Are you making the most of your learning management system? Dave Evans offers some tips.

In today’s tech-savvy world of training, where IT giant Google has recently endorsed video learning via YouTube for its own staff, there must only be a very small minority of people who haven’t either experienced or heard about the benefits of using the web-based learning management system (LMS). 

Users can log into these online training platforms and get access to a range of learning programmes, and depending on the sophistication of the product, this software can be used for the administration, documentation, tracking, and reporting of training programmes, online events, e-learning programmes, and training content.

"A good LMS will have reporting functionality that could save a training department weeks of time reporting."

In terms of reducing day-to-day costs, increased flexibility to meet the demands of customers, and offering the freedom to be far more targeted with learning within an organisation, instant benefits of an LMS are clear. But, the pros go way beyond the obvious, and in many cases it is likely that users of these systems are not getting maximum return on investment, simply because they don’t realise its true potential.

So, to ensure that training professionals are pushing their LMS to the limit, or to help them make a decision as to whether to invest, here are our top six hidden benefits of LMS:
 

1. Manage instructor-led training and administration

It is crucial to acknowledge that an effective LMS should go beyond simple booking and generating of email confirmations. A good LMS will manage the entire training operation, from full course administration to joining instructions and from certificates to sign-in sheets. Furthermore, when it comes to staying in touch, an LMS can even manage phone text reminders.

2. Easy and simple reporting

Especially useful in terms of handling compliance issues and identifying where and when qualifications or certificates are due to expire. A good LMS will have reporting functionality that could save a training department weeks of time reporting – even better a good LMS will deliver these reports to your inbox automatically.

3. See training spend per department

Return on investment when it comes to training, is always a contentious issue. Use the LMS to see at-a-glance where the training budget is being allocated and when, by inter-company departments.

4. Manage and meet regulatory requirements

More and more industries are becoming affected by the demands of compliance. Industries that are required to train, assess and report for compliance purposes include FSA-bound companies within the financial industry, and healthcare organisations that must comply with industry regulations. Use an LMS to eradicate human error and ensure that all staff have the necessary training and qualifications at all times.

5. Empower employees with self-service

This is a significant element of a sophisticated LMS that can empower employees and line managers to take control of their learning. This is self-service training which learners can personally subscribe to without intervention from trainers or line managers, and can boost understanding around the paths individuals must take to improve their performance. It is deadline-driven and available 24/7, so encourages independence among employees.

6. Web-based or hosted solutions

A good LMS will be provided on a hosted or software as a service basis. No longer do you need a costly IT team to incur the cost of managing and maintaining training system servers. A good LMS provider will offer a service level agreement which also guarantees the availability of your LMS. A knowledgeable support team will also help you get the most out of your system.
 

Dave Evans is commercial director at accessplanit. Read his latest report on LMS by clicking Training Management System.