Whether it’s referred to as a learning management system, learning management software, or simply abbreviated to LMS, these phrases are describing the same thing: a software platform used to manage your team’s training and learning.
When they’re used well, a learning management system will help you manage your team’s learning activities. While the pricing, structure, and industry-focus of these systems can vary (a lot), most corporate platforms have the same five key benefits.
1. Efficiency and cost savings
When imagining corporate training programs, some folks might recall sitting in their office breakroom watching a dusty video montage of characters acting out a variety of outlandish training scenarios. Yikes.
Utilizing an LMS turns that experience on its head. You don’t have to create pamphlets, awkward videos, or plan classroom trainings. There’s no need to hire a facilitator, pay for travel, or take on event logistics to get new information in front of your workforce. You can build the content and disperse it on a platform they can access from anywhere.
Utilizing an LMS within your company removes costs like travel, accommodations, and event logistics because your programs deliver information directly to your team—wherever they’re located. Your company can even reuse and repurpose training materials to save on content creation costs.
2. Flexibility for teams and beyond
We mentioned your employees can access their trainings from anywhere, which is a great benefit. That’s only a small part of the flexibility that comes with the best learning management systems. Your teams can learn at their own paces and you can accommodate various learning styles within your content.
3. Customizable content
You know your workforce better than anyone. Using an LMS means you can create customizable content to share exactly what they need to know.
Yes, the word learning is in the name—but you can also use your LMS to share other things like updates on the company’s goals. Customizable content puts you in the driver’s seat whether you’re updating your onboarding, launching leadership development, or sharing company updates.
Utilizing a learning management systems’ built in tools to improve your content
Most LMS platforms have feedback, course tracking, and analytics tools to help measure the effectiveness of any training programs. Using data like course completions, quiz scores, and user engagement can help identify areas for improvement. Once you’ve found those areas, you can make changes and roll them out for the next learners.
4. Employee development and retention
An unexpected benefit of using an LMS is that employees remain more engaged. The University of Southern California recently shared that the lack of professional development was one of the key reasons employees report being unsatisfied at work. When employees are unsatisfied with their jobs, they find new ones!
Ongoing learning and development opportunities within your organization can improve employee engagement, increase job satisfaction, and ultimately lead to higher retention rates. Offering development courses through your LMS supports your employees’ professional growth.
5. Centralized learning
Learning management systems keep your learning programs organized. They house all learning materials, courses, and employee development plans in one place so they can be shared with the right people—like your learner, their manager, and your HR team.
While we chose to focus on these five, the benefits of using learning management software don’t really end. One size doesn’t fit all with these platforms. Employees, leaders, and organizations all benefit when using the right LMS for their goals. Knowing how to choose the right LMS for your needs will make the process much easier.