As a sales leader with many years of experience leading global teams, I understand the challenges of managing a team spread out across different locations and time zones. In my current role at Get More Brain, I have spoken with sales leaders from around the world, and it’s clear that the shift towards hybrid and remote work environments has added an additional layer of complexity to an already challenging role.
A survey conducted by Buffer found that 98% of remote workers would like to work remotely at least some of the time for the rest of their careers.
This statistic shows that hybrid and remote work environments are not just a trend but a preferred work style that will change the way many view work.
Onboarding and Training Challenges
Managing a sales team in today’s hybrid and remote work environment presents a range of challenges, particularly when onboarding and training new employees. Building and maintaining a positive team culture is also more difficult when team members are physically separated. When I speak to other leaders facing similar challenges, I have found that investing in technology can be a game changer in overcoming these obstacles.
One of the biggest hurdles for sales leaders in a remote or hybrid work setting is ensuring that newly hired employees are onboarded and trained in a consistent and effective manner. With team members working in different locations and often in different time zones, traditional onboarding methods can be difficult to execute.
However, with the right technology in place, such as learning platforms or virtual training tools, companies can create a standardized process for onboarding and training, regardless of the employee’s location. As I mentioned in my previous article, Empowering your Sales Team for Success, an effective onboarding process is crucial to ensuring new hires have the knowledge and tools they need to succeed.
Fostering a Positive Team Culture
Creating a strong and positive team culture is often a challenge in remote or hybrid work settings. It can be difficult to build camaraderie and foster a sense of community among physically separated team members. However, technology can also play a role in overcoming this challenge. Virtual team building activities or video conferences can be used to connect team members and build a sense of community despite the distance between them.
The Role of AI in Remote Learning and Development
At the same time, it’s worth noting that technology can extend beyond virtual team building and training tools. In my previous article, Does AI have the potential to put ‘Learning’ back into Learning and Development I explored how AI can play a crucial role in providing personalized and effective training experiences that cater to individual learners’ needs. By leveraging AI through learning platforms like Get More Brain, L&D professionals can create more efficient, effective, and engaging learning experiences for their learners. Moreover, AI can provide insights into learner behavior and engagement, allowing L&D professionals to adjust their strategies and materials accordingly.
Investing in Technology for Sales Team Success
Investing in technology like learning platforms that enable AI is imperative for L&D professionals and sales leaders who want to take advantage of personalized training, feedback, and insights into learner behavior and engagement. By finding the right balance between technology and the human touch, we can create impactful learning experiences and foster a positive team culture that empower learners to achieve their goals and drive business success.
Conclusion
In summary, managing a sales team in a hybrid or remote work environment requires innovative solutions to overcome onboarding and team culture challenges. By building a strong team culture, providing effective onboarding and training, and leveraging technology like AI and learning platforms, sales leaders and L&D professionals can set their teams up for success and achieve their goals even in the face of remote or hybrid work challenges.
This post was first published on Medium.
