In today’s business world, a globally dispersed workforce is not uncommon. Maintaining the consistency of training for a workforce with varying needs and locations can be a daunting task, but an innovative learning management system (LMS) can help bridge the gap. Traditional LMS platforms have been around for years, but they can be limited in their functionality and design. Many companies are finding that a modern LMS with innovative features and advanced capabilities is necessary to deliver learning more effectively.
A baseline function of an LMS is to allow organizations to create and curate a library of training materials that can be accessed by employees. This always-available concept was revolutionary during a time when organizations were dependent upon scheduled training sessions. The inherent risk for instructor-led training (ILT), especially on a global scale, is that many learners may see training events occur outside their normal working hours. ILT and virtual instructor led- training (VILT) events can still play a role in a global training program, but without the help of a modern LMS, cultural and time zone issues can become a major deterrent for many. For example, a 3 p.m. course for some could be 10 p.m. for others, or a course could be scheduled on a day that is culturally insignificant to some, but a major holiday to others. Not only are these occurrences inconvenient for many employees, but they can also make them feel discouraged and undervalued, which may ultimately decrease engagement and motivation.
Fortunately, a modern LMS and a well-crafted learning strategy can offer solutions such as social learning, mobile learning, video coaching, or even simply recording ILT sessions and distributing them to the appropriate groups that are unable to attend. Organizations need to carefully consider their specific training needs and the needs of their employees before selecting the appropriate tools and techniques. Some of the most important factors to consider are:
Delivering Training to Multiple Audiences
As organizations scale to a global level, their learning and development (L&D) needs can also grow to span traditional borders. They develop training opportunities and may need to deliver custom learning experiences. It’s more common than ever to have learning needs that include individuals, groups, divisions, child-companies, customers, vendors, volunteers and more. It’s important to understand the potential and limitations of an eLearning platform that can accommodate these growing needs.
For instance, some LMS platforms offer a dedicated instance for each customer or user group, while others offer a single instance with separate virtual spaces for each customer or user group. Platforms that support multi-tenancy allow organizations to manage multiple user groups and regions within a single deployment, thereby reducing costs, improving customization and security, increasing scalability, and ensuring global accessibility to training content. The way that user groups are structured determines how content can be distributed, so to effectively deliver learning content to a global audience, multi-tenant capabilities is essential.
Creating Localized Learning Experiences
Most modern LMS platforms offer some level of customization, but the extent of customization capabilities can vary widely among different platforms. Some LMS platforms provide a wide range of customization options that enable organizations to tailor the LMS to their specific needs, such as custom branding, user interfaces, learning content and language localization. With advanced customization capabilities, organizations can create training experiences that are tailored to the needs of employees in specific geographical locations or departments. This can range from simply applying regional spellings, such as using “color” in the U.S. and “colour” in Britain, to creating entirely unique content that is culture and location appropriate for people in certain parts of the world. Attention to detail and personalization can be an incredibly impactful factor in learner engagement and adoption.
The Importance of Mobile Compatibility
In India, mobile devices account for 76.6% of web traffic while desktops and laptops only account for 22.9%, according to a 2021 report by Hootsuite and We Are Social. The preference for mobile devices is evident and rapidly growing in India as well as in many other countries. Ignoring these audiences and their device preferences is rapidly becoming a conscious choice that learning leaders make at their own peril. Many modern LMS platforms are designed to work seamlessly on mobile devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and even native mobile apps. Access to training materials and courses from anywhere, at any time, using a mobile device is seemingly the next, logical step in the purpose of the LMS. For employees who are deskless, frequently on the move or in varying time zones, mobile compatibility is especially important.
Creating a Collaborative Learning Space
The influence of social media on modern L&D programs has allowed learners to voice their opinions, elevate meaningful materials, share their knowledge and be recognized for their efforts. Social and collaborative learning features, such as discussion forums, are often deployed to facilitate conversation and collaboration between learners. This can be particularly useful for companies with a globally dispersed workforce, as it allows employees to connect and learn from each other, regardless of their physical location. Social learning can be used to create communities of practice, where employees can share knowledge and expertise with each other. It can also help to keep people informed and reduce time-zone-related challenges.
Creating a Place to Practice with Video Assessments
Video assessment and coaching solutions within an LMS are gaining popularity to enable experiential learning and soft skills development at scale. Structured video workflows help organizations facilitate spaced skill practice, personalized feedback, and the application of knowledge within a real-world environment. When individuals show what they can do on video, evaluators get an authentic representation of their comprehension level without needing to coordinate scheduling and time-zone conflicts. Learners can demonstrate their skills whenever and wherever is most convenient for them, and evaluators can even provide feedback with automated reporting features that identify potential problem areas faster.
Evaluating Current and Ongoing Learning Needs
A modern LMS is an essential tool for organizations with a globally dispersed workforce. Traditional approaches like ILT, mentorship and formal, scheduled training sessions can be difficult to manage across different time zones, and done without proper care and strategy, can negatively impact employee engagement and motivation. Organizations are taking steps to address their expanding needs by employing an LMS with advanced features such as multi-tenancy, advanced customization, mobile access to training materials, social and collaborative learning, and video assessments. These tools can help to provide a flexible, scalable, and engaging way to deliver training, while also reducing costs and barriers to learning. When selecting an LMS, it is crucial for organizations to thoroughly consider their current learning needs and create a roadmap of learning objectives to weigh against the strengths of the solutions they are evaluating. The first consideration should be for their employees — no matter where their workplace is on the globe — and the diverse needs they have.
With the right LMS, infrastructure, and support in place, organizations can effectively deliver consistent training to their globally dispersed workforce and improve overall performance and productivity.
