Learn about the key features of learning management systems that support employee skill development at public sector organizations.
Article Highlights:
- What employee skill development is, and why it’s important
- How to support employee training with a learning management system
- The 7 learning management system features you should look for:
Given changing workplace dynamics, from telework to historical turnover, you’re on a quest to improve your professional development opportunities and close skills gaps in your organization. And you aren’t alone. More than 50% of respondents to a McKinsey Global Survey indicate that closing skills gaps has increased in priority since the pandemic began.
Employee skill development is the process of training employees to reduce organizational skills gaps and more effectively serve stakeholders. It also helps individuals advance their careers and achieve their professional goals. Professional development can even result in up to 23% higher employee engagement, leading to greater job satisfaction and less turnover.
Given these benefits, you’ve considered purchasing software to track employee training and provide better professional development opportunities. But before you do, you should understand the key features of an LMS that help improve employee skill development.
In this article, you’ll learn how a learning management system supports employee training and skill development. Then, we’ll dive into the seven specific LMS features that enable you to build the best employee training program possible.
Support Employee Training with a Learning Management System
You’re ready to take your employee training to the next level so you can overcome skills gaps and support employee career development. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to accomplish this: using a learning management system. A learning management system, or LMS, is a software system that enables organizations to create, administer, track, and report on training progress across the agency.
By streamlining your employee training programs in a central repository, it's simpler for HR to administer training. A centralized location also provides key benefits to employees:
- It makes it easier for professionals to access all required training in one place.
- It allows employees to view course catalogs and enroll in classes that align with their interests.
Likewise, an LMS that accommodates different job roles and learning styles ensures that as many employees as possible can reap the software system’s benefits. As a result, learning management systems improve learner engagement by making your training programs accessible and easy to use.
You can also use software to track employee training efforts and identify skills gaps in your organization. For example, you might find that many staff members search for public speaking training, or that the pass rate on communications training could be better. After identifying these gaps, you can create custom learning content to meet the needs of employees. These LMS features support a culture of continuous learning in your agency.
Because every learning management system is unique, do thorough research as you choose the right platform for your agency. For example, NEOGOV’s Learn platform is a government learning management system designed specifically for public sector agencies and includes more than 1,500 classes to support government employees.
7 Learning Management System Features for Employee Skill Development
The best LMS solutions provide essential features that promote employee skill development. Here are seven LMS features you should look for as you research your options.
1. Personalized learning experiences
To support employees at all levels and roles in your organization, you’ll want to find an LMS that provides personalized learning experiences. A customizable learning management system means supervisors can work with their employees to create individual learning goals based on their interests, duties, and career paths.
Customized learning experiences enable your organization to maximize employee productivity at all levels. They also make employees more likely to engage in continuous learning since individuals can clearly see how training benefits them.
2. Centralized training modules
Centralized training modules are another critical feature of a stellar learning management system. That’s because storing all training courses in one central repository means employees can efficiently locate training content, and they only need to learn how to use one platform.
Likewise, HR professionals don’t waste time searching across multiple platforms to find suitable courses to offer employees, nor do they lose motivation in putting together the best training opportunities possible.
3. User-friendly interface
Learning management systems with user-friendly interfaces make the learning experience more enjoyable for employees because the software is intuitive and easy to navigate. Employees don’t need to spend an excessive amount of time learning how to use software – instead, they can focus on the training. Additionally, a great user experience means employees will be more likely to use the system to pursue professional growth rather than just completing the minimum required training.
Mobile-friendly platforms also improve the likelihood that employees will pursue additional learning opportunities. Ease of access means employees can complete their training whenever and wherever it's most convenient for their schedules. As a result, your organization maximizes its investment in employee training, and employees get the most possible out of the system.
4. Content management
In addition to the features we’ve already discussed, you’ll want to choose a learning management system that provides flexible content management. Supervisors should be able to build, group, and sort courses according to an employee’s role or unique learning goals. You should also be able to upload any courses your organization already uses into the content library.
These LMS features make it easier for individuals to find relevant, valuable training materials for their roles. Additionally, streamlined content management allows managers to guide their employees to professional development opportunities that suit their learning needs.
5. Automation features
Your learning management system should also include automation features – such as automatic reminders, notifications, and alerts – that help keep employees on track with their training progress. These notifications ensure employees remember upcoming training deadlines and support more consistent, reliable course completion and skill growth.
6. Assessments
The best learning management systems come with pre-built tests and allow you to create custom assessments to check comprehension. These assessments are an excellent way to ensure employees fully understand your training material.
Additionally, assessments enable organizations to identify skills gaps and areas for improvement. After reviewing employee strengths and weaknesses, supervisors can use this information to inform conversations around career development plans and goals.
7. Data tracking and reporting
Finally, your learning management system needs to offer transparent data tracking and reporting features. Using software to track employee training keeps individuals informed about their training progress and skill development over time, which motivates them to keep moving forward. Individuals should be able to see the completion status of their courses so they know what they’ve completed and when.
Data tracking and reporting also enables managers to see the progress employees are making on their career development plans. After viewing reports, managers can determine whether they need to provide any additional support or celebrate training accomplishments at their next one-on-one.
Final Thoughts
A learning management system provides a streamlined way for employees to gain new skills and reach their career goals so your organization can achieve its full potential. As you consider software options, look for the seven learning management system features discussed above to ensure the best learning experience possible.
Are you excited to learn more about building a robust training program? Read about how to improve training transparency with LMS reporting and tracking.
