True story: A client came to us at the height of COVID-19, asking for help with a problem. Project team members were leaving the organization in unusually large numbers.

Now, the backstory: The client’s project teams are assembled and led by project managers, and engagements often last two to three years. Before COVID-19, this work was conducted face to face; however, COVID-19 necessitated a pivot to virtual work.

The client noticed that the attrition coincided with this pivot — and felt fairly sure the project managers were struggling to help their team members feel connected while working virtually. They wanted to fix that problem with training but, as it turned out, things were a little more complicated.

The Constraints: Scale, Culture and Limited Insights

At first, we thought a two-pronged approach would solve the problem. First, we’d create a managerial soft skills curriculum that would set a standard of behavior for the project managers, no matter where they sat. Second, and perhaps even more important, we’d demonstrate for our dispersed learners how to foster meaningful connections with colleagues online and from afar.

But when faced with a challenge like this, sometimes the sheer number of learners is the first hurdle. Our Transformational Design Standards call for our work to be learner centered and highly adaptive. The learner audience for this project was larger than my hometown, comprising tens of thousands of individuals globally. In this case, a one-size-fits-all approach would have been laughably ineffective.

The global nature of the audience added another layer of complexity. Management styles, communication norms and expectations around team cohesion vary significantly across these cultures. A workable approach in one culture might be a huge miss in another. Methods for building rapport also differ. What’s considered friendly in one region might be intrusive in another.

Compounding these complexities was the stark limitation on our primary tool for understanding learner perspectives: empathy interviews. Empathy interviews help us understand learners, their expectations around professional development and their understanding of the topic at hand. Typically, we interview a representative sample of the audience group. However, in this case, we were limited to conducting just a few interviews with very few learners across regions.

With only a few participants available, we couldn’t achieve the depth of cultural nuance we typically aim for. These interviews, while valuable, would offer only small glimpses into a much larger and more complex picture. We needed a strategy that acknowledged these constraints while still delivering impactful, learner-centric training.

Reframing the Problem

At first, the challenge was potentially overwhelming: too many people, not enough information and a high-priority client problem. But success often comes from stepping back to reframe the problem as an opportunity.

In this case, what if the massive crowd of über-diverse learners was part of the solution rather than the challenge?

Once reframed, I had a new enabler: Learners who were experts at managing a project. Why was this a plus? Because they could be called upon to run their own learning program.

While we were limited in understanding the nuanced details of each and every learner, we could provide the high-level information and call on these project managers to provide the local context.

If a pilot program were added to the mix, we could gather crucial feedback to inform our later work on the project. Energized, excited and curious, we plunged into creating an entirely new kind of learning experience — one where the learners themselves added a vital part of the content and management.

Here’s how we built it.

Leverage Learners’ Existing Skills

One of the most powerful yet often overlooked professional development resources in any large organization is the collective expertise of its people. Instead of scaling up the existing pool of trainers, we designed this program to leverage the skills and experiences of the project managers themselves. (Fun fact: We estimated that to get the entire learner audience through the program with the existing trainers would take over 10 years.)

By empowering learners to contribute to the program’s delivery and success, we could foster a sense of ownership and reinforce the very connections we were aiming to build.

Establish Clear Signposts for Your Learners

In any large-scale initiative, especially one delivered virtually, learners can easily feel lost or overwhelmed. Clear signposts are essential to guide them, maintain momentum and ensure they understand the “why” behind the “what.” Here are some key navigational aids we relied on for this project that you can replicate:

• A unified program hub: Consider creating a central online portal for all program-related information, schedules, resources and support channels.

Your first stop should be your learning management system (LMS). When possible, create a shell of your program in the LMS and house a visual learner journey there. This visual helps your learners understand where they are in the program, where they have been and how close they are to completion. If your LMS doesn’t have that capability, consider adding a first screen to each eLearning module that shows your learners where they are in their journey. It doesn’t have to be complex; think of a simple-yet-effective map with a big, red “You are here!” dot.

• Modular structure with clear outcomes: Break your program down into manageable modules, each with explicitly stated learning objectives and expected behavioral outcomes. I don’t mean you need to publish learning objectives, especially those that start with the phrase “In this course you will learn…,” which I find signals to some learners that this program is going to be boring. But it does help to let people know the topics of each module and what they’re going to get out of it. In this case, the project managers understood the skills learners would gain and how these related to the overarching goal of improving team connection — focusing on these outcomes was the key for getting learners to engage with each module.
• Progress indicators and milestones: Anyone who’s been on a family road trip knows that the most annoying question ever is “Are we there yet?” Don’t make your learners wonder. Create a visual dashboard where they and their managers can track progress, celebrate completions and identify areas needing more focus.
• Regular communication cadence: A predictable schedule of communications, including program updates, tips, success stories and nudges, will keep the learning journey top of mind and reinforce key messages.

Do you have a chat program you use for learning? Although only a small fraction of learners typically participates in the conversation, a group chat can be a great way to distribute information. Email nudges are another way to meet this need. If you post communications in a location the learner uses frequently, they are more likely to read your message.

