Training gap drives staff to quit as AI reshapes jobs

TalentLMS has reported a renewed rise in employees who say they will look for another job if their company does not offer training, underscoring growing pressure on employers over learning and development.

The learning platform's 2026 Annual L&D Benchmark Report draws on responses from 101 US HR managers and 1,000 employees. It highlights a workforce facing rising performance demands, limited time for upskilling, and mixed expectations about artificial intelligence training.

The research shows that 35% of employees would look for another job if their company did not provide training opportunities. This share had previously fallen from 41% to 24%, before climbing again in the latest survey.

At the same time, 73% of employees say training would make them stay longer with their current employer. This suggests a strong link between access to development and retention plans.

More than half of employees in the survey say their workloads leave no time for development. This points to a tension between day-to-day performance demands and longer-term investment in skills.

Two further indicators show how output pressures are mounting. Sixty-five percent of employees say their company has increased performance expectations in the past year. Forty-five percent say they feel pushed to deliver more at work.

TalentLMS is part of Epignosis, which develops learning technologies for corporate training. The company tracks long-term sentiment on workplace learning through its annual benchmark series.

"The data sends a clear signal that employees want employers to invest in learning and development," said Dimitris Tsingos, CEO of Epignosis, parent company of TalentLMS. "That requires top-down strategies and learning that empowers everyone - from the receptionist to the CEO - to help people grow, and build AI competencies that keep companies and talent ahead of innovation."

AI training gap

The report places AI at the centre of HR planning for the coming year. Seventy percent of HR managers say they plan to open new AI-related roles in the following year.

HR leaders also see AI as a force for automation within existing roles. Forty-seven percent say their AI training is aimed at making jobs easier to automate.

The study identifies a perception gap between managers and staff on AI learning. HR managers think they are delivering on AI training. Employees disagree. The difference is nearly 20 percentage points, according to the report.

The findings suggest that AI is both an opportunity and a source of concern in workplaces. It is creating demand for new roles and skills. It is also raising questions about job redesign and job security.

Ownership and budgets

The annual study also examines how companies organise and fund learning and development. It examines who owns L&D within organisations. It also looks at how training budgets have evolved.

The report reviews how companies measure return on investment in learning. It also looks at how they track employee satisfaction with L&D programmes.

Barriers to learning from another area of focus. These include time constraints, workload pressures, and access to relevant content.

The research analyses current skills gaps within organisations. It also details how