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The 10 Learning and Development Metrics that Matter Most

August 29, 2024 | Activate Learning | 5 min read

Here’s the good news. In recent years, learning and development (L&D) has evolved from simple employee training into a critical component of business strategy, driving change and closing important skill gaps. 

But here’s the challenge. Without a strategic focus, your L&D initiatives risk devolving into costly, ineffective checklists. 

You’ve probably heard the saying, "What gets measured gets managed." This rings especially true today when it comes to L&D. Executives demand evidence that investments yield tangible returns and foster a more engaged, skilled, and motivated workforce. Without compelling data, L&D programs can be perceived as luxuries rather than necessities — putting them particularly at risk when budgets tighten.

What happens when you don’t measure program performance?

Navigating L&D without measuring performance is like traveling without a map. It’s impossible to demonstrate the impact of your L&D efforts on the organization's bottom line. If you can't show how your program enhances job performance, productivity, and employee retention, you’ll face a big obstacle getting buy-in for learning programs. 

But, meaningful data isn’t just about numbers; it’s about the human side of learning too. Metrics should provide actionable insights that drive strategic decisions and continuous improvement.

This is where the art of meaningful metrics comes into play — transforming data from a list of numbers into a cohesive narrative that can guide decisions, deepen employee growth, and justify investment.

10 Key Learning Metrics L&D Professionals Should Measure

How do you know what's important to measure? Skillsoft encourages L&D professionals to look at their programs holistically, determining metrics that speak to both the business impact and the human benefits of their L&D programs. We've integrated some of our available Percipio reports as examples:

1. Completion Rates

  • Report: Bootcamp and Leadercamp
  • Details: Metrics on bootcamp and leadercamp activity, including completion status, highlight learner engagement and the perceived value of the programs.

2. Time to Competency

  • Report: Assignment Detail by User
  • Details: Shows each learner's progress on content items within assignments, indicating how quickly they achieve competency. Shorter times to competency suggest effective training.

3. Knowledge Retention

  • Report: Content Evaluations
  • Details: User responses from content evaluations reveal how well learners retain knowledge. High retention scores indicate the application of new skills.

4. Behavior Change

  • Report: Channel Detail by User
  • Details: Tracks learner activity within a channel, showing evidence of behavior change as learners apply content to their work.

5. Employee Engagement

  • Report: Learner Activity
  • Details: Near real-time metrics on learner activity, including time spent learning and completions, provide insights into engagement levels.

6. Productivity Improvements

  • Report: Executive
  • Details: Overview of learner activity, including logins and content accesses. Comparing these with productivity KPIs demonstrates how L&D initiatives impact productivity.

7. Return on Investment (ROI)

  • Report: Internal and External Activity
  • Details: Summarizes learner activity, including Skillsoft and custom content. Analyzing these metrics with financial data calculates the ROI of L&D programs.

8. Retention Rates

  • Report: User Listing
  • Details: Metrics on learning hours and last login dates help correlate L&D engagement with employee retention, making a case for ongoing investment.

9. Customer Satisfaction

  • Report: Credentials
  • Details: Tracks users earning credits for NASBA CPE courses, reflecting improved customer interactions and satisfaction, especially for client-facing roles.

10. Career Progression

  • Report: Skill Benchmark Learner Details
  • Details: Provides insights into Skill Benchmark Activity, linking L&D programs to career advancement and internal mobility.

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Why These Metrics Matter to Learning Professionals

With access to these detailed reports — and the valuable insights they provide — you can:

Align L&D goals with business and employee objectives

Understand broader business goals and employee development aspirations. Show how your programs support both organizational objectives and individual development.

Formulate a solution with stakeholders

Collaborate with department leaders to ensure alignment between departmental needs and training initiatives. Their support is crucial for making your case to executive leadership.

Quantify the financial and human impact

Translate learning and development goals into financial terms and emphasize the human side. Calculate cost savings from reduced turnover and highlight how retaining talent enhances workforce capability.

Create a narrative combining data with human stories

Use metrics to craft a narrative connecting L&D initiatives, business outcomes, and employee development. Storytelling helps make data relatable and impactful.

Present a clear ROI

Calculate the ROI of L&D programs, factoring in costs and benefits. Emphasize how programs enhance employee satisfaction, engagement, and career progression.

Prepare for objections by focusing on both sides

Anticipate objections such as training costs or time away from work. Address these concerns with data and examples showing that benefits outweigh the costs.

Make a specific, balanced budget request

Clearly outline your budget needs, explaining how the funds will be used to achieve organizational goals and support workforce development.

Follow up with continuous reporting and human insights

Securing the budget is just the beginning. Commit to ongoing reporting and analysis using available metrics. Regular updates on metrics and open communication with stakeholders maintain support for your programs.

The Reality of Learning Metrics

Let’s take a look at some measurement success stories:

Lexmark’s transformation from a printing hardware leader to a digital innovator highlights the importance of L&D metrics. Partnering with Skillsoft, Lexmark implemented initiatives like the Emerge program for high-potential leaders. Metrics showed 95% of learners applied their new skills at work, demonstrating the program's impact on leadership development from within.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is also advancing its learning culture with Skillsoft’s Percipio platform. HUD's IDEA Learning Highway, focusing on DEIA, has increased employee awareness around new federal mandates, with 98% of learners planning to apply what they learned. This success underscores the value of integrating diverse training resources and measuring their impact.

Effective metrics, paired with robust reporting tools, showcase the value of L&D programs to both the business and its people. By aligning L&D efforts with organizational and employee goals, quantifying both financial and human impacts, and presenting a clear ROI, you make a compelling case for continued investment in L&D. 

And, you ensure that what gets measured matters.