Best Employee Training Software

Employee training software lets you run specialized training programs for your employees. Learn how to choose the best employee training software.

Hiring new employees is always a difficult process. Not only is it time consuming to go through applications and find the best candidate, but you must also set aside time to train the new employee. Even the most experienced applicants require training. They may have the skills, but your company may do things differently compared to their previous job. One of the most effective ways to get your new employees up to speed is through training software. Employee training software is also known as a learning management system (LMS).

With LMS, you can create a training program for your employees. There are two options for creating a program. You can either use an LMS with pre-recorded lessons taught by industry experts or you can use the software to build your own lessons. Because the programs are hosted online, employees can view them at their own convenience, ensuring they understand the material. Listed below is everything you need to know about effectively using employee training software.

Benefits of Employee Training Software

For the majority of businesses, the top benefit of using employee training software is the reduced cost. Previously, the only options for training employees were setting aside time and resources for an orientation day or creating a company training video. Creating a video was a lengthy process and it was difficult to update the video, often requiring the creation of new training material within a few years. 

Employee training software allows you to update your training material as needed. You can still build your own resources or even host live training through a virtual classroom. There are templates you can use to help build your own material.

Many LMSs also allow you to download existing lessons, which you can incorporate into your training program. This is especially helpful for more generic tasks, such as how to conduct yourself in the workplace, or advice for solving conflicts with other employees. This aspect is also helpful for employees. Many businesses are using the same training programs, so the knowledge often applies to other careers as well. It also makes transferring employees from different locations easier, since all the stores use the same universal learning process.

Another benefit of using LMSs is the ability to track employee progress. This is especially important for more complex jobs or lengthier training programs. Managers can access the system to go through employee profiles and track what lessons the employee has already watched. If there are any tests or interactive lessons, they can also view how the employee did. If they see an employee is struggling, they can step in and offer advice. If you make your own training program and notice employees are frequently struggling around the same areas, this is an indicator you need to reassess the lesson and make changes.

How to Choose the Best Employee Training Software

With more businesses turning to online businesses, there has been an influx in employee training software. While having so many options is good, it can also be overwhelming to find the best one for your business. Accessibility is an important consideration for employee training software. Whenever possible, pick a program that has options for multiple platforms, such as computers, tablets and smartphones. 

User interface (UI) is another consideration, especially if you plan to create your own material. While the software does most of the work for you, you must understand how the program works to fully utilize all the features. If your managers struggle with the UI, it slows the process down and makes it harder to produce quality training material. Customization is traditionally a highly sought-after feature, but for simpler training programs, you may want a program with more templates and pre-recorded material instead.

Cost is another consideration when selecting an LMS. While most systems use a monthly subscription service, this is not always the case. A few programs will charge a fixed rate, while others use a yearly subscription service. Another consideration is whether there are tiered plans. Many systems use different tiers to determine how many users can access the system. A system may initially look inexpensive, only to charge more because you need to pay for a higher tiered plan to accommodate all your users.

iSpring Learn

iSpring Suite contains a number of employee resources, with Learn being the main training program. Learn is a cloud-based program with a wide range of templates and prerecorded options to choose from, but also the ability to make custom lessons. Learn has a comfortable UI, allowing you to drag and drop videos, images and other files directly into your lesson. iSpring also uses a flexible pricing system. Instead of tracking how many users have registered accounts, it looks at the maximum number of users trying to activate your system at once, putting other users into a queue if your system is full.

The pricing changes based on the number of maximum users. If you have up to 100 maximum users, the price is $3.66 per user as of writing. If you increase to a maximum of 500 users, the price is only $2.82. For larger businesses, there are custom plans available, but you must contact iSpring directly to get a quote.

TalentLMS

If you want a simpler LMS that does the majority of the work for you, consider Talent. Talent has one of the largest template libraries to choose from. You can even go through pre recorded lessons and combine different segments to create unique training sessions. While the program largely focuses on pre-recorded material, there are options for creating original lessons, as well as hosting live learning sessions. You can also make interactive quizzes and lessons. It also includes a wide range of progress monitoring. Talent costs $59 each month per 40 users.

Docebo

Docebo is another LMS that focuses on templates and pre-recorded material to create lessons. What sets it apart from other services is how frequently the lessons are updated. Docebo uses a learning algorithm to track progress, making changes to the lessons based on user input. It is also one of the most customizable programs if you decide to make your own content. Another helpful feature is the wide range of languages, with over 40 options for your lessons. 

You must contact Docebo directly for a quote. Because it has a number of advanced features, it is one of the pricier options, costing around $1,700 to $2,000 each year, but this may vary based on your company needs.