As Head of Learning and Development, I used to think our LMS was well organised. There were various courses available, learning paths were neatly structured, and certificates were issued. On the surface, everything seemed to run smoothly. It was only when the company grew that automation in the LMS became essential. I realised that the real challenge was not the content, but the administrative workload behind it. At the time, automation in the LMS felt like a technical extra. Today, I know we would not have been able to manage our learning processes without it.
AUTOMATION IN THE LMS AS I REALISED WE WERE HOLDING OURSELVES BACK
Our LMS was stable, but we were constantly trying to catch up. Whenever new employees started, a small organisational marathon followed. Courses had to be assigned manually. Reminders were sent out by hand. And somewhere, there was still an Excel sheet meant to ensure that no one missed a mandatory training session.
At some point, I jokingly started calling these lists our “shadow administration”. Officially, we had a learning management system. Unofficially, we also relied on multiple spreadsheets, reminder emails and personal post-its.
As the company grew, the problem became increasingly obvious. We had an LMS, yet many processes were still handled outside the system. At some point, I found myself asking a question many HR professionals will know: why are we not automating these processes? If we already use an LMS, why should people continue doing tasks that the system could take care of?
WHY WE NEEDED TO AUTOMATE E-LEARNING
With every new location, our learning organisation became more complex. New roles emerged, additional mandatory modules were introduced, and suddenly I had to keep track of several hundred learning assignments.
Manual processes worked well until they didn’t. A missed training session, a late reminder or a duplicate assignment might not have been critical, but they still cost time and trust.
I realised that automating E-LEARNING is not about convenience; it is essential for enabling learning to scale.
As organisations grow, their learning needs increase too. New employees must be onboarded faster, regulatory training has to be properly documented, and managers expect clear visibility of progress and qualifications.
Our LMS was, in principle, able to handle all of this. The issue was not the system itself. The issue was that we were still managing many processes manually.
THE MOMENT WHEN GLOBAL TEACH® FLOW CAME INTO PLAY
The turning point came when we explored GLOBAL TEACH® Flow in more detail. The idea behind it was surprisingly simple: no new platform, no second system, but an extension of our existing LMS.
GLOBAL TEACH® FLOW promised to enable automation in the LMS through rule-based processes. Instead of initiating individual actions, we defined rules.
For the first time, I had the feeling that automating e-learning was not just a concept but something that could be put into practice.
It all began with an initial workshop as part of the Swissteach Impulse Centre. At first, I was not entirely sure why a consultant needed to clarify with us in advance which processes and workflows we should address. After all, we thought we already knew where the real issues were. But we were wrong. By the end of the one-day workshop, it was clear that while the issues we had identified were important, we had overlooked the fact that adjacent departments also had legitimate requirements and observations. That day at the Impulse Centre led to a key realisation: if we wanted a sustainable and effective solution, we needed to involve all stakeholders.
And that is exactly what we did afterwards. A few weeks passed during which we held numerous internal discussions and coordination meetings. This was demanding at times, but it helped sharpen our focus on the key issues. We were able to consolidate these and provide them to the process experts at Swissteach.
The result: an automated solution that satisfied all stakeholders and met their individual requirements. It was the first major success in the context of automation, and it was far from the last.
WHAT AUTOMATION IN THE LMS CHANGES IN PRACTICE
The changes became noticeable surprisingly quickly. Onboarding processes started automatically as soon as new employees were added to the HR system. Changes in roles triggered new learning paths without anyone having to think about it.
Reminders also became reliable. Instead of writing individual emails, a clear reminder and escalation process ran in the background.
Another advantage became apparent in the area of certificates and documentation. In the past, we regularly checked lists to ensure that all records were complete. Today, much of this is recorded automatically in the system. Automating an LMS does not mean replacing people. It means designing processes so that they run reliably.
AUTOMATION OF E-LEARNING IN EVERYDAY WORK
In day-to-day work, one change stands out above all: a sense of calm. Previously, I was constantly checking individual steps. Now, I can focus more on developing content.
Managers automatically have visibility of their teams’ learning status. Errors due to missed steps or duplicate assignments happen far less often. Many processes now run smoothly without active intervention.
This stability is exactly what makes the difference. When processes run reliably, it creates space for strategic questions: what content do we need, and which competencies should we continue to develop?
And I am not alone in this. Everyone who was involved at the very beginning, discussing direction, interests and approaches, now finds themselves in a position that makes everyday work easier. This is not just a perception; it is backed by data and measurable results from our LMS reporting, marking our second major success.
WHAT WE UNDERESTIMATED
Of course, not everything worked perfectly from the start. One important insight emerged quickly: automation only works with clear rules. If processes were unclear beforehand, automation does not automatically improve them. On the contrary, they simply run faster.
We therefore needed to establish some basic principles:
- Automation requires clear responsibilities
- Poorly defined processes are not improved by automation
- Workflows should be built step by step
- Clear priorities help reduce complexity
Swissteach supported us in developing exactly this structure. Instead of redesigning the entire system straight away, we started with the most important processes, such as onboarding and mandatory training. Looking back, this step-by-step approach was the key success factor.
WHY LMS AUTOMATION IS A STRATEGIC DECISION
Today, I see automation in the LMS as a central component of modern learning organisations.
Automation saves time and increases compliance reliability, as training is documented consistently. At the same time, it helps maintain consistent standards across departments.
However, another effect is particularly important: automation makes growth predictable. When new locations are established or TEAMS grow, learning processes do not need to be reorganised each time.
MY VIEW TODAY ON GLOBAL TEACH® FLOW
When I look at our LMS today, it almost feels like a different system. It used to be mainly a tool for managing courses. Now, it is a platform that actively supports processes.
GLOBAL TEACH® Flow has not only improved our speed, but also brought a much higher level of structure.
Many processes that were once managed manually are now automated. The system detects events, starts learning paths and documents progress.
Today, our automated LMS is the foundation for ensuring that learning and development work reliably, are scalable and remain transparent. And as a side effect, automating our LMS has also saved me a considerable number of Excel spreadsheets, which I honestly don’t miss.
Got curious?
If you would like to explore how automation in the LMS can be implemented in practice with GLOBAL TEACH® Flow, get in touch with us.