Selecting a Top-Notch Corporate LMS for 2024

If you want your organization to be successful, you need to invest in every single aspect, and that includes your employees. 

A study by the American Society for Talent Development suggests that organizations that invest in such training yield as high as 214% higher income per employee and 24% superior profit margins. 

Many companies are turning towards modern solutions like corporate Learning Management Systems (LMS) over traditional training methods because they are easy to implement across the organization and can become part of an efficient workflow that is constantly evolving. 

With a good LMS, you can: 

• Deliver learning materials in an organized and simplified manner.
• Offer versatile delivery formats to accommodate diverse learning styles.
• Automate the tracking of individual progress, which provides essential data to drive effective employee development plans. 

So if we’ve got your attention, join us as we explore how a corporate LMS can revolutionize your employee training program and help your business grow. 

What is a corporate learning management system (LMS)?

This advanced software application equips organizations with the means to perform assessments and deliver, track, and manage educational content and resources for their employees. 

Primarily designed for businesses, a corporate LMS allows organizations to improve their operational processes. It creates a more pleasant employee onboarding process and ensures high-quality compliance training.

Here are the key aspects of a well-developed LMS:

• User management: As your organization grows and evolves, an LMS allows you to flexibly manage, add, and edit users. This offers several benefits –for instance, it could expedite the process of onboarding in growing teams.
• Content management: An LMS offers centralized storage for all training and learning content, providing easy access for employees and reducing the time spent searching for resources.
• Progress tracking: By monitoring professional development and learner progress, a corporate LMS provides real-time data to inform performance reviews and talent management strategies.
• Engagement enhancement: Nothing is more important than keeping all the participants interested and motivated to complete the training programs. A great LMS must include interactive learning activities, clear learning paths, and well-organized calendars for structured learning experiences. 
• Easy integration: Make sure the software you choose works well with existing training and HR protocols. This can reduce administrative overhead and provide invaluable, real-time data to inform strategic decisions.

To put it simply, a well-developed LMS is one of the most essential business tools you could have. It’s a strategic investment in your organization’s success and your most valuable asset – your people.

The different types of corporate LMSs

Corporate learning management systems come in diverse forms that vary based on source and hosting. While some are just open-source LMSs or locally hosted, others can be a combination of both. Let’s take a look at them: 

Type	Open-source LMS	Commercial LMS	Locally hosted LMS	Cloud-based LMS
What is it?	A publicly accessible platform that is freely modified by its users.	Systems developed by specific companies.	A program hosted on a server that belongs to the organization that is using it.	An LMS hosted on the vendor’s servers which is accessed online.
Pros	Greater customization and control. Cost-effective.	Immediate, user-friendly solution with various features and systematic updates.	Greater control over data and infrastructure.	Minimizes the need for in-house IT infrastructure and promises quick setup and efficient scalability. Usually subscription-based, which allows companies to predict and manage their budgets efficiently.
Cons	Often demands technical proficiency for setup and maintenance, at least in order to get the full range of customizability.	Lower levels of customization and ongoing licensing fees.	Higher initial setup costs, and ongoing maintenance. Challenging to scale.	Less control over data and security.
Support	The support mainly comes from a community of users.	Dedicated support.	In-company support.	Included support from the provider.

Associated costs of a corporate LMS

When planning to implement a corporate LMS, understanding the various associated costs is crucial. Here’s a detailed view of the potential expenses you might encounter.

• Initial purchase or subscription cost: Depending on the type of LMS, you’ll have either an initial purchase price or ongoing subscription fees. The decision between these will hinge on factors including budget and your organization’s need for continuous support services.
• Implementation cost: The next cost line involves setting up and integrating the LMS with the company’s existing systems. For example, if you’re using WordPress, using an easily integrated subscription-based tool like Sensei Pro is the best and most cost-effective decision as it’s so easy to set up.
• Customization cost: Adapting the LMS to meet the specific needs of your company and align with your branding could require extra investment. However, the result is a platform that truly reflects your organizational culture and values. 
• Maintenance and upgrade costs: Not all LMS platforms involve subsequent maintenance and upgrade costs. For instance, with Sensei LMS, continuous updates are part of its standard features, which may lead to fewer and lower maintenance expenses over time.
• Training and support costs: This may include special training materials and ongoing support services. You also have to think about the actual hours your employees would have to spend learning the system instead of working. 

