Key findings include

• 63% of organisations now have a dedicated L&D function
• 41% of L&D leaders believe L&D is central to their overall business strategy
• 64% state L&D has improved employee engagement in their organisations
• 41% report that fewer than half of their L&D initiatives receive board approval
• 55% of companies have yet to integrate AI to any of their L&D processes
• Of those using AI, 64% use it for content creation, and 50% use it for automating processes

The survey, conducted among 200 senior L&D professionals in the UK, reveals that 64% of training leaders have seen an increase in employee engagement after investing in L&D. This is in addition to 43% of respondents noting that enhanced L&D efforts have positively impacted employee retention, and a quarter claiming that L&D programmes have helped improve innovation, creativity and productivity. 

Despite the performance benefits associated with L&D, there are still challenges in getting buy-in at board level. The report found that 41% of respondents say less than half of their initiatives are getting approved by senior management.

There are also inconsistencies in the amount of annual investment in L&D. Around a fifth (21%) of respondents say less than £10,000 per year is allocated. In total, more than half (59%) state the annual L&D budget is lower than £100,000. This adds to the industry's opinion that the function is not always taken as seriously as it could be, especially in light of the growing skills crisis in the UK. 

The report also investigates the application of AI in L&D and found that while it is gaining global recognition in some industries, 55% of UK businesses are yet to apply it in their L&D processes. One of the main barriers to AI adoption is a lack of understanding and knowledge, with 71% of L&D leaders admitting this is holding them back from effectively using it, and 57% stating their teams lack the necessary skills to implement AI-driven solutions. Of those that are using AI, adaptive learning with personalised training content is being turbocharged. As a result, 75% of businesses find adaptive learning effective and are experiencing a positive impact on employee engagement while 63% find it improves employee retention.

Arnaud Blachon, CEO and Founder at Rise Up commented, "L&D can have a profound effect on employee performance and retention, as well as deliver bottom-line benefits to businesses. However, a significant proportion of leaders still have yet to realise the impact it can have on their performance. The focus needs to be on using technology to create personalised learning environments in which employees feel valued and want to stay, reducing turnover and nurturing long-term growth."