Get the leading LMS for Microsoft 365 ....for free Take advantage of the LMS365 freemium licence offer and experience first hand the benefits of working with a learning platform that's [...]
LEARNING EXPERIENCE SOLUTIONS Combined LMS & LXP for the Modern Workplace Build on Microsoft 365, Teams & Microsoft Viva Learning stay at the forefront of workforce development. Request a quoteSchedule [...]
Overview Learn in the flow of work By delivering training content that’s embedded in your day-to-day office systems, and accessible across all core platforms, learning becomes convenient and collaborative, and […]
As part of its advanced security services, Microsoft lets you set up a Simulated Phishing Attack that’s linked with online training. This is a great service that’s part of the […]
Learning & Learning Management in the Flow of Work For many hybrid workers, learning has become something you do by logging into a separate eLearning platform and working in isolation. […]
Effective training is not a one-size-fits-all scenario. Each employee has unique needs, competencies, and career aspirations, and ensuring the relevant courses, learning pathways or certifications are made available is not […]
Training in the fire service is critical for everyone: from fire fighters through to Chief Fire Officers, operational and non-operational staff, and of course, on-call team members, who crew 60 […]
Delivering digital learning in the Flow of Work with a Microsoft 365-based & mobile learning experience We recently delivered a Microsoft 365-based Learning Management System (LMS) for a large UK […]
Discover how NHS Informatics built on its Microsoft investment to deliver a secure learning portal for its health and care partners NHS Informatics Merseyside provides digital services and IT support […]
The ‘need for speed’ has always been essential in today’s highly competitive world, and the pandemic has called for even greater pace and agility as businesses seek to adapt – […]
Leading Business Advisory Consultancy Adopts Learning Management Platform for Microsoft Office 365 to Support Highly Distributed Teams A globally distributed advisory consultancy that helps drive environmentally friendly economic regeneration was […]
A user group is a great platform for you to share your feedback & ideas and make new & valuable connections with professionals working in the same area.
We are thrilled to unveil an exciting update from our esteemed partner, LMS365, who have recently re-branded as Zensai.
LMS365 – now Zensai – are industry leaders in learning, engagement and performance and offer the only human success platform built for Microsoft 365.
Essential’s relationship with the company started 5 years ago, when we introduced LMS365, their learning management system for Microsoft 365 to our UK customer base.
The platform has gone from strength to strength and now includes support for driving employee development, engagement, and performance...all from within Microsoft 365.
Powered by AI and designed for optimal productivity in enterprises that have invested in Microsoft technologies, Zensai offers a unique proposition: learning, development and engagement in the flow of work.
The suite of Zensai solutions now includes:
Learn365. Develop skills according to roles and interests, track certification compliance and accelerate onboarding.
Engage365. Ensure people feel valued and engaged with a framework for regular employee check-in, coaching, and recognition.
Perform365. Give employees clarity on expectations and provide managers with tools to support and coach their teams to perform at their highest potential.
Each of these elements can be surfaced from within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, including Teams, SharePoint, Viva, Outlook and a mobile app. This offers many benefits, including:
A great end user experience – there’s no separate system to log into or learn
Peace of mind for the IT team– the platform leverages existing security measures
Convenience for L&D professionals – resources such as Teams video footage, applications for co-authoring learning content, support for virtual training, etc. is all ‘baked in’ and readily available.
The combined Zensai and Essential proposition is enabling enterprises throughout the UK to rapidly deploy learning and development programmes – both to employees and external partners.
Our esteemed customers span all sectors including the police, local government, healthcare, recruitment, energy, education and more.
Delivering these solutions from within Microsoft 365, Teams, SharePoint, Viva and Outlookis the key to success for the organisations we work with.
Charles Ross, senior account manager, Essential
See it for yourself!
Book your personalised demo today with Essential and discover how Zensai, in partnership with Essential, can help you unlock employee potential and performance.
Discover the power of learning and development delivered in Microsoft 365.
Get the leading LMS for Microsoft 365 ....for free Take advantage of the LMS365 freemium licence offer and experience first hand the benefits of working with a learning platform that's [...]
LEARNING EXPERIENCE SOLUTIONS Combined LMS & LXP for the Modern Workplace Build on Microsoft 365, Teams & Microsoft Viva Learning stay at the forefront of workforce development. Request a quoteSchedule [...]
Overview Learn in the flow of work By delivering training content that’s embedded in your day-to-day office systems, and accessible across all core platforms, learning becomes convenient and collaborative, and […]
As part of its advanced security services, Microsoft lets you set up a Simulated Phishing Attack that’s linked with online training. This is a great service that’s part of the […]
Learning & Learning Management in the Flow of Work For many hybrid workers, learning has become something you do by logging into a separate eLearning platform and working in isolation. […]
Effective training is not a one-size-fits-all scenario. Each employee has unique needs, competencies, and career aspirations, and ensuring the relevant courses, learning pathways or certifications are made available is not […]
Training in the fire service is critical for everyone: from fire fighters through to Chief Fire Officers, operational and non-operational staff, and of course, on-call team members, who crew 60 […]
Delivering digital learning in the Flow of Work with a Microsoft 365-based & mobile learning experience We recently delivered a Microsoft 365-based Learning Management System (LMS) for a large UK […]
Discover how NHS Informatics built on its Microsoft investment to deliver a secure learning portal for its health and care partners NHS Informatics Merseyside provides digital services and IT support […]
The ‘need for speed’ has always been essential in today’s highly competitive world, and the pandemic has called for even greater pace and agility as businesses seek to adapt – […]
Leading Business Advisory Consultancy Adopts Learning Management Platform for Microsoft Office 365 to Support Highly Distributed Teams A globally distributed advisory consultancy that helps drive environmentally friendly economic regeneration was […]
A user group is a great platform for you to share your feedback & ideas and make new & valuable connections with professionals working in the same area.
It was great to be back at Learning Technologies 2024. It was a full event space with what felt like thousands of attendees, all keen to see the latest innovations in the ever-expanding learning space.
The other great thing was that we got to see the show from ‘the other side of the fence’. Let me explain:
In previous years we’ve attended in the capacity of an exhibitor alongside our partner LMS365 (recently renamed to Zensai) but this time I took the opportunity to visit the show as a ‘regular Joe’ attendee.
