What do you do if your remote workers need support in their professional growth?

Set up regular schedule for virtual check in meeting, could be weekly, bi-weekly or monthly. The purpose is to ensure consistency so that remote worker feel supported Offer flexibility in scheduling to accommodate remote worker varying time zone. Foster culture of open communication where remote worker feel comfortable sharing thoughts, concerns and goals Practice active listening during virtual check in by giving remote worker attention and acknowledging their perspective, discuss professional goals and aspiration set expectations for development. Identify opportunities for skill development, learning and growth. Provide constructive feedback for improvement along with guidance, resources and support Promote cross functional collaboration

Encourage open communication channels in which remote workers can express their professional goals, problems, and development needs. Regular one-on-one meetings, virtual town halls, and anonymous feedback platforms can all help facilitate these discussions. Encourage managers to actively listen to their team members, provide constructive comments, and collaborate to design tailored development plans that are aligned with both personal and organizational goals.

Regular Check-Ins: Schedule regular one-on-one meetings to discuss not only ongoing projects but also career aspirations and professional development needs. These check-ins keep you in tune with their professional desires and any support they might need.

If your remote workers need support in their professional growth, here's what you can do: 1. Offer training: Provide access to online courses and resources. 2. Schedule check-ins: Discuss progress, challenges, and goals regularly. 3. Encourage feedback: Foster open communication and provide constructive feedback. 4. Assign mentors: Help them navigate their career path. 5. Recognize achievements: Acknowledge their successes and provide advancement opportunities. Remember, supporting remote workers requires proactive and intentional efforts. Provide resources, encourage communication, and recognize achievements to help them thrive.

Supporting remote workers' professional growth also involves fostering a sense of belonging and inclusion through virtual team-building activities and initiatives. Providing access to resources for work-life balance, mental health support, and well-being initiatives demonstrates a commitment to their holistic development. Encouraging knowledge sharing and collaboration among remote workers through virtual forums, communities of practice, and peer learning circles enhances their skills and capabilities. Additionally, recognizing and celebrating milestones and achievements, both professionally and personally, reinforces a positive work culture and motivates remote workers to excel in their roles.

Something that helped me to orchestrate career goals projects is to work with an OKR system - Objetives and Key Results- , this framework helps to create clarity, visibility and provide goals. These OKRs are different than the traditional business metrics and KPIs. They are a great vehicle to help the company and the employees to grow from a more aspirational perspective, aligning individual interests with company purpose, mision, vision and strategy. These OKRs are often programmed in quarterly cycles, thus 4 opportunities to talk about career progression and development with your employees through the year.

Professional Development Plans: Work with remote employees to create personalized development plans that align with their career goals and the organization's objectives. Include timelines and specific milestones, and review these plans regularly to track progress and make adjustments as needed.

Schedule regular virtual training sessions, workshops, or Lunch & Learns with internal subject matter specialists, external trainers, or industry thought leaders. These participatory events can teach both technical and soft skills like time management, communication, and leadership. Make sure that training sessions are built with remote participants in mind, including entertaining exercises, breakout areas for small group discussions, and interactive tools that encourage participation and cooperation.

You can provide access to a variety of online training programs, courses, and webinars relevant to product management skills in platforms like Coursera, Udemy, or industry-specific online learning resources. You can partner with a platform offering certification courses for the required skill and provide flexible time slots to complete the coursework remotely.

Big fan of learning together with the team in a remote set up and visualize the intel there is in the house. I usually collect input from the team and create a backlog of training initiatives. I encourage the team to host sessions on topics they have expertise, so others can learn from it. Three main benefits of this initiative: 1. Promotes collaboration. It allows team members to learn from each other's expertise, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement. 2. Builds a stronger team bond. It creates a shared experience and fosters a sense of unity. When team members see each other's willingness to share knowledge and learn together, it builds trust and camaraderie. 3. Empowers continuous growth.

Mentoring and Coaching: Pair remote employees with mentors or coaches who can provide guidance, feedback, and support. Mentoring can be particularly effective in helping remote workers navigate the professional landscape and advance their careers within the company.

Set up a formal or informal mentorship program that connects remote workers with experienced colleagues or industry specialists. Encourage regular virtual meetings, goal setting, and progress tracking to develop meaningful partnerships and knowledge sharing. Create virtual communities of practice or interest groups where remote professionals may interact with colleagues, exchange experiences, ask questions, and work together on professional development projects.

You can implement a "buddy system" pairing senior and junior employees such as a Senior Software Engineer with an intern/ Associate Software Engineer. Senior mentors can provide guidance on specific projects, answer questions, and offer career advice through video calls and online collaboration tools.

Whilst I'm a big fan of weekly/biweekily 1on1s it's important to make time to share impromptu feedback. This might take you just 3 minutes and it's very powerful. Think of as if you're an sport coach, you wouldn't wait till the end of the game to correct the play of your team! This tactic will help you to find the right balance between performance management and development. On 1on1s, find a system that works for you and your employee (think of the frequency and format of this meeting). For remote worker: show up on time online, turn on your camera, be 100% focused -no email- be present without distractions. Impromptu feedback really helps to reduce uncertainty, if done correctly there won't be surprises on later performance reviews.

Scheduling regular virtual one-on-one meetings with remote team members to discuss their progress, challenges, and goals can increase the feedback culture. Providing constructive feedback on their work and offering suggestions for improvement is important too. During our internship programs, we conducted weekly video calls with each team member. These sessions allow us to provide specific feedback on their project management tasks, discuss their career aspirations, and identify areas where they might benefit from additional training or mentorship.

Assign remote workers to cross-functional projects or task forces where they can use their emerging talents, collaborate with varied teams, and gain exposure to many elements of the organization. Encourage remote workers to take on temporary tasks, lead initiatives, or virtually shadow senior colleagues in order to widen their perspectives and gain a better understanding of the organization and sector.

-Encourage Networking: Encourage them to engage with professional networks or industry groups online. Participation in these groups can help remote workers feel more connected and gain new perspectives or ideas that can aid in their professional development. -Performance Feedback: Provide constructive and regular feedback on their work. Highlight strengths and areas for improvement in a way that motivates them to develop professionally. Make sure to acknowledge their successes and guide them on how to overcome any challenges they face.

Remote team members require much more empathy and consideration to silent signs of fatigue due to blurry lines between work and life. We sure primarily need to take care of ourselves, but a healthy work environment and appropriate workload is a task of a leader. As good as virtual media are, they won't replace a natural human contact. A leader who takes for granted that there is a machine on the other end of the line who got to function as long as they sit upright is a failed leader.

Consider changing the order: 1. Create a culture, process, and tools for FEEDBACK 2. Explore career PATHWAYS with and for your worker 3. Collaborate on setting work and career GOALS 4. Explore corporate and external TRAINING if needed 5. Discuss when and how MENTORSHIP is engaged 6. Schedule virtual CHECK-INS. ABOUT CHECK-INS TEMPO 1. High Performers can decide for themselves 2. Middle Performers every three weeks 3. New Hires and Underperformers meet with you weekly until they can run with the performance pack or lead it.

Recognize and celebrate remote workers' accomplishments and professional development milestones on a regular basis. This can be accomplished through public recognition at team meetings, personalised messaging, or formal recognition programs linked to performance assessments and compensation. Provide opportunities for career advancement based on demonstrated talents and accomplishments, ensuring that remote workers have equal access to promotions, lateral moves, and other possibilities for professional growth within the organization.