Last updated: 1/31/22

The State of Remote Learning and Work

It’s no secret that remote work has changed our personal and professional lives. Fundamentally, working and learning remotely offers more flexibility in how we “get the job done”. Focusing less on the “means of work” (location, office layout, hours, preferred work methodologies, proximity to managers, etc.) and more on “the ends of work” (deliverables and results) has evoked a collective sigh of relief. Why were we not doing this all along?

For many, remote work allows us to design our ideal environment for productivity, rather than forcing ourselves to fit inside the figurative (and often literal) “cubicles” of traditional work. A quick search on Indeed or LinkedIn’s job postings reveals that more organizations recognize the positive impact that remote work can have on productivity and employee wellbeing. It’s a two-way street. Whether they’re in the public, social, or private sector, more employees want to work from home, and employers must follow suit to remain competitive. According to FlexJobs, 97% of surveyed workers in 2021 desired fully remote or hybrid-model remote work over office work.

Remote education and learning have taken a similar path. Online learning is not a utopia of results, but individuals seeking post-secondary and professional development opportunities can especially appreciate the flexibility of online courses. Remote learning has increased the accessibility of professional development opportunities to parents, those with disabilities, financially constrained individuals and nonprofits, and others. And there are benefits. While there are caveats, Think Impact shares that eLearning can help students to retain between 25% and 60% more information.

To keep up with the future of remote work, many in-person conferences, certification courses, degree programs, and the like have transitioned online or offered online versions. A notable benefit is that virtual training may have lower operating costs, allowing organizers to charge less for their events and courses. With more flexibility and ease of access, now is a great time to take advantage of courses to bring your career and your organization’s impact to new frontiers.

At Clear Impact, we focus on public and social sector work, but the following information can also be a useful guide to private sector employees looking to improve their performance and create impact in their organizations and beyond.

Types of Social/ Public Sector Professional Development Opportunities

virtual training options

There are many ways to categorize remote learning and skill-building opportunities. Ideally, you should explore all the types and choose the formats that 1) will fit best with your current lifestyle and 2) are likely to achieve the desired results for your career and organization. This means exploring both paid and free opportunities. For paid – don’t resign to digging into your own pockets. In most cases, you can consider seeking approval and funding through your employer, which we will help you with in the next section. Some of these formats are once again offering services in-person, so you can consider both remote and eLearning.

Here is just a sampling of the types of professional development you can seek in your professional development roadmap. We’ve included useful links to help you evaluate each type of opportunity.

Social/ Public Sector Books

Computer and Books

Books are a great low-cost option to discover new tools and methodologies for taking your career, performance, and impact to the next level!

Here is a list of some of our favorite books, designed to help you and your organization achieve greater impact and success:

  • Trying Hard is Not Good Enough; How to Achieve Measurable Improvements for Customers and Communities, by Mark Friedman – This is a “how-to” book for government and nonprofit agencies working at the city, county, state, and national levels to improve community quality of life and the performance of program services. Get it on Amazon.
  • Turning Curves; An Accountability Companion Reader, by Mark Friedman – Mark shares some of his writing from the last 10 years, and selected writings from the many friends and colleagues around the world who are putting Results-Based Accountability into practice. Get it on Amazon.
  • Stop Spinning Your Wheels; Using Results-Based Accountability to Drive Your Agency to Success, by Anne McIntyre-Lahner – This is an inspiring book about what it takes to create change in a large government organization. Get it on Amazon.
  • Who is Driving the Bus? One Legislator’s Road to Accountability, by Diana Urban – Connecticut State Representative Diana Urban refuses to accept the status quo of incremental budgeting and short-sighted horse-trading. In Who’s Driving the Bus?, Urban leads readers on her journey to Results-Based Accountability (RBA), sharing lessons learned along the way. Get in on Amazon.
  • City on the Line: How Baltimore Transformed its Budget to Beat the Great Recession and Deliver Outcomes, by Andrew Kleine – In City on the Line, former Baltimore budget director Andrew Kleine asks why the way government does its most important job – deciding how to spend taxpayer dollars – hasn’t changed in hundreds of years. Parts memoir, manifesto, and manual, this book tells the story of Baltimore’s radical departure from traditional line-item budgeting to a focus on outcomes like better schools, safer streets, and stronger neighborhoods—during one of the most tumultuous decades in the city’s history. Get it on Amazon.
  • Choose Results!: Make a Measurable Difference Through Aligned Action, by Raj Chawla – Choose Results! is a deeply considered “call to action” to leaders who are committed to improving the wellbeing of people. Grounded in the well-sourced fields of action learning, collaborative thinking, and collective action, Choose Results! elucidates in close detail the necessary but difficult task of collaborating with others in ways that align action, de-emphasize the personal, and leverage parallel lines of work, with copious in-depth examples. Get it on Amazon.

