Devlin Peck
What are the top employee training statistics?
You’re in the right place.
I’ve compiled a timely list of stats all about employee development, what employees expect from it, and how exactly it affects employee retention.
Here, you’ll learn all about the benefits and shortcomings of employee training, and how to better explain—and prove— its value for organizations worldwide.
Ready? Let’s dive in!
(Forbes)
How do you know if professional development training is effective? Good question – companies earn over double the income per employee when they offer employee training. These companies also have a 24% higher profit margin overall.
(Gallup)
A global survey found that companies are 17% more productive and 21% more profitable when they offer training to engaged employees. And yet, only 15% of full-time workers said they are “highly involved in and enthusiastic about their work.” Employees with low engagement pose a “stunning amount of wasted potential.” Some reasons for low engagement in addition to no employee training are slow adoptions of technology and the rise of the gig economy (freelancing).
(SurveyMonkey)
Almost 6 out of every 10 workers think training helps them do their job better. Over half, 51%, believe training gives them more confidence and 41% say it helps improve their time management skills. Meanwhile, one-third (33%) will cite training as a factor for earning a salary increase.
(Research.com)
What is the most effective employee training? It may be in the workplace as that is what most employees want. 68% want to train while they’re at work and 58% prefer to learn at their own speed. Meanwhile, just half, 49% want to train only when it’s necessary.
(Finances Online)
Nearly half of all Fortune 500 companies use employee training to remain competitive. So, what are the key points of effective employee training? HR professionals identify the most essential skills to train for are conducting internal skills gap assessments (74%), tracking business KPIs (66%), participating in upper-level meetings (61%), and industry trends (51%).
(Docebo)
70% of employee learning happens on the job informally. About 20% of learning is from coaching, mentoring, and interactions with coworkers. 10% is due to formal training. However, there is some controversy around this model – many L&D professionals argue that the model doesn’t focus on formal training enough.
(Axonify)
Does training increase employee engagement? Yes, by a lot. A survey found more than 9 in 10 employees say the right kind of workplace training has positive effects on their job engagement.
(LinkedIn)
More than two-thirds of the younger employee generation believe training isn’t just effective, but vital for a successful career. Gen Z is more focused on career growth and learning than previous generations. These learners watched 50% more hours per learner of educational content in 2020 compared to 2019.
(Research.com)
Nobody wants a dead-end job, so the promise of career growth is essential for workers today. While nearly 40% prioritize growth, 46% think wages and 45% think the health plan is the most important factor. Another study found 68% of employees consider training essential to job satisfaction.
(Gallup)
Nearly 6 in 10 Millennials want to see opportunities to learn and grow when they’re browsing job postings. Comparatively, 44% of Gen Xers and just 41% of Baby Boomers said the same thing. Research from Gallup found that Millennials are the least forgiving of bad workplaces or managers and will leave their jobs faster than other generations if/when it “stunts their growth.”
(LinkedIn)
Training is more important than ever because skill sets are rapidly changing. The skills needed for today’s job market have changed by roughly a quarter since 2015. By 2027, the skills sets are expected to change by 50% when compared to those in 2015. That’s why 89% of Learning and Development professionals agree that building employee skills and upskilling is crucial for this evolving future of work.
(BLS)
How many employees receive formal training? A U.S. study found that approximately 84.4% of those employed at companies with 50 or more employees received formal training at work. For continuing education, 69.8% of U.S. workers received formal training within the last 12 months, while 95.8% report receiving some kind of informal training.
(Forbes)
Another study has quite different results than the employee training statistics above. Some research found an astounding 59% of workers claim they’ve had zero workplace training and their skills are entirely self-taught. This is most common amongst tech talent, in particular developers where 70% are self-taught.
(SHRM)
More than half (52%) of workers admitted they need to learn new skills within the next year in order to continue their careers. This skill gap is widened considering 46% of these employees admitted they are not as skilled as they need to be. To make matters worse, almost one-third (29%) of workers don’t feel optimistic about the opportunities they have for training to learn new skills or upskill.
(Axonify)
Recent research suggests a huge opportunity for employers today: better employee training. One study found 31%, almost one-third, of employees were offered no formal training. Of those that got it, 43% found this formal training ineffective.
So what do people want when it comes to employee training? That’s next.
(eLearning Industry)
How are small businesses training their employees? A 2021 found that almost 40% of small businesses employ classic classroom style training. One-quarter, 25%, use blended learning techniques while 17% implement virtual training options.
(HR Dive)
Most workers, 93% in a study, claimed they want employee training that is easy to complete. 91% want personalized training that’s relevant to their position while 90% want training that is also engaging and fun.
(HR Dive)
Nearly 9 in 10 workers want their training to be available anytime and anywhere they need it to do their job. 85% say they want to be able to choose training times that fit their schedule and 80% think that frequent or routine training is more important than singular formal training.
(PwC)
Statistics from PwC found that 74% of workers want to acquire new skills in their training. This eagerness to learn is to remain employed and also advance in the workplace. But, employees want to learn at a different pace than companies think. Most organizations (36%) offer training once every month. However, only 25% of workers want monthly training. Most workers (33%) prefer quarterly training.
(SHRM)
What do employees want from training? It’s simple: to get better at their jobs. Over half, 55% of workers, say they need more opportunities to develop their skills and improve their work. Meanwhile, about 68% say the training they get is adequate for their position.
(Built In)
A survey found that nearly half, 45%, of workers said they would be more likely to stay at their current jobs if their employer offered more training. Employee retention is more important than ever considering more than 4 million U.S. workers quit their jobs in June 2022, while 40% of workers across 6 countries said they have plans to leave their current roles.
(LinkedIn)
LinkedIn’s 2023 Workplace Learning Report found that 93% of organizations are concerned about employee retention—and the number one way to improve retention is by “providing learning opportunities.” In fact, 94% of workers said development opportunities would keep them in a role.
(LinkedIn)
When employees are able to migrate internally, they stay at a company for approximately 5.4 years. Companies with low internal mobility have employees that last about 2.9 years. Why? Employees who move into new roles at the same company are 3.5 times more likely to be engaged than those who stay in their current roles.
(SHRM)
More than 8 in 10 hiring managers believe employee training is positive to attract the right candidates. At the same time, 86% say this same training is critical for retention. This same survey found that 76% of employees are more likely to stay with a company that offers continuous training.
(SHRM)
What should companies focus on during their employee training? L&D professionals say it’s most important to reinforce a positive company culture with a positive employee experience. This means building a more diverse and inclusive workforce (88%), improving employee engagement (87%), and fostering a growth mindset within the company (87%).
And there it is! You just read 25 employee training statistics explaining how exactly it affects the workplace and its employees.
These employee development statistics show you exactly why professional development opportunities are needed in the workplace. After all, a successful employee training program can motivate and retain some of your best employees.
Read more:
The Top Online Learning Statistics
How to Become an Instructional Designer
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