Whether you need to upgrade the skills of your employees or update your decision-makers with the newest tools for decision-making, you need training tools. In fact, much of the success of your learning and development initiatives depend on the productivity and efficiency of your training tools.
Here in this blogpost, we discuss the different types of employee training tools that companies are using to support their learning and development.
First, there are different types of training tools, which can be classified as:
- Learning Management Systems or LMS
- Video training tools
- Microlearning platforms
- Mobile learning tools
Let’s look at each one of them in detail.
1. Learning Management System (LMS):
A Learning Management System (LMS) allows you to streamline all the learning, training and e-commerce functions of your organization. Typically, you can host and organize all your assets on an LMS.
The LMS is a virtual space, usually cloud-hosted and any authorized person can login to the system and access the content. Some LMS also have in-built authoring tools to allow you to develop your own online learning materials.
LMS users fall into two categories: The ones who use it to participate in the online training; and second, your eLearning team that uses it to upload, disburse and update the training content.
While there are several LMS available in the market, it is important to ensure that the LMS you choose should have the following features:
A user-friendly interface, authoring tools, content management tools, and reporting and tracking tools. Also, it is important to consider other factors such as pricing, features that meet your training needs, and customer support.
Accordingly, here are some LMS that are worth considering:
A. Learnyst:
With this LMS, you can provide online training and also sell your courses from your website. Some of the interesting features of the LMS include:
- Best-in-class analytics for learner management
- White-labeled and fully customizable websites
- Data encryption for your content
- Direct payment to bank account
- Round the clock customer support
B. ProProfs LMS:
Some of its interesting features include:
- You can maintain all your online learning and development content in a single location
- Easy-to-follow steps that allow you to add additional online modules to your elearning course
- You can add new compliance standards to your content with a few mouse clicks
- The software helps you to track your learners’ progress and performance
2. Audio and video training tools:
Videos are one of the most powerful tools for delivering employee training. A report by Forrester Research states that employees are 75% more likely to watch a video than read a document. So, if you want to make your employee training interesting and engaging, it is a good idea to make videos that can retain their attention.
Videos are also a great and cost-effective way to provide live support especially to employees working on site or remotely, are based in geographically dispersed locations, or have varying schedules.
Video and audio-conferencing tools allow you to live stream subject matter via an online platform that allows you to connect subject expert with learners. The learners can hear and also see, in case of video conferencing, the instructor. Besides, they can virtually raise hands to ask a question or share an opinion.
Guide:
Effective Ways to Deliver Corporate Training Content
Some of the more popular audio and video training tools include:
A. WebEx (GoToMeeting):
With WebEx, you can:
- See each other’s videos
- Share your screen
- Get a personalized meeting room (virtual)
- Customize your training and webinars
- Provide remote support
B. Zoom:
Zoom has emerged as one of the most powerful collaboration tools, offering the following features:
- HD video, audio, collaboration & chat
- Personalized rooms and workspaces (virtual)
- Enterprise cloud phone system
- Engaging webinars
These tools also offer screen sharing and recording functions, which means that if a learner is unable to make it at the scheduled time they can listen to the recording and thus, catch up with the training.
3. Microlearning Authoring Tools:
It may be that you need just-in-time content for onboarding new hires or provide instant performance support. Microlearning authoring tools make content easy to create, engaging to consume and cater to learners’ specific needs.
With microlearning authoring tools, your eLearning development team can easily create content that involves fast turnaround time and quick consumption. This type of content is easy to develop and deploy in a tight deadline.
However, you need a microlearning authoring tool that is ideal for the job and our favorite pick is TalentCards. The tool is affordable, innovative and intuitive and allows you to create bite-sized content that can be accessed and consumed by your employees anytime and anywhere, and just when they need it the most.
4. Mobile-first Training Platforms:
The easy availability of the smartphones and the increasing penetration of the Internet have impacted the delivery methods used to impart learning and training.
With more and more people consuming their content on their mobiles, it was logical for organizations to leverage them as tools for training.
Mobile learning is just-in-time learning and a means to provide knowledge that is most relevant to the learners, at the exact time when they most need it.
It is more informal and tailored to the unique training needs of the employees. With mobiles, learners can also learn on the go, during a commute or while waiting for a client for a meeting.
To use smartphones as training tools means that you need to create content that is mobile-compatible. Another factor to consider is whether your learners will be using company-owned phones or their own personal devices.
With mobile learning emerging as a rising trend, there are several mobile-first platforms you can consider:
A. Lectora Inspire:
Based on HTML5, this training tool can be used to convert text-heavy courses into mobile-friendly courses. Amongst its other features it includes responsive course design, which means that the content you design automatically changes to suit the screen on which it is being viewed.
B. KITABOO Insight:
KITABOO Insight is a mobile-first platform designed for enterprise training and development. You can use the tool to deliver multiple formats of content on multiple devices such as mobiles, tablets, and laptops. KITABOO Insight allows you to deliver:
- Training Videos
- PowerPoint Presentations
- eBooks
- PDF Files
- eLearning Courses
Besides, it also includes a range of interactive elements for the learners to stay engaged. You can store all your training content for employee training, onboarding, sales training etc., categorized and organized in one place.
Related:
Online Training Solutions and the Art of Enterprise Training Delivery
The Best Online Corporate Training Platforms
How Can Training Tools Supercharge your Employee Productivity
Improving Employee Productivity and Business Outcomes with Corporate Training Apps
7 Reasons Why Enterprises Must Invest in an Employee Training App
DISCOVER HOW A MOBILE-FIRST TRAINING PLATFORM CAN HELP YOUR ORGANIZATION
Kitaboo Insight is a cloud-based platform to create, deliver & track mobile-first interactive training content.
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Employee Training / September 17, 2019
Snehnath Neendoor
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