The Web has provided the beginning of online training, which only has been piloted at this point within Gannett. The new technologies have enhanced my research and training venues, but I'm still playing catch-up on utilizing its potential for interacting with other professionals in the field. Granted, you are not giving them web-specific training, but life and work experience training. Luckily, human nature and behavior are fairly consistent, so there really is no problem. However, online veterans represent a different culture with some subtleties that must be learned.
Challenges come more from a conflict between the ideal training scenario and reality.
Most companies suffer the duplicity of their presented values and culture and the reality of the bottom-line. Proposing advice or training when it is not reinforced by the current culture generates frustration and anger towards upper management. Training is often a bottom-up approach that lacks the credibility of executive endorsement and modeling. Online employees represent the risk-taking arena of most conservative businesses. Consequently, they often become isolated from the mainstream, and may lose executive support and even resources.