Learning Management Systems can get your SMB off to a successful start by deploying valuable online training resources for your staff. In this article, I’ll share 8 insider tips to choose the ideal extended enterprise LMS for your budding business.
Many companies recognize the value of moving classroom training to online training delivery methods . Online training, computer –based training, eLearning or whatever you wish to name it has many advantages. It provides simultaneous delivery across business units and regions. It allows for consistent training that can be easily updated. It reduces cost and productivity down time. However, it also presents some challenges for corporate cultures steeped in traditional classroom training. Where do you start? Here are 7 simple steps to beginning the process:
When most people think of online learning, they think of courses offered through the Internet by a local college or university. Or, they think of a corporate LMS (Learning Management System) where employees go to take compliance training. A much newer form of online learning is offered through an Extended Enterprise, or Customer LMS. Extended enterprise learning is learning offered to those that are outside of the organization. In this case, a company has determined it would be beneficial to offer training externally, whether it be to their vendors, franchisees, an external sales force, customers or the general public. There are a number of reasons you may find this advantageous:
Most of us have heard of e-learning and maybe you’ve even taken a few online courses, but what does it really mean and how can the benefits of e-learning apply to your business? E-learning is a generic term for electronic or online learning. Most Universities now offer online courses and you can even earn an entire degree without ever stepping into a classroom. Most people are familiar with this type of learning when connected to a college or university but may not think of it as applying to their business. In fact, e-learning is one of the fastest growing parts of the business world because it is highly flexible and offers many options for training your employees.
I recall many years ago when I was finishing my basement and I felt comfortable doing much of the work myself. Rough carpentry was fairly simple, running conduit was easy, attaching lights was not hard, screwing drywall was quick and forgiving. But there was one thing I would not tackle, drywall finishing. I recall watching the contractor putting on the mud and carefully scraping it away until it was perfectly smooth. As I watched him I commented how good he was at this and I’ll never forget his response: “Hey, I’m a professional, I do this for a living”.
Personalization is a big deal in eLearning. But do we really know the learning styles of our users? Depending on your theoretical reference, there are as many as 7 different learning styles. Your learning style not only determines how you learn, it is also very likely to be the most enjoyable and efficient path for you to acquire new knowledge.
Comprehensively defining eLearning can be a challenging and daunting prospect. But in his article, “Starting an eLearning Program – Here Are The Basics,” (2015) Ted Stoecker does just that. In addition, Stoecker makes the world of eLearning accessible to organization leaders and managers who are looking to increase the effectiveness of training. He also addresses other important aspects of eLearning programs, such as cost, user-friendliness, and some of the challenges faced by organizational decision-makers who are grappling with the dynamic arena of employee training.
Imagine you just landed a job and it’s your first day, you go in ready to be trained so you can do the best you can and be successful at this new job of yours. After you’re introduced to a few of your co-workers, they show you to the area where you’ll be working, but instead of training you they tell you they train with the trial by fire method and you’re on your own, no walk through, no asking questions, nothing. They just leave you alone to your own devices and you have to figure it out. May the odds be ever in your favor.
In his article, “What is Custom Content Training?” (2015), Ted Stoecker discusses the benefits of utilizing custom eLearning for the specific needs of individual warehousing and logistics companies.
A while ago I wrote an article on the importance of elearning to employee happiness. In that article I showed that learning is the second most important reason for people to enjoy their work. Learning and growth gives people the feeling of doing something worthwhile. It makes them feel like they are moving ahead personally and professionally. I pointed out how eLearning can be a great tool to fulfill this need.
