7 Ways Your Current LMS Is Working Against Your Compliance Training Objectives

7 Ways Your Current LMS Is Working Against Your Compliance Training Objectives
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Summary: There may be a saboteur hiding in your eLearning toolbox. Could your trusty LMS really be working against your compliance training objectives and outcomes?

Learn How Your Current LMS Is Working Against Your Compliance Training Objectives

Your compliance LMS is supposed to maintain accurate records, track employee performance and keep tabs on team proficiency. But, what if it's been the one thing causing those costly breaches all along? Learning Management Systems are the last place organizations look when trying to identify the culprit. After all, its primary purpose is to create a virtual paper trail and make online training available to the internal masses. Here are 7 warning signs that your current LMS is hindering your online compliance training objectives instead of helping you achieve the best results.

1. Limited Reporting Features

Your current LMS doesn’t allow you to track customizable metrics or schedule report deliveries. Thus, admins, managers, and other team leaders don’t have information to act on. They can’t intervene to support their staff or disclose department-wide risks that warrant immediate attention. Invest in an LMS with advanced reporting features that align with your learning objectives and outcomes. For example, the system helps you monitor employee and group proficiency, complete with data visualizations and, also, helps set up automatic email deliveries.

2. No Certification Support

Certifications are a crucial part of your compliance training objectives, as they target specific issues and ensure personal accountability. Your LMS must have certification management tools to monitor key aspects of your strategy and have a written record of employee completion. You have these certification metrics on-hand in the event of an audit to prove that team members comply and meet regulatory standards. In addition, certification support helps you monitor departmental proficiency and identify top performers. Employees who go that extra mile to earn optional compliance certificates are great management material. At the very least, peer coaches or mentors who set an example.

3. Does Not Have Built-In Authoring For Quick Updates

Compliance content is one of the most fluid and volatile training niches. Depending on your industry, you may have to update resources monthly to accommodate new rules or regulations. As such, you need an LMS with built-in authoring for quick updates and revisions. Otherwise, you have to invest in third-party software that’s compatible with the system and then import all the materials. Some all-in-one LMS solutions even have templates and themes to save time and keep your course cohesive. Bonus points for an asset library that features interactions, video clips, image galleries, and audio editing tools.

4. Overly Complex UI

There’s a lot of time, energy, and money that goes into your compliance training content. A challenging interface puts your entire program in jeopardy because employees are unable to access that content. Look for a compliance LMS that’s intuitive, with personalized dashboards and streamlined navigation. Employees are already apprehensive about mandatory compliance training, and compliance training objectives. An overly complex UI gives them one more reason to skip the next course and put your objectives on the back burner. Keep in mind that "user-friendly" isn’t the same for everyone. Sign up for free trials to see which platform is right for your team and their experience level.

5. Limited Accessibility

Employees must be able to access compliance resources on any device, anywhere in the world. But your current LMS is restricted to the training terminal. Thus, team members are robbed of JIT tools that support desired behaviors and build vital skills. Your new LMS should be mobile-friendly and multilingual. Online learners from around the globe get the same benefits as your in-house staff, regardless of their native language or tech preferences. Accessibility also extends to other LMS features. For example, the LMS should have a built-in catalog and a quick search option. So that employees quickly find the information they’re looking for, instead of sifting through the entire database.

6. Cannot Host Live Events For Quick Knowledge Refreshers

Live events ease communication between management or trainers and employees. Team leaders can host impromptu events to update staff about new regulations or policies. Likewise, employees can ask questions to ensure they get it right and understand the takeaways. Your compliance online training platform must have video conferencing tools to facilitate webinars, workshops, and team meetings. Granted, you can purchase external software, but that raises the question of compatibility. Does the conferencing tool play nice with the LMS or make hosting duties a nightmare? Events also spark discussion among co-workers and allow them to exchange feedback. So, your LMS should also feature social learning support to encourage knowledge sharing.

7. No Vendor Support

Some organizations brush support services aside during the selection process. They think it’s unnecessary and waste of resources, especially if they have IT experts on the payroll. However, you never know when disaster might strike and derail your compliance training objectives. That’s when you need to call on the expertise of your LMS vendor to resolve the issue and avoid implementation delays. As an example, the vendor only offers basic FAQs and tutorials. There’s limited information about how to troubleshoot tech glitches or authentication errors. If only you had a phone number to call or the ability to live chat with an LMS expert. Even user forums can help you overcome obstacles without vendor intervention.

Conclusion

The trouble is that many organizations assume their LMS is doing its job. That it’s giving them all the information they need to maintain compliance and hold employees accountable. Even if they identify the problem, they aren’t sure how a new platform can address it. Especially when the damage is already done and their resources are depleted. Others simply turn a blind eye because they don’t want to go through the selection process all over again. This guide can help you evaluate your current LMS, find a suitable replacement, and get your compliance program back on track.

Is it time to invest in a new compliance training LMS that works for you instead of against you? Have you created a requirement list for your new LMS platform? Have you factored in all its costs? Download our free eBook How To Buy The Right LMS: The Complete Guide and learn how to make an accurate LMS budget, and discover some implementation tips for a smooth transition to your new LMS.