5 Ways to Show the Business Impact of Learning, According to L&D Leaders

What if you could wave a magic wand and suddenly show how much learning is worth? 

For many learning and development (L&D) professionals, this would be like finding a hidden treasure or the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Don’t get us wrong, L&D pros know how much learning is worth. But they’re often called upon, by the C-suite or other leaders, to prove it. At a time when budgets are tight and the phrase Do more with less has become a business mantra, this is especially true.

L&D professionals often point to metrics such as engagement or employee satisfaction surveys to prove their worth — and they’re sometimes met with a less-than-enthusiastic response. Company leaders don’t want to know whether employees enjoyed a training session. They want to know what kind of impact it had on the business. 

In the spirit of this quest, we asked five learning and development leaders the following questions: What’s the best way to track the business impact of L&D? That is, what metrics do you find most meaningful — besides engagement — and why?

Below you’ll find their answers, which touch upon everything from the power of narrative to how L&D can help employees navigate an AI-driven future.

Lori Niles-Hofmann: It’s not what you measure, it’s when 

“To truly answer this question,” says Lori Niles-Hofmann, senior ed tech transformation strategist at NilesNolen, “you need to start back at the beginning. What is your evidence of need and can it be solved by learning? 

“This is tied to one of three things: How will this learning intervention help the company make money, save money, or mitigate risk? If you cannot pinpoint this before putting fingers to keyboard, then you are wasting your investment.

“This type of data will not be found in your learning systems. You will need to go digging into work spaces like your centralized project management software or customer relationship management (CRM) tools. There, you can look for gaps such as reasons why new product developments are delayed or why deals were perhaps not closed. Once you identify these deficiencies and can qualify them as learning opportunities, these become your evaluation backbone.

“Basically, the question isn't so much what you measure but when. And that when should be at the onset and tracked throughout the life cycles of the learning intervention for impact.”

Naphtali Bryant: Look beyond numbers to the stories behind them

“Organizations are conditioned to boil everything down to the numbers,” says Naphtali Bryant, executive coach and leadership development consultant at RAC Leadership, “but impact for learning is more than just quantitative data. It’s also about new narratives within the organization. When L&D initiatives are effective, you'll hear people sharing their experiences and applying new skills in innovative ways — and you’ll feel a palpable demand for more programs and resources that foster continuous growth and impact.

“Of course, numbers matter too, but think beyond traditional metrics like course completion rates, training cost per employee, and training efficiency and focus on broader organizational outcomes. For instance, link learning metrics to increased sales or customer satisfaction, how quickly new hires get up to speed, progress toward closing skill gaps, improved productivity, and improvements in team collaboration and decision-making. 

“Also consider measuring return on expectations (ROE). Unlike traditional metrics, ROE captures whether the learning programs meet the specific goals and expectations set by key stakeholders. By aligning L&D outcomes with these expectations, you can provide a comprehensive view of the value added. Tracking metrics like increased project success rates, improved leadership effectiveness, and enhanced team performance provide a fuller picture of L&D’s impact. 

“Remember that metrics should tell the stories of the people behind them. And L&D leaders should be able to eloquently tell those stories in the halls of the organization. Focus on these narratives to ensure people always come before profit.”

Ruth Gotian: Track how learning drives internal mobility, upskilling, and retention 

“To truly measure the impact of learning and development (L&D),” says Ruth Gotian, chief learning officer at Weill Cornell Medicine, “we need to go beyond traditional engagement metrics and look at tangible business outcomes. One key metric is internal mobility. Track how many employees advance to new roles or get promoted after participating in L&D programs. This shows that our initiatives are effectively preparing talent for future leadership.

“Another important measure is the rate at which employees apply new skills on the job. Evaluate performance reviews, project outcomes, and the speed at which employees integrate their new knowledge into their work. This practical application is a strong indicator of the training’s effectiveness.

“Retention rates are also critical. Compare retention between employees who engage in L&D and those who don’t. A higher retention rate among L&D participants suggests our programs are enhancing job satisfaction and loyalty.

“Finally, link L&D to specific business performance indicators like sales growth, customer satisfaction, and innovation rates. Demonstrating a connection between employee development and these outcomes shows the direct value L&D brings to the organization.

“By focusing on these metrics, we can provide a comprehensive view of how L&D drives business success beyond just engagement.” 

Dr. Terri Horton: Gauge how learning prepares employees for an AI-driven future 

“Inspiring employees to prioritize learning involves making it relevant, personalized, and future-focused,” says Dr. Terri Horton, work futurist and HR consultant at Future Path. “By aligning learning opportunities with career goals and organizational objectives, employees can see the direct impact on their growth and success and connect it to the organization's future. I believe therein lies the gap.

“Employees today are grappling with the fear that AI will render their jobs obsolete and are looking to organizations to help them navigate the future. Learning has to fill this gap. Talent leaders must communicate the organization's future of work and AI strategy, develop meaningful training, and map roles that will change and emerge in the next three to five years. My LinkedIn Learning course, A Manager’s Guide to Career Conversations in the Age of AI, shows leaders how to do this.

“By having these conversations, talent leaders can guide employees towards an attainable future, giving them more control over their work and careers. This approach requires a shift in measuring the business impact of learning. Employees now prioritize stability over risk and uncertainty, so impact results tied to engagement and retention may be skewed.

“Furthermore, if training focuses on the skills employees will need in the future, business impact may not track against current performance. So now is the time to include evaluations of business impact more granularly across culture shifts, learning enthusiasm, participation in special initiatives, upskilling rates, and strategic internal mobility.”

Christopher Lind: Get comfortable with the idea that there are no simple solutions 

“Measuring the impact of any learning intervention,” says Christopher Lind, VP, chief learning officer at ChenMed, “is a complicated and multifaceted problem. Given that, you'll never solve it with a universal or overly simplistic solution.

“There's no list of ‘business metrics every learning leader should be tracking.’ Business is complicated and led and performed by people, which adds exponential complexity. However, that doesn't mean measuring impact is akin to chasing the wind. It just means following some basic principles while being comfortable with the dynamic nature of the beast.

“It also requires a willingness and discipline to do the hard work every single time. There are no shortcuts. At the end of the day, impact begins with nailing down what problem you're trying to solve and what ‘good’ looks like on the other side. Granted, the answers to those questions will always be different, and the measures you'll need to evaluate them will change. 

“However, when you take the time and put in the work to get that right, everything else will start to fall into place, even though the falling process will always be a bit messy.”