10 Corporate learning management systems (LMS)

Investing in the skills and knowledge of your workforce is paramount for any organization that wants to stay competitive. A robust learning management system (LMS) makes it easy to deliver, track and report on corporate training initiatives. But with so many enterprise LMS options on the market, how do you choose the best fit for your company's unique needs?

This guide breaks down everything you need to know about corporate learning management systems, including top solutions and key features to look out for. 

What is a corporate LMS? 

A corporate LMS is a software platform used by enterprises and large organizations to deliver online training to employees. The goal of a corporate LMS is to streamline and automate employee development through a centralized hub for creating courses, enrolling learners, tracking progress and generating reports.

While businesses of all sizes can benefit from an LMS, corporate learning management systems are designed to meet the complex needs of larger companies. Compared to an LMS for small businesses, enterprise systems offer advanced features like compliance management tools, extensive reporting capabilities, integration with HR systems, and higher scalability to efficiently train hundreds or thousands of employees across different departments, locations and job roles.

5 benefits of corporate LMS 

Why should your organization invest in a corporate LMS? Let's look at five of the biggest advantages:

1. Enhanced compliance

Many industries have mandatory training requirements around topics like workplace safety, data privacy, diversity and sexual harassment. A corporate LMS software makes it easy to deploy and track completion of compliance training, reducing legal risk. Some even offer pre-built course libraries on common compliance topics. For example, a manufacturing company could use their LMS to automatically assign OSHA safety courses to all new hires and track completions to maintain compliance.

2. Increased employee retention

An old LinkedIn study found that 94% of employees would stay longer at a company that invested in their professional development. An LMS with robust course authoring tools empowers you to create learning paths tailored to different roles and skills, increasing engagement and loyalty.

3. Cost-effective training

Instructor-led training can be expensive and time-consuming, especially in large organizations. By allowing you to create online courses that can be accessed anytime, anywhere, a corporate LMS provides significant cost savings on trainers, classrooms, travel and materials.

4. Improved productivity

Another study found that companies with a strong learning culture are 52% more productive than their peers. An LMS helps you upskill employees and address knowledge gaps more efficiently, leading to better job performance. For instance, a software company could leverage their LMS to train salespeople on a new product, equipping them to demo key features, handle objections and close more deals.

5. Actionable insights

Enterprise LMS reporting provides visibility into metrics like course completions, assessment scores, learner progress and more. This allows you to track training ROI, identify skills gaps and make data-driven decisions about your learning strategy.

5 key features of corporate LMS 

With so many enterprise LMS solutions available, how do you narrow down your options? Here are five essential features to look for:

1. Customizable learning paths

Every employee has unique development needs. Look for an LMS that lets you create personalized learning paths based on an individual's role, skill level and career goals. Customizable paths keep learners engaged by delivering relevant content in a logical order.

2. Robust reporting and analytics

To prove training ROI and make informed decisions, you need an LMS with powerful reporting capabilities. The best enterprise LMS solutions offer visual dashboards and custom reports on key metrics like course completions, learner progress, quiz scores and more. Some even have built-in tools to help you identify skills gaps.

3. Scalability

As your company grows, you'll need an LMS that can scale with you. Ensure the system can handle a high volume of users and data without sacrificing performance. It should also allow you to easily add new courses, users and admins as your training needs evolve.

4. Integrations with HRIS and other tools

Integrating your LMS with your HR information system (HRIS) saves time and improves data accuracy by allowing you to automatically sync employee data, course enrollments, and completions between the two systems. Other important integrations include virtual meeting tools like Zoom or Webex for live training sessions, as well as various third-party content libraries for expanded learning resources.

5. Mobile learning

With remote and hybrid work now the norm, it's important that employees can access training content from anywhere. A mobile-optimized LMS allows learners to complete courses and assessments from their smartphone or tablet, enabling learning to happen in the flow of work. Mobile apps with offline access are especially useful for employees who travel frequently or have limited internet connectivity.

Best 10 corporate and enterprise learning management systems (LMS)

Looking for the best LMS for corporate training? Here are ten top solutions that stand out in the market: 

1. Rippling 

Rippling offers a cloud-based LMS that is natively integrated with its powerful HR platform, enabling organizations to streamline and automate every aspect of employee learning and development.

