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The e-learning revolution is in full swing, and as the revolution continues, so does the evolution of LMS software. Nowadays, it’s common to work for organizations that take advantage of the business efficiencies and cost-savings that stem from employee learning management software.

But did you know you can use your LMS for more than just compliance training? There are many ways to take advantage of the connectivity and cloud storage of most training management systems. Here are just nine:

Great leaders understand that they can’t create a culture for their organization; they need to find what already exists and strengthen it. Using your learning management system’s survey and feedback technology effectively, you can get a sense of your company’s existing culture and the values that form it. This allows you to identify and strengthen the company’s existing values by sharing them with management, mid-level employees, and frontline workers and showing them what these values look like in action, why they are important, and how they can support internal initiatives.

Nowadays, many companies operate nationally, if not globally. Business leaders continually face challenges getting their messages to employees. As messages pass from executives to management, supervisors, and frontline staff, it can turn into a schoolyard game of telephone where the original message is transformed by the time it meets its intended destination. But using video-based communication tools included in training management software, executives can communicate directly to frontline staff with extremely low delivery costs and a powerful impact.

Learning management systems also allow organizations to store, deliver, and track training material online for access at any location. An LMS can even serve as file access for internal documents where users can share more than just training documents, including digital documents like .jpg (images), .mov files (video), and .mp3 (audio).

Many people limit their LMS use to courses that specifically deal with internal operations or industry compliance. They don’t think about the many courses available to help employees develop professional skills outside of compliance requirements. Providing courses on effective communication, leadership development, and supervisor/management training helps potential employees prepare for future roles higher up in the organization.

Built-in evaluation tools for LMSs make calculating return on investment easier. You can observe how employee retention levels reflect safety savings, coordinate refresher sessions for increased impact, then use internal analytics to adapt training programs to increase savings.

Online schedulers and training calendars can be used for more than just training sessions. You can schedule video meetings, seminars, and even participatory events, like guest speakers, and give everyone in the office an hour off to watch. LMSs make fantastic communication vessels for any internal communication, notification, memorandum, or newsletter.

LMSs can schedule tests and evaluations including written exams, multiple choice tests, and even blended learning sessions. Once evaluations are complete, you can run analytics on performance data and optimize task management. Regular evaluations mean regular indications of what’s working and what’s not, allowing you to effectively modify internal programs and initiatives.

You might not use your LMS for everything yet, but you can conveniently manage all course information on one system. Depending on which programs you are running, you may be able to transfer information from one system to another using Application Programming Interface (API), including third-party training, paper-based exams, and more. Learning management software can then provide renewal date and re-certification reminders for any courses taken regardless of where, when, or how your employees took them.

The internal communication networks of LMSs give your employees a forum for discussion as well as private channels to relay their thoughts to management. Let them communicate with you openly and honestly on working conditions, program evaluations, internal/external policies, equipment standards, and holiday/event planning.

Internal information storage and distribution allows documents to be archived in easily customized organizational structures in case of an audit or to support long-term growth strategies. With enough data, you can even begin to use your company’s historical information as a source of primary research.