36 eLearning Statistics: Key Insights To Shape Our Future

These eLearning statistics will shape this year and our efforts in the employee training industry

With a global pandemic leading to lockdowns and financial struggles in 2020, companies had to pivot fast. Due to the wide array of changes and challenges, companies had to look for training that was quick to deploy, effective, and affordable. As we move into the future, these are 36 eLearning statistics that will shape this year and our efforts in the employee training industry.

11 workforce statistics

When it comes to workforce statistics, one thing is for sure: 2020 was a roller coaster of a year. The growth of online learning was already exploding when partial and full shut-downs sent many employees home to work remotely.

Due to this, we saw the following trends and stats:

1. Employee burnout reached an all-time high in August 2020
2. Work-from-home burnout occurred at the same rate as burnout in an office setting (43%)
3. In July of 2020, 75% of millennial workers expressed interest in mental health support from their job
4. The demand for professional eLearning due to the COVID-19 pandemic grew exponentially in 2020
5. Before COVID-19, nearly five million people in the U.S. worked remotely (and 88% of employers encouraged remote work as the pandemic set in)
6. Companies that allow remote work saw 25% less employee turnover
7. Think With Google reports a 9% increase in the search phrase “team building” during the pandemic
8. Employees are looking for more effective training opportunities from their employers
9. Increasing user engagement remains the number one challenge for eLearning in the workforce
10. Organizations spent 67% more on conferencing software as of April 2020
11. Well into (and past) 2021, remote work is going to change the way companies train employees

There is no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way companies across the globe do business. This has far-reaching implications for work and training that we will begin to see playing out in the future.

13 eLearning statistics 2021

While some of these eLearning statistics feel more like predictions than research-based certainty, the writing is on the wall. COVID-19 has permanently shifted how companies do business, and this will dramatically affect the way we learn at work as well.

When it comes to these eLearning statistics, the future is looking revolutionary.

1. eLearning industry growth is projected to increase from $101 billion in 2019 to $370 billion by 2026
2. Learning experience platforms that personalize the learning experience will begin to push out the simple LMS approach by 2021
3. Employees are embracing the opportunity to upskill at unprecedented rates
4. AR, VR, and MR are gaining popularity and acceptance as an effective training tool
5. Freelance and contract workers make up at least 35% of the workforce and are more interested (and accustomed to) online training
6. eLearning takes between 40 and 60% less time than traditional training (great for workers who only have an average of 24 minutes per week for training)
7. Self-paced eLearning continues to decline as workers favor engaging with peers
8. Companies will continue to focus on developing soft skills (also called “power skills”) to deepen their employee training
9. One off trainings are a thing of the past
10. The 70-20-10 rule for training will likely become standard: 70% experiential, 20% collaborative, and 10% formalized training
11. eLearning statistics in 2021 show that employees will need to focus on closing the skills gap brought about by a changing workforce
12. Adaptive learning that takes the needs of all learners into account is a non-negotiable in 2021
13. In 2020, 90% of companies used eLearning as a training tool. While this didn’t quite reach the percentage predicted in 2017 (an optimistic 98%), COVID-related remote work definitely pushed it close.

12 microlearning statistics

Microlearning is the practice of delivering just-in-time, bite-sized pieces of learning, when and where employees need it most. Think 15-minute compliance checklists or how-to videos instead of binders full of text.

Here are 12 microlearning statistics to keep an eye on as we move into the future.

1. The mobile learning (mLearning) market is projected to reach nearly $79 billion by 2025
2. mLearning will become the microlearning mode of choice by 2025
3. The interest in microlearning continues to rise, as does your ROI with this approach
4. Gamification increases engagement and motivation and continues to be in high demand
5. Mobile apps for microlearning will be a cost-effective way to train employees
6. Research continues to affirm a boost in knowledge retention with microlearning
7. Video remains the most popular form of microlearning delivery
8. Microlearning will continue to increase employee safety and encourage a high rate of participation
9. Companies that utilize microlearning continue to see quicker onboarding times
10. Microlearning course development costs are trending downward at an estimated 50% cheaper to develop than longer eLearning courses
11. Millennials and Gen Z prefer microlearning to all other types of training (and they are the largest group currently in the workforce)
12. Managers continue to look for real-time feedback for themselves and their employees, rather than a traditional annual review

Get ready for the future

The pandemic may have been a rocky one, but we’re not on the other side of it yet. But considering these eLearning statistics, the future may hold extraordinary growth and learning. Is your company ready?

Get in touch with EdgePoint Learning today for a personalized training needs analysis!