2026 State of the Industry Report Indicates Latest TD Trends

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As a talent development professional, what is keeping you up at night? Are you feeling optimistic about the coming year, or less so? And are your practices in line with those of your TD colleagues?

As a talent development professional, what is keeping you up at night? Are you feeling optimistic about the coming year, or less so? And are your practices in line with those of your TD colleagues?

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ATD Research’s 2026 State of the Industry: Talent Development Benchmarks and Trends , representing data from 2025, reveals that the average number of formal learning hours that year was 16.7, up from 13.7 hours in 2024. However, the direct expenditure per employee decreased rather dramatically: from $1,254 in 2024 to $846 in 2025.

ATD Research’s 2026 State of the Industry: Talent Development Benchmarks and Trends, representing data from 2025, reveals that the average number of formal learning hours that year was 16.7, up from 13.7 hours in 2024. However, the direct expenditure per employee decreased rather dramatically: from $1,254 in 2024 to $846 in 2025.

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Looking forward to the coming six months, TD leaders anticipate an increase in the function’s ability to meet organizational needs, a boost in corporate performance, and a better perception of the TD department at their organizations. Respondents are less optimistic about their access to financial resources. Forty-seven percent expect the budget supporting TD initiatives to stay the same, while 25 percent expect it to decrease.

Looking forward to the coming six months, TD leaders anticipate an increase in the function’s ability to meet organizational needs, a boost in corporate performance, and a better perception of the TD department at their organizations. Respondents are less optimistic about their access to financial resources. Forty-seven percent expect the budget supporting TD initiatives to stay the same, while 25 percent expect it to decrease.

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Access to resources is among the issues TD professionals currently face in their jobs, the research found. Nearly half (46 percent) of respondents shared that prioritization of multiple demands is among the top three challenges, followed by scaling with few resources (33 percent), and coping with the pace of change and inadequate budget or resources, both at 27 percent.

Access to resources is among the issues TD professionals currently face in their jobs, the research found. Nearly half (46 percent) of respondents shared that prioritization of multiple demands is among the top three challenges, followed by scaling with few resources (33 percent), and coping with the pace of change and inadequate budget or resources, both at 27 percent.

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While it varied among organization size and industry type, common types of training content include managerial and supervisory training (88 percent), communication skills training (78 percent), teamwork training (73 percent), and customer service training (63 percent). As for artificial-intelligence training, more companies are apt to provide practical AI skills training than technical AI skills training (55 percent versus 45 percent).

While it varied among organization size and industry type, common types of training content include managerial and supervisory training (88 percent), communication skills training (78 percent), teamwork training (73 percent), and customer service training (63 percent). As for artificial-intelligence training, more companies are apt to provide practical AI skills training than technical AI skills training (55 percent versus 45 percent).

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According to Gartner’s CHRO Guide: 9 Future of Work Trends for 2026, because AI tools are changing so rapidly, the technical skills themselves aren’t enough to garner a return on investment. Rather, workers need to be able to “rethink and redesign work processes rather than only optimizing individual tasks.”

According to Gartner’s CHRO Guide: 9 Future of Work Trends for 2026, because AI tools are changing so rapidly, the technical skills themselves aren’t enough to garner a return on investment. Rather, workers need to be able to “rethink and redesign work processes rather than only optimizing individual tasks.”

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ATD recommends observing trends from its State of the Industry reports over time and using the data to benchmark your company rather than trying to replicate it. It’s more useful to look at the data by industry type and organization size because that will more closely align to your organization.

ATD recommends observing trends from its State of the Industry reports over time and using the data to benchmark your company rather than trying to replicate it. It’s more useful to look at the data by industry type and organization size because that will more closely align to your organization.

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2026 State of the Industry is co-sponsored by Chronus and Zensai. ATD national members now have access to electronic copies of ATD research reports. For more information about member benefits while at ATD26, stop by The ATD Exchange to speak with association staff.

2026 State of the Industry is co-sponsored by Chronus and Zensai. ATD national members now have access to electronic copies of ATD research reports. For more information about member benefits while at ATD26, stop by The ATD Exchange to speak with association staff.

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Read more about ATD26 at conferencedaily.td.org .

Read more about ATD26 at conferencedaily.td.org.