Marta Pereira (Palladium Hotel Group): ‘Social learning tools help us to detect talent or potential in the company’.

Factor Humano interviewed Marta Pereira, Head of eLearning and Digitalization at Palladium Hotel Group, on the occasion of the report published in issue 6 of Factor Humano Magazine on trends in LMS platforms.

What type of LMS platform does your company use?

We use the Totara Learn platform. It is an Open Source platform which allows us to have flexibility and robustness but adding tools and functionalities more focused on a business training model. Although Totara has New Zealand origins, it currently has an international presence and has a multitude of partners dedicated to its distribution and implementation. In our case, we chose a Spanish company (Actua Solutions) for the implementation and development of the platform.

What were the key points for your company when selecting such a platform?

When selecting the platform, we look at the following key aspects:

– Flexibility and customizability: we were looking for a platform that would adapt to our needs and the different profiles of our organization. Our goal here was to avoid overly rigid systems that result in both the company and the end users having to adapt to the platform, rather than the other way around, as is appropriate.

– Usability and responsive format: at Palladium Hotel Group we have a wide variety of positions and profiles, both in terms of work and digital skills. For this reason, we needed an LMS that would accommodate this variety. In addition, it was essential for us that it was designed from a mobile friendly perspective, since access from mobile devices has a very relevant weight in our organization.

– Possibility of integration with other systems: we needed the platform to give us the possibility of integrating it with our ERP to automate user management processes and replicate our organizational structure.

– Autonomy: the ease of management of our LMS allows us to be practically autonomous in its administration, so we do not depend on third parties for our daily work.

What were your main objectives in implementing the LMS platform?

Our main objectives were the centralization of training management, the automation and optimization of management processes and to have a system that would allow us to make different modalities and formats compatible.

What different uses do you have for the LMS platform?

We use the platform for all our training plans that are delivered online. We have different programs that are integrated into our annual training plan and are defined according to our strategic plan and the training needs detected. Right now, we are working on the following:

– Mandatory training: we provide online training, whenever the training requirements allow it, in compliance programs that are linked to the different job positions, such as, for example, occupational risk prevention.

– Job training: these are courses or programs directly linked to certain jobs and aimed at improving our customers’ experience (service standards, luxury standards, etc.).

– Transversal training: in this category we include all training that is freely and voluntarily accessible to employees and deals with various subjects such as languages, office automation, soft skills, etc.

– Training linked to the strategic plan: lastly, we have training plans that support and reinforce the company’s strategic lines, such as our Lean methodology implementation projects or our cultural evolution project, The
Palladium Way.

What social learning tools do you use within the platform and what advantages do they bring?

Our platform has forums to share doubts or generate conversations on specific topics. In addition, we have communities of practice to work on specific projects. This type of tool allows us to put the employees at the center of their learning processes, since it is they themselves, with their ideas and contributions, who develop the topics or projects to be worked on. In addition, these social learning tools help us to detect talent or potential in the company and value the knowledge of our employees.

How is the content structured within the LMS platform?

We do not have a single model. The structure of our courses varies depending on the type of training. We have microlearning courses, which are made up of different modules of short duration, others with longer modules, which incorporate self-assessment tests and quizzes, etc. We select and define the contents and tools to be used according to the objectives of the training, its subject matter and the people to whom it is addressed.

What percentage of your training content is gamified?

In almost all of our online trainings we try to incorporate some element of gamification, as we believe that it is a motivating factor for participants and helps to improve the engagement of the courses. We use from basic strategies such as rankings or badges that are obtained by achieving certain objectives, to serious simulation games to develop soft skills.

What kind of formats are available on the platform? Which are the most successful?

We work with a variety of formats depending on the type of training and its objectives. In general, the formats we use the most are multimedia content modules in SCORM, videos and supporting graphic documents such as infographics, concept maps, etc. In terms of evaluation, we usually work with self-evaluation instruments, tests and level tests that the participant can carry out independently. Lately, after the success of this format during the confinement period, we are also working on webinar training. The latter, along with videos, are the most successful formats in our satisfaction surveys.

What are the evaluation criteria your company uses on the platform?

We usually use the following criteria:

– Connection time: for those courses that are subsidized through Fundae, participants must reach at least 75% of the total duration of the training.

– Pass rate: we usually use this criterion for self-training courses. Participants must complete 100% of the mandatory activities for the training to be considered successful.

– Qualification: in addition to the completion of the activities, participants must achieve a passing grade in the final evaluation test.

Do you have a flat rate or do you pay per course/employee?

We have paid for the initial implementation of the platform and, in addition to this, we pay an annual maintenance fee that varies according to the number of active users in the system.

Is the LMS platform integrated with other external systems?

The platform is currently integrated with our ERP, which allows us to automate user management processes and replicate our organizational structure. In addition, it has integration with Microsoft Teams for managing and delivering webinars, video conferences, etc.

What trends do you think this sector will follow in the future?

I think the main trend will be customization. Increasingly, users are demanding training that is tailored to their needs and characteristics, and also adapts to their work and life rhythms. In this sense, I believe that microelearning is key and that technologies such as artificial intelligence or machine learning will help us to develop increasingly adapted and specific training plans.

If you want to read the full report on trends in LMS platforms published in issue 6 of Factor Humano Magazine, YOU CAN DOWNLOAD IT AT THIS LINK.