The Need for Structured Virtual Managers Training Is Now

By Samantha Herron.
Updated Apr 28, 2021

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (PRWEB) April 28, 2021 - With remote work looking like a more permanent trend, organizations must ensure that their managers are prepared to manage a virtual workforce, according to the Association for Talent Developments new research report Developing Virtual Managers: Driving Excellence From Afar, which is sponsored by Allego.

At the average organization, 77 percent of managers were virtual by the end of 2020, compared to 21 percent before the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizations that provided a fully structured training program for virtual managers were significantly more likely to be high performers than those that only provided some individual courses or assets or did not provide any training at all.

In an interview for the report, Mies de Koning, director of organization development and learning at The Rockefeller Foundation, said structuring these programs to become inductive and reflective is key to their effectiveness. There should be a continuing cycle of sharing information and knowledge, applying that knowledge in practice, and asking questions and reflecting about the experience, he explained.

Key takeaways from the report include:

Organizations that provided ongoing learning on virtual management skills during their virtual managers first year managing in a virtual environment were also significantly more likely to be high performers. According to Mechelle Roberthon, vice president and director of talent development at Home Bank, this ongoing learning is key because extended efforts nurture the confidence to lead well, virtually. The goal, she said, is to send the message that the organization is invested in their effectiveness and their leadership development.

A free webinar detailing the report data will take place May 26 at 2 p.m. ET.

About ATD

The Association for Talent Development (ATD) is the worlds largest professional membership organization supporting those who develop the knowledge and skills of employees, improve performance, and help to achieve results for the organizations they serve. Established in 1943, the association was previously known as the American Society for Training & Development (ASTD).

ATDs members come from more than 120 countries and work in public and private organizations in every industry sector. ATD supports talent development professionals who gather locally in volunteer-led US chapters and international member networks and with international strategic partners.

For more information, visit td.org.