Month: October 2024

Choosing the Right Learning Platform for Your Business

Posted on | by David Smith

How to Choose the Perfect Learning Platform: A Guide for Your Business

With so many learning platforms available, the process of choosing one can feel like a maze. It’s a decision that can have a significant impact on your business, so getting it wrong can be frustrating, costly, and time-consuming. But don’t worry—it doesn’t have to be that way! Here’s a simplified guide to help you make the best choice for your organization.

Why Choosing the Right Learning Platform Matters

Research shows that a whopping 91% of organizations are unhappy with their current LMS or LXP. This dissatisfaction often stems from platforms that are too rigid, costly, or hard to implement. If you’re struggling, it’s time to rethink your approach. Whether you want to enhance customer service, reduce employee turnover, drive course sales, or meet compliance standards, the right platform can do wonders for your organization.

But first, let’s walk through what to look for in a learning platform.

Start with Your Goals

Think about what you actually want your learning platform to achieve:

Keeping your goals at the forefront of your search will help you cut through the noise and make an informed decision. After all, a platform that works for someone else may not necessarily work for you.

Who Wants What? Involving Key Stakeholders

When it comes to selecting a learning platform, it’s essential to think beyond just the L&D team. Different stakeholders in your organization will have different priorities:

  • Paying customers: They want an easy to use buying process for any course
  • End Users: If your learners don’t like the platform, they won’t use it. Simple.
  • IT Department: They’ll want to ensure the system is secure and fits within your existing infrastructure.
  • Your CEO/CFO: Do they want a solution that can connect every part of your enterprise together and offer real insight and ROI. 
  • Managers: They’ll need to track progress and monitor training completion rates.
  • Sales Teams: If you have a sales team, they might look for features like leaderboards or external access for partners.
  • Compliance Teams: They’ll want granular control over content assignments and detailed reporting.

Get input from all these groups early in the process to make sure everyone’s needs are met.

Flexibility: Do You Need It?

The business world changes fast—so should your learning platform. You don’t want to be locked into a system that doesn’t grow with you. Consider whether your platform offers:

  • Integration: Does it sync up easily with your CRM, HR systems, or other platforms?
  • Scalability: Can the platform handle growth, such as an increase in employees or opening new branches?
  • Customization: Can you tailor the platform to reflect your brand or offer personalized learning paths for your users?

This is where open-source learning platforms come in handy. They allow you to tweak the software to meet your needs without waiting for the vendor to release an update.

Will This Platform Grow With Us?

You should always think long-term when selecting a learning platform. Business priorities can shift overnight, and your LMS should be able to adapt. Some questions to consider:

  • Will you be able to easily add new users or departments as your business expands?
  • Can you extend the platform to external users like partners or customers?
  • If your needs change, will the platform allow you to add new functionalities without huge costs?

A flexible platform ensures you’re not stuck with outdated technology in the future. Don’t forget, open-source software offers significant advantages here, allowing you to adapt quickly and with minimal hassle.

What Happens if We Change Our Minds?

Let’s face it: the business landscape is unpredictable. You could face mergers, acquisitions, or restructures that demand a change in your learning platform. A rigid platform can hold you back. Ensure that your solution gives you the freedom to make adjustments, whether that means restructuring your content or adding entirely new features.

What’s the Most Important Factor: Time, Quality, or Cost?

Different organizations have different priorities. Some need quick implementations, while others focus on the long-term quality of learning materials. Decide what matters most to your business. Is it getting something in place quickly? Offering the best user experience? Or saving money?

Having clear priorities will guide your conversations with vendors and help you make the right choice. Remember, an open-source platform can give you more control, letting you adjust based on your most important drivers.

Final Thoughts

In today’s rapidly changing business environment, the demands on your organisation to stay competitive are only going to grow. That’s why flexibility, adaptability, and scalability should be at the top of your list when choosing a learning platform. Getting this decision right is critical to ensuring your workforce remains skilled and productive in the long run.

By considering all your stakeholders’ needs and keeping your goals front and center, you’ll set yourself up for success. And who doesn’t want a smoother, more effective learning experience for their team?

10 Steps to Your Best Year in Performance Management

Posted on | by David Smith

By giving employees clear success metrics, they can stay on track and managers can assess progress in real-time.

SMART goals help prevent employees from feeling overwhelmed. For example, a salesperson’s goal could be increasing conversions by 20% within three months. That’s measurable, achievable, and relevant to the company’s growth goals.

1. Keep the Momentum with Development Plans

Once the goals are set, create a clear development plan. What training, resources, or coaching do your employees need to succeed? This should be a two-way conversation. If an employee wants to move into management, help them build the skills they’ll need with 10 Steps to Your Best Performance Management Year To Date

Performance reviews. Just hearing those words can make managers and employees cringe. But what if we could make this process a little less painful and, dare we say, effective? According to the document, 66% of employees are dissatisfied with their last performance review, which isn’t shocking when many companies stick to outdated annual reviews. But don’t worry—there’s a way to shake things up and boost performance. Let’s dive into the ten steps for your best performance management year yet.