Key features

• Pre-built compliance courses in 15+ languages
• Custom course creation with videos and quizzes
• Automated enrollment based on employee attributes
• Mobile and tablet-friendly learning
• Certification tracking and reporting

Benefits

• HR, IT, and learning unified for maximum efficiency
• Simplified compliance training administration
• Learning personalized at scale with automation

With Rippling, companies can deliver the right training to the right employees at the right time, all while reducing administrative burden and ensuring a seamless experience for learners and managers alike. The platform's robust content options, intuitive customization tools, and deep HR integrations make it an ideal solution for businesses looking to build a culture of continuous learning and development.

2. SAP SuccessFactors 

SAP SuccessFactors provides a comprehensive HCM suite that includes a learning management module for delivering online training and developing employee skills.

Key features

• AI-driven learning recommendations through talent intelligence hub
• Personalized learning experiences based on individual needs
• Anytime, anywhere learning accessibility

Benefits

• Skills-focused development aligned with future needs
• Automated compliance training management
• Enhanced employee engagement through personalized experiences

3. Absorb LMS

Absorb LMS is an AI-powered learning platform designed for enterprises to train employees, customers, and partners while monetizing course content. Their system emphasizes scalability across different business sizes and use cases.

Key features

• Turn-key content library and course creation
• SCORM and HTML5 content support
• Gamified dashboards and leaderboards

Benefits

• Flexible deployment for different user groups
• Department-level branding options
• Mobile learning with offline access

4. Workday Learning

Workday Learning combines traditional LMS capabilities with a skills-focused learning platform that's built into their broader HR system. It uses Workday's Skills Cloud to align training with career development and business needs. 

Key features

• AI-powered skills intelligence and recommendations
• Built-in compliance tracking
• External learning management for vendors and partners

Benefits

• Learning integrated into daily workflows
• Personalized content based on career goals
• Unified platform for internal and external learners

5. Docebo

Docebo offers another generative AI-powered learning platform that focuses on scalable, automated training delivery. Their system emphasizes configurable workflows and personalized learning experiences for different audience types.

Key features

• Drag-and-drop configuration tools
• Built-in e-commerce capabilities
• Community-driven learning tools

Benefits

• Flexible configuration for different use cases
• Automated administrative workflows
• Data-driven learning insights

6. Adobe Learning Manager

Adobe Learning Manager (formerly Adobe Captivate Prime) is a learning platform focused on delivering personalized training experiences across customer education and employee development. Their platform emphasizes branded learning experiences integrated into websites and apps.

Key features

• AI/ML-powered learning recommendations
• Built-in social learning tools
• Hybrid learning support

Benefits

• Learning journeys personalized for each user
• Detailed progress tracking and reporting
• Access to 86,000+ marketplace courses

7. 360Learning 

360Learning differentiates itself as a collaborative learning platform that empowers in-house experts to create and share training content. Their approach focuses on peer-driven learning rather than traditional top-down training delivery.

Key features

• Expert-led content creation tools
• Interactive peer learning capabilities
• Video coaching for sales teams

Benefits

• Faster course creation and deployment
• Reduced onboarding time
• Democratized content creation

8. Cornerstone LMS

Cornerstone LMS offers an enterprise learning platform that focuses on automated compliance management and personalized skill development. Their system emphasizes scalability and integration with existing HR processes.

Key features

• AI-powered personalized learning paths
• Virtual reality training capabilities
• Built-in content management tools

Benefits

• Training available in 50 languages
• Real-time analytics and reporting
• Centralized content management

9. TalentLMS

TalentLMS provides a straightforward, modern learning platform focused on ease of use and security. Their system is designed to handle both internal and external training needs while keeping implementation simple.

Key features

• Works with SCORM, xAPI, and cmi5
• Gamification tools and leaderboards
• Built-in course library

Benefits

• Fast implementation 
• Scalable for multiple user groups
• User-friendly interface for all skill levels

10. Skilljar 

Skilljar specializes in external training, focusing on customer and partner education. Their platform helps organizations create branded learning experiences to drive product adoption and generate revenue from learning programs.

Key features

• Customizable learning portals with branding options
• Built-in certification system with LinkedIn sharing
• Training monetization and subscription tools

Benefits

• Enhanced customer onboarding
• Detailed training analytics
• Flexible content delivery options

How to choose an enterprise LMS: 5 best practices

Selecting the right corporate LMS software is critical to the success of your training programs. Keep these best practices in mind:

1. Assess your needs

Start by clearly defining your company's learning objectives and requirements. Some key questions to discuss with stakeholders include:

• What types of training are needed (compliance, job skills, leadership development, etc.)?
• Which delivery formats do we need (online, blended, mobile, etc.)?
• How many learners do we need to support?
• What languages should training be available in?
• Which systems do we need to integrate with?

