Long Live the LMS: 5 Reasons the LMS Isn’t Dead

The Learning Management System (LMS) has worked wonders for making mandatory training programs for employees more enjoyable and easy to digest. Before the introduction of online learning systems, the mere mention of the words, “Training and Development” would be enough to induce a yawn or the mysterious development of a stomach bug on the date of scheduled training. Fortunately, the emergence of the LMS has positively changed the way that employees view training. By bringing flexibility and innovation to the education and training arenas, the LMS has survived and thrived in a competitive environment. Below are five compelling reasons why organizations should invest in an LMS.

1) With an LMS, there are no limitations to your learning potential.

Traditional training methods are suffering a slow, painful death because they do not offer the flexibility and accessibility offered by an LMS. Gone are the learning days of yore that required trainees to sit in a classroom reading a never-ending binder for eight pre-scheduled hours. With learning management software, learning can take place from any location and can occur at any point in time. From the second that eLearning materials are uploaded to an LMS platform, trainees have unlimited access to all information published on the platform. The accessibility of the learning management platform does not end with location flexibility. A key factor in the power of the LMS is the physical accessibility of the software. With its cloud-based design, learners can quickly login to an elearning platform through any of the following devices: 

• Personal computers
• Laptops
• Tablets
• Smartphones

This accessibility means that trainees can begin learning, and start gaining experience immediately rather than having to wait until a scheduled training session begins.

2) You can spot your future superstars with an LMS.

Training managers can easily track the progress of learners with a learning management software. In addition to being able to view attainment of performance milestones, managers can see how well employees performed on LMS quizzes and examinations. The LMS is particularly beneficial in its ability to allow managers to spot their future superstars and see which employees are falling behind or struggling with distinct concepts. These struggling individuals can receive supplemental assistance through the LMS to ensure that they grasp key concepts.

3) An LMS can help bring life to dry training material.

Trainees from all industries often approach training with a sense of dread. In some cases, this dread stems from the dry nature of content that needs to be learned. Other trainees dread the prospect of having to spend hours on end doing nothing but reading training binders. Regardless of a trainee’s reasons for dreading the training process, a virtual learning platform can help make the following types of material easier and more enjoyable to learn: 

• Company policies and procedures
• Ethical and legal standards
• Hazard and safety standards

Learning management system providers recognize that these training elements are critical to the success and safe operations of business. An LMS can be customized with the following to make material more interesting to learn: 

• The use of instructional videos
• Gamification, which is especially effective with safety training
• The inclusion of pictures and graphics

By incorporating a variety of modalities into a learning platform, an LMS helps to improve employee attitudes toward completing mandatory training material. Rather than hearing a moderator say, “Please open your training binder to page 1 and review the first five policies…”, a trainee can learn those same policies by watching a video or master a set of corporate policies by engaging in game-based learning.

4) An LMS will move into the future with your organization as it grows.

In the past, outdated training materials would be thrown in the trash and replaced with newly printed documentation with every policy change or new product offering. An LMS never needs to be discarded because its fluid design enables changes and updates to be made quickly online in a matter of seconds. Discontinued products and services are easy to remove from an LMS. Similarly, learners can have access to information about exciting new products the second that new material is uploaded onto your LMS platform. This allows companies to generate revenue from new products faster by using an LMS.

5) An LMS will help you save money on learning and development costs.

An elearning platform is a big hit with cost-conscious CFOs and franchise owners who are constantly in search of ways to cut company expenses. The accessibility, forward-thinking design and watchdog aspect of the LMS combine to save companies money, resources, and time. Below is a summary of the main ways that an LMS service can help your organization save money: 

• Binder printing costs are virtually eliminated with the online format of the LMS
• Fuel costs are reduced because employees do not have to travel to a training location
• Managers and trainers to not have to worry about paying for a training location
• Downtime for training is reduced since trainees can learn at their own speed and begin working immediately upon completion of materials

With cost control being the bottom line for many companies, the LMS will continue to grow in popularity.

Discover the Long-term Benefits of the LMS for Yourself

The best way to experience the positive impact that an LMS can have on your business is to contact an expert in the elearning industry. Knowledge Anywhere has been making learning and training an engaging experience for companies for nearly two decades. Their knowledgeable team of professionals has the expertise to help you customize a high quality, snooze-proof LMS that can evolve as your company grows and changes. Contact the specialists at Knowledge Anywhere to find out how your business can save money and optimize employee training with an LMS solution. We look forward to working with you!