While you’re going through these considerations, think about which pricing structure will suit your corporation’s needs best. Even though subscription-based costs are something that you need to keep investing in, unlike one-time payments, they can still be quite beneficial. Over the longer term, a corporate LMS can bring about significant savings in terms of time and monetary resources. 

The best corporate LMS platforms of 2024

There are many available options on the market, which makes it easy to get lost when you’re looking for the best LMS providers for your organization. To make this process less confusing, here are some core features you need to consider: 

• A user-friendly and intuitive interface for seamless operations.
• Customizability that reflects your brand’s aesthetics and scalability that grows with your organization.
• Integration capabilities with other software systems.
• Robust reporting and analytics for insights into progress.
• Efficient course management and delivery functionalities for streamlining the online learning process.

So keeping all of this in mind, let’s jump right into the top 5 corporate LMS platforms. 

1. Sensei LMS

Leading the industry, we have Sensei – an all-in-one solution for creating a productive LMS. Depending on your needs, you have several options on how to get started: 

• If you already have a WordPress site brimming with content, consider Sensei Pro. It’s an easy-to-use plugin that transforms your website into an efficient LMS. This handy tool integrates with other plugins like Jetpack for bolstered security and marketing capabilities. It’s fully compatible with every WordPress theme, but if you’re looking for something new, try out the free theme by Automattic: Course. 

• If you’re starting from scratch, we recommend going for the Sensei-hosted bundle. This comprehensive package includes Sensei Pro alongside features that support every aspect of creating an LMS. This all-in-one solution covers the A-Z of designing, customizing, and hosting. To ensure lightning speed and reliable hosting, the bundle includes website installation with WordPress.com.

Sensei stands apart with its powerful features, making it an asset for a corporate LMS and the backbone of employee training. You can customize Sensei to reflect your brand personality and incorporate functional requirements with its:

• Groups and cohort learning: A priceless tool when a company brings in new employees or launches a new course.
• Co-teachers: A great feature when multiple instructors are needed to oversee learning programs.
• Certificates: A motivating way of acknowledging students upon course completion, thereby boosting team morale.
• VideoPress integration: A fantastic tool for retaining a personal touch in the online training process.
• Adaptable course layouts: A handy feature when adapting courses to cater to different departments.
• Diverse assignment options: Adding flexibility for course creators to scrutinize learners with a variety of tests.
• Student tracking and reporting: An effective way of presenting an overview of student progress and honing in on areas for improvement.

Sensei is regularly updated to ensure top-notch security, necessities like user identity verification, and other vital privacy tools, making it one of the most secure and reliable options out there.

Sensei is an excellent LMS plugin for starters and professionals alike. It’s extremely simple to use, given its similarity with WordPress’ CMS.

Sarim Javaid, Cloudways

With notable industry accreditation, flexible options, and a robust set of features, Sensei LMS stands out as an exceptional choice for building compelling corporate LMS software.

2. iSpring Learn

iSpring Learn is a cloud-based LMS specifically designed to streamline corporate training. 

It is known for its user-friendly interface, enabling users to create courses quickly and with ease. One of its unique features is the authoring tool, iSpring Suite, which allows direct conversion of PowerPoint slides into interactive courses. 

However, it falls short in terms of offering limited customization for a blended learning environment. Also, for seamless integration, it operates best with systems within the existing iSpring ecosystem.

3. LearnUpon

LearnUpon ranks high among LMS platforms for its effective content creation and white-label options permitting comprehensive customization. 

