Summary:

Modern work has become flexible, remote, and fast-changing—and employee learning must keep pace. Employees now expect ongoing growth opportunities that are accessible anywhere, anytime. To select the best learning system, follow our guide below to understand the key features to look for, use cases, and evaluation criteria that define the modern LMS.

What Do Modern Learners Need?

Learners expect continuous training and growth opportunities, so much so that Deloitte research shows that workers confident in their growth path are 3.3x more likely to stay at their current employer for the next 12 months.

An integrated learning platform—one that combines the strengths of an LMS (Learning Management System), LXP (Learning Experience Platform), and skills development system—provides the solution organizations need to meet this new learning landscape.

What Are The Top LMS Features?

An LMS should do more than deliver training content. Integrated learning platforms built for a complex enterprise offer personalization, insightful data reports, and flexibility so that learners and managers can interact with training materials whether at home, in the office, online, or offline. Here are the top LMS features to look for:

1. One Platform, Multiple Learning Audiences

A single solution that unifies the best of LMS, LXP, and skills development platforms empowers organizations to create highly customized and specialized learning pathways for all learning groups across multiple use cases.

2. Configurable Hubs

The employee learning system should offer configurable hubs that streamline the user experience. Hubs can be created for compliance, product training, sales enablement, and employee development initiatives. The features within each hub can also be specially selected to serve that audience, improve efficiencies, and make training more relevant and effective.

3. Extensible Architecture

Through integration with third-party applications, like Salesforce, Slack, and Microsoft Teams, the LMS ensures that learning is embedded into an employee’s daily work routines. This promotes continuous learning without leaving their daily tools, enabling learners to receive training updates, share knowledge, and access learning content directly within their high-traffic workspaces.

4. Personalized Content

Research has found that companies experience a 17% increase in productivity and a 21% boost in profitability when employees receive targeted training. By analyzing data on learner behavior, preferences, and skill gaps, the employee training solution should provide learners with AI-driven content recommendations that align with their unique learning needs.

5. AI Native Capabilities

McKinsey research in 2025 found that 92% of companies plan to increase their investments in AI over the next three years. This is why it’s essential to look for an LMS that’s specially built for AI. Look for capabilities like Generative AI for rapid content generation, intelligent coaching, and real-time support to scale learning. Users should also be able to leverage natural language capabilities so they can ask for the information and data they need in plain language, like, “Which departments completed the most training this month?”

How Do Companies Use an LMS?

Organizations use learning management platforms for different enterprise audiences and training goals, which requires finding a solution that’s flexible yet robust enough to handle a variety of needs. Here are the common kinds of employee development programs at a large organization:

1. Employee Training

Covers onboarding, skills development, and compliance. According to McKinsey, the best employee training is targeted and “meets learners where they are, offering a variety of virtual and in-person programs tailored to remote and hybrid workforces.”

When targeting employees, it is important to keep in mind that they want to be engaged with their LMS and are ultimately aiming to learn, grow, and upskill, so be sure to choose the LMS that can best suit their learning needs and boost employee retention.

2. Customer Training

TSIA found that customers who receive effective training are 92% more likely to renew their subscriptions. Clearly, providing customers with knowledge about products or services not only helps them succeed but also strengthens brand loyalty. Choosing the right LMS for your customers can foster trust between them and your business and increase sales and visibility in the process.

3. Partner Training

Partner training ensures distributors, resellers, or channel partners share accurate product information and align with your company’s standards. These individuals need to be properly equipped to represent your company accurately and effectively through deep knowledge of your products, services, and offerings.

4. Sales Enablement

Sales enablement equips sales teams with product knowledge, negotiation skills, and scenario-based learning so they can sell effectively. A digital LMS platform will not only educate them on what they’re selling, but how to sell it so that both the customer and your business benefit.

5. Compliance Training

Compliance training is all about delivering mandatory, industry-specific training and tracking completion to meet regulatory requirements. It’s non-negotiable in many industries, and the right LMS helps companies keep thorough records to adhere to standards and pass any compliance audits that arise.

6. Onboarding Programs

According to BambooHR, employees who have an effective onboarding experience feel up to 18x more committed to their workplace. Onboarding training is a great way for new employees to understand the scope and requirements of their new position with your company. This will often include important resources to help support them in their new role.

What’s the Difference Between an LMS, LXP, and Skills Platform?