Experiencing the event this way gave me the opportunity to discover first-hand the sales pitches and ‘futures messaging’ from myriad different vendors. In some cases the sales tactics and approaches were refreshing – others were a reminder of how not to do it!
Armed with my hypothetical learning need, I spoke with many friendly sales folk that were eager to showcase their platform, and sat through many seminars.
This is what I learned:
The Importance of Addressing User Challenges
Amidst the flashy features and promises of greatness, something seemed to be missing: a genuine conversation about my actual needs and how their tech could solve them.
It was like all the L&D tech vendors were singing their own praises without bothering to ask what tune I wanted to hear.
This reminded me that effective learning tech isn’t just about bells and whistles; it’s about understanding the real struggles that organisations face.
Whether it’s streamlining onboarding processes, fostering remote collaboration, or enhancing skills development, the focus should be on understanding and addressing the needs of those that use the system.
In other words, it’s not enough to have a fancy platform; the crucial aspect of a great L&D tech solution is customer-centricity. For example, offering a learning solution that maps squarely onto wider business needs and providing the support, guidance, and training to help customers get the most out of the platform.
AI in Learning: Everyone’s Talking About It (But Use it Where it Makes Sense)
Now, let’s talk about AI. Every vendor at the show was trumpeting their AI capability.
Using AI to streamline content creation and, for example, automatically generate quizzes is something our customers are actively using to save time. AI can be particularly good at providing plausible multiple-choice answers. We always advise checking that the ‘bot’ hasn’t gone off on a flight of fancy.
Using AI to deliver a better personalised learning experience, and, for example, target bite-sized learning, is also something AI is positioned to help with. Many concerns over privacy were raised in the various seminars I sat through, however:
“With AI processing all our data to tailor our learning experiences, who’s making sure our information stays secure?”
Other red flags included:
Cost: “Will AI functionality have a big impact on licence prices?”
Job displacement: “Will AI leave L&D professionals out in the cold?”
We predict there will always be a need for in-person content creation and assessing, as well as human-led training, mentoring, coaching.
Perhaps AI should be used better utilised to make in-person training happen more readily.
For instance, imagine receiving automatic notifications when your designated coach or team members are planning an in-person visit to the office. This feature could ensure that valuable face-to-face interactions are maximised
There are also other practical ways to target and ‘surface’ relevant training without the risks and potential added expense of using AI.
Learning is Still About Humans
As we reflect on lessons and insights gained from Learning Technologies 2024, it’s clear that we need to find a balance between innovation and empathy.
Technology should make our lives easier, not just dazzle us with fancy features, such as immersive learning that leverages VR.
We must prioritise understanding the unique challenges faced by organisations and individuals, offering solutions that are not just technologically advanced but also address the needs of humans.
Similarly, as AI continues to reshape the learning landscape, let’s keep the conversation open and honest: let’s harness the transformative potential of AI while mitigating its potential drawbacks.
So, here’s to a future where learning technology isn’t just about the tech—it’s about the people using it. Let’s keep the dialogue going, keep asking the tough questions, and keep pushing for tech that works for us, not against us.
Discover the power of learning and development delivered in Microsoft 365.
Get the leading LMS for Microsoft 365 ....for free Take advantage of the LMS365 freemium licence offer and experience first hand the benefits of working with a learning platform that's [...]
LEARNING EXPERIENCE SOLUTIONS Combined LMS & LXP for the Modern Workplace Build on Microsoft 365, Teams & Microsoft Viva Learning stay at the forefront of workforce development. Request a quoteSchedule [...]
Overview Learn in the flow of work By delivering training content that’s embedded in your day-to-day office systems, and accessible across all core platforms, learning becomes convenient and collaborative, and […]
Learning & Learning Management in the Flow of Work For many hybrid workers, learning has become something you do by logging into a separate eLearning platform and working in isolation. […]
Effective training is not a one-size-fits-all scenario. Each employee has unique needs, competencies, and career aspirations, and ensuring the relevant courses, learning pathways or certifications are made available is not […]
Training in the fire service is critical for everyone: from fire fighters through to Chief Fire Officers, operational and non-operational staff, and of course, on-call team members, who crew 60 […]
Delivering digital learning in the Flow of Work with a Microsoft 365-based & mobile learning experience We recently delivered a Microsoft 365-based Learning Management System (LMS) for a large UK […]
Discover how NHS Informatics built on its Microsoft investment to deliver a secure learning portal for its health and care partners NHS Informatics Merseyside provides digital services and IT support […]
The ‘need for speed’ has always been essential in today’s highly competitive world, and the pandemic has called for even greater pace and agility as businesses seek to adapt – […]
Leading Business Advisory Consultancy Adopts Learning Management Platform for Microsoft Office 365 to Support Highly Distributed Teams A globally distributed advisory consultancy that helps drive environmentally friendly economic regeneration was […]
A user group is a great platform for you to share your feedback & ideas and make new & valuable connections with professionals working in the same area.
As part of its advanced security services, Microsoft lets you set up a Simulated Phishing Attack that’s linked with online training.
This is a great service that’s part of the Microsoft 365 E5 or Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 2 and it basically allows you to ‘spoof’ an email phishing attempt to test how vigilant your end users are.
Anyone that ‘falls for’ your fake attack is automatically presented with an email that links to online cybersecurity training, the idea being to help stop it happening ‘for real’ next time.
Below is an example of an email sent to me when I intentionally failed the attack. Note it has been edited to include training hosted in our LMS for Microsoft 365, LMS365.
This ability to provide precise and timely training where it’s needed is an invaluable asset in protecting your organisation from potential cyber threats and breaches.
By default the online training is supplied from Microsoft Partner, Terranova security, and the tracking of this training is managed under the auspices of the IT team (or your designated Security and Compliance team).
But what if you already have Cybersecurity training in your LMS, and your learning and development team wants to be responsible for tracking progress?
This is how to manage targeted Cybersecurity training in your learning management system (LMS):
First signpost this article to your IT team and get them to familiarise themselves with this Microsoft service*.
Next, establish:
Who will be the target people/groups for the test ‘attack’?
What will the best LMS training course(s) be?
To signpost the Cybersecurity training in your LMS (instead of the default training), your IT team will need to edit the default email notification (see example email above) and add a custom LMS URL using these instructions.
