7 Things to Look For In An LMS Software Platform
Job skills have a relatively short shelf life. The technology we use today could very well be obsolete a year from now. And it's not just technology that is evolving. New AI, IoT, and machine learning applications are already transforming entire industries, and those who don’t adapt will soon be obsolete themselves.
To survive in today’s professional environment, employees need to adopt a mindset of continual learning. They need to stay on top of hard skills like new software platforms and technology requirements as well as soft skills like communication, leadership, and collaboration. In fact, these soft skills are sometimes more important to hiring managers than role-specific skills which can be trained after hiring.
Most workers already know this, and they look to their employers to help them bridge knowledge gaps through professional development opportunities. In fact, 94% of employees would stay longer with an employer who invested in their career than they would with one who didn't.
Training is essential for developing skilled workers and for retaining the ones you have, including learning and development initiatives designed to fill skills gaps and train leaders with engaging learning experiences. To support those initiatives, you need an LMS software platform that is flexible enough to accommodate a variety of learning styles, skills, and training assets. Here's what to look for:
- Integration with HRIS – Not all LMS systems will integrate with your HR software, and that creates more work that often results in duplicate entries and greater possibility of error. Look for a platform that is compatible with your current resources, including any third-party tools you use for designing courses or other assets. The software should also fit into your overall HR technology strategy in terms of business goals and technology innovation.
- Personalized Learning – The platform should provide personalized learning paths so that users can choose their own resources based on their professional development goals or job requirements. These may take many forms, such as career paths that help employees develop skills or continuing education opportunities that fill skills gaps or meet certification requirements. It should also offer goal-setting features that give employees a hands-on approach to designing their own learning experiences.
- Multi-Device Functionality – From microlearning modules that provide just-in-time resources to full-length training sessions, learning happens in a variety of places and circumstances, and your LMS should be able to support all of those needs. Responsive design and multi-device accessibility is a must-have for supporting the needs of your employees both inside and outside the classroom.
- Assessments – Online assessments track learner engagement and progress with content-based exercises, training simulations, and – in some cases – formal exams. The LMS platform should support a variety of customizable assessments along with analytics and reporting features.
- Customizable Analytics and Reporting – The only way to accurately gauge your program’s success is to track metrics that align with your training objectives. Your LMS should offer fully customizable reporting, including real-time participation metrics.
Dashboards are also very helpful for keeping an eye on your most important metrics and maintaining a birds’-eye view of employee progress and completion rates.
- Instructional Design – Not only should the LMS have ready-made courses on key topics, but it should also work with you to create your own custom courses. Course development and content creation tools should be built into the program so that you can design and modify courses to meet specific training needs.
- Collaboration and Communication – Collaboration among course participants can boost engagement with the content and promote long-term retention. Your LMS should include social tools and feedback opportunities like discussion forums, surveys, social media integration, and Q&A sessions to promote collaborative learning.
Gamification is also a great way to encourage learning participation, and your LMS can set the stage with leaderboards, badges, and achievement levels.
Bonus Tip: Look for an LMS with an engaging user interface and user-friendly design. While this may seem superficial, research shows that user experience significantly impacts how people engage with and retain online content. By choosing a platform that encourages interaction and aligns with the skills of your team members, you can help employees absorb content more effectively and retain it longer.
Looking for an HRIS that will support your learning and development goals? Start your search with our HRIS Comparison Tool!
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