When it comes to employee productivity, offering training programs, courses and learning opportunities becomes essential for organizations. The best way to provide this opportunity is through integrating a Learning Management System (LMS) within the organization. However, organizations often find themselves with the dilemma of choosing between a cloud-based LMS or an installed solution. With majority of companies shifting towards cloud-based LMS, the question of whether this is the ideal platform to train employees becomes essential.
Cloud-based SaaS LMS Explained
In simple terms, a cloud-based LMS is an online solution that does not require you to download or install software or hardware to access it. The LMS is accessible via cloud by logging in to an online portal. Learners can simply access all the features of the LMS by logging in online, anywhere and anytime. SaaS, on the other hand, is a cloud-based subscription model where you have to pay a certain amount of subscription fee in order to gain access to the software. With an SaaS you could easily scale your plan in order to determine what your pricing strategy should be in order to meet your business needs.
Benefits of Cloud-based SaaS LMS
In order to determine whether a cloud-based SaaS LMS is effective for employees training, it is important to analyze the advantages that this model offers. Your business needs in relation to these benefits can be then analyzed to make an information decision or whether or not this model will be appropriate for you in terms of increasing employee productivity through software training.
- Highly Cost-Effective:
A cloud-based SaaS LMS is more cost-effective because the cost is based on the user-metrics, i.e. the number of users actively using LMS via the online portal. This ensures that you pay for actual usage of your cloud-based LMS. Traditional installation of a LMS software forces you to invest a significant amount of capital at the start and then requires additional investments for maintenance, regardless of the overall usage. With a cloud-based SaaS model, all of this can be avoided.
- Less Implementation Time:
Unlike an installed LMS software that requires a proper IT staff to come set-up the software, a cloud-based SaaS LMS can be implemented in no time. You can simply create your very own online portal via using online software training providers like Your Training Edge. Once you set up an online portal, you can instantly start creating courses and managing enrollments without any hassle.
- Configurable & Mobile Friendly:
Cloud-based SaaS LMS offer a great deal of flexibility when it comes to customization. Choosing color schemes, templates and configuring LMS to your needs is made easy with a cloud-based solution. Furthermore, a cloud-based LMS offers a lot of convenience in terms of accessing the content anytime from anywhere you are. With a responsive design and mobile-friendly capability, a cloud-based SaaS LMS becomes a preferable choice as compared to an installed LMS software solution.
- Easy-to-Use:
Ease of use is a major priority of brands or businesses trying to implement an LMS staff training software as many cannot afford to invest additional sums of money in order to teach employees how to use the software to their advantage. A cloud-based SaaS LMS is easy-to-use primarily because it is similar to several other cloud-based applications that are used by individuals on a daily basis, like google drive for example. Users can easily log in to their LMS and access their dashboard from any device, anywhere, anytime. A static LMS model does not offer this level of convenience and there is a learning curve involved that employees have to get used to. With a cloud-based SaaS LMS model, employees can start training without having to learn how to use the LMS model first.
- Safe & Secure:
Cloud-based LMS are highly secure and safe for employees to use. All users are provided with a secure login and password to access their LMS dashboard at anytime. The privacy of the data of every user is ensured through encryption. This ensures that even in case of an attack, the data is not easily decipherable. Employee data is stored on the cloud and they adhere to the industry standards when it comes to the protection of the data. This security and additional safety offered by the cloud-based LMS increases the confidence of the employees and allows them to gain training via the software without having to worry about other issues like privacy and data protection.
Businesses considering to invest in a cloud-based LMS model should analyze their needs and requirements before making a decision. However, in the current business environment, the shift to a technologically-convenient solution is being observed with major brands and companies embracing online solutions. A cloud-based SaaS LMS becomes ideal for brands in the long run primarily because this model offers a great deal of flexibility both in terms of cost and long-term implementation.
Author Bio: Kamy Anderson is an ed-tech enthusiast with a passion for writing on emerging technologies in the areas of corporate training and education. He is an expert in learning management system & eLearning authoring tools – currently associated with ProProfs Training Maker.
