L&D ROI in 2025: the Crisis, the Shift, and the Way Out

In 2025, the global ROI crisis in L&D comes down to one core problem: 70% of teams can’t set measurable goals or link them to business results. As a result, learning efforts look busy but disconnected, executives stop seeing value, trust disappears and budgets shrink.

iSpring’s latest research across 150+ L&D professionals in North America and Europe identified three clear team profiles: Isolated Executors, Direction Seekers, and Metric Masters — the few who confidently prove ROI and influence strategy.

In this session, Holly Owens will share what separates these groups, highlight the main barriers that hold L&D back, and walk you through real examples, where tracking the right metrics like time-to-proficiency and retention proved direct revenue growth.

You’ll leave with full understanding of the steps every team can take to start speaking the language of business: from proxy metrics and setting goals that matter to choosing measurable KPIs, and showing performance impact with the right LMS setup.

Join if you want to see where your team stands now and join the select few professionals globally that have passed the crisis stage, now enjoying full trust and the peace of mind of an irreplaceable, strategic role.

During this session, you will learn:

• How to quickly assess whether your current reporting puts your L&D team at risk.
• The key patterns that separate high-impact teams from those stuck in “support mode.”
• Small changes and techniques for connecting learning initiatives to measurable business outcomes.
• How to use proxy metrics to make ROI visible without complex financial modeling.
• Tried-and-true ways to build credibility with executives through communication.

Holly Owens
Freelance Instructional Designer
Jolly Holly Ed Services