13 Apr 2020 07:00:46 +0000 https://live-marketing.opensesame.com/site/?p=12756 At OpenSesame, we help our customers develop the world’s most productive and admired workforces.  We also want to help you keep your employees and their families safe and productive during the coronavirus pandemic. As the world grapples with the impact of coronavirus, we believe elearning can provide a critical and efficient path to rapidly educate... Read more »

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At OpenSesame, we help our customers develop the world’s most productive and admired workforces.  We also want to help you keep your employees and their families safe and productive during the coronavirus pandemic.

As the world grapples with the impact of coronavirus, we believe elearning can provide a critical and efficient path to rapidly educate employees about preventing the spread of coronavirus as well as how to work and manage remotely. We curated a list of courses about coronavirus preparedness and remote working for training your employees. These courses were first made available as a public service on 14 March, free of charge through 15 June 2020. 

In response to the overwhelming response we have received from organizations all over the world, we are expanding our free offer to include additional topics. Refer to the list below for an overview of the changes and additions that have been made:

20 March 2020: We have added more content on the following topics:

    • Managing remote teams
    • Remote communications
    • Anxiety & mental health
    • Ergonomics

27 March 2020: We have added more content on the following topics:

    • Social Distancing
    • Proper Handwashing Procedure
    • Remote Working 101
    • Coronavirus Preparedness (in French)

13 April 2020: We have added courses to support employees on furlough, so that your workforce can hone their skills, complete training, and return to work more prepared and knowledgeable.

7 May 2020: We’ve curated a list of courses to help your team prepare to return to the workplace, including the following topics.

    • Disinfecting the Workplace for COVID-19
    • Workplace Hygiene
    • Coronavirus Precautions and Prevention: Travel Safely

All of our course publishers are committed to providing the most up-to-date information on the coronavirus in accordance with the CDC and the WHO. Courses are being updated frequently, and learners will receive these updates automatically, ensuring that they have access to the most current information available.

To register for the free courses offer, visit go.opensesame.com/free-offer.  

If you have any questions about this offer or how to access the courses once you have signed up, contact support@opensesame.com.

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Managing your remote team https://www.opensesame.com/site/blog/managing-your-remote-team/ https://www.opensesame.com/site/blog/managing-your-remote-team/#respond Wed, 25 Mar 2020 21:02:39 +0000 https://live-marketing.opensesame.com/site/?p=12730 Coronavirus presents unprecedented challenges to business. At OpenSesame, we are a fully distributed team with the option for employees to work from home. As a precaution, effective 13 March 2020 though, all employees are working from home and practicing social distancing. Even though some employees have experience with remote team members, working with an entirely... Read more »

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Coronavirus presents unprecedented challenges to business. At OpenSesame, we are a fully distributed team with the option for employees to work from home. As a precaution, effective 13 March 2020 though, all employees are working from home and practicing social distancing. Even though some employees have experience with remote team members, working with an entirely remote team is a learning curve for most organizations including ours.

If your company has sent employees to to work remotely, you already know this is an adjustment. If you manage a team, you’ll see that the usual day-to-day interactions in the break room, at the coffee machine, or passing in the hallway are gone, and that you and your coworkers may be feeling a bit disconnected. Fortunately, there are many strategies to keep morale high and reinforce team cohesiveness with a distributed workforce. It just takes a bit of planning. Here are a few tips to help managers strengthen their remote teams.

Use video chat

While you can check-in via email, send an instant message or attend a meeting on the phone, nothing beats the ability to see your co-workers face-to-face in a video chat. Seeing facial expressions, hand gestures and, even your co-workers’ home office and cats or family members helps humanize conversations and avoid misunderstandings that can occur in a text message or over the phone.

Create a routine

In the office, social interactions happen without planning. You can stop at a co-worker’s desk as you get coffee or join a group in the lunchroom for a meal. Working remotely requires more intentionality about creating daily touchpoints for you and your team. Here’s a simple schedule of daily check-ins to make sure you stay connected:

  • Monday: Schedule a half-hour weekly kick-off meeting where each person shares something from their weekend, presents their goal for the week, and notes any “roadblocks” they may need help with. 
  • Team meeting: If you’ve already been running weekly team meetings, keep them up. With less spontaneous moments to share information, the team meeting is important to make sure everyone’s on the same page. 
  • Friday: Wrap up with a half-hour review session. Team members share their week. Did they meet their goal for the week? Sharing successes and failures within your team builds trust and promotes growth and continual improvement. 
  • Daily standups: For the 2 other days of the week, keep the communication going with a 10 minute standup. In this quick check-in, go around the virtual room and ask each person what they accomplished the day before and what they’re working on today.
  • One-on-ones: If you don’t yet do weekly one-on-one meetings with each of your direct reports, now is the time to start. These meetings provide support for your direct and build trust. 
Make space for spontaneous team conversations

Team messaging apps like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Google Hangouts Chat are part of many company cultures, even for teams that work in the same office. But for remote teams, providing a way to quickly share information, make a joke, show pictures of your dog or just say hi is crucial to keeping a team excited and connected. Just keep it professional and appropriate. 

