The world of eLearning is rapidly transforming, offering unprecedented opportunities for organizations to improve employee engagement, productivity, and retention. As the eLearning market is projected to reach $975.92 billion by 20311, businesses are increasingly recognizing the value of personalized, flexible, and innovative learning solutions. Employees are eager to develop new skills, viewing training as a critical part of their career development. Let’s look at some key statistics that underscore the growing importance of eLearning on employee satisfaction and performance.
Beneficial for Both Employers and Employees
In LinkedIn’s 2024 Workplace Learning Report, a top reason employees want to participate in organizational training is “If it’s personalized for my interests and career goals.“2
A recent PWC survey found that 75 percent of employees are ready to learn new skills or completely retrain.3
According to 19th century German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus, humans forget 50 percent of all new information in a day, and 90 percent in a week. Repeating information using a variety of multimedia features improves retention.4
7 in 10 people say learning improves their sense of connection to their organization.2
8 in 10 people say learning adds purpose to their work.2
93 percent of employees will stay at a company longer if it invests in their careers.5
It costs more to hire a new employee or lose an existing one than training and reskilling a current one. The Work Institute says that the cost of employee turnover is $20,000, while the cost of employee reskilling is under $10,000.6
90 percent of organizations are concerned about employee retention2 and believe providing learning opportunities is their top retention strategy, yet only 59 percent of workers report receiving workplace training.7
Companies that invest in employee development increase their profitability by 11 percent.8
68 percent of workers believe employer-provided upskilling is crucial when considering a new job, and 48 percent would switch to a new job if it offered skills training opportunities.9
eLearning Boosts Confidence and Retention
After participating in microlearning, 78 percent of employees in one study felt more confident than before the training. Such real-time adaptability is crucial for compliance training, where the consequences of non-compliance can be severe.10
In one study, learners using a mobile device completed courses 45 percent faster than learners using desktop computers.11
eLearning boosts the retention rates of employees by 25 to 60 percent. Comparatively, the retention rate recorded in the traditional learning mode is just 8 to 10 percent.12
Microlearning Saves Time and Money
Microlearning produces 50 percent better knowledge retention than traditional eLearning tools.13
94 percent of L&D professionals favor microlearning over standard eLearning courses, demonstrating its effectiveness and popularity.14
Microlearning courses can be created in 300 percent less time and at 50 percent less cost than traditional eLearning courses.15
A report by Deloitte revealed that 86 percent of companies rate learning as an important or very important issue, and microlearning is one of the strategies being used to address this need.16
According to a study by the Brandon Hall Group, organizations using microlearning have reported a 50 percent increase in employee engagement and a 17 percent increase in job satisfaction. The same study also found that microlearning can reduce training time by up to 60 percent while still achieving the same learning outcomes as traditional training methods.17
Gamification in Training Increases Productivity and Job Satisfaction
The global gamification market is projected to grow from $9.1 billion in 2020 to $30.7 billion by 2025, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27.4 percent.18
Participants in game-based learning show an 83 percent increase in motivation compared to traditional training.19
One study found that 89 percent of employees feel more productive at work when using gamification, and 88 percent of them are happier. The same study revealed that 33 percent want to see more game-like features in their training.20
Final Thoughts
The statistics make it clear: eLearning is no longer a supplementary tool but a cornerstone of modern employee development strategies. Whether through personalized learning paths, microlearning modules, or immersive virtual reality experiences, organizations are finding new ways to engage their workforce and drive business outcomes. As technology continues to advance and employee expectations evolve, the ability to deliver effective, scalable, and meaningful learning experiences will be crucial for any organization aiming to stay competitive. Embracing eLearning is not just about keeping up with the times—it’s about investing in a future where continuous learning and development are integral to both individual and organizational success.
Related Blogs
20 Expert and Inspirational Quotes about eLearning
From Learning to Leading: Building a Culture of Learning that Drives Success
Innovative Training Solutions: The Rise of Rapid eLearning Development
Resources
1“E-Learning Market Growing at CAGR of 18.20% by 2031, Driven by Customization and Cost Efficiency.” Newswires. 8/20/24. Accessed 8/21/24.