2. Reflect Before Setting New Goals

Before you rush into planning your goals for the year ahead, take a beat. Look back at last year’s targets. Did your team smash them, or did you struggle? Either way, reviewing past performance gives you valuable insights to guide the new year. As the saying goes, you’ve got to look back before you move forward.

Pro Tip: Celebrate the wins, no matter how small. Whether someone crushed their goals or just improved steadily, recognition builds motivation for the challenges ahead.

3. Establish a Clear Vision

We all love a good company mission, but does everyone know how their role fits into the bigger picture? Alignment with the company’s vision can skyrocket motivation. When your SEO manager understands their role in boosting traffic to support the organization’s vision, they’re not just checking off daily tasks—they’re helping achieve the company’s mission.

Example: If your goal is to become the most trusted source of political news in Canada, make sure your marketing, editorial, and even photography teams know how they contribute to that larger vision.

4. Set Better, SMARTer Goals

Forget about setting vague, unattainable goals. Try using SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound). targeted training, like leadership seminars or conflict resolution courses.

Platforms like Totara make it easy to integrate learning and performance goals seamlessly. Check it out here.

5. Regular Check-ins – Your Secret Weapon

The era of the once-a-year performance review is over. Regular, informal check-ins (even as short as 15 minutes!) can keep things on track. Adobe ditched annual reviews and opted for quarterly check-ins, increasing productivity and morale. So, why not take a page from their book? You don’t have to overhaul everything overnight—start small, with monthly chats to assess goals and progress.

6. Give Constructive Feedback (Without the Drama)

Here’s a stat that’ll blow your mind: 94% of employees prefer real-time feedback over waiting until the end of the year. Makes sense, right? Feedback should be timely, specific, and objective. Instead of saying, “You missed the deadline,” say, “I noticed this project was delayed—what barriers did you face?” It opens up dialogue without making anyone feel defensive.

7. Encourage Coaching and Mentoring

Mentoring doesn’t always need to come from the top. Sometimes, peer mentoring can be just as effective. Consider pairing employees based on their strengths and goals. For example, a junior engineer might benefit from shadowing a senior engineer who’s been through the same challenges. This builds camaraderie and practical learning opportunities.

8. Use 360-Degree Feedback

Think you know your employees’ performance? Think again. Gathering input from colleagues, clients, and even vendors can give you a well-rounded view of someone’s work. For instance, a top performer in sales might not be great at follow-up, or a quiet team member may be praised by peers for their creative solutions.

Just remember to keep feedback anonymous for accurate results!

9. Rethink the Annual Appraisal

We’ve already established that annual reviews are a relic of the past. But if you’re still required to conduct them, consider making them less about ratings and more about development. By the time the formal review comes around, nothing should be a surprise. Check-ins throughout the year should make performance appraisals a formality, not a shock.

10. Keep Career Growth on the Table

One of the main reasons employees engage in learning and performance reviews is career growth. But not everyone wants to climb the corporate ladder. Some want to specialize, while others may be interested in lateral moves. Keep those options open and encourage employees to discuss their career goals regularly.

Final Thoughts

If you want to take the next steps, talk to us about our work with Totara Perform. This is an agile performance management system with adaptability and productivity at its core. You can create evidence-based performance reviews, get an objective view of employee performance and quickly identify and close skills gaps to ensure your organization remains competitive. With Totara Perform, you harness the power of continuous performance management to boost in-office or remote workplace productivity anytime, anywhere.

Revamping Onboarding Processes

Posted on | by David Smith

Onboarding in the New Normal: How to Get It Right

The world of work has shifted dramatically over the past few years. With the rise of remote and hybrid work models, many businesses are finding their traditional onboarding practices a little… well, outdated. Let’s be honest, new hires don’t want to feel like they’re just ticking boxes in a generic orientation program. Instead, they expect a tailored, connected, and meaningful experience from day one. So, how can businesses onboard in a way that makes new employees feel like valued team members, even when working remotely?

Let’s dive into the key ways you can revolutionize your onboarding process for this “new normal.”

The Importance of Breaking Down Silos

One major problem in the onboarding process is the lack of coordination between departments. When HR, IT, and managers aren’t on the same page, new employees might feel lost. Imagine starting a new job and not knowing where to find important information, who to turn to for help, or even how to connect with your team. Not ideal, right?

When different departments, like learning and development, HR, and IT work in silos, employees can end up with a fragmented onboarding experience. Instead, onboarding should seamlessly combine learning, performance, and connection. For instance, having a system where a new hire’s learning modules are synced with their performance goals and opportunities for collaboration with their team would be a game-changer.