Alternatively, if you wish to manage training end to end within your LMS, simply get your IT team to configure the service not to take any action and instead generate a list of who fails the attack.
See example report below.
You can then use this information as the basis for enrolling people into the relevant training in your LMS and tracking their progress from there.
Happy phishing!
*PS – If you don’t have the E5 or Microsoft Defender subscription there’s a 90 day free trial you can take advantage of.
Get the leading LMS for Microsoft 365 ....for free Take advantage of the LMS365 freemium licence offer and experience first hand the benefits of working with a learning platform that's [...]
LEARNING EXPERIENCE SOLUTIONS Combined LMS & LXP for the Modern Workplace Build on Microsoft 365, Teams & Microsoft Viva Learning stay at the forefront of workforce development. Request a quoteSchedule [...]
Overview Learn in the flow of work By delivering training content that’s embedded in your day-to-day office systems, and accessible across all core platforms, learning becomes convenient and collaborative, and […]
As part of its advanced security services, Microsoft lets you set up a Simulated Phishing Attack that’s linked with online training. This is a great service that’s part of the […]
Effective training is not a one-size-fits-all scenario. Each employee has unique needs, competencies, and career aspirations, and ensuring the relevant courses, learning pathways or certifications are made available is not […]
Training in the fire service is critical for everyone: from fire fighters through to Chief Fire Officers, operational and non-operational staff, and of course, on-call team members, who crew 60 […]
Delivering digital learning in the Flow of Work with a Microsoft 365-based & mobile learning experience We recently delivered a Microsoft 365-based Learning Management System (LMS) for a large UK […]
Discover how NHS Informatics built on its Microsoft investment to deliver a secure learning portal for its health and care partners NHS Informatics Merseyside provides digital services and IT support […]
The ‘need for speed’ has always been essential in today’s highly competitive world, and the pandemic has called for even greater pace and agility as businesses seek to adapt – […]
Leading Business Advisory Consultancy Adopts Learning Management Platform for Microsoft Office 365 to Support Highly Distributed Teams A globally distributed advisory consultancy that helps drive environmentally friendly economic regeneration was […]
A user group is a great platform for you to share your feedback & ideas and make new & valuable connections with professionals working in the same area.
Learning & Learning Management in the Flow of Work
For many hybrid workers, learning has become something you do by logging into a separate eLearning platform and working in isolation.
But, if like many other enterprises, you’ve made Microsoft Teams a core part of your hybrid working strategy, learning can be made a much more intuitive, engaging, and collaborative experience.
Introducing LMS365 (now known as Learn365) – the learning management system for Microsoft Teams that offers many benefits for learners, L&D professionals and line managers.
This video shows you how learning and learning management can look when delivered ‘inside’ Microsoft Teams.
Get the leading LMS for Microsoft 365 ....for free Take advantage of the LMS365 freemium licence offer and experience first hand the benefits of working with a learning platform that's [...]
LEARNING EXPERIENCE SOLUTIONS Combined LMS & LXP for the Modern Workplace Build on Microsoft 365, Teams & Microsoft Viva Learning stay at the forefront of workforce development. Request a quoteSchedule [...]
Overview Learn in the flow of work By delivering training content that’s embedded in your day-to-day office systems, and accessible across all core platforms, learning becomes convenient and collaborative, and […]
As part of its advanced security services, Microsoft lets you set up a Simulated Phishing Attack that’s linked with online training. This is a great service that’s part of the […]
Learning & Learning Management in the Flow of Work For many hybrid workers, learning has become something you do by logging into a separate eLearning platform and working in isolation. […]
Training in the fire service is critical for everyone: from fire fighters through to Chief Fire Officers, operational and non-operational staff, and of course, on-call team members, who crew 60 […]
Delivering digital learning in the Flow of Work with a Microsoft 365-based & mobile learning experience We recently delivered a Microsoft 365-based Learning Management System (LMS) for a large UK […]
Discover how NHS Informatics built on its Microsoft investment to deliver a secure learning portal for its health and care partners NHS Informatics Merseyside provides digital services and IT support […]
The ‘need for speed’ has always been essential in today’s highly competitive world, and the pandemic has called for even greater pace and agility as businesses seek to adapt – […]
Leading Business Advisory Consultancy Adopts Learning Management Platform for Microsoft Office 365 to Support Highly Distributed Teams A globally distributed advisory consultancy that helps drive environmentally friendly economic regeneration was […]
A user group is a great platform for you to share your feedback & ideas and make new & valuable connections with professionals working in the same area.
Effective training is not a one-size-fits-all scenario.
Each employee has unique needs, competencies, and career aspirations, and ensuring the relevant courses, learning pathways or certifications are made available is not an easy task.
This is especially the case for bodies such as the UK blue light services and local authorities, each of which have a very wide range of ranks, roles, and positions in their organisational structures.
To target training as accurately as possible, companies that use learning management systems (LMSs) are keen to sync up with the data in their human resources information system (HRIS) – also known as Human Capital Management (HCM) systems.
This makes total sense:
The HR function is typically the first to know when someone gets recruited or promoted, what their department is, their specific role, who their line manager is, and so on.
Your HR team is likely to be using the concept of groups in its HRIS to simplify things: Groups are a handy way to segment and manage subsets of people based on their business units, level, department, location, interests, and more.
In fact, because HR data is so accurate and well-organised, many organisations use their HRIS as the thing that drives the provisioning, updating and (critically) the de-provisioning of digital identities in systems like Microsoft Entra ID.
Previously called Azure Active Directory, Entra ID is what the IT function uses to govern the systems and data users can access.
So how can you target the right people with the right training using data from your HRIS?
Here are three ways:
Syncing Via CSV Files
Synchronising data by uploading and extracting data (usually in comma separated value (CSV) files) is a convenient way to exchange data between systems.
Most platforms have some sort of manual CSV import/export capability that can be used to add, amend, or delete user records.
For example, let’s say you wanted to useLinkedIn Learning, and to target learning content based on the different roles that exist in your HRIS.
To do this you would need to export data fields into a CSV file from your HRIS according to the LinkedIn Learning template.
Along with firstname, lastname, etc, your CSV would need to include:
A unique user ID – LinkedIn Learning relies on a learner’s email address as a unique identifier.
A Group, if any, that the learner is in.
