Compare HSI with Skillsoft
Compare HSI with Skillsoft
Trying to decide between HSI and Skillsoft? At HSI, we want to help you with the decision to source your eLearning content. There are some key differences between the two companies and their solutions, and we feel it’s important for you to know what those differences mean in terms of content and overall offerings.
If you haven’t scheduled a personal demo to see HSI’s content library, we encourage you to do so! Also, check out HSI’s Employee Training Buyer’s Guide, which will help you choose the employee training solution that is right for your company.
Below are numerous differences that may help you decide between HSI and Skillsoft.
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Why HSI?
HSI has one of the largest single-source training content libraries for workplace safety and professional development, with more than 5,000 courses and a team of experts to support businesses throughout their journey. HSI provides integrated eLearning content, training solutions, and cloud-based software designed to enable your business to improve safety, operations, and employee development.
HSI produces award-winning training content for over 23k clients in 71 countries. 18M+ courses are completed annually. Clients include Amazon, Coca-Cola, Disney, Google, AAA, Kelly Services, Kraft, and McDonald’s.
The quality of a provider cannot be judged by the number of courses. Any provider can grow their library by reselling various videos from other companies and layering them within their LMS. The keys to any online training are accuracy and employee engagement - both of which ultimately determine the quality of the training partner.
We’ve all sat through long, boring, non-engaging PowerPoint slides with a voice-over. The lower the quality of the training, the less the employee learns. And the point of training is for employees to learn, retain, and improve. HSI employs multiple modalities, microlearning-length courses, plus animation, live action, and graphics to engage the audience and paint the picture you want to be impressed upon employees.
Learn more about the science behind our training:
Content Differences Between HSI and Skillsoft
Learning Experience
HSI employs subject matter experts (SMEs) when creating and curating our library of content. Our courses are sorted into 38 of the Korn Ferry competencies. HSI’s microlearning, adult learning theory videos are paired with training reinforcement tools and downloadable course materials. Compliance-based courses are topically bundled and have transitions when longer content is placed into microlearning lengths. We pride ourselves on the quality, relevance, and effectiveness of our training videos. Our LMS is user-friendly, consistent, and intuitive.
Within Skillsoft’s library, it’s unclear how many training courses are competency-based. They boast of having the “most extensive course library in the world.” That’s overwhelming for learners and training administrators to navigate. They offer courses from approximately 70 different providers. Thus, many different styles of training and content inconsistencies. It appears very time-consuming for training administrators to be able to review and assign the appropriate courses.
Leadership Training
HSI offers leadership training to all our clients. Our training is a valuable resource for managers at all levels, with small or large teams, at the beginning or middle of their careers. Our collection of short-form leadership training courses helps empower and develop strong leaders. We cover leadership lessons on the important characteristics of becoming a great leader, mentorship mistakes leaders make, strategic and transformational leadership, succession planning, and much more. Our leadership training supports seasoned leaders by refreshing their existing skills and helps younger leaders develop new ones. HSI’s short-form video courses remove the stress and time commitment of traditional long-form training videos.
Skillsoft does not offer leadership training to all their clients. It’s only available as an add-on to Enterprise clients.
State-Specific Harassment Compliance Training
Our workplace sexual harassment compliance training courses will keep you in legal compliance with state and federal regulations while creating a respectful, safe, and fair environment for your employees. We offer state-specific anti-harassment compliance courses for California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, New York City and New York State, and more.
Skillsoft does not offer state-specific harassment compliance training to all their clients. It’s only available to Enterprise clients.
Safety Training
HSI has 2.7M award-winning safety training course completions a year. Our Safety Training Needs Assessment helps you connect the dots between your workforce training program and what the law requires. The HSI content department works with safety experts from multiple industries to ensure our content meets regulatory requirements and best practices. Critically important to safety training, we produce 3D animations to show scenarios that cannot be replicated using live-action or static pictures. HSI uses cutting-edge motion capture and Hollywood-level production software, investing heavily in the media used in courses to ensure our content stands out and successfully engages with the learner.
Skillsoft’s safety training appears to be limited in comparison to HSI’s. You may want to ask their salesperson to verify how many safety courses they offer, what regulations the training meets, who they utilize as content experts, and how often the courses are updated to comply with changing OSHA regulations.
Industrial Skills Training
HSI has one of the strongest, deepest Industrial Skills training program libraries for utility and energy companies. The training library, with more than 500 off-the-shelf courses, provides technical training for power, manufacturing, central utility, oil, and gas industries. Our comprehensive technical training provides a single source for preparing system operators, qualified electric workers, and maintenance workers to perform their roles efficiently and reliably. We offer off-the-shelf online or instructor-led training and custom development for your specific needs. Advanced 3D modeling animation goes “inside” electrical distribution centers, boilers, manufacturing machinery, and more, to give employees a deep understanding of the machines they work on.
Skillsoft does not offer Industrial Skills training.
