The Association for Talent Development has completed its first truly global assessment of talent development outlooks, resources, and practices. The findings from this research are presented in Global Trends in Talent Development. By looking at key metrics (including learning hours, budgets, and delivery methods) and top trends and challenges for talent development by global regions, this research will aid talent development professionals in benchmarking their practices against those of their peers in their own region. It offers comparisons across regions (Asia-Pacific; Europe, the Middle East, and Africa; North America; and Latin America) and, in some cases, groupings by workforce size.

Talent development professionals around the world agree on the most influential trending topics in their field, as well as the most pressing challenges facing talent development functions. The number of annual formal learning hours, too, is not significantly different across regions, with a worldwide average of approximately 34 hours annually. However, some differences across regions emerge when looking at expenditures, outsourcing activity, content, and delivery methods. These contrasts may reflect regional differences along with factors such as widely accepted practices, government regulations, educational systems, globalization, industry mix, availability of technology, and economic conditions.