Why Measuring Learning Effectiveness Is More Important Than Ever

For many L&D professionals, measuring learning effectiveness is not a new concept. Course completions and post-training evaluations have long been used to assess whether programs are on track.

But the learning landscape has changed. Digital transformation, AI, an ageing workforce and a shift toward renewable industries are all accelerating the need for upskilling and reskilling. In this environment, a high-performing and engaged workforce isn’t just helpful. It’s essential.

The Decline in Work-Related Training

Despite this growing need, participation in work-related training is falling. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics work-related training in Australia is actually decreasing and has been doing so consistently over the past decade.

While engagement is declining overall, expectations from employees are rising. Today’s workforce is actively looking for learning and development opportunities and are making career decisions based on what’s offered.

Employees Are Asking for More

Employee demand for learning has surged. It’s one of the top drivers of retention, particularly for younger generations who expect employers to support their growth. Multiple studies show that people are more likely to leave when development pathways aren’t clear or available. The message is simple: investing in employee learning is no longer optional.

The Skills Gap Is Already Here

At the same time, the skills that were once critical are quickly being replaced. Generative AI is predicted to affect up to 86% of all occupations, according to Deloitte. Separate research suggests nearly 20% of employees are not proficient in their roles, which directly impacts productivity. Many of these gaps are linked to insufficient training and a lack of effective development programs.

Investment Is Rising But Budgets Are Tightening

Australian businesses are expected to spend more than $8 billion on training this year, a 15% increase. Yet some organisations are planning to cut their L&D budgets by as much as 50%.

This makes measuring effectiveness more important than ever. You need to show what’s working, where value is being created, and how it aligns with business priorities.

Why Aren’t More Organisations Measuring Effectiveness?

Despite the clear need, only 15% of organisations have a defined approach to measuring the return on training investment (CEDA). Common challenges include a lack of time, difficulty choosing the right metrics, and poor access to useful data.

The problem often starts with outdated metrics. Attendance and completions show activity, but not outcomes.

A Better Way to Measure Learning Impact

To understand learning effectiveness, ask questions like:

• Are people applying what they learned?
• Has behaviour changed?
• Is knowledge being retained over time?
• Are we seeing business impact?

Answering these requires more meaningful data and a clear, outcome-focused approach.

How to Start Measuring Effectiveness

Step 1: Begin with Mindset
Shift how your organisation thinks about learning. Focus on outcomes, not just delivery. Define success based on behaviour change and performance improvement, and bring stakeholders along early in the process.

Step 2: Define What ‘Good’ Looks Like
Know what you’re aiming for before you start. What should learners know or do differently? What does success look like for the organisation? Set goals and have the data to support you reaching them.

Example goals include:

Strategic

• Enable role readiness
  Equip employees with the essential skills and knowledge to perform confidently in their role.
• Improve job performance
  Address performance gaps or evolving job demands to boost effectiveness and productivity.
• Support career growth
  Build capabilities that prepare employees for future roles and progression.

Cognitive

• Maximise retention
  Ensure learners remember and apply what they’ve learned over time
• Increase learning effectiveness
  Increase the depth of understanding and ability to transfer knowledge to real-world scenarios
• Improve knowledge accuracy
  Correct misunderstandings and reinforce critical concepts to reduce errors on the job
• Boost learner engagement
  Increase participation, interest, and satisfaction with learning experiences

Operational

• Reduce training hours
  Deliver the most impact in the shortest amount of time
• Minimise time to competency
  Enable learners to become job-ready as quickly as possible.
• Optimise for scalability
  Ensure training can be deployed efficiently across geographies, roles, and time zones

Step 3: Start Small
Going from completions to real impact can feel overwhelming. Start with one or two metrics that are easy to access and meaningful. Share the results, then build from there.

Simple, Effective Ways to Start

• Learning Evaluations
  You may already be collecting this data. With a bit of structure, it can become a powerful tool for tracking impact.
• Learner Satisfaction
  Quick surveys or feedback forms provide useful sentiment data. Open-text responses are now easier to analyse with AI tools.
• Interaction Data
  Understand how learners engage with content, then identify where they might struggle or drop off.
• Retention Over Time
  Follow up a few days or weeks after training with short quizzes or knowledge checks. Even a simple email can provide insight into long-term learning.

What’s Possible Moving Forward

Use Technology to Go Deeper
With tools like xAPI, you can capture data across systems, channels and learning types. AI makes it easier to identify patterns, then act quickly on what the data reveals.

Tell a Story with Data
Visual dashboards and reports help you make a compelling case. Don’t just track metrics — show how learning is driving change.

Make It Continuous
Measuring effectiveness is not a one-off exercise. It should be embedded in your learning strategy. Keep iterating, keep improving, and keep linking learning back to business priorities.

In today’s fast-moving world of work, learning can’t just be a box to tick. It needs to be measurable, meaningful, and aligned to the goals that matter most. That means shifting the mindset, embracing smarter data, and continuously improving how we support our people.

The good news is, you don’t have to do it alone. At ClearXP, we help organisations of all sizes turn learning into a strategic asset. Our tools make impact measurement clear, actionable, and achievable. Because when learning works, everything works better.