Learning and development (L&D) opportunities have long been positioned as a key driver of career growth and a positive employee experience. However, despite significant investments, many organizations are still falling short of delivering learning experiences that resonate with their people. New research from Perceptyx’s Center for Workforce Transformation, based on nearly 2,000 employee responses collected in March 2025, reveals that the learning methods employees value aren’t always the ones they’re offered, and the disconnect is having real consequences for engagement.
People Want Personal, Practical, and Purposeful Learning
When it comes to how employees prefer to learn, two distinct sets of development experiences stand out: those that are direct and self-driven, and those that are formal and organization-provided. While measured separately, each category offers insight into what people find most meaningful in their development journeys.
Employee Preferences: Direct and Indirect Learning Formats
In the first set of preferences, employees evaluated more direct, interpersonal training formats. These included learning experiences that are hands-on, relational, or self-guided. Here, personalized approaches led the pack:
- First: 1-on-1 Coaching or Training
- Second: On-the-Job Mentoring
- Third: Peer-to-peer Training or Coaching
These options suggest that employees gravitate toward learning that is contextual, immediately applicable, and connected to others.
In the second set of preferences, respondents ranked more indirect, formal development opportunities, which are typically structured in some way or externally recognized:
- First: Professional certifications or credentialing programs
- Second: Leadership development programs
- Third: Tuition reimbursement and educational support
These results highlight the appeal of experiences that contribute to long-term career mobility. Employees seem to prefer opportunities that offer tangible credentials or advancement pathways.
What Drives Impact and Participation?
While preferences help us understand what learners gravitate toward, it’s also critical to look at what they find impactful — and what influences their willingness to participate.
Among direct training options, the top-ranked format in both perceived impact and likelihood to increase participation was 1-on-1 coaching (1st ranked in impact; 1st ranked in participation). On-the-job mentoring was a close second, suggesting that personalized attention and embedded learning are not only preferred but also effective and engaging. Interestingly, AI-powered asynchronous tools ranked as one of the top drivers of participation (2nd ranked), despite being lower on the preference list. This suggests that convenience and accessibility still matter.
Among indirect training options, professional certifications were viewed as the most impactful (1st ranked), while leadership development programs and tuition reimbursement were seen as most likely to drive participation (ranked 1st and 2nd, respectively). Together, these results indicate that formal, career-aligned development opportunities remain highly motivating, particularly when they are well-structured, clearly tied to growth, and financially supported by the organization.
Learning Boosts Engagement and Loyalty
The right learning experience can do more than improve skills; it can transform how employees feel about their work and their future at the organization.
Our analysis found that employees who are satisfied with their learning opportunities are:
- More than 3 times as likely to be fully engaged at work (66% vs. 19%)
- Nearly twice as likely to say they intend to stay with their organization over the next year (79% vs. 42%)
- 2.6 times as likely to advocate for their organization as a great place to work (81% vs. 31%)
When employees feel that their development is a priority, they’re more energized, more committed, and more likely to view their organization as one that invests in people rather than just processes.
Yet an opportunity gap remains. Half of employees (50%) say the learning opportunities they receive feel outdated and ineffective. More than half (53%) believe their organization prioritizes cost-cutting over meaningful development. And only 64% feel that the learning opportunities they’re offered align with how they prefer to learn.
These mismatches aren't just missed opportunities; they’re active contributors to disengagement and turnover. In environments where development feels transactional or irrelevant, employees are more likely to check out.
What Can Organizations Do to Make Learning More Practical and Personalized?
To close the gap between what employees need and what they’re given, organizations should focus on three core areas:
Prioritize experiential learning and enable it with scalable tools.
Coaching and mentoring are rated as the most impactful learning methods. Support these time-intensive experiences with scalable solutions that connect employees to relevant opportunities and make personalized development more accessible across the organization.
Tailor development, even in small ways.
Offer personalized learning plans that reflect employees’ goals, roles, and current skill levels. Small shifts in how content is recommended or delivered can create a stronger sense of ownership and relevance. Artificial intelligence can also be used as a medium to personalize training in a scalable way.
Remove barriers to learning.
Ensure that employees have protected time to learn during work hours and feel supported in their development. Reinforce that learning is not a bonus; it’s part of how work gets done. Organizations can also leverage asynchronous digital solutions to meet learners where they are or right-size training to individual time constraints.
Perceptyx Answers the Question: How Do You Ensure Learning Drives Both Personal and Business Impact?
The insights from our research are clear: when organizations align learning with employee preferences and needs, they unlock higher engagement, stronger retention, and measurable business impact. Grow from Perceptyx combines AI-powered development planning, intelligent behavioral nudges, and comprehensive 360-degree feedback to transform sporadic learning assessments into continuous development journeys. With proven behavioral science backing, Grow helps managers receive personalized, practical suggestions that guide them in applying feedback and developing new leadership habits.
Ready to bridge the gap between what your employees want and what they receive? Schedule a demo with our team to discover how Grow can help you create learning experiences that truly resonate with your people and drive lasting behavioral change.
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