35 Employee Training Statistics and Trends To Look Out For in 2025

Learning and development (L&D) professionals often face the challenge of keeping employees engaged while scaling training programs effectively. Traditional methods frequently fall short, leaving employees disengaged and struggling to build new skills.

Fortunately, technology is moving in a game-changing direction. Over 70% of employees believe generative AI tools can help them learn new skills, boost creativity, and improve work quality. AI-powered voice generators, interactive chatbots, and adaptive learning platforms are transforming training into an engaging, scalable, and impactful experience.

In this blog, we’ll break down the latest employee training statistics, showing how training delivers results and boosts ROI. If you’re looking to improve performance, engagement, and retention, these insights are a great place to start.

Key Employee Training Statistics

The following key statistics shed light on the current state of employee training and development, highlighting trends in spending, career growth, skill gaps, and the increasing demand for continuous upskilling. With AI evolving rapidly, enterprises are investing heavily in keeping their workforce up to date, making training an ongoing, ever-evolving priority. 

1. 48% of professionals cite time constraints as the biggest barrier to creating and delivering effective training content. (Murf.ai)

2. 16.7% report a lack of necessary skills within teams, showing a gap in workforce capabilities that training could address.(Murf.ai)

3. U.S. training spending stayed steady in 2022-2023, rising just 0.2% to $101.8 billion. (Training)

4. Over half of managers (56%) would like to try cross-training and upskilling to support career development. (Axonify)

5. 83% of organizations aim to create a people-focused culture, and 81% of L&D teams are supporting this effort. (LinkedIn)

6. Over a third of workers say they have skills that aren’t reflected in their qualifications, job history, or title. (PWC)

7. 48% of workers with specialized training are more likely to recognize changes in job skills, compared to just 17% of those without training. (PWC)

8. Just 66% of employees believe their organization invests in their personal development and growth, suggesting there's room for improvement in career pathing. (Axonify)

9. 89% of L&D professionals believe that proactively developing employee skills is key to navigating the evolving future of work. (LinkedIn)

Employee Training Technology and AI Statistics

As technology reshapes the workplace, employee training has become essential for staying competitive. From the rise of digital transformation spending to the growing reliance on AI, these statistics highlight the pivotal role of technology in workforce development.

10.  By 2027, digital transformation spending is expected to grow to $3.9 trillion globally. (Statista)

11. Nearly all (92%) jobs across all industries require digital skills. (NSC)

12. Digital simulation training ranks #1 in effectiveness, with a 100% success rate in improving job performance. (ScienceDirect)

13. Digital training is 93.7% more effective in helping employees meet organizational expectations than traditional methods. (ScienceDirect)

14. 65% of companies report regularly using generative AI. (McKinsey)

15. 4 in 5 employees want to learn more about how to use AI in their profession. (LinkedIn)

16. Many organizations are equally likely to invest over 5% of their digital budgets in generative AI and analytical AI solutions. (McKinsey)
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Employee Training and Retention Statistics

Employee training plays a pivotal role in retaining top talent, with many organizations prioritizing learning opportunities to enhance employee satisfaction and loyalty. The following statistics highlight the strong connection between training initiatives and employee retention success.

17. 90% of organizations are focused on employee retention, with the provision of learning opportunities being the top strategy for keeping talent. (LinkedIn)

18. Companies with strong learning cultures experience 57% higher retention rates, more internal mobility, and a healthier management pipeline compared to those with less commitment to learning. (LinkedIn)

19. 47% of companies are investing in career mentoring and coaching to improve employee retention. (LinkedIn)

20. 31% of L&D professionals measure how learning programs impact employee retention. (LinkedIn)

Professional Development Expenditure Statistics

The landscape of professional development spending has seen notable shifts in recent years, reflecting changing priorities and economic dynamics. Here’s a closer look at key statistics highlighting trends in training expenditures across organizations.

21.7% struggle with budget constraints, making it harder to invest in training tools and resources. (Murf.ai)

22. Between 2022 and 2023, payroll for training-related staff decreased by 9%, mainly due to reductions in small company payrolls. (Training)

23. Spending on external products and services for training rose in 2023, jumping 23% to $10.1 billion compared to 2022. (Training)

24. Average training expenditures for large companies dropped from $19.2 million in 2022 to $16.1 million in 2023. (Training)

25. Total training expenditures in the United States have been increasing in recent years, reaching approximately $102 billion in 2023. (Statista)

26. Corporate training expenditure in the United States dropped by nearly $4 billion in 2024 compared to 2023. (Statista)

Employee Training Preferences

As workplace dynamics shift, employees’ training preferences highlight the growing importance of flexibility, innovation, and technological integration. From the rise of AI as a learning tool to the demand for engaging, on-demand formats, these trends reveal how modern employees want to develop their skills.

27. As of 2024, employees ages 20-27 stated that AI is already the better teacher compared to their managers. (Statista)

28. In 2024, nearly half of Gen Z in the U.S. felt they received better guidance at work from AI than their manager. (Statista)

29. 44% of employees believe that skills required for their roles will undergo significant changes in the next five years. (PWC)

30. In 2023, U.S. employees ranked simulations as the most engaging training format. (Statista)

31. As of 2023, 65% of employees preferred training videos they could watch anytime. (Statista)

32. 50% of employees found digital PDFs, accessible anytime, to be the most engaging format. (Statista)

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The Future of Employee Training

The landscape of employee training is rapidly evolving, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence and the growing demand for personalized learning experiences. These trends are reshaping how organizations approach skill development and workplace productivity.

33. The artificial intelligence market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 36.6% from 2024 to 2030 . (Grand View Research)

34. Two-thirds of corporate leaders report that AI has already led to a revenue growth rate improvement of more than 25%. (IBM)

35. The learning experience platform (LXP) market is projected to grow over $2 billion by 2026, reflecting the growing importance of personalized learning experiences. (LinkedIn)

Investing in Employee Training Technology for Long-Term Success

Employee training isn’t just a box to check — it’s a powerful driver of company culture, growth, and profitability. By equipping teams with the right skills and knowledge, organizations can foster innovation, improve employee retention, and strengthen their competitive edge in today’s fast-evolving market.

To make training truly impactful, engaging delivery is essential — and that’s where Murf excels. Murf is an AI-powered voice generator offering 200+ realistic voices across 20+ languages, ideal for creating dynamic training materials. 

Whether you’re producing voiceover videos, e-learning modules, or interactive training content, Murf transforms ordinary materials into immersive experiences. From onboarding global teams to upskilling employees, Murf’s diverse voiceovers make learning more relatable, engaging, and memorable.

 Contact us for a demo today.