As discussed earlier, your existing Groups in your HRIS might reflect existing teams, departments, cohorts, or whatever you currently use to categorise your workforce.
In LinkedIn Learning you can then recommend (assign) selected learning collections, learning pathways and custom content to the people according to their Group membership (they might be a member of several Groups).
LinkedIn provides a template to show you what information you need to export from your HRIS and in what order.
You may wish to review or manipulate your data before upload. Microsoft Excel is a great tool to use here.
This is just an example of using CSV files with LinkedIn Learning. Most LMS systems support a CSV upload approach, but with any CSV upload scenario, consider the following:
Check what happens if you leave fields blank. Will it leave whatever is already there untouched or delete it?
You will need a reliable and common way to match user records – i.e., a unique ID. Firstname and Lastname is often not enough. In the LinkedIn Learning example, the enterprise email address is used.
Ideally you need a way of rolling back the results of a CSV upload in the event of a problem.
Some form of automation is desirable.
Frequency of uploads. If you are using CSV exports from your HRIS to provision or shut down digital accounts, reliance on a manual, CSV-based procedure that may be subject to delays or human error may be a risky strategy.
Syncing Using Direct API Calls
An API, or Application Programming Interface, is a set of rules and protocols that allows one system to access (request) the functionality or data of another.
Most modern systems have a published API, but you’ll need to be prepared to get some bespoke integrations done.
When it comes to linking your HRIS with your LMS you may in fact be looking at syncing data in two directions:
Pulling information about Group membership changes from your HRIS
Pushing information into your HRIS about the certifications and competencies that have been achieved in the LMS.*
Depending on the frequency with which changes are made, and the nature of the change, this syncing might need to be run hourly or daily to ensure up-to-date information. Some APIs provide ‘webhooks’ or event notifications that can trigger actions in your software when specific events occur.
If frequent or real-time updates are important when enrolling users into new learning pathways, a high-frequency or triggered sync may be required.
By comparison, an update that relates to attained certifications and/or competencies might only need to take place once a week.
*Note that the ‘responsibility’ for making the API requests may be driven from your HRIS rather than your LMS, so that sensitive data can be fully protected.
Syncing LMS, HRIS, Payroll & other LOB Apps Via Microsoft Entra
If your HRIS, LMS and other systems such as Payroll, etc, are each configured to synchronise with Entra ID (formerly Active Directory), you can use Entra ID as the ‘go-between’ or common ground.
Microsoft Entra offers off-the-shelf support for HRIS platforms like Workday and SuccessFactors. The LMS we work with, Learn365 (previously LMS365), also has native support for Microsoft Entra ID Groups.
For other HR, LMS, Payroll platforms that don’t offer native support for Entra ID you can now also leverage a standard called SCIM (system for cross-domain identity management).
The key things you need to watch out for when synchronising via Entra ID are:
Your HR/Learning groups need to map into relevant Entra ID Groups
Any additional data that you wish to synchronise must be defined in the Entra directory schema
Good examples of this additional data in the context of synchronising HRIS and LMS might be ‘certifications’ or ‘mentors’.
Neither of these attributes are part of the default Entra ID schema and will therefore have to be created as custom or ‘extension’ attributes, otherwise they won’t have a slot via which to synchronise.
Imagine a scenario where a new sales representative joins your organisation.
In your HRIS this individual may be allocated to a ‘Sales Group’ and perhaps a ‘New Start’ group, this information would then get synchronised into your LMS and initiate the following sequence:
Their learner profile is automatically created in the LMS
They get enrolled (or given access to) the relevant training for sales personnel and general onboarding.
As the individual progress, the individual may be promoted into ongoing synchronisations will reflect promotions, role changes, and therefore new training courses and pathways options would be assigned.
Any certifications or competencies they achieve along the way will be synchronised into their employment records.
This capability can be achieved using CSVs, direct API requests, or by synchronising using something like Entra ID as the ‘common ground’.
For example, our Learn365 learning management platform can synchronise with HRIS (e.g., HiBob, Oracle’s Cloud HCM, Workday) and Payroll systems (such as COINS and iTrent) to update key information in ‘both directions’, using either direct APIs or by syncing via Entra AD.
It also provides ready-made triggers into Power Automate that facilitate flows to be run on course completions without the need for a regular scheduled sync.
In Learn365 you can also use Microsoft Teams membership as the basis for enrolment into training. This is handy as it means line managers can determine who is part of a Team, without relying on the IT team (or a synchronisation) to make changes in Entra ID.
If your organisation is already using Microsoft Entra ID, taking this route can offer a streamlined and well-supported solution that leverages the familiarity and robustness of the Microsoft ecosystem.
And, if you have several systems you need to keep in sync, each of which supports Entra ID, this might reduce the bespoke APIs requests that need to be developed, or manual CSV file juggling that needs to be carried out, thereby offering a more future-proof solution as your needs evolve.
Learning Management Solutions built on Microsoft 365
For more information about the power of syncing HR data with your LMS
Get the leading LMS for Microsoft 365 ....for free Take advantage of the LMS365 freemium licence offer and experience first hand the benefits of working with a learning platform that's [...]
LEARNING EXPERIENCE SOLUTIONS Combined LMS & LXP for the Modern Workplace Build on Microsoft 365, Teams & Microsoft Viva Learning stay at the forefront of workforce development. Request a quoteSchedule [...]
Overview Learn in the flow of work By delivering training content that’s embedded in your day-to-day office systems, and accessible across all core platforms, learning becomes convenient and collaborative, and […]
As part of its advanced security services, Microsoft lets you set up a Simulated Phishing Attack that’s linked with online training. This is a great service that’s part of the […]
Learning & Learning Management in the Flow of Work For many hybrid workers, learning has become something you do by logging into a separate eLearning platform and working in isolation. […]
Effective training is not a one-size-fits-all scenario. Each employee has unique needs, competencies, and career aspirations, and ensuring the relevant courses, learning pathways or certifications are made available is not […]
Delivering digital learning in the Flow of Work with a Microsoft 365-based & mobile learning experience We recently delivered a Microsoft 365-based Learning Management System (LMS) for a large UK […]
Discover how NHS Informatics built on its Microsoft investment to deliver a secure learning portal for its health and care partners NHS Informatics Merseyside provides digital services and IT support […]
The ‘need for speed’ has always been essential in today’s highly competitive world, and the pandemic has called for even greater pace and agility as businesses seek to adapt – […]
Leading Business Advisory Consultancy Adopts Learning Management Platform for Microsoft Office 365 to Support Highly Distributed Teams A globally distributed advisory consultancy that helps drive environmentally friendly economic regeneration was […]
A user group is a great platform for you to share your feedback & ideas and make new & valuable connections with professionals working in the same area.