2. Evaluate vendors

Research potential LMS vendors by looking at what their software can actually do and how it matches your needs. Ask for demos to see the system in action, and talk to other companies who use it. Pay special attention to vendors who work with businesses similar to yours in size and industry.

3. Plan for implementation

Think through how you'll actually get the system up and running. You'll need to figure out when to launch it, who will handle the setup, and how you'll move your existing training materials into the new system. Make sure to plan how you'll train your team to use it too—even the best system won't help if people don't know how to use it.

4. Set success metrics

Before launching your new LMS, decide how you'll measure its success. Look at basic metrics like course completion rates and employee feedback, but also track whether the training is actually helping people do their jobs better. This way, you can show the value of your investment and make improvements where needed.

5. Get stakeholder buy-in

Share your plans with company leaders and get their support early on. Explain how the LMS will help achieve business goals and make training more efficient. Their backing will make it much easier to secure budget and resources, and encourage employees to embrace the new system.

How to evaluate the ROI of a corporate LMS in 3 steps

Investing in an enterprise LMS is a significant decision. Here's how to measure the return on investment of a new system:

Step 1: Calculate initial costs

First, tally up the upfront and ongoing costs of the LMS:

• Software licensing fees
• Implementation, setup, and data migration
• Training for admins and users
• Content creation or licensing
• Integration and customization
• Ongoing support and maintenance

Step 2: Measure performance improvements

Next, track the impact of training delivered through the LMS on key performance indicators (KPIs) such as:

• Employee completion rates
• Time spent on training
• Assessment scores
• Compliance completion rates
• Training delivery efficiency
• User engagement and satisfaction

To directly attribute improvements to training, consider comparing KPIs of employees who completed specific courses against a control group that did not.

Step 3: Estimate cost savings

Finally, estimate the cost savings generated by the LMS, such as:

• Reduced training costs by moving from in-person to online delivery
• Time savings for HR/training teams due to automation
• Savings from higher retention (reduced turnover costs)
• Revenue gains from improved employee performance

To calculate ROI, use the formula: ROI (%) = (Estimated LMS benefits ÷ Total LMS costs) x 100

For example, say your LMS costs $50,000 per year. If it could help you save $75,000 in training expenses and generate $30,000 in productivity gains, your annual ROI would be (($75,000 + $30,000) ÷ $50,000) x 100 = 210%

Presenting these ROI figures is key to getting executive buy-in and budget for an enterprise LMS. 

Rippling: Streamline your company's learning journey

Most LMS platforms operate in isolation, creating extra work and data silos. Rippling takes a different approach by integrating learning management with your entire employee system.

With Rippling LMS, you can:

• Automatically enroll employees in required training based on their role, location, or department changes
• Prevent compliance risks by linking certifications to time tracking and system access
• Build custom courses and learning paths that align with career development
• Track everything from a single platform that handles all your employee operations

From onboarding new hires to developing future leaders, Rippling puts your entire training program on autopilot while keeping it connected to your core HR, IT, and payroll systems. 

FAQs on corporate LMS

How secure are corporate LMS platforms?

Enterprise LMS platforms use robust security features like data encryption and secure login systems to protect your training data. Most platforms also offer integration with your company's existing security tools like single sign-on (SSO), and let you control exactly who has access to different parts of the system. For global companies, these platforms are typically compliant with international data privacy requirements.

Are there LMS platforms designed for specific industries?

Yes, many training platforms are built with specific industries in mind. Healthcare organizations often need systems with built-in HIPAA training modules, while manufacturing companies look for platforms with ready-to-use safety courses. The key is finding a platform that comes with the training content and tracking features your industry requires.

What is the difference between academic and corporate LMS?

An academic LMS is designed for educational institutions, with features focused on managing assignments, grades, and student engagement. Corporate LMS systems, on the other hand, are built specifically for employee training as they help companies deliver required training, track professional development, and integrate with HR systems. They focus more on business outcomes and regulatory compliance rather than traditional educational metrics.

This blog is based on information available to Rippling as of January 8, 2025.

Disclaimer: Rippling and its affiliates do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide or be relied on for tax, accounting, or legal advice. You should consult your own tax, accounting, and legal advisors before engaging in any related activities or transactions.