Clear signposts aren’t just administrative niceties; they can be part of the learning experience itself, designed to reduce cognitive load and allow participants to focus on the content and its application.

Assume the Program Will Go Off Track

With a program of this magnitude and complexity, hoping for the best was not a viable strategy. Our team operated under the assumption that things would go off track and, accordingly, built in mechanisms for proactive problem-solving and rapid response.

Anticipated challenges included:

• Technological hurdles: varying internet bandwidth, different degrees of learner tech-savviness and platform compatibility issues across a global audience
• Engagement dips: sustaining engagement over a prolonged virtual program
• Time zone nightmares: coordinating synchronous sessions across multiple continents
• Cultural misinterpretations: content or facilitation approaches that inadvertently cause offense or confusion

Mitigation strategies for these challenges included:

• Robust technical support accessible through multiple channels
• A mix of synchronous and asynchronous learning to accommodate time zones and learning preferences
• Pilot testing key modules with a diverse subset of the audience
• Establishing a rapid feedback loop to catch and address cultural sensitivities quickly

During the planning stages, we considered the factors that might “kill the program.” That is, which non-learning issues were lurking in the corners that might rear up and sink our best efforts. Surfacing those issues — and planning risk mitigation strategies when possible — allowed us to be proactive instead of reactive.

Cohorts and Community

While much of the learning for this project was self-paced or occurred in small group settings, we recognized the value of larger, more visible events to build a sense of shared purpose and community. However, simply throwing thousands of people into a massive virtual meeting can be counterproductive.

Our solution was to have learners attend these larger group meetings as a cohort.

How did we pull that off virtually? By keeping it simple but effective.

I highly recommend building some sort of initiation ceremony into the design of a learning program, such as a kickoff. For large-scale program events like these, learners join a shared video meeting that includes their small-group members. During this “initiation,” learners discuss what they hope to get out of the larger session and identify specific questions they hope to address, which primes them to participate actively in the program.

Here’s where the viewing party experience comes in. The designated leader of each small group shares their screen and joins the live virtual event while their group members watch along and react on their own personal group chat. Thus, a mass kickoff event becomes an experience shared among a group of five to eight, not thousands.

After the kickoff, groups stick together to discuss takeaways, how the information applies to their specific contexts and what actions they would like to take with their own teams. These conversations help learners process the information collectively and translate it into practical steps.

Stoke the Improvement Engine

A learning program designed to enhance project managers’ responsiveness to team members’ needs and experiences must model these behaviors by itself being responsive to learners’ own needs and experiences. To ensure that the program remained responsive to learners’ evolving needs, we began brainstorming a robust feedback mechanism from day one.

This continual process included:

• Pulse surveys: short, frequent surveys after key modules and learning experiences to gauge immediate reactions and identify areas of friction
• Cohort feedback sessions: designated meetings in which cohorts provide collective feedback through their facilitators or champions
• Manager check-ins: regular touchpoints with learners’ managers to understand and debrief learners’ observed behavioral changes
• Direct support channels: clear forums where individuals can ask questions, report issues or offer suggestions

This constant stream of data is fed continually back to the design and delivery team, enabling agile adjustments.

Outcomes and Lessons Learned

Though the full impact of such a large-scale initiative takes time to unfold, initial indicators are incredibly positive.

One highlight: The client reported a stabilization in attrition rates within six months of the program’s full rollout, with project managers expressing increased confidence in their ability to lead and connect with their teams virtually. Anecdotal feedback from team members supports learners’ self-reports, pointing to improved morale and a greater sense of belonging.

If you find yourself grappling with a learning challenge that is global, multicultural and high-stakes, consider the following points to help you work around constraints — and possibly even find some enablers in disguise:

1. Embrace imperfection in data gathering: Though deep empathy is ideal, even limited insights, when strategically applied, can guide effective design.
2. Scale through choice and adaptability: Large, diverse audiences require flexible learning paths, not rigid prescriptions.
3. Clarity is kindness: In complex environments, clear navigation and communication are fundamental to learner success and well-being.
4. Plan for deviations: Proactive risk management and contingency planning are essential for large-scale program rollouts.
5. Leverage internal wisdom: Your learners possess a wealth of knowledge; tap into it to enrich the program and foster ownership.
6. Build communities of practice: Cohort- and small-group-based learning can create vital micro-communities within larger programs, enhancing engagement and support.
7. Listen, adapt, repeat: Continuous feedback and iterative improvement are crucial for program relevance and impact.

Ultimately, fostering connection across a global, virtual workforce isn’t just about deploying a training program; it’s about building an interconnected ecosystem of learning, support and shared experiences.

By prioritizing learner agency, building clear pathways, anticipating roadblocks and actively listening, we helped our client turn a significant challenge into an opportunity for growth and renewed organizational strength. Though COVID-19 may have forced the shift to virtual work, thoughtful learning program design and a commitment to human-centered principles helped connection to flourish across regions, borders and cultures.