Training pressures rise as new data links learning to retention
L&D benchmark data shows training drives retention but workloads, AI disruption and perception gaps block employee development.
New benchmark data on workplace learning indicates that training is becoming a decisive factor in employee retention, although many organisations are struggling to create the conditions that allow people to learn. The findings show a workforce under pressure from rising performance expectations and shifting skills demands, with employees signalling that development opportunities directly influence whether they stay or leave.
The research, published in the 2026 Annual L&D Benchmark Report and based on responses from 101 HR managers and 1,000 US employees, highlights several shifts in sentiment and capability that will shape L&D priorities in the year ahead.
- 73% of employees say training would make them stay longer
- The share who would leave due to lack of training has risen again to 35%
- More than half say workloads leave no time for development
- 65% report that performance expectations increased in the past year
- 45% feel pushed to deliver more at work
- 70% of HR managers plan to open new AI related roles
- 47% say AI training is aimed at making roles easier to automate
- A perception gap of almost twenty points exists between HR and employees on the adequacy of AI training
These findings suggest that expectations for development remain high and that organisations risk attrition if learning provision does not keep pace. Workload pressures remain the most immediate barrier, with employees reporting limited protected time for growth despite the rising importance of skill development.
Artificial intelligence continues to reshape capability planning. HR managers anticipate significant workforce change, both through the creation of AI driven roles and the automation of outdated tasks. Employees, however, are far less confident that the learning they receive prepares them for this disruption, creating a widening gap between leadership intent and the lived experience of the workforce.
Dimitris Tsingos, chief executive of Epignosis, the parent company of TalentLMS, said: ‘The data sends a clear signal that employees want employers to invest in learning and development. That requires top down strategies and learning that empowers everyone, from the receptionist to the CEO, to help people grow and build AI competencies that keep companies and talent ahead of innovation.’
TalentLMS, publisher of the report, says the findings reflect the increasing tension between capability demands and the organisational constraints that limit L&D momentum. As AI adoption accelerates and workloads increase, organisations risk widening the skills gap unless they protect learning time, strengthen alignment between HR and employees and embed AI literacy across the workforce.
The report also examines L&D ownership, budget trends, ROI measures, barriers to learning, skills gaps and three emerging trends for 2026. Its overall message is that learning must become a sustained organisational priority if businesses are to retain talent and remain competitive.
Download the report: 2026 Annual L&D Benchmark Report.