Have We Gone Permanently Virtual?

Do you prefer virtual or in-person training?

When I designed my corporate media and presentation training programs, I built them with the idea I could travel around and take them to executive teams, sales teams, recruitment teams, etc. in various on-site group formats.

• Office lunch and learn
• Conferences and trade shows
• Corporate retreats

And occasionally...

• One-to-one prep (Got a big, important presentation coming up? Need to speak to camera for a company video?)

Then the world was given a jolt.

Virtual training became the only option companies had for their learning and development needs.

I adapted.

And although things have calmed down with business, travel and general world health, my first training session after my summer break will be with a group in Colorado in early September - virtually.

Video conferences actually lend themselves quite well to on-camera presenting, but it's still a different experience than working with someone in the same room.

I get it, though.

Nobody has to pay my travel expenses on top of my fees, and that makes a difference during challenging times.

Plus, a lot of employees are permanently remote now, so it's harder to get them all in the same space at the same time.

In my local market - Calgary, Alberta, Canada - the office vacancy rate is at a record high of 33.7%.

Several office towers are being converted to condos as they're never expected to fill up with employees again.

What a shift we've gone through.

How does the mix of virtual and in-person activity look in your part of the world?

Written by Rob Deptford, founder of Robert Deptford Communications.