Remote working is here to stay. While some businesses have risen to the challenge of adapting to remote and hybrid working models, many companies struggle when it comes to employee training and professional development. For employees, remote working has many benefits. However, flexible hours and a healthier work-life balance aren’t the be-all and end-all for job-seekers.
In fact, many would-be employees are actively looking for remote working opportunities that offer real growth potential and advancement. For employers, this means investing in training programs and learning and development platforms.
What is Learning and Development in HR?
When successfully executed, learning and development (L&D) can identify and bridge skills gaps, create a positive workplace culture, and dramatically improve retention rates. While learning and development is often lumped in with human resources, it’s actually a separate thing altogether. Human resources is more about the day-to-day management of your employees, while learning and development focused on performance management and employee development.
While human resources might manage positive employee relationships, learning and development hones in on skills and professional development. During onboarding, the input of HR tends to stop at introducing policies and procedures. With L&D, more involved online training content is brought into play.
Why Learning and Development is Important for Your Team
An efficient human resources department is essential for every business. However, learning and development is just as vital. Although more employees are working virtually, the flexibility of remote work isn’t enough to satisfy the demands of prospective employees. For many job-seekers, opportunities for advancement and employee learning pathways are just as important as salary offerings. If you want to attract the best talent, you need to be offering more when it comes to training programs.
Investing in the learning experience can also mitigate turnover. Rehiring is more expensive than retention. Well-trained staff aren’t just more likely to remain loyal to your company, they’re generally far more productive if they’ve been given the development tools and learning content they need to succeed.
Along with talent development, there are many more practical benefits for businesses. Regular compliance training eliminates unnecessary risk. This all equates to satisfied customers, repeat business, and a healthy bottom line.
Important Learning Management System (LMS) Features
Deciding to invest in learning and development is well and good, but none of this matters without learning management systems. A good learning platform will form the foundation of your training ecosystem. Unsure of where to start when looking for a learning experience platform? Below are some of the most important things to look out for when choosing LMS software for your business:
Customization and Branding
Your online learning materials will become a valuable asset for your company. It’s an extension of your business and needs to make the right first impression with users. You can keep things consistent by choosing learning management software that provides customization options. You’ll want a training platform that lets you add your brand logo, corporate colors, and anything else that’s tied to the visual identity of your company.
Quizzes, Questionnaires, and Surveys
If you’re rolling out online learning initiatives for the first time, it’s important to gather regular feedback from users. Quizzes and questionnaires are incredibly useful for ensuring participants are engaging with the learning material. As well as testing your employees as you go, you can use surveys to capture instant feedback. Perfect if your training materials are a work in progress and need refining.
Engaging Features
Sometimes, it can be hard to encourage users to engage with online learning experiences. For best results, choose employee training software with gamification features. You can use activities like trivia games to ensure everyone’s been paying attention. Alternatively, use collaboration tools to encourage remote employees to work together.
Media Libraries
L&D modules need to be packed with rich media. While you might have some material to hand, you’ll probably need to bolster your assets with third-party content. Choose a platform that comes with a loaded archive of HD video and audio assets that you can use to enhance employee onboarding, training sessions, and professional development pathways.
Optimized for Remote Employees
When it comes to training remote employees, accessibility is everything. Choose a platform that makes it easy for remote workers to engage with learning materials. As well as selecting a platform that can be accessed via any browser, you’ll want something with a streamlined user interface that makes joining in as simple as possible.
The 3 Best Learning and Development Platforms Right Now
If you’re looking to take employee development to the next level, there’s no shortage of micro learning platforms and knowledge sharing tools out there. However, the likes of Absorb LMS, iSpring Learn, and LinkedIn Learning aren’t for everyone. Searching for some alternatives? We’ve got you covered.
Gloww
Gloww is one of the most multifaceted learning and development platforms around. With a suite of useful tools, this live video platform makes it easy to bring together remote teams and put everyone through their paces.
You can use it for virtual onboarding or for more in-depth professional development. Never created an online training session before? Take your pick from a huge selection of customizable templates and add media from an existing library of HD videos, music, and images. Alternatively, start from scratch and import your own media assets and slide decks.
It’s also incredibly easy to personalize your presentations, with customizable layouts, backgrounds, and logos so you can ensure every session is on-brand. Worried about user engagement? You don’t have to be. With Gloww, you can quickly add live polls, word clouds, digital whiteboards, and call-to-actions.
Gloww also has a range of fun templates to choose from. Check out our celebrity team adventure, Marvel team activity, movie trivia, mini trivia, St.Patrick’s Day, and more templates.
Kahoot
If you’re looking for user-friendly authoring tools for online learning, Kahoot is something to consider. You don’t need any advanced knowledge of the platform to get started, while a host of intuitive features mean there’s a relatively short learning curve.
There’s some basic assessment tools to make use of here, while interactive elements make it a good choice for remote learning. However, tracking the performance of individuals can be a challenge. If you’re aiming to deliver advanced learning to bridge significant knowledge gaps, Kahoot probably isn’t going to cut it.
Mentimeter
Mentimeter is one of the most user-friendly interactive presentations tools around. It’s also one of the most accessible, with participants able to join by using their Facebook or Google logins.
There’s also scope for interactivity here, with tools like word clouds, polls, and questionnaires. In theory, Mentimeter can be used for professional development. However, it’s chiefly geared toward teachers and educators. What’s more, the basic version of Mentimeter is fairly limited. You’ll only be able to add a handful of events to each session, while you’ll need to upgrade to a premium account to access useful insights and data analytics.
Why Gloww is the Best L&D Tool for Your Company
Learning and development can bridge skills gaps, improve employee retention rates, and make for a more efficient and productive workforce. If you’re struggling to create a positive remote work culture, a lack of learning opportunities could be the problem.
Thankfully, learning management systems and video conferencing solutions make it easier than ever for brands to take continuing development online. The best platforms provide endless scope for customization and branding, with live apps and interactive features making training sessions as engaging as possible. At Gloww, we offer a complete learning and development solution for businesses looking to empower their employees. You can get started with our ready-made templates today. Alternatively, create your own training programs from scratch. Keen to unlock our advanced features? Take a look at our pricing tiers to see what you can expect from our premium plans. If you still have questions about Gloww and what it can do for you, get in touch with the team today.
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