Training in the fire service is critical for everyone: from fire fighters through to Chief Fire Officers, operational and non-operational staff, and of course, on-call team members, who crew 60 per cent of all UK fire engines.
Of course, a great deal of fire and rescue training is hands on: Working with ladders, hoses, breathing apparatus, and so on.
There is, however, an increasing amount of ‘desk based’ training that wraps around the practical drills and that needs to be maintained on a regular basis.
‘Conventional’ classroom and distance training can also help support career progression in the fire service. For example, management training.
Being able to deliver this content through remote sessions and on-demand eLearning is particularly useful when recruiting from different locations and fitting around a busy and sporadic work schedule.
This is where a Learning Management System (LMS) can help.
An LMS is a valuable tool for ensuring that firefighters are well-prepared, properly trained, and up to date with the skills and knowledge needed to respond effectively to emergencies.
Operational and non-operational, and on-call (retained) staff have different learning and competency needs, and Fire Services need flexibility in the way that learning and performance is managed, to meet those needs fairly and equitably.
Some of the key considerations for the fire service we hear about include:
Enabling learning in day-to-day applications
With both operational and non-operational staff typically interacting with Microsoft 365 in some capacity, especially Teams and Outlook, the need to minimise switching between and signing into separate applications is key to saving time and maximising engagement with eLearning. Using a system which integrates with existing Intranets, and which uses Outlook calendars, Teams means fewer barriers to learning.
Supporting learning on the move
Operational staff need to access training in different ways to non-operational staff. Similarly on-call staff need more flexibility to fit in training when they can.
The ability to securely access training on a personal mobile device or tablet and complete it even whilst not connected to a network is a useful feature.
Reporting on and tracking progress
Operational management bears the responsibility for crew safety.
Watch, Station, and Group Commanders require quick access to track progress in mandatory competencies to ensure alignment with objectives and standards. They must ensure their teams adhere to both local and national guidelines, making clear, visual progress displays imperative.
An ideal LMS should automate the presentation of this data, eliminating the need for laborious Excel spreadsheet work. The ability to use pre-built and customisable dashboards is a crucial feature.
Staff should also clearly be able to see progress against their own training plans, be reminded of deadlines and certification renewals, and identify what they need to complete to achieve qualifications.
Tracking practical training alongside eLearning
A great deal of fire and rescue training is hands on: Safe working at height, working with pumps and breathing apparatus, and so on.
Your LMS should therefore support assessments of practical training that are tracked alongside associated eLearning and classroom-based components.
This might also include the recording of assessments of practical work alongside desk-based training.
Optimising training delivery
With fire and blue light services needing to maximise the value of any investment in technology, it makes sense to ensure that anything that can be automated, should be.
For example, ensuring that staff are automatically presented relevant learning material for their role and development path, based on their role. L&D/HR teams should not need to spend valuable time ensuring staff are enrolled into suitable development paths.
Linking with related systems
Services need the flexibility to integrate with their HRIS (such as HiBob and Firewatch) to ensure staff are aligned with appropriate learning pathways automatically based on their role, progression requirements and interests.
There might also be the need to synchronise content from your LMS back into your HRIS or payroll system (e.g., iTrent), such as the competencies and certifications earned.
If you’re a Microsoft-centric organisation, built in support for Entra ID (Azure AD) Groups and Teams may also be important to you.
Introducing the LMS built for Microsoft 365
Discover how an LMS built for Microsoft 365 enterprises can support the learning needs of fire and blue light services.
Get the leading LMS for Microsoft 365 ....for free Take advantage of the LMS365 freemium licence offer and experience first hand the benefits of working with a learning platform that's [...]
LEARNING EXPERIENCE SOLUTIONS Combined LMS & LXP for the Modern Workplace Build on Microsoft 365, Teams & Microsoft Viva Learning stay at the forefront of workforce development. Request a quoteSchedule [...]
Overview Learn in the flow of work By delivering training content that’s embedded in your day-to-day office systems, and accessible across all core platforms, learning becomes convenient and collaborative, and […]
As part of its advanced security services, Microsoft lets you set up a Simulated Phishing Attack that’s linked with online training. This is a great service that’s part of the […]
Learning & Learning Management in the Flow of Work For many hybrid workers, learning has become something you do by logging into a separate eLearning platform and working in isolation. […]
Effective training is not a one-size-fits-all scenario. Each employee has unique needs, competencies, and career aspirations, and ensuring the relevant courses, learning pathways or certifications are made available is not […]
Training in the fire service is critical for everyone: from fire fighters through to Chief Fire Officers, operational and non-operational staff, and of course, on-call team members, who crew 60 […]
Delivering digital learning in the Flow of Work with a Microsoft 365-based & mobile learning experience We recently delivered a Microsoft 365-based Learning Management System (LMS) for a large UK […]
Discover how NHS Informatics built on its Microsoft investment to deliver a secure learning portal for its health and care partners NHS Informatics Merseyside provides digital services and IT support […]
The ‘need for speed’ has always been essential in today’s highly competitive world, and the pandemic has called for even greater pace and agility as businesses seek to adapt – […]
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A user group is a great platform for you to share your feedback & ideas and make new & valuable connections with professionals working in the same area.
You can read more here, but it would appear that instead of the ‘generic’ results to a FoIA act request , the original data source used was shared openly, by accident.
The constant threat of human error leading to data breaches has heightened the importance of educating employees about their roles and obligations concerning GDPR and security protocols.
This is now more crucial than ever due to several reasons:
Heightened Vulnerability: Even a single, unintentional mistake can compromise sensitive personally identifiable information (PII) and lead to potentially disastrous consequences for the individuals concerned.
Legal and Reputational Impact: Data breaches can lead to legal consequences and reputational damage.
Evolving Threat Landscape: Cybercriminals are continually adjusting their strategies to obtain personal and sensitive information.
