What is an LMS system?
The definition LMS ( Learning management system) is an education system that aims to facilitate and scale employee training. It is a virtual distance learning platform that optimizes the HR routine and the team’s learning.
With an increasingly competitive market, companies needed to innovate in the way they train their employees.
Today, even online platforms are being used, such as LMS systems.
These online systems are widely used because they bring together several features and are accessible from anywhere, in addition, of course, to the versatility of applications that this implies.
But before implementing distance training systems, it is important to understand what the LMS is, how it works and its advantages.
It is also known as AVA (Virtual Learning Environment) and it is a software for managing digital frameworks and databases with educational purposes.
This is a powerful tool for any company that is concerned with the continuing education of its employees, empowering HR to act strategically through this type of software.
Through this tool, HR manages to create courses, enroll employees and manage results. All in one place.
When can an LMS be used
Due to their versatility, LMS can be implemented in different processes, as long as they are cost-effective.
After all, it is an investment and it is important to ensure that a system to manage training is really necessary.
Typically, the system is used in medium and large companies where employee turnover is high and new projects are frequent. See below:
- employees training;
- integration between employees and customers;
- customer training;
- corporate training of partners and resellers;
- compliance training (company policies);
- franchisee training.
It is worth noting that several niche markets use the LMS as a way to train their employees more efficiently; such as healthcare, hotel, legal, industry, etc.
What are the advantages of LMS and why it has been a real trend
From this brief introduction, you may have already realized how versatile the LMS can be within the company, leading to a massive number of collaborators with important content for their performance and professional growth.
Check out some of the benefits of having an LMS system.
1. Decrease training costs
Because it is a completely online system, several costs related to face-to-face training are eliminated.
For example, the use of a place to allocate several people, the displacement of employees and professors, as well as several others such as coffee breaks to improve the employee’s experience .
In addition, the same course can be used repeatedly without needing new investments, with the exception of some updates when necessary.
2. Ensure compliance
Something important within companies is the strengthening of the strategic positioning of the brand.
The organizational culture must be constantly reinforced so that the company can successfully complete its mission.
By relying on the LMS, it is possible to segment which courses each employee needs to take according to their behavioral profile , thus making it possible to systematize the training in a much more practical way.
3. Improve engagement
In general, employees who are trained by the corporation tend to be more engaged with their work.
First, because they feel more secure when performing their tasks; another reason is that there is a greater understanding of internal processes, making room for improvement and innovation.
4. Gain agility in training
Because they are a complete and fully digital classroom, it is possible to make available a series of materials such as eBooks, videos, PDFs, etc.
Thus, new classes will already have immediate access to all the knowledge they need to perform their functions correctly. And this feature brings us to the next benefit.
5. Escalate training
By having an education system, it is possible to open as many training classes as necessary.
The company’s demand becomes the main indicator for hiring since the training of employees is no longer a bottleneck.
Of course, it is necessary to ensure that the content is really rich and is constantly updated to guarantee the quality of the training, however, this is a natural process that would already happen in person.
LMS types
Now that you are familiar with the LMS concept and why companies around the world are adopting this system, we will now delve into the types of systems that can be used.
LMS platforms can be divided into two categories, those intended for the educational sector and those for corporate purposes.
The first is aimed at educational institutions that are able to easily manage a large volume of distance learning students or even use them as support for on-site courses.
In companies, it is implemented in the corporate education strategy, training employees, customers and partners, being instrumental in achieving the results desired by the corporation.
For the HR team responsible for implementing an LMS in the company, it is important to pay attention to the difference between these systems, since they can present very different functionalities that do not permeate the two worlds.
Speaking of functionality, see in the next topic what to expect from an LMS.
Features of an LMS system
Understanding how an LMS platform works is important to understand how it can optimize the training process in your company.
See below the main features found in these systems.
1-personalization
The possibility of customizing this teaching tool is important to leave the company with the face.
It may seem like a whim, but it is very important for employees and customers to be in an environment that really seems to have been created by the company.
A corporation’s visual identity is part of its market positioning and this cannot be underestimated.
2-Hosting various content
As we said, the LMS must function as a remote classroom, therefore, it must support a range of formats, such as videos, images, audios, eBooks, etc.
Not only that, we emphasize the use of videos as a medium that generates great employee engagement, facilitating distance learning.
So, if the LMS does not support video, you already know that it is a bad choice.
3-Monitoring through indicators
The online training solution should allow managers to track which employees took the training and when.
This type of organization allows leaders to closely monitor the development of their team.
4-Tests and research
Tests are still one of the best ways to measure learning, so it is very easy to apply them in different formats such as: multiple choice, true or false, subjective questions, etc.
5-forums and chats
The discussion of topics helps a lot in the sedimentation of knowledge in addition to stimulating interaction between employees.
So forums are also a very interesting feature to look for in an LMS.
Chats also make it very easy to exchange information between students and with training managers, in addition to providing a space for feedback on the content provided or proposed topic.
6-Issuing automatic certificates
Issuing the training or course certification automatically is a very practical way to automate the process and allow HR to dedicate this time to improving the content available.
7-gamification
The gamification of activities is an interesting methodology to capture the attention of employees in training.
It is possible to assign points or even badges for achievements during studies: such as above-average grades, contribution with materials to the platform and much more.
Implementing the LMS in your company
You already understand how the LMS can be a strategic system for employee training, it’s time to learn how to implement it in practice.
To help you with this endeavor, we have prepared an intuitive step-by-step guide that you can check out below.
Step 1: Keep the experience in mind
Ensuring a good learning experience is often more important than the material itself, after all, it’s no use having the richest content if it can’t hold the employees’ attention.
So, aiming for an interesting and engaging experience should be a priority. Some ways to do it:
- create dynamic presentations;
- encourage team contribution;
- ensure a safe space for feedback.
Step 2: Assess competency gaps
Different positions require different skills, so it is important to understand exactly what the requirements of each are in order to prepare a Training Needs Assessment (LNT).
It is through the information and data collected in this planning stage that the priority training will be determined and the production and structuring of the course will begin.
Some training common to all areas are:
- corporate policies and culture;
- systems and processes;
- important concepts for the organization area;
- occupational health and safety .
Step 3: Choose the ideal LMS
There are several LMS platforms available on the market, so it is important to find the one that offers the best features for the content you plan to teach.
It is worth talking about your expectations with the sales team of the solutions chosen for screening and also carrying out benchmarking with other companies that have already had the service.
Step 4: Advertise widely in the company
Create impactful communication to disseminate to all employees, using all available business communication channels .
After that, just provide access to the right people and start monitoring and optimizing the courses and training available to employees.
