Learning management systems have made a mark on the eLearning industry, facilitating the task of online training. The effective use of a good LMS plays a large role in maximizing return on investment for a firm. Yet companies need to understand how they can make the best of their LMS and use it to their advantage.
The big problem is that many organizations have developed certain assumptions and myths about learning tools that prevent them from using an LMS to the best of its capabilities — or completely bars them from investing in one. Below are a few very common myths that have come to be associated with learning management systems. Understanding that these are just myths will allow organizations to view LMS in a new light and make the most of their learning software.
Myth 1: LMS Is an Expense
A very common myth — and the biggest mistake firms make — is viewing LMS as an expense. Although the installation and operation of an LMS does incur a cost, it should not merely be seen as such. You cannot ignore the value that an LMS can bring to an organization.
A learning management system, in its true sense, is an investment. Firms need to understand and acknowledge the amount of returns, in terms of profitability and productivity, which they can earn in both the short and long terms.
A recent study showed that 25 percent of workers quit their jobs because they were not offered sufficient opportunities for learning and development. Having an LMS to fulfill employment training and development needs will help you retain employees and improve productivity in the long run.
Once an organization realizes the value of an LMS, they will willingly invest their money in a system that can effectively train employees and keep them in pace with continuously evolving work methods.
Myth 2: LMS Can Only Deliver eLearning Content
Technology continuously evolves with time, and that stands true for learning management systems as well. A few years ago, saying that LMS is only capable of delivering eLearning content would have been quite true. However, modern systems have gradually evolved to offer a wider range of features and capabilities to users.
Today, delivering eLearning content is one of the many functions of an LMS. Advanced learning management systems are now capable of conducting live classroom training, enable informal and social learning, and even deal with paid eLearning elements like compliances and certifications.
Myth 3: You Must Buy All LMS Modules
If you believe that effective online training requires you to purchase and utilize all modules of an LMS, you‘d be wrong. It is not necessary to buy and use the entire range of modules that learning management systems offer. The modules you use must depend on your firm’s training needs, the kind of knowledge you are intending to impart (such as visual or text) and the type of teaching methods that you are planning to use.
If you have determined your online training goals and have clear objectives regarding what you need to accomplish with your LMS, it will be easier to decide which LMS modules will be most useful for you.
Myth 4: Managing an LMS Requires a Lot of Effort
Although this myth stands true in the sense that your IT staff will initially need to put in hours of hard work to manage the software, the efforts will pay off in the long run.
Once an LMS is completely set up, it will enable you to automate many of your training functions and cut down the amount of manual hours spent training employees. With a learning management system, educating and training your employees will become more efficient, which will compensate for the effort required to manage the software.
Myth 5: Adopting an LMS Is Challenging
Switching to a completely new system for imparting training to employees surely seems challenging, and it is, but nothing good ever comes easily. You have to make an effort if you want to improve your business and outshine your competitors. Firms that wish to adopt an LMS must prepare themselves to face this challenge, as a little effort will go a long way.
Initially, it will be a little hard and may require added hours of work, but eventually you will be able to see that the effort was worth it. Implementing LMS will allow you to more effectively train your employees, the results of which will be tangible in the long run.
These myths of investing in a learning management system will surely alter your view about purchasing an LMS for your organization, and will ensure you make a wiser decision regarding employee-training needs.
Start your search for LMS software with Business-Software.com’s FREE guide to the Top 10 Learning Management Systems, which includes side-by-side comparisons of the leading software solutions.
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