Remote Work Challenges: With the rise of remote work, the traditional security perimeter has expanded.
Are we missing the obvious ways to prevent data privacy beaches caused by human error?
If you look at the typical Data Protection Policy you’re likely to see an ‘Actions’ section which outlines the steps an organisation is taking to train its workforce in online privacy and security measures, but might we be missing out on the fundamental training that’s right in front of us?
What I’m getting at is the value of offering ‘common sense advice,‘ like:
Attachments: Be Mindful! – Take care when attaching files to emails. Amid numerous locations (both desktop and online), it’s easy to choose the wrong one. Check before pressing send.
Email Recipients: Think Twice! – Exercise caution when cc’ing or bcc’ing recipients. For example, Outlook’s auto-suggestions can lead to unintended outcomes.
Screen Sharing: Be Alert! – When sharing your screen during a video call, ensure you’re not displaying sensitive information. It’s easy to accidentally reveal more than intended, especially in platforms like Teams.
Sometimes, it’s the simplest things that can make the biggest difference. These practical reminders can help prevent data mishaps and bolster our overall security efforts.
How can organisations keep on top of their security and GDPR education remit?
An effective approach to ensuring your workforce is as ‘genned up’ and diligent as possible is to have a reliable mechanism for regularly and demonstrably educating your workforce:
By this I mean:
Automatically updating individuals on policy updates and their roles and responsibilities in upholding these policies.
Delivering bite-sized training with the kind of common sense tips outlined above.
Being able to issue reminders to individuals who haven’t engaged with these updates.
Enabling those responsible for compliance to track progress.
Having a system that enables your organisation to prove due diligence in keeping its workforce informed.
This is easily achieved with a Learning Management System (LMS) – especially one that puts training directly ‘in front’ of learners in their day-to-day work. It’s also one of the simplest yet most common use-case that our Microsoft-centric LMS (LMS365) is used for.
Even simple PDF policy documents can be published with a ‘’Read and Understood” check box – and if required, a quiz to check understanding.
In essence, recent data leaks underscore the critical need for ongoing education and awareness among employees.
An LMS can be used to capture confirmations that an individual has ‘read and understood’ a policy.
Example of a simple quiz that can be used to further check understanding.
Conclusion
By prioritising education on GDPR and security, and not overlooking good common sense advice, organisations can empower their workforce to act as a line of defence against data breaches and security lapses.
Whether or not such a system would have helped prevent the PSNI data debacle is up for debate. While you can guide individuals, ensuring their actions comply is another matter.
However, by using such a system, you can rest assured your organisation has played a proactive part in fostering a culture of responsibility and preparedness, and in doing so, hopefully reduced the risk of similar incidents.
Discover how an LMS can help you keep up to date with your policy and security updates.
Speak with one of our experts to see how we you can quickly, easily and demonstrably update your workforce on policies and procedures.
Get the leading LMS for Microsoft 365 ....for free Take advantage of the LMS365 freemium licence offer and experience first hand the benefits of working with a learning platform that's [...]
LEARNING EXPERIENCE SOLUTIONS Combined LMS & LXP for the Modern Workplace Build on Microsoft 365, Teams & Microsoft Viva Learning stay at the forefront of workforce development. Request a quoteSchedule [...]
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A user group is a great platform for you to share your feedback & ideas and make new & valuable connections with professionals working in the same area.
Classroom-based training has always been considered the best option ‘hands down’ for personal networking, motivation, and experiential learning.
The energy of the classroom environment, the in-person guidance of an expert instructor, and the opportunity to interact with peers create a unique and effective learning experience that online courses can’t replicate.
In fact, professions like construction, healthcare, and hospitality heavily rely on on-the-job training to teach essential skills, use equipment, and interact with customers or patients in real-life situations.
Online learning undeniably has its own advantages, however. It offers flexibility, convenience, and cost-effectiveness, and it’s an excellent option for reinforcement and ongoing education. As a result, most organisations aim to manage and track a blended learning approach that combines traditional classroom teaching with online courses and tests.
But how do you keep track of all the logistical and administrative tasks involved in managing in-person training alongside online learning?
This is where a Learning Management System (LMS) comes in. An LMS can automate several tasks, streamline reporting and analysis, and provide a seamless experience for learners and trainers alike.
This article looks at the ways in which an LMS can help you manage a blend of classroom based and online learning
How an LMS Can Help You Manage Classroom-Based Learning
Running a physical training course is a multi-step process that requires careful planning and execution.
Assessing Training Needs: First up, you need to assess the training needs of your learners and identify any knowledge or skill gaps that need to be addressed.
Designing the training course: Once you have a clear understanding of what needs to be covered, you can move on to designing the course content, supporting materials and structure.
Scheduling: Of course, you can’t run a training course without a date, time, and location. This means scheduling the training course and booking any necessary facilities such as presentation equipment, seating arrangements, and catering.
Promotion: You also need to promote your training options and make sure your learners know when and where they can attend.
Managing Registrations: Next up is managing enrolment and handling registrations. This can involve a lot of administration, including handling payments, waitlist management, and sending joining instructions with details on accommodation and transport.
Course Delivery: When it comes to delivering the course, you need to register attendance, distribute course notes, and collect completed tests and feedback forms.
Assessing Outcomes: Once it’s all over, it’s time to assess the outcomes of the training course and evaluate the learners’ performance. This involves a lot of data input and number-crunching to measure the impact of the training and ensure that it meets the desired outcomes.
Fortunately, an LMS can help automate many of these logistical and administrative tasks, making the whole process smoother and more efficient. With an LMS, you can streamline reporting and analysis, ensuring that you have all the data you need to evaluate the success of your training course. So why not take advantage of the many benefits an LMS can offer and make your training course an even greater success?
How LMS365 Helps Administrate Blended Learning
LMS365, the learning management system for Microsoft 365, can ease the management and tracking of in-person training in the following ways:
Defining Your Course: LMS365 lets you:
Create and describe a ‘classroom only’ course
Schedule one of more course dates and enrolment deadlines
Assign instructors
Specify costs
Host any online elements that will be used to support your course including existing PowerPoints, Word documents or PDFs
Create tests, quizzes and feedback forms and organise everything into the required sequence.