• LMS (Learning Management System): a software application for assigning and tracking courses, measuring employee compliance, and getting both a close-up and bird’s-eye view of a company’s overall training performance.
• LXP (Learning Experience Platform): an educational tool, like an LMS, but geared more toward the learner, enabling them to pick and choose from available courses more than they are assigned.
• Skills Platforms: a platform that allows organizations to strategically upskill their employees and shape their future workforce.

Today’s enterprise LMS blends all three systems. An integrated learning platform—that combines not only the features of an LMS and LXP, but a skills development platform too—fosters a learner-centric approach, making learning engaging, relevant, and enjoyable while enabling organizations to align their learning initiatives with strategic business objectives and talent development goals.

For many companies, crafting an engaging L&D experience requires both the administrative side that an LMS offers and the learner-driven experience that an LXP offers. (We have kept this in mind at ExpertusONE and created an enterprise LMS platform that combines the best of both worlds.)

How Can You Compare LMS Platforms Effectively?

When evaluating LMS software, you need to identify who you train, the gaps in current systems, and essential features like AI or gamification to match needs. To help, here are some questions to ask yourself and your team:

1. Who are we training?

Employees? Partners? Customers? All of the above? Each group has different needs and preferred learning styles, so knowing who you are trying to reach will help you decide how best to provide them with the tools they need to succeed.

2. What are your current challenges?

Whether your pain points are low engagement, disorganized content, or poor reporting, the right LMS should have the capability to alleviate these ailments. For example, are you finding yourself limited on time, disorganized, or concerned about delivering the proper training requirements, regulations, and information? Try using an LMS with an AI or one that automatically manages compliance training metrics.

3. What learning gaps exist?

Are you finding that your learners aren’t satisfied or that there are growing skills gaps in your business? Find an LMS that allows for synchronous meetings inside the platform or offers gamification to encourage healthy competition.

How to Choose an LMS: A Step-by-Step Guide

An effective LMS should simplify your current process and create a positive, intuitive learning experience across audiences.

1. Identify Your Training Needs

First, define who you are training and why. Determine if your teams are office-based, remote, or global, and assess any recurring issues like low retention or outdated content. Consider a platform that can boost knowledge retention with interactive content and enables you to do this with an in-platform content creation studio.

2. Evaluate Scalability

Ensure that the learning platform will grow with your organization. Ensure it supports additional users, content types, and future expansion, such as customer education or e-commerce training.

3. Review User Interface and Experience

The right platform should be natural and intuitive to use so learners can focus only on the information being delivered and completing their training, rather than getting distracted by technical difficulties.

4. Assess Content Management

Check compatibility with different formats—video, interactive modules, or live sessions. The platform should make updating and versioning easy. ExpertusONE does this with a rapid-authoring tool and “complex versioning” capabilities.

5. Consider Integrations

An LMS platform is part of your larger tech stack, and it should play nicely with others. Identify the integrations you may need based on current enterprise systems. To manage training effectively, you’ll want to look for an LMS that seamlessly integrates with HR, CRM, and CMS platforms.

6. Check the Reporting and Analytics

Data is crucial for training. Make your life easier (and your program stronger) by choosing an LMS that offers reporting and analytics capabilities within the app. Look for real-time reporting, customization features, data visualization, progress tracking, and an easy-to-use interface.

7. Examine Administrative Controls

Training managers are a crucial part of the overall success of your L&D program. Make sure that your technology serves them well. Understand the administrative features of the LMS, including but not limited to user management, role-based permissions, automated notifications, and AI features.

8. Review Learning Path and Certification Management

Assess the LMS’s ability to create and manage learning paths and curricula, as well as completion certifications, badges, and more. This is crucial for compliance management so that you can meet industry standards and provide accurate reports.

9. Evaluate Vendor Support and Training

Ask about the vendor’s onboarding process, training resources, and ongoing support. Will you get a dedicated customer success manager? How quickly are support tickets resolved? Strong customer support, especially if you require deep customization, often separates successful deployments from failed ones.

10. Understand Pricing and Cost Structure

Compare pricing models—subscription, per-user, or one-time licensing—and account for potential maintenance costs and implementation fees.

Succeed in the New World of Work

Learning is central to this new workplace. Today’s employees are self-motivated learners who value autonomy. Enterprises that invest in an LMS that suits their needs and solves their top learning program challenges will empower their teams to grow and perform, leading to more successful and thriving learning organizations.

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Key Takeaways