The workplace is evolving, as is the knowledge and skill set required to thrive. Per LinkedIn’s 2023 Workplace Learning Report, 89% of Learning and Development (L&D) professionals agree that businesses should work proactively to help employees build new skills. In light of this, the report notes, L&D professionals have acknowledged that their role is becoming progressively more cross-functional.
Consequently, training has grown both deeper and more complex, even as training demands greater agility. Leveraging a corporate Learning Management System (LMS) for employee training empowers L&D professionals to meet this demand. In addition to reducing overhead and enabling greater scalability, an LMS also provides a centralized, streamlined platform to share information, track performance and manage multiple training initiatives.
An LMS is also a powerful tool for learner engagement — we’ve detailed a few ways you can leverage one to make both employee and customer training more effective.
Social Learning
Per the 70:20:10 Institute, 20% of learning happens through social interaction. Though that number may seem small at first glance, research suggests that collaborative learning can improve both retention and comprehension. People who work together to learn something new also tend to form deeper, more supportive relationships with one another.
It follows, then, that you should adopt some form of collaborative learning in your training. Fortunately, modern learning management systems are built to enable this approach in several ways:
- Groups, roles, and virtual workspaces for participants
- Discussion boards
- Instant messaging
- Collaborative document editing
- Group projects and assignments with built-in performance reviews
Together, these tools and features can help you promote a social learning strategy, building communities around your training programs that enable collaborative learning.
On-Demand Training and Microlearning
Generation Z and millennial employees collectively make up nearly 45 % of the US workforce. By 2025, that number is expected to top 60%. Although there are many differences between the two generations in terms of how they engage with their careers, they share one thing in common — the desire to work (and presumably learn) on their terms.
Just as recent years have rendered traditional offices and rigid 9-5 schedules increasingly obsolete, your business will also have to adopt a different approach to learning. Although some learners may still prefer scheduled sessions in a traditional classroom, many others will demand the ability to set their own schedule for the pursuit of upskilling and reskilling. By using an LMS, you’ll be able to provide agile, accessible learning that not only allows for greater flexibility but also breaks training content down into more readily digestible chunks.
Personalized Learning Paths
Using an LMS for content management is really just a starting point — most modern cloud platforms also allow you to personalize and tailor that content based on the learner and their preferences.
There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach to learning. Especially where professional development is concerned, everyone has different priorities, needs, and goals. Everyone also has their own preferred learning style.
For instance, let’s say your organization is offering a crash course on generative AI. A visual learner from the sales team might want to see charts and media detailing how they might use the technology to optimize their sales funnel. A learner from the marketing department who prefers reading, meanwhile, might desire a written explanation of ChatGPT’s role in customer outreach and inbound content management.
A corporate LMS makes it much simpler to create personalized learning paths for each participant, especially if you incorporate generative AI while developing training content.
Gamification
Who says there needs to be a clear separation between work and play? By adopting design elements from video games and other entertainment, you can make learning significantly more engaging. That’s the core philosophy behind gamification, which incorporates features such as achievement badges, leaderboards, unlocks, and progress points into the learning experience.
While many learning management systems support gamification to some extent, gamified learning platforms such as Mambo.io, Gametize and Funifier are designed exclusively with this functionality in mind. If you want gamification to be central to upskilling and reskilling, they may be worth checking out.
Hands-On Learning
While it’s important to acknowledge that everyone learns a bit differently, there’s one characteristic shared by almost every type of learning. Namely, when it comes to developing practical knowledge and practicing skills, hands-on training is almost always more effective than passive learning. What’s more, hands-on learning has also been shown to boost both retention and engagement across multiple demographics.
This training can take many different forms. You could provide learners with a virtual sandbox that they can explore at their leisure, putting various concepts learned throughout their training to the test. Alternatively, you might opt for a more focused, guided virtual lab or workshop so that you can provide a bit more direction.
Embracing the Future of Corporate L&D
It’s no secret that the workplace is evolving. To keep pace with emerging technologies, employees must reskill and upskill — and employers must provide them with a means of doing so.
The right learning management system backed by an LMS strategy makes that possible. With the proper tools and approach, your business can drive learner engagement and enable its people to adapt to the changing times, no matter what challenges that may entail.
Having trouble choosing an LMS for your business? We’ve published a breakdown of the top twelve LMS platforms to help you decide.
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