Its user-friendly interface and features, such as gamification and detailed reporting, make it a worthwhile option. 

On the downside, course authoring is quite basic, and users may need third-party tools to create intricate courses. While it’s an excellent choice, its higher cost might deter smaller businesses.

4. Bridge

The Bridge LMS platform prioritizes employee development, offering exhaustive features for crafting, delivering, and tracking diverse types of learning. 

It also promotes peer learning through effective mentoring and coaching tools and provides mobile compatibility for learning without constraints. 

Some critics point to inconsistent app speed and lack of customer support, but overall, users have been reasonably satisfied with the product. 

5. Docebo

Docebo, with its AI-powered functionalities, is a popular choice for businesses looking for an LMS that facilitates personalized and automated learning paths. 

It fosters social learning, provides gamification options, and even lets you assign courses based on job roles through its organizational chart feature. 

However, the user interface is relatively complicated and may deter non-technical users. Frequent updates can introduce changes to the platform, causing occasional confusion for users.

Launching your corporate training with Sensei LMS: A step-by-step guide

Ready to simplify corporate training with an intuitive yet comprehensive learning platform? 

Then Sensei LMS, packed with features such as customizable courses and multimedia support, is a stellar choice. 

Here is a quick tutorial to show you how to set up Sensei LMS on your WordPress site.

1. Navigate to the Plugins section from your WordPress dashboard, click on Add New, search for Sensei LMS, and then click on Install Now. Once installation is completed, click Activate. 

2. If you want to opt for Sensei Pro, then you have to purchase the plugin from the pricing page and then activate it in the WordPress plugin repository with the license key from your account.  
3. When you activate it, you’ll see an onboarding page pop-up to help you set up even easier. You also get the option to install the Course theme. 

4. You can now see your Sensei dashboard. Make sure to check any specific prerequisites or recommended settings, like the PHP version or WordPress version, for Sensei LMS to function optimally.

5. Head to the Settings tab under Sensei LMS, where you can define: 

• General settings. 

• Appearance. 

• Course preferences.  

• Lesson configurations. 

Create a course

Course creation has never been simpler. Just follow these steps:

1. On your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Sensei LMS > Courses> Add New.

2. When you enter the block editor, a window will pop up with some useful settings, such as:
   • The course title and description.

• The layout of the course. 

3. You can add different elements from the left-hand menu, including special blocks, media, and patterns. 

4. Add a new lesson or a module directly from the editor. 

5. This will open up a new window where you can edit your lesson like you would a normal post in WordPress. Like with the course, a helpful setup window will appear and help you choose the best layout. 

6. Once in the editor, the right-hand menu will give you more options to customize the content and the specific blocks. 

7. When you’re done, you just need to save each lesson and module and ensure you’ve put them in the right course. 

💡Tip: Engage your employees by creating an interactive training module. Make the onboarding and training processes more exciting and rewarding. We recommend doing a video module as this format is much more accessible to retain compared to text only.

Create effective navigation menus using the WordPress FSE site editor

For a seamless user experience, configure your website’s navigation menus. 

1. Go to Appearance > Themes and click on Customize. 

2. From there, click on Navigation.

3. Now, you can change the menu in the site editor. 

As you explore Sensei LMS, you’ll discover many advanced features for e-learning. Enjoy the journey of transforming your corporate training approach and making learning an engaging and practical experience for your teams.

Implement your corporate LMS with Sensei

An excellent corporate learning management system can be a transformative investment for your business. It allows you to offer your employees a comprehensive training program and build a readily accessible knowledge base that can be used by the entire company for years to come. 

However, choosing an LMS can be hard as it depends on many different factors, such as structure, hosting options, costs, functionality, and the overall user experience. 

As you go through the different systems available, Sensei comes out at the top as a customizable and intuitive learning platform with versatile training capabilities, rich functionality, and stringent security measures.

So if you want to elevate your corporate training and help your employees grow as professionals, try Sensei LMS today!