Training management is one of the most underrated areas of management, particularly among small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs). To remain competitive in the constantly evolving, competence-driven business world we live in, organisations need to be highly proficient at what they do and versatile enough to stay informed and up-to-date with emerging skills relative to their industry. In order to do so, organisations must acknowledge the importance of effective training and the vital role it plays in their success. Not only is it essential to their success, but it is also required by law for many.
How Training management system (TMS) matches with workforce’s needs
In this day and age, industries are evolving at such a fast pace that employee training and development has become a perpetually ongoing process. Employees who fall behind, are destined to become obsolete and will sooner or later be replaced. However, it is not in the best interest of organisations to have a high turnover rate, nor is it sustainable, as recruiting new employees is a lot more costly than retaining existing ones. So, how exactly do twenty first century organisations keep up with the training needs of their workforce?
This article examines the crucial role training management systems play in fulfilling that colossal task and how they have become indispensable to the survival of organisations. First, we look at what a training management system is and what it consists of.
What is a training management system? Database and Informative
A Training Management System or TMS is a software application that standardises and streamlines the scheduling, administration, logistics, tracking reporting and any other efforts related to the training activities of an organisation’s human resources. It acts as a database on the one hand, keeping track of the training history of every single employee, and on the other it serves as a training calendar, ensuring that employees are made aware every time they are due for a training session. Training management systems come in all shapes and sizes; however the most sophisticated ones are so advanced they actually include built in tools for developing and delivering various types of training programs, including classroom and computer-based trainings.
TMS; Cloud-based system with major access
Furthermore, because training management systems are cloud-based systems that house entire training curriculums, they can be accessed by any employee from anywhere, providing they have the right access, and the training content made available to them will be tailored to the training needs relative to the position they hold within the organisation.
Imagine having to manage all these parameters for several hundred employees. It would require an entire team of people working round the clock to do what a training management system can do automatically and seamlessly. This is especially helpful to organisations working in industries where ISO and other certifications must be maintained as it helps them remain compliant at all times.
Other benefits of a best training management system
- Report creation
The report creation feature is of crucial importance because it enables management to keep a finger on the pulse of their overall training efforts. It enables them to create a multitude of customised reports based on the data they are seeking to assess. Customised report templates can then be saved and generated with the click of a button at any time. The high-level data generated can be used by management to determine the effectiveness of their training activities and can be shared manually or automatically with all concerned parties in real time.
- Feedback collection
Feedback is an essential component of training management. It allows management to identify areas of improvement directly from the people the training is intended for. Training management systems offer company leaders the ability to create and save surveys that can be programmed to be sent automatically after each training activity to all participants. Responses are automatically compiled into reports that can be used by management for improving training activities.
- Progress tracking
Determining the effectiveness of training activities is not always an easy task because of the many variables associated with employee performance. Not to mention that every employee’s training needs are different. Training management systems allow you to create different training profiles based on the various training needs of your workforce and assign employees with the one that corresponds best to their training needs. Once they complete their assigned trainings, performance data can be used to track their progress to determine if they’ve met their performance expectations or if further training is required.
- Resources for every learning style
Not all employees have the same learning style; some are visual learners, others prefer listening, while many enjoy reading and writing more. Identifying the learning style of your employees and offering them training content in their preferred format will surely lead to better results. Today’s training management systems offer capabilities for content creation in various media formats, including video, text, and audio. Making trainings resources available in all these formats will even the playing field for employees and will make them feel like their individuality is being taken into consideration. This will in turn lead to higher participation and success rates.
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