Totara Talent Experience Platform (TXP) is one tool that makes this possible. It helps organizations integrate learning, employee engagement, and performance management into one cohesive process. Learn more about Totara’s Talent Experience Platform here.

Learning: Beyond Just Courses

The heart of any good onboarding program is learning—but not just any learning. The days of endless PowerPoint slides or basic training videos are over. Today’s new hires crave interactive and personalized learning experiences that reflect the actual work they’ll be doing.

A solid learning management system (LMS) like Totara can help you set up adaptive learning paths, mandatory training, and certifications for new employees. But don’t stop at formal courses. People learn best by doing, and this is especially true for remote workers who miss the opportunity to naturally pick up knowledge from colleagues. You need to create spaces—like knowledge-sharing networks—where new hires can ask questions, share experiences, and learn in real-time.

Learn more about building an engaging learning experience with Totara here.

Connection: A Critical Piece in the Onboarding Puzzle

A remote worker might go weeks, or even months, without physically meeting their colleagues, so building connections becomes even more critical. You can’t expect new hires to thrive without a sense of belonging and support.

In a remote or hybrid environment, connections are formed through technology—chat tools, video conferencing, and collaborative platforms. But relying on these tools isn’t enough; you need to ensure they are used effectively. One way to do this is by using digital workspaces like Totara Engage, where employees can easily collaborate, ask questions, and work together on projects. A good workspace provides not just collaboration but also helps employees orient themselves with resources like org charts, company policies, and key contacts.

Personalization: Make It Matter to Them

Not every new hire is the same, so their onboarding experience shouldn’t be either. When you tailor the onboarding process to fit the specific needs of the role or individual, you not only make the experience more engaging, but you set your new employees up for success.

Totara’s platform allows you to create dynamic audiences, ensuring each employee gets the information they need when they need it. Whether it’s specific training, key company goals, or department-specific resources, a personalized onboarding experience helps employees feel valued and ensures they’re not overwhelmed with irrelevant information.

Psychological Safety: Don’t Overlook It

Let’s not forget one of the most important aspects of onboarding: psychological safety. Starting a new job can be nerve-wracking, especially when you’re remote and can’t easily turn to a colleague for help. Employees need to feel comfortable asking questions, making mistakes, and learning as they go. Creating an environment of psychological safety from day one encourages open communication and fosters a culture of trust.

A simple way to build psychological safety is by pairing new hires with a mentor or “buddy” to guide them through the first few weeks. Regular check-ins and informal conversations can also go a long way in helping them feel supported.

In Conclusion

The shift to remote and hybrid work means that onboarding processes must evolve. By focusing on learning, performance, connection, and personalizing the experience, companies can create an onboarding program that not only welcomes new hires but sets them up for long-term success. And don’t forget the importance of psychological safety—helping your new employees feel safe to learn and grow in their new roles.

By integrating platforms like Totara TXP into your onboarding strategy, you can offer a unified, streamlined, and personalized experience that makes new employees feel like a part of the team from day one.

Check out how Totara can help transform your onboarding process here.

6 Easy Steps to Maximize Employee Engagement

Posted on | by David Smith

Maximizing Employee Engagement in 6 Simple Steps

Keeping employees engaged is key to success. Engaged employees are happier, work harder, and help businesses grow. So, how can you keep your team excited about their work?

Here are six easy steps to boost engagement!

1. Make Learning Easy

People love to learn, but they need access to good resources. If it’s hard to find learning tools, engagement drops. A Learning Experience Platform (LXP) can help. It puts useful content in one place, like guides or videos.

With the right tools, employees can even share resources with each other, keeping learning fun and easy.

2. Organize Information

There’s so much information out there. How do you find what’s useful? The answer: curation. Just like making a playlist, an LXP lets employees collect and share helpful resources.

This keeps things simple for everyone, whether they’re new to the team or have been around for years.

3. Encourage Teamwork

People don’t like working alone. When employees share ideas and learn together, they stay more engaged. Platforms like MS Teams or Slack let teams collaborate easily.

It’s like using a shared document but with more features for teamwork and feedback.

4. Celebrate Success

Everyone likes recognition. Whether it’s a badge or a shoutout, rewards show employees their work matters. Recognizing effort boosts morale and keeps people motivated.

When peers celebrate each other, it builds stronger connections and a positive work culture.

5. Make Learning Part of the Job

Stopping work to learn can feel disruptive. Integrating learning into daily tasks makes it easier. For example, quick learning prompts in Slack can keep employees engaged without pulling them away from work.

This approach makes learning feel natural and effective.

6. Track What Works

Data helps you see what’s working. Use reports to check which employees are engaged and what content they like. This info helps you adjust your strategy to keep things running smoothly.

Managers can also use data to spot top performers and those who need help, creating a better support system.

Ready to Get Started?

Improving engagement takes time and effort. Tools like Totara Engage can help you build a culture of learning and teamwork. Want to learn more? Request a demo today and see how Totara Engage can help your team thrive!