https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/736758022/e-learning-market-growing-at-cagr-of-18-20-by-2031-driven-by-customization-and-cost-efficiency
2“Workplace Learning Report 2024.” LinkedIn. Accessed 8/9/24. https://learning.linkedin.com/resources/workplace-learning-report
3“Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2024.” PWC. 6/4/24. Accessed 8/8/24. https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/issues/upskilling/hopes-and-fears.html
4Cloke, Harry. “What is the Forgetting Curve? Definition, History & Key Strategies [2024].” Growth Engineering. 2/13/24. Accessed 8/8/24. https://www.growthengineering.co.uk/forgetting-curve/
5“2022 Retention Report: How Employers Caused the Great Resignation.” Work Institute. Accessed 8/9/24. https://info.workinstitute.com/hubfs/2022%20Retention%20Report/2022%20Retention%20Report%20-%20Work%20Institute.pdf
6“2019 Retention Report.” Work Institute. Accessed 8/9/24. https://info.workinstitute.com/hubfs/2019%20Retention%20Report/Work%20Institute%202019%20Retention%20Report%20final-1.pdf
7Villa, David. “Why Training Is An Investment, Not An Expense.” Forbes. 8/15/23. Accessed 8/9/24. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2023/08/15/why-training-is-an-investment-not-an-expense/
8Ratanjee, Vibhas. “4 Ways to Continue Employee Development When Budgets Are Cut.” Gallup. 8/3/20. Accessed 8/8/24. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/309284/ways-continue-employee-development-covid.aspx
9“Mapping the Careers of the Future in the United Kingdom, France and Germany.” Gallup. Accessed 8/8/24. https://www.gallup.com/analytics/354374/the-american-upskilling-study.aspx
10Hesse, A., P. Ospina, M. Wieland, F.A. Leal Yepes, B. Nguyen, and W. Heuwieser. “Short communication: Microlearning courses are effective at increasing the feelings of confidence and accuracy in the work of dairy personnel.” ScienceDirect. 9/16/19. Accessed 8/9/24. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022030219306605
11Bhattacharya, Avishek. “Creating Mobile Friendly eLearning Courses.” LinkedIn. 7/1/21. Accessed 8/7/24. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/creating-mobile-friendly-elearning-courses-avi-bhattacharya-/
12Pezold, Stacey. LMS 101: Rethinking Your Approach To Employee Training.” 2/14/17. Accessed 8/7/24. https://www.forbes.com/sites/paycom/2017/02/14/learning-management-systems-101-rethinking-your-approach-to-employee-training/
13“The Secret Behind: How Microlearning Boosts Knowledge Retention by at least 50%.” MobieTrain. Accessed 8/9/24. https://f.hubspotusercontent30.net/hubfs/2490889/E-books/How%20Microlearning%20Boosts%20Knowledge%20Retention%20by%20at%20least%2050%25.pdf
14Omer, Ayesha Habeeb. “Is Bite Sized Learning The Future Of eLearning?” eLearning Industry. 9/21/15. Accessed 8/9/24.https://elearningindustry.com/bite-sized-learning-future-of-elearning
15“What Is Microlearning – and What Are Its Advantages?” BeaconLive. Accessed 8/7/24. https://www.beaconlive.com/blog/microlearning-benefits
16Schwartz, Jeff. Maren Hauptmann, Indranil Roy, Yves Van Durme, and Brad Denny. “Learning in the flow of life: 2019 Global Human Capital Trends.” Deloitte. 4/11/19. Accessed 8/6/24. https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/focus/human-capital-trends/2019/reskilling-upskilling-the-future-of-learning-and-development.html
17Florence. “Seven Statistics that Showcase the Impact of Microlearning in Corporate Training.” Speach. 4/8/24. Accessed 8/9/24. https://speach.me/blog/seven-statistics-that-showcase-the-impact-of-microlearning-in-corporate-training
18“Gamification Market Size & Share Analysis – Growth Trends & Forecasts (2024-2029).” Mordor Intelligence. Accessed 8/8/24. https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/gamification-market
19“The Key Gamification Survey at Work.” TalentLMS. 8/19/19. Accessed 8/6/24. https://www.talentlms.com/blog/gamification-survey-results
“How Covid-19 has pushed companies over the technology tipping point — and transformed business forever.” McKinsey & Company. 10/5/2020. Accessed 8/7/24. https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/how-covid-19-has-pushed-companies-over-the-technology-tipping-point-and-transformed-business-forever
“Global Elearning Market Overview 2024-2028.” ReportLinker. March 2024. Accessed 8/8/24. https://member.reportlinker.com/next/search?date=3y&query=E-Learning+Market+Overview
“54 Gamification Statistics You Must Know: 2024 Market Share Analysis & Data.” FinancesOnline.com. Accessed 8/8/24. https://financesonline.com/gamification-statistics/
Markovic, Isidora. “Six Statistics That Highlight the Power of Mobile Learning.” EduMe.com. Accessed 8/9/24. https://www.edume.com/blog/mobile-learning-statistics
