Learning Management Systems and Talent Management Systems play very distinct, and yet, slightly intersecting roles in an organization’s growth. Both these systems have one common attribute. They have been designed to work around employees of an organization, although their function is vitally diverse. Let’s take a look at 5 differences between Learning Management and Talent Management Systems.

Defining quality

A Learning Management System (LMS), by definition, is an application that manages, deliver, documents, reports, and tracks e-learning training programs and courses. It is a powerful tool that helps an organization’s workforce to continue to learn and evolve outside of a traditional learning system.

A Talent Management System (TMS) is an application that assists in qualifying candidates, managing talent, and human resource retention within an organization. It is a powerful tool, which focuses on supplementing an organization strategically to accomplish its long-term business objectives in terms of human capital or talent.

Functionality

An LMS is a complete and standalone software application that helms learning, skill enhancement, and employee growth in every organization. Some of its important functions are:

• Enrolling and Administration
• Course and Content Delivery
• Training Management (scheduling, analyzing, tracking, etc.)
• Skill Gap Analysis
• Individual Development Plan (IDP)
• Assessing and reporting
• Resource Management
• Virtual Organizations
• Performance Management System Integration
• Certification

A TMS is an integrated software application that provides integrated or disparate modules in the areas of human resource or capital management. Some of its functions are:

• Talent Recruitment/Acquisition
• Goal Management
• Performance Management
• Learning Management
• Compensation Management
• Career Growth
• Succession/Replacement Planning

Features

Some features of LMSs are:

• Study offline
• Organize virtual conference sessions with multiple learners simultaneously
• Online whiteboard for instructors and learners to create and share information real time
• Sell courses online and receive payment through integrated processors like PayPal
• Multiple device (smartphones, desktop and laptop pcs, tablets, etc.) usage
• Exchange data using, SCORM, Tin-Can, etc.
• Use personal branding and custom themes for interface
• Add or remove custom plugins

Some features of TMSs are:

• Integrate with various social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter
• Incorporate source analytics to the software and track all the channels that candidates use to reach an organization
• Basic functions include resume tracking, onboarding, training approvals, performance scorecards and reviews, incentive planning, etc.
• SaaS applications
• Recruitment and management of contingent labor such as freelancers, independent vendors, project-based contract workers, consultants, etc.

Foundation

An LMS has its foundation in learning and skill enhancement. It manages complex databases combined with the digital frameworks for curriculum management, training and course material, and tools of analysis and evaluation. This kind of application enables everyone to create, manage, track, and/or distribute course content of any kind.

A TMS is based on the four pillars of talent management: recruitment, learning, performance, and compensation. Its recruitment software helps the HR team to find, source, and engage with potential candidates before competitors do. A TMS’ corporate learning software aims to develop an organization’s employees to their optimum potential. The application’s performance software includes more people, managers and peer, in the review process to understand more accurately about an employee’s skills. The compensation software automates remuneration tasks and reduces manual labor. This decreases the scope for errors and highlights rewards and recognition visibility.

Users

Multiple people use an LMS in every organization. Authors create e-learning content and detailed modules. Team leaders/managers identify the team members who require skill enhancement or those who are capable of learning new skills. Learners are the employees who have been selected by their managers or team leaders to learn a new skill or sharpen an existing one. Administrators are responsible for enrolment, registration, and management of learners.

Comparison: