iSpring research asks why only 11% of L&D teams can prove business impact
New research from iSpring looks at why the gap between learning activity and measurable business results remains so difficult to close, and helps L&D teams see where their own approach stands today.
L&D continues to face one familiar question: “What’s the business impact?”
iSpring has returned to the subject in its new Training ROI Playbook 2026: How Top L&D Teams Drive Business Impact, following its research into L&D ROI in 2025.
The new research focuses on a striking finding: only 11% of L&D teams are able to demonstrate measurable business impact.
The data also points to some of the difficulties behind that figure. 47% of respondents report challenges around connecting learning with business results, while 57% highlight another barrier to making that connection.
iSpring describes this as the central paradox of the research and uses the new report to look more closely at why the ROI gap persists.
The playbook goes beyond the headline figures. It examines the patterns iSpring found across organisations, looks at where different L&D teams currently stand in their approach to ROI, and brings together perspectives from ROI experts involved in the research.
One section also gives readers a way to consider where their own L&D team stands today. As iSpring explains on the research page, this is not presented as a maturity model, but as a reflection of where teams actually are and what they can do next.
The research includes perspectives across different regions, industries and L&D roles, alongside a series of sections exploring the findings and what they mean for teams trying to connect learning with business outcomes.
The full Training ROI Playbook 2026 is available to download free from iSpring.
Download the research: Training ROI Playbook 2026