OSHA 10- and 30-Hour Training for Certification
HSI is part of an exclusive list of companies recognized as an OSHA-Authorized Online Outreach Training Provider for OSHA 10 and 30 training. HSI is also the only provider on the market to provide updated, engaging content for OSHA 10 and 30 in both English and Spanish.
Skillsoft is not included on the list of OSHA-authorized companies for OSHA 10 & 30 training.
Additional Content Considerations Between HSI and Skillsoft
Active Shooter Training
HSI Active Shooter Training teaches active violence emergency response training. You’ll learn how to recognize the signs of danger, react appropriately, and make rapid survival decisions. Our training empowers people to have a survival plan. We go beyond active shooter response training by also teaching how to control life-threatening bleeding. The training involves an instructor development course and on-site training.
Skillsoft only offers very basic active shooter training.
CPR, AED, and First Aid Training
HSI offers extensive CPR, AED, and First Aid Training. The programs meet the requirements of over 7,000 state regulatory agencies, occupational licensing boards, national associations, commissions, and councils in more than 550 occupations and professions. Training supplies, such as AEDs and CPR manikins, are shipped anywhere in the U.S. HSI offers in-person training in all 50 states as well as providing blended learning and fully online certification via Remote Skills Verification (RSV), which allows for video-proctored at-home instruction. The online training videos are engaging and come complete with skill guides and written presentations. HSI also offers training to become an instructor. We grant reciprocity for current instructors of other programs.
Skillsoft offers limited CPR, AED and First Aid training, for knowledge only, not for certification.
First Responder Continuing Education Training
HSI offers over 100 online video-based, self-directed continuing education courses that meet current national EMS and fire training standards. EMS training experts present engaging scenarios and real-life footage to stimulate learning. Download our free Course Catalog by simply filling out a quick form. Our courses are approved for continuing education in every state. HSI is a CAPCE-accredited organization.
Skillsoft does not offer First Responder Continuing Education Training.
Service Differences Between HSI and Skillsoft
Custom Content
HSI can create custom training videos for your unique needs. Our expert team will work with you to develop a script tailored to your messaging, brand, and learning points. Our graphic designers create compelling presentations to engage your learners. Bring your voice to the content with a presenter from your company or use one of our professional talents.
Skillsoft only offers custom content to their Enterprise clients. With a team subscription, clients must upload and host their own custom content and are limited to 5 GB of storage.
Website Course View
HSI shares 30+ full courses anyone can view right now for free on our website without having to fill out a form. Check out some safety videos and some professional development training. And more than 100 of our “safety toolbox talks” are available on our website in exchange for a little information about yourself.
In our research, we did not come across any publicly available courses on their website.
EHS Platform
HSI’s offering goes beyond simply training. HSI has a robust EHS platform that allows companies to manage incidents, JSAs, assets, safety datasheets, and more. Our LMS and training content are part of this platform, making HSI one of the only providers, if not the only provider that allows managers to assign training as part of their EHS process. For example, an incident at the workplace can be logged, and training can be assigned as part of the corrective action. Here’s a look at just a few of the areas where our EHS platform can help: Safety Management System, Asset Management, Audit Management, Chemical Management, Hazard Management, and Incident Management. Our configurable technology allows you to create workflows, automations, reports, and more to help promote safety and compliance, and training in your workplace.
These services are not referenced on Skillsoft’s website.
Technology Platform Differences Between HSI and Skillsoft
Learning Management System
HSI offers a full LMS, and you have the choice of purchasing only SCORM packages (content only). HSI does not require you to use HSI’s LMS.
Skillsoft does not offer an LMS.
Course Consideration Differences Between HSI and Skillsoft
Single-Source Provider
HSI takes pride in being a single-source partner for EHS, Compliance, and Professional Development solutions. Your company does not need to contract with multiple providers to source all the different types of training you require. This saves your company money as well as the management time spent dealing with several vendors.
With Skillsoft, you’ll need to go to other providers for such subject matter, certifications, and software.
Personalized Support
As a client of HSI, you will receive continuous, personalized support at no additional charge. Our Customer Success Managers (CSMs) provide a high-touch service that begins with your implementation and continues with ongoing support throughout the duration of your contract. Each client is assigned a CSM who will remain with them to help with everything from launch support, training on our platform, course recommendations, and more, all to help you meet your learning goals.
In our research, it was unclear if you’ll have access to an assigned CSM for personal support from Skillsoft. There is tiered access to customer support via a 24/7 live help line, and a way to submit a case, but no guarantee that you’ll get the same person every time.
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Pricing Differences Between HSI and Skillsoft
HSI takes time to understand your unique needs. We’ll meet with you about your training goals. You’ll receive a customized bid from HSI. Pricing is based on the number of users and desired number of training courses. And our LMS is included for most clients, up to a certain number of users. You will not receive any additional charges for features launched during the contract period.
Skillsoft’s website shows a fixed pricing subscription for up to 50 users on a bundle package only. And it’s only a subset of their complete library. Compliance and leadership and development programs are not included in this bundle. An Enterprise subscription is available for over 50 users, and you must contact sales for pricing. Leadership training is available as an add-on to Enterprise clients.
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