Respect time 

Lots of communication is important for a distributed team to stay connected. But, it is also necessary  for team members to go into “heads-down” mode to get work done. The key is to communicate this clearly. For example, a note to teammates “Hey team, I’ve got to wrap up this report by noon, so I’m turning off Slack and email until then. If it’s urgent, text my phone.”

Without the natural interactions that happen throughout the day in an office, managing a remote team can be challenging. However, by putting together a schedule, providing lots of opportunities for interaction, and making sure you and your team get to see each other daily, you can keep your team strong, connected and productive. 

We’ve curated a list of courses for organizations to help employees excel working from home and also staying safe and productive. These courses are made available as a public service, free of charge through 15 May 2020. Please use them to help your employees, customers, partners, and families reduce their exposure and spread of the virus. Immediate education and containment are key to saving lives.

Sign up for these free courses at go.opensesame.com/free-offer.

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A new workforce reality: “remote first” work https://www.opensesame.com/site/blog/a-new-workforce-reality-remote-first-work/ https://www.opensesame.com/site/blog/a-new-workforce-reality-remote-first-work/#respond Mon, 23 Mar 2020 15:15:34 +0000 https://live-marketing.opensesame.com/site/?p=12752 Some say that coronavirus (COVID-19) has forever changed the way companies operate. I would say that it hasn’t drastically changed but accelerated the shift that was already happening. For years, business has been shifting towards a remote workforce. More companies today support employees working from home on a periodic to full time basis than just... Read more »

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Some say that coronavirus (COVID-19) has forever changed the way companies operate. I would say that it hasn’t drastically changed but accelerated the shift that was already happening. For years, business has been shifting towards a remote workforce. More companies today support employees working from home on a periodic to full time basis than just 10 years ago. 

What are the implications of remote first work for both companies and their employees? 

For companies:

  1. Communication is key.  An employee can’t walk over to their colleague or manager and ask a question. A manager can’t verbally assign a task to an employee. Seize the opportunity and invest in instant messaging software for your employees such as Slack. 
  2. Time management reigns supreme. With more remote workers, you’ll notice how many meetings could have been emails and how many emails should have been meetings. 
  3. Work anywhere, anytime. A remote, even if only partial, workforce presents an unique opportunity for organizations to recruit the best talent. You won’t be limited to the talent pool in your city. Hiring remote employees allows hiring managers to find talent anywhere in the country, or even the world. 
  4. Training has forever changed. With the coronavirus pandemic, you’ll probably run into the situation where a new hire starts, but most of the company is working from home due to social distancing. What is your new hire supposed to do? Maybe this is the time of the year when your company rolls out an organization-wide training, but not everyone is available to train or be trained. Now what? Most companies are already shifting towards online training or elearning to accomplish training anywhere anytime, but if you haven’t, this is the perfect time to start. 

For employees who are new to working from home:

  1. Take a break. Every hour or so, be sure to step away from the computer for 5-10 minutes. Make a cup of coffee, pet the dog, check your mail and stretch your legs. You’ll discover that grandma was right, going on a walk is good for you. 
  2. Don’t be embarrassed by background activity. Of course, make the necessary adjustments to your work environment to limit distractions, but if news anchors’ children can run in the background on live television, your customer will forgive you if your kids do the same during a conference call.  
  3. Remember to clock out, even if you’re not an hourly employee. There is going to be a point, usually in week two of working from home, that you’ll lose track of time. Morning, noon, and evening becomes one. Choose a time in the day that you’ll turn off the computer and put your phone, at least email and instant-messaging, in do not disturb mode. It can be easy to lose track of time and work longer hours than usual, causing faster burn out. 

OpenSesame’s mission is to help companies develop the world’s most productive and admired workforces. As the world grapples with the impact of coronavirus, we believe elearning can provide a critical and efficient path to rapidly educate employees about preventing the spread of coronavirus as well as how to work and manage remotely. 

We’ve curated a list of courses for organizations to help employees excel working from home and also staying safe during these uneasy times. These courses are made available as a public service, free of charge through 15 May 2020. Please use them to help your employees, customers, partners, and families reduce their exposure and spread of the virus. Immediate education and containment are key to saving lives.

Sign up for these free courses at go.opensesame.com/free-offer.

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