In any industry, continuous learning is essential for businesses to thrive. Without adapting and constant adjustments, stagnation or implosion are inevitable. As a physical security company, you not only have to focus on staying relevant in the marketplace, but your employees have to keep up with and adhere to updated laws, policies, and new skills theories. This may seem overwhelming, but when it's not all on you to learn, inform and enforce, you can focus on what's important to you. 

Benefits of a Learning Management System (LMS)

People want to increase their value and improve their output more than ever. You have the opportunity to tap into this and reap the rewards of your investment by providing a process for them. Some of the benefits of integrating an LMS: 

• Employees who are learning are continually improving their skills and becoming more valuable to the company. You will receive a fluid, measurable ROI without replacing current staff. 
• Credibility for the company - your customers will perceive your guards as higher quality than the competition. They will know that they will not have any accidents or illegal situations due to a lack of training. 
• Increase staying time and decrease turnover - if someone has invested time and energy into something, they are more likely to stay where they are and finish. Employees will also value the investment you've made in them. 
• Increase confidence in your staff - laws are constantly changing, and guards will be more confident if they know they are up to date with all of them. 

With an LMS in place, your work is refined to decide which program works best for your company, initiating transition. If you've been contemplating how to integrate learning opportunities within your company, here are five strategies that will help get you started: 

1. Make Learning a Core Value 

By adding learning to your core values, you immediately start communicating that you value progress and improvement in everything. You will attract people to your organization, making continued education a priority - whether prospective employees, partners, or customers. It's never too late to update your list of what you respect, admire, and want to be known for. 

2. Integrate with Your Hiring Process 

Make it known that a learning plan is incorporated with every position and a company-wide endeavor. People love to see a company investing in its growth in KPIs and its employees' growth simultaneously. Having a plan in place right at the start of their career with your company will set the tone and encourage engagement from that individual. 

3. Incentivize 

Providing incentives, even small ones like recognition within the company, can play a significant role in engagement. Incentives don't always have to be expensive or even money-related. Get creative in supporting your team in becoming better versions of themselves. 

4. Create a Culture of Learning 

Creating and maintaining a learning culture requires continuous measurement and the disciplined use of processes. This can be enforced through management and incentives, but it starts from the top. Make sure all leaders and management are involved and on the same page. There may be some adversity in the integration process, but it will be worth it in the end. 

5. Personalize Training Plans That Are Easy to Follow

When a plan is personalized to an individual, it becomes more than mandatory work; it's seen as an investment and is treated as such. The task of enforcing becomes a process of encouraging and celebrating new growth alongside one another. It also won't seem as daunting if an easy-to-follow plan is already laid out for them. 

Market it! 

You've decided to implement an LMS into your growing company, but you're wondering how you will receive all the benefits if no one knows about it. Well, here's how to market your new LMS: 

• Announce the Decision! You can do this through your social media streams and add it to your website. Don't feel like you have to dedicate a whole page to it, but it is essential to make it known that you value continued education on your digital platforms! 
• Be Bold! Share it with every new contact and customer. Dropping it into the sales pitch or casual conversation goes a long way. Your passion will come through, and people will be happy to know that who they are investing in is growing and expanding. 
• Follow Up! Follow up on your past clients and let them know about the new program you are integrating. It will be another touch and reason to get your name in front of them, but it will also be a great way to confirm that they chose the right company and incentivize them to do so again.

Would you like to learn more about how to implement a Learning Management System in your organization? Watch Thinkcurity's webinar, Harness the Power of Education with Matt Gilley of Intellum and Jeff DeDominico of TrackforceValiant On-Demand today!