Business Operations/ Sales/ Marketing Books

We realize most of these books are focused on social impact. Here are a few that may be more helpful on the business operations side of things:

  • Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business, by Gino Wickman – In Traction, you’ll learn the secrets of strengthening the six key components of your business. You’ll discover simple yet powerful ways to run your company that will give you and your leadership team more focus, more growth, and more enjoyment. Get it on Amazon. 
  • What the Heck is EOS: A Complete Guide for Employees in Companies Running on EOS, by Gino Wickman and Tom Bouwer – What the Heck is EOS? is for the millions of employees in companies running their businesses on EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System).  An easy and fast read, this book answers the questions many employees have about EOS and their company. (This is a companion guide to Traction…) Get it on Amazon.
  • Never Lose a Customer Again, by Joey Coleman – Coleman offers a system designed to dramatically increase customer retention and as a result, the bottom line. He identifies eight distinct emotional needs customers undergo during the 100 days following a purchase, whether it’s as small as a new drink at Starbucks or as big as a house. Get it on Amazon.
  • Content That Converts; How To Build A Profitable and Predictable B2B Content Marketing Strategy, by Laura Hanly – This book is for entrepreneurs and the leaders of B2B businesses who want to use content marketing to bring a predictable stream of qualified leads into their sales cycles, and need a replicable system to make it happen. Get it on Amazon.

Getting Approval/ Funding for a Course

convince boss send conferenceIf you’re considering a paid online event or training course, now is the perfect time to bring it up with your boss. Don’t assume you’ll have to pay for these opportunities yourself. Many organizations offer tuition reimbursement and professional development stipends.

Though the conversation may seem intimidating, remind yourself that your organization has a stake in your success. To summarize our article on convincing your boss to send you to a conference, effective communication and preparation are essential.

Your professional development may be a tool for you to get a promotion or a pay raise, but your new skills will also be an asset for everyone you work with. Here are a couple of things you may want to bring up to your boss or supervisor:

  • Specific ways your selected course(s) will help your organization’s mission
  • Current problems that you will be able to assist with after your courses
  • A plan for how your position will change, keeping in mind your current responsibilities
  • Your plan for how you will still uphold your responsibilities while enrolled in the course
  • Exact pricing and timeline for your course

Our best tip from this article: submit a request letter to your boss and make sure it matches their communication style. You can download a sample request letter here.

With proper preparation and knowledge of course materials, you will be able to answer any questions and set yourself up for the best possible chance ofapproval. With this in mind, ensure that your research is sound and that your education will be of use. 

virtual training catalogue

Achieve your 2022 professional development goals

Explore our virtual training catalogue.

View Courses

Get the Most Out of Your Course 

digital trainingOnce your plan is approved, be sure to properly prepare to get the most out of whatever opportunity you have enrolled in. Education gives you as much as you put in, so take diligent notes, ask questions, network with presenters and participants, download course resources, and practice your new skills as you learn them.

Talk to your instructors and stay involved with every discussion. Professional development courses can also be a valuable way to make professional and personal connections outside of your organization, so be sure to speak with your fellow attendees. They might have valuable insight into your course and can also end up being valued friends! So don’t be shy – enjoy your share of social interaction. Interactive virtual events can also be an effective way to break up the monotony and loneliness that can oftentimes accompany remote work.

The Benefits of Virtual Learning

If you have taken in-person professional training courses in the past, you may be wary of online options. There are always downsides, but virtual courses allow for greater access and flexibility. The generally lower price points open up a whole new world of learning opportunities for you. Virtual courses, certifications, and degrees often allow you to work at a pace that best suits your learning style, availability, and goals.

Virtual training courses and workshops are an ideal option for many because they allow for greater attendance and participation. They also eliminate travel costs. Greater attendance and no travel means you’ll get the best value for the cost.

Virtual workshops taken in tandem can also help keep you and your coworkers on the same page and progressing simultaneously towards your training goals.

Finally, virtual workshops can also be recorded and shared easily with employees who absolutely cannot attend.

A Great Place to Start for Any Professional Development Goal: RBA Training

Results-Based Accountability™ (also known as RBA) is a disciplined way of thinking and taking action that communities can use to improve the lives of children, youth, families, adults, and the community as a whole. Organizations also use RBA to enhance the performance of their programs.

RBA training can help you become an expert in this framework, allowing you to become a leader in RBA implementation within your organization. You can also receive a certification, which increases your qualification in the form of a standardized credential.

Our RBA courses and certification are now offered in a virtual format, meaning you can take advantage of all of the benefits of virtual learning. Visit this page for more information on Clear Impact’s RBA training and consultation. For our professional certification in RBA, you can learn more and register here.