Booking Training Rooms: Integration with Microsoft 365 room booking capabilities means that training organisers can book their training rooms at the same time as scheduling their course. If applicable, simply clicking a Teams meeting option allows attendees to ‘dial in’ using Teams video conferencing.
Promoting Your Training Course: LMS365 offers a wide range of options for promoting your training to the right audience:
Correctly tagged and categorised, your course can be showcased on the relevant pages of your company intranet or a dedicated L&D portal in Microsoft SharePoint.
You can surface your course in the relevant Microsoft Teams or channels.
A course catalogue lets learners search and filter based on their training needs.
A training calendar view shows upcoming courses.
An automated onboarding sequence can include your course when someone new joins.
Courses can also be assigned by line managers or automatically promoted to delegates in accordance with their role.
Managing Enrolments: LMS365 allows you to manage enrolments with the ability to set a maximum number of attendees that can be accommodated and automatically manage a waiting list.Students can enrol on their preferred date or register their interest subject to line manager or training administrator approval. All approved enrolments are maintained centrally and if there are any messages to send, or you need to cancel your course, it’s easy to get in touch.
Automating Joining Instructions: Training organisers can automatically send any instructions for attendees such as hotel accommodation, location maps, dress code, health and safety instructions, and so on. Additionally, any preliminary work required can be sent for completion or review prior to the course date.
Keep Instructors Updated: Often the person delivering a course is not responsible for course management. They may even be external to your organisation. LMS365 allows those responsible for leading course delivery to be kept updated with course arrangements and registrations.
Attendance Tracking: LMS365 allows you to generate a unique QR codes for your training session. Simply display it ‘on-screen’ or stick a printout to the classroom door for learners to scan using their mobile device.
Alternatively, instructors can register attendance in LMS365 by checking off the names of learners who are present.
Hosted Coursework: The coursework and assessments accompanying any training course can be delivered via Microsoft Teams or LMS365 mobile app and surfaced at the relevant times for completion.
Collecting Assignments & Tests: LMS365 gives delegates the opportunity to submit coursework. It also automatically captures the results of any accompanying tests and quizzes. This eliminates the need to spend hours creating reports manually and dealing with paper trails.
Gathering Feedback: Capturing feedback from staff/learners in any organisation can be the most useful way to determine if the training being delivered is successful and/or worth the investment from the business. LMS365 includes tools for creating and conducting surveys and evaluations to gather feedback.
Classroom-based delegates can be emailed feedback requests following attendance registration (see above). To expedite completion, LMS365 lets you make feedback a mandatory part of the training course. This means the student will not receive their certificate, skill or completion status until the feedback is provided.
Again, chasing up and collating feedback is something that can be overwhelming to do manually.
Supervised Assessments: Sometimes learners might be required to complete a manual task ‘outside of the classroom’ that needs to be assessed by a supervisor. LMS365 allows assessments to be specified as required, with notifications going to the person completing the task, and to the assigned supervisor(s). Course completion is dependent on the course work being approved.
Data Analysis: With LMS365, all data collected can be measured to assess learner progress, ensure that training programs are effective and that improvements are sustained over time.
It can also provide insights into learner behaviour and performance, and ensure that professional development, as well as business and compliance goals are met.
For example, the latter might mean ensuring certain certifications are achieved and kept up to date to meet the demands of external, regulatory bodies.
Conclusion
While online and virtual training has become more common in recent years, in-person training remains a valuable part of professional development.
By using an LMS to manage in-person training course registrations, as well as gather and measure feedback and results, training course administrators can save time, reduce paperwork, and provide a more convenient and streamlined registration process for their learners.
Organisations also benefit from being able to report on and analyse all aspects of their training programs: face-to-face, online and hybrid, all within a single, integrated platform.
This oversight will also help you make conclusions about which form of learning is working best for your workforce and business as a whole.
Learning Management Solutions built on Microsoft 365
For more information or a demonstration of how LMS365 manages classroom-based training, get in touch.
Get the leading LMS for Microsoft 365 ....for free Take advantage of the LMS365 freemium licence offer and experience first hand the benefits of working with a learning platform that's [...]
LEARNING EXPERIENCE SOLUTIONS Combined LMS & LXP for the Modern Workplace Build on Microsoft 365, Teams & Microsoft Viva Learning stay at the forefront of workforce development. Request a quoteSchedule [...]
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A user group is a great platform for you to share your feedback & ideas and make new & valuable connections with professionals working in the same area.
Essential is pleased to announce that its learning management system, Learn365 (previously known as LMS365), supports the NHS Microsoft shared tenant.
What is the NHS Microsoft shared tenant?
The NHS Microsoft shared tenant is a collaborative platform created by Microsoft and the NHS to provide a secure and reliable cloud-based infrastructure for health and social care organisations in the UK.
Each of the four countries that make up the UK has its own separate healthcare IT systems and infrastructure. For example, in Wales, the NHS operates under the oversight of the Welsh government, which manages a separate national health and social care IT program known as “Digital Health and Care Wales” (DHCW).
Often referred to as N365, the shared tenant platform offers favourable licencing for a wide range of Microsoft Office 365 productivity tools. This includes access to email (via the shared @nhs.net email service), calendars, document sharing, and collaboration tools including Teams and SharePoint.
In addition to licence savings, another huge benefit is that security features such as advanced threat protection, multi-factor authentication, data loss prevention, and encryption are already ‘baked into’ and in fact, mandatory, in the shared tenant.
This helps healthcare organisations reduce the admin overheads of complying with strict security and data protection requirements that surround patient information.
What are the benefits of using Learn365 within the Microsoft 365 platform?
Learn365 is the only LMS that has been developed to run within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
Given that many NHS bodies have now adopted Microsoft 365 – and specifically Microsoft Teams to support remote working during the pandemic – being able to build on this environment offers many compelling advantages.
Learn365 offers all the features of a fully-fledged LMS, including the ability to track the assessment and grading of practical training elements (not just eLearning).
Let’s take a closer look at some of the other elements that make Learn365 the ideal choice when you have Microsoft 365:
By embedding learning into Teams and SharePoint, and not requiring users to proactively logon to a separate portal, learning becomes a daily habit and less of a ‘chore’.
With Learn365, training courses can be associated with Teams, individuals can make recommendations and tips about training in Teams chat and support each other, subject matter experts can offer help over convenient Teams video calls….
