How do I choose the right LMS?

A learning management system (LMS) for employee training programs can benefit both your HR teams and the employees who participate in the training. From making the entire course available online to allowing employees to learn from anywhere, an LMS provides a flexible and engaging learning experience. When selecting an LMS, it's crucial to ensure that it has features and capabilities that meet your organization's training needs. If you are planning to adopt an LMS, here's how you can select an option that's most suitable for your organization:

• Get a clear idea about your training needs

Before you adopt an LMS, be aware of your organization's training needs and jot down what you wish to achieve through the training courses. This is will help you get a clear picture of what to look for in your LMS. For instance, you may want to make training more engaging for your employees. In this case, you could go for an LMS that supports discussions, feedback, and a variety of learning materials. If you're hoping to become more consistent with your training initiatives without adding extra stress, you'll want to look for an LMS with powerful course builders that enable you to develop courses quickly. 

• List the features you're looking for

Once you define your training needs and goals, make a list of all the features that your LMS should have. In general, a strong LMS should support different learning styles, including self-paced, blended, and instructor-led training programs. It should help you centralize e-learning materials so that employees can access them anytime. It should also be mobile-friendly and facilitate collaboration between learners, tutors, and course admins. Finally, it should help you conduct assignments and tests online. Check out our latest blog post to learn more about the features to look for in your LMS.  

• Test-drive your selected LMS options

After you finalize the feature list, narrow down a few reliable LMS options. Request a detailed demo from the vendors, and see if you can access a free trial. During the trial, try out each of the features by creating courses and experimenting with the interface. You can even encourage some of your learners to go through the training and provide feedback. Ensure that the system is easy to navigate and use. An overwhelming or clunky system leads to poor user experience, and this could impact how employees view the training and the organization as a whole. This is especially true if you plan to use the LMS for onboarding training. Similarly, you'll want to make sure your selected LMS has integration capabilities so that it can work seamlessly with the rest of your systems.

• Ask your vendor the necessary questions

Once you finalize your LMS choice, communicate with the vendor to ensure smooth implementation and user experience. Verify that it's possible to customize the system in a way that matches your organization's training needs. You should also be confident that the vendor can provide the support you need if there are any issues. Perhaps most importantly, make sure the system complies with your regional laws and follows proper security and privacy protocols. If your organization is growing consistently, you'll want to make sure the LMS you select is scalable.

• Implement the LMS

After you have all your questions answered and purchase the LMS, you can put it to use. Since almost all of your employees are going to interact with the system, coordinate with your LMS vendor and conduct a brief training on how to use the system effectively. Receive feedback on the system from employees, and make sure all questions and issues are addressed. This will improve the software adoption rate and improve your ROI.

Selecting the right LMS

An LMS that is both easy to use and flexible to learner needs will make the investment worthwhile. With a great learning platform, employees will get more out of their training. We hope this blog post gave you a clear idea of how to select the best LMS for your organization.

Zoho People, our HR software, comes with a well-designed LMS that can be customized according to your organization's training needs. It can truly make the training process a breeze. Learn more about Zoho People's LMS. 

Also Read:What an LMS can do for your organization?