As our economy advances, businesses need to continuously innovate to better serve customers and stay relevant. Digitalisation is often a key enabler to improve business processes – even if the business continues to be labour-intensive and high-high, like in Food Services.
Yet even as businesses digitally transform, a trained workforce is still the pre-requisite – so staff know how to better make use of the new technology and processes – to increase the productivity (and profitability) of the business. That’s where an efficient training system is necessary – to continuously upskill workers in the flow of work, especially as knowledge cycles shorten.
While there are many Learning Management Systems (“LMS”) in the market like Canvas, Blackboard, D2L and Moodle, most of these are built for schools and Institutes of Higher Learning (“IHLs”) – designed to serve thousands of students studying together in an academic campus.
Are there digital training platforms that are more suited for companies, especially Small & Medium Businesses (“SMB / SME”)?
Let’s look at a few (in alphabetical order):
ArcLab
ArcLab is designed for Deskless Workforces who are usually not seated in an office or have a workstation / computer.
ArcLab is a mobile learning platform that empowers organisations’ HR and L&D managers to easily create, distribute and track training – delivered via email or SMS direct to employees’ mobile phones (and computer browsers) – all without an app. Anytime, anywhere, any language.
Some important aspects of ArcLab:
1. Fuss-free authoring – ArcLab’s module builder has a WYSIWYG (“What you see is what you get”) user interface that Microsoft PowerPoint & Google Slides users will be familiar with, making the learning curve pretty flat. L&D managers can directly embed rich media and add assessment screens as needed, without coding or complicated UX.
2. Multi-lingual modules – ArcLab’s SmartTranslate is an AI-assisted translation feature that empowers creation of modules in multiple languages with just 1 button click. It’s built directly into the ArcLab builder so you don’t need to toggle back-and-forth with your translation app. Learners choose in their first screen which language they are most comfortable with to consume your training. This is an important feature if your learners’ education level or command or language is not high.
Here’s what ArcLab’s customers have to say.
ArcLab is based out of Singapore, featured in Holon IQ’s Southeast Ed Tech 50 for 3 years in a row, and in the GSV Elite 200 – GSV Ventures’ global list of the top early-stage edtech startups.
EdApp
EdApp is a mobile LMS that aims to change how the world learns at work.
EdApp’s thesis is that younger employees’ increasing share of the workforce means establishing agile learning & development. EdApp believes their platform can help companies establish a constantly-improving work culture.
EdApp’s platform includes:
1. Learner Platform – where learners are welcome by a modern learning experience with gamification & real rewards.
2. Administration Tools – giving organisations full control and flexibility to manage and deliver content.
3. Editable Course Library – EdApp’s free library of (editable) courseware designed by global thought leaders and leading industry experts.
4. Authoring Tool – where course managers can design microlessons for learners – no coding required.
EdApp has offices in Australia, the US and the UK.
eduMe
eduMe is a mobile training platform that helps companies to onboard and train deskless workforces, within organisations’ existing technology stacks.
eduMe’s advertised value proposition is to empower organisations’ new joiners to become productive in less time, increase the quality of work and set a base for future performance improvements.
eduMe’s features include:
1. Assessments – for L&D teams to monitor, test and ensure workforce quality
2. Engagement – to give organisations’ workforces a voice and to gather insight
3. Integrations – Embedding training into existing workflows for seamless learning
eduMe encourages businesses to include L&D into organisational initiatives because 84% of workers feel disconnected from their companies (the cost of disengaged workers can be $3.4k for every $10k of salary). Thus, equipping frontline workers with technology is the key to organisations’ success.
eduMe has offices in the UK and the US.
Gnowbe
Gnowbe is a microlearning platform, created to empower content creators, thought leaders and trainers from organisations to build experiential, participatory learning on mobile.
Gnowbe’s platform enables curators to:
1. Create – either using one of their editable templates, or to create a program from scratch
2. Share – preview, publish and share programmes with groups of learners
3. Analyze – gain insight into learners’ performance and progress through the Gnowbe Dashboard.
Gnowbe’s speciality is in mobile-first, group-based experiences, to make it easy for users to learn on-the-go on any device. Gnowbe also has a Learning Library of courses that individual learners can purchase for individual upskilling.
Gnowbe is based in Singapore and the US.
Kahoot!
Kahoot! is a digital quiz engine. The platform has engaging visual interface, and is presented as a “game” where learners answer on their own, or compete by answering questions within a shared session. It is accessible via smartphones as an app, or on computer browsers.
Kahoot! is not designed for the workplace specifically and not particularly as a learning app since knowledge cannot usually be conveyed via the modules. (n/b see this Kahoot! vs ArcLab comparison that one of our users built).
However, Kahoot! is useful to test knowledge that had been taught through other means and its free version has seen widespread adoption in schools (especially for young students) and in-person events – primarily for audience engagement and its gamified experience (countdown timers, scoring etc.). Kahoot!’s recognisable earworm “soundtrack” also helps in its popularity. Kahoot! has also been expanding their family of learning apps through acquisitions.
Kahoot! was founded in Norway in 2012.
TalentCards
TalentCards is a mobile learning product from TalentLMS’s suite of e-learning solutions. It’s a standalone mobile training platform hived off from their LMS solution to work towards addressing deskless workers’ training needs.
TalentCards helps organisations to bring training to frontline workers instead of pulling them away from their jobs for training. Their digital learning format is known as “cards”, which can be implemented in 3 steps:
1. Create card sets with training material
2. Add users to the platform and invite them to download the TalentCards app
3. Share card sets to be accessed from learners’ smartphones.
Any user can also type in a code to join the company portal and access training, available in over 13 languages.
TalentCards is based in Greece and the US.
In Conclusion
There’s no one single best Digital Training platform that fits every business, since no two organisations are the same. We’ve listed the key features of the platforms above so you can consider which could meet your organisation’s needs.
If you employ a Deskless Workforce, e.g. in Food Services, Construction or Retail – it may be ideal to consider a mobile learning system like ArcLab.
This ensures that you work with your staffs’ already-existing devices (their phones), helps you deliver training in the flow of work – and equip them with the skills to help you build a productive and profitable business.
Let’s start investing in our people today!