In short, everything learners need to support their learning journey is available using their day-to-day Microsoft 365 environment – with no need to look elsewhere.
It’s built on a great platform for learning delivery and student collaboration
Teams has proven itself to be a powerful platform for video conferencing and collaboration.
It’s an ideal vehicle via which L&D managers can deliver training courses in real time, as well as record video content for on-demand training.
An LMS that’s embedded in Teams also means that learners can benefit from using Teams chat and ad hoc video calls to support their learning efforts.
Read more about the benefits to the healthcare sector of using an LMS that builds on the Microsoft 365 ecosystem
Microsoft integration can ease the task of managing role-based learning
Keeping on top of who has access to what, who has switched departments, and who has recently joined the organisation is a fundamental aspect of managing security and access rights in Microsoft 365.
When it comes to managing role-based training, Learn365 gives L&D managers the option to leverage existing Microsoft groups and Team memberships to automatically align learners with specific courses and training programmes.
You get inbuilt security
By layering on top of Microsoft 365, Learn365 automatically benefits from the underlying security infrastructure and settings in the Microsoft 365 NHS shared tenant.
This includes operating securely within a shared Microsoft 365 tenancy (see next point).
Is Learn365 secure in a shared Microsoft 365 tenant?
Yes. As you can imagine, any application that works in a shared tenant environment must ensure that each tenant occupant can only access their own resources and data.
This can be achieved through a variety of methods, including the use of permissions and authentication protocols.
For example, one common approach is to use Microsoft Azure Active Directory (now Entra ID) to manage user identities and access to resources.
Entra ID enables the creation of multiple directories within a single tenant, which can be used to segregate user accounts and resources for different tenant occupants.
By using these and other security measures, apps such as Learn365 can be used within a shared Microsoft tenant while still maintaining the security and privacy of each tenant occupant’s learning records and learning resources.
Learn365
Whether you use the NHS shared tenant, your own tenant, or a mixture of both, get in touch for more information on Learn365
Get the leading LMS for Microsoft 365 ....for free Take advantage of the LMS365 freemium licence offer and experience first hand the benefits of working with a learning platform that's [...]
LEARNING EXPERIENCE SOLUTIONS Combined LMS & LXP for the Modern Workplace Build on Microsoft 365, Teams & Microsoft Viva Learning stay at the forefront of workforce development. Request a quoteSchedule [...]
Overview Learn in the flow of work By delivering training content that’s embedded in your day-to-day office systems, and accessible across all core platforms, learning becomes convenient and collaborative, and […]
As part of its advanced security services, Microsoft lets you set up a Simulated Phishing Attack that’s linked with online training. This is a great service that’s part of the […]
Learning & Learning Management in the Flow of Work For many hybrid workers, learning has become something you do by logging into a separate eLearning platform and working in isolation. […]
Effective training is not a one-size-fits-all scenario. Each employee has unique needs, competencies, and career aspirations, and ensuring the relevant courses, learning pathways or certifications are made available is not […]
Training in the fire service is critical for everyone: from fire fighters through to Chief Fire Officers, operational and non-operational staff, and of course, on-call team members, who crew 60 […]
Delivering digital learning in the Flow of Work with a Microsoft 365-based & mobile learning experience We recently delivered a Microsoft 365-based Learning Management System (LMS) for a large UK […]
Discover how NHS Informatics built on its Microsoft investment to deliver a secure learning portal for its health and care partners NHS Informatics Merseyside provides digital services and IT support […]
The ‘need for speed’ has always been essential in today’s highly competitive world, and the pandemic has called for even greater pace and agility as businesses seek to adapt – […]
Leading Business Advisory Consultancy Adopts Learning Management Platform for Microsoft Office 365 to Support Highly Distributed Teams A globally distributed advisory consultancy that helps drive environmentally friendly economic regeneration was […]
A user group is a great platform for you to share your feedback & ideas and make new & valuable connections with professionals working in the same area.
Is your organisation using Microsoft Teams to support collaboration and remote working? By introducing a learning management system (LMS) that builds on this platform, you can turbo-charge your eLearning initiatives. Here’s how:
Key advantages that integrating your learning with Microsoft Teams can offer include
Instead of using an LMS that requires the user to ‘switch context’ to a separate portal when they want to access learning, by embedding learning into Microsoft Teams, you can address one of the key challenges of training: lack of engagement on the part of the learner.
By putting relevant learning into the relevant Team or channel, learning is seamlessly available ‘in context’ and can be consumed in smaller, more memorable chunks. It also means that learning becomes a daily habit and less of a ‘chore’.
See what learning in Microsoft Teams looks like to learners & L&D professionals
A collaborative approach to learning for staff, contractors and partners
Integration with Microsoft Teams provides wrap-around collaboration services such as chat and video calls, enabling users of the system to benefit from a collaborative approach to learning.
For example, learners can recommend training courses they found useful to co-workers, and ask for input from colleagues and instructors if they ‘get stuck’.
Convenient content creation
Those responsible for generating content can work with familiar tools such as PowerPoint, Word, Microsoft Forms and Sway. They can also take advantage of co-authoring of documents and presentations to create learning matter.
Easy management of role-based training memberships
Being able to tailor the learning experience for each individual or role within an organisation can significantly ease the onboarding process and accelerate learning progress. Managing these different roles and groups, however, can create a large administrative overhead.
An LMS designed for Microsoft 365 can minimise the administrative overheads involved with role-based learning with services that include:
Enrolment onto role-based learning pathways and/or separate learning catalogues according to existing group membership.
Automatically triggering an onboarding sequence when an individual is added to Microsoft Active Directory or a Team.
For more information on using Microsoft Groups to manage role based learning see this article
Secure delivery of training to external/partner organisations
Microsoft 365 guest accounts allow external users to securely access resources within your Microsoft Teams, SharePoint sites or Groups without licence penalty.
For example, you can invite a partner to participate in a Teams partner training channel, giving them access to relevant information and chat with other learners.
You can also take advantage of Microsoft Power Automate to automatically send new partners a welcome message and other notifications, for example, when new training is added.
If you’d like to discover more about LMS365, the LMS specifically designed for Microsoft 365, Microsoft SharePoint sites and Teams, get in touch and we will organise a demo.
Learning Management Solutions built on Microsoft 365
Allow our experts to help guide you to select the best LMS for your enterprise