In today’s fast-paced corporate environment, organizations are continually seeing the need for effective training and developing programs. However, a challenge has emerged even as more organizations turn to a hybrid working environment. Employees are both working from the office and remotely, making the task of training a little bit more complicated than it would have been 10 years ago. And that’s where Learning Management System (LMS) training comes in.
The LMS market has been growing at a considerable rate, with Grand View Research revealing that this market might reach $28.58 billion by 2025. The market has been growing fast, especially within the last decade, due to several factors, including the increased adoption of digital learning in addition to the rise in AI and machine learning. And this is actually what is making it possible for businesses to thrive in LMS training, especially when operating in a hybrid model.
Challenges of Learning in a Hybrid Workplace
The hybrid model of working has come both as a blessing and a challenge. Right now, you do not have to be at the physical office if you don’t have to. Just work in the comfort of your house or when you are miles away from your office, as long as you are delivering your targets. However, at the same time, remote work has made it more challenging, especially when it comes to communication, collaboration, technology and engagement. And actually, one of the biggest challenges is in the place of learning.
The first challenge that most organizations are facing is the issue of collaboration and communication. Imagine how hard it is to build relationships when people don’t have to meet physically and are working in mixed settings. In fact, statistics reveal that 64% of business leaders and 55% of workers agree that good communication increases team productivity. The biggest problem is different learners (remote and in-person) have different communication styles and preferences. This makes effectiveness during digital training a bit lower.
Another challenge faced during learning in a hybrid environment is tracking learner progress. Statistics show that only 30% of organizations look beyond what employees give as feedback when measuring how effective a training is. This becomes even more troublesome in the case of remote training. You find it difficult to track the learner progress and identify areas where your learners might need additional support in a hybrid setting.
However, with these challenges, LMS training happens to be the answer for hybrid workplaces.
Benefits of LMS Training in Hybrid Environments
Now, LMS training is not just your regular online training sessions. LMS basically manages, delivers and tracks educational content in an indispensable way that facilitates flexible learning. Talk about personalized learning experiences, flexibility and access, collaborative learning, diverse content formats and real-time assessment and feedback. And by the way, do you know that by integrating LMS training to your company model, you can actively reduce the operational cost by at least 20%?
Reality has revealed that everyone is unique with different learning preferences and speed. With LMS platforms, you can tailor content that is fit for individual needs. This means that students can progress at their own pace as well as remain engaged on their own terms.
Also, the collaborative approach taken by LMS training ensures that learners are in a collaborative environment. Chat rooms, video conferencing and forums keep learners engaged by interacting with each other. You can be sure that working together becomes easier when you can learn together.
Key Features of an LMS That Enhance Hybrid Learning
There are some features that set LMS apart from other training models when it comes to hybrid learning. One of the things is the survey function. As mentioned above, tracking learner progress can be quite a hassle, with many people just giving surface-level answers. However, the survey feature in LMS training ensures that you are collecting valuable feedback directly within a course. At the same time, you are able to use the reports to analyze the responses effectively to assess the learning experience of each learner.
Many companies have embraced LMS platforms that have integrated social learning features. Some of these features include:
- Live chat: Learners can ask any burning questions whenever they need help right away. Also enhances peer-to-per and peer-to-instructor communication.
- Social feeds: Learners express their achievements, views, and questions by posting on their timelines.
- Clubs: Discussion groups that focus on particular topics.
- Team-based learning and leaderboards
Another vital feature of LMS is the ability to integrate with other tools. You can easily sync your LMS platforms with other educational tools and software. Ultimately, your learners are able to experience a cohesive learning experience where all resources are available under one umbrella.
Steps to successfully implement LMS training
Implementing LMS training requires careful training to ensure successful adoption. Here are the steps you should folllow as an organization to ensure that everything is going on effectively.
- Define your goals and objectives as an organization.
- Conduct a needs assessment for your employees.
- Conduct thorough research and select an LMS platform that is in line with your organization’s requirements.
- Come up with an implementation team that consists of stakeholders from various departments. Ensure that you have assigned roles for efficient coordination.
- Develop a comprehensive project plan that clearly showcases the timeline, tasks and milestones.
- Have your LMS platforms customized for your organization’s branding.
- Migrate all the content required for the training and integrate with already existing systems.
- Design training programs for admins, trainers and end-users.
By following the outlined steps, you can be sure to implement a successful LMS training and reap all the benefits that come with it.
