In the Market for a New LMS? Prioritize These 4 Things

A new year’s on its way, and, for many companies, so is a new tech budget. Learning technology is one of the best investments you can make next year to support employee retention, promote workplace engagement, and engineer success for your business. Learning technology has a variety of uses, from simplifying the onboarding process to providing employees with various opportunities to upskill.

The average amount spent on workplace training per employee has increased every year between 2011 and 2019. With the switch to hybrid and remote workstyles, we may see these numbers trend even further upward as companies adapt and invest in digital training tools. Workplaces are more segmented than ever before with employees logging on from various locations. As a result, companies need tools that will help them engineer a cohesive employee training experience that offers sufficient onboarding courses, certification courses, and any upskilling courses that help keep employees engaged.

If you’re searching for a new learning technology platform to use in the next year, there are a few technical elements that you should prioritize. The overarching goals of corporate learning and development are compliance and engagement. Technology helps support these goals. Read on for the top features to look for in a new enterprise LMS platform.

1. LMS platforms with extensible apps and integration options

Employees are already overloaded with technological tools designed to help them complete their work. While many company leaders may think that more tech equals more productivity, this is not the case and can actually have the opposite effect. That’s why companies must invest in LMS platforms that correspond with commonly used workplace applications. This way, learners can easily access courses from the platforms they already use on a regular basis.

ExpertusONE’s LMS software integrates with apps like Slack, Salesforce, and Microsoft Teams so that employees can navigate learning content with those app extensions. This makes it easier to learn on the go while managing other tasks, and it removes the frustration some employees might have with learning a new platform.

The best way to encourage engagement among employees is to make learning simple. Using an LMS platform that can integrate with other apps is a practical way to begin.

2. LMS platforms that function offline and on mobile devices

Many companies are operating with remote and hybrid work schedules, which means that reaching employees with content and assignments can be more challenging. One of the greatest values employees and companies have recognized in the last year is a flexible work environment, one that allows for the necessary parts of life. For working parents, a flexible work schedule could mean that they work from home while their kids are in school, or they complete tasks while waiting at their kid’s soccer practice. For others, it could mean maximizing commute time by working on the train or bus.

Prioritize an LMS platform that suits the needs of modern employees and makes learning flexible. You need an LMS platform that functions offline and on mobile devices so employees, partners, and customers can learn wherever they are. ExpertusONE’s learning platform does both of these things. Learners can download content and take courses while offline or when they’re out of cell range. This makes learning more accessible and more functional.

Mobile learning is a key element in the digital experience, and an LMS platform without a mobile LMS option will quickly become outdated. When you are investing in a new LMS platform, look ahead to the future and consider which elements will be critical for users in the next few years. Mobile learning is one of these features that will become even more important in the next decade.

3. Look for LMS platforms that use AI and machine learning

Many people still think of AI and machine learning as a tech offering that belongs to the distant future. This is not the case. In fact, artificial intelligence and machine learning both add a significant amount of value to the learning experience. In your search for a new platform, consider a learning management system that incorporates AI and machine learning. As we mentioned above, you want to pick a technology that will grow with you as you move to the future. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are becoming smarter and more useful each day, and it’s important to invest in a technology that can make the most of those elements.

ExpertusONE’s digital learning platform uses artificial intelligence to recommend courses and understand user interests. Every day, the platform gets smarter and more acquainted with a learner’s needs. This promotes employee engagement and also lifts the learning burden off of managers by automating the process of recommending courses. Employees will be served a regular stream of course options based on their job description, personal interests, the courses their peers take, and required courses as set by management. Upskilling and reskilling are great ways to promote employee engagement and satisfaction.

4. Smart reporting and integrated management within the LMS platform

The success of a learning and development strategy depends on managers, and managers depend on data to determine their next moves. Look for an LMS platform that offers a variety of LMS data analytics and insights to support your training goals. This will be a vital component when looking to drive compliance rates, improve engagement, and simplify the onboarding process. Data is an essential part of any corporate learning experience because it helps training managers identify missing links, provide more engaging courses, and stay engaged with employees as they learn. ExpertusONE’s LMS platform offers real-time data and insights that provide a close-up look at employee engagement and performance. Managers can look at individual employee learning profiles or at larger group performance to understand where compliance rates could be improved.

ExpertusONE’s platform also makes it easy for managers to follow up with employees directly. If an employee has not completed a required course or is lagging behind others, the manager can follow up with them immediately. By clicking a link in the ExpertusONE interface, an email from the manager to the employee will automatically populate with a follow-up message about a particular course. Managers can then customize the message and hit send when they are ready, reducing the extra work of moving from the platform to a messaging system or an email database—instead, it’s an automated process prompted by the LMS.

As you work out your new tech budget and understand where you’ll allocate learning and development funds, look to the future beyond this new year and invest in a learning tool that will be relevant for years to come. A digital LMS platform should offer advanced tools like artificial intelligence and machine learning while also accommodating the essentials of any training process, like easy management and engaging courses.

Digital LMS platforms have advanced significantly in the last decade. Even further, as our work styles have changed since the pandemic, digital learning systems have become an essential tool in the corporate world. Corporate learning and development will support overall company growth and employee engagement, and it should be prioritized. As you invest your training budget in technology, prioritize these four LMS features so you can promote employee engagement and get the best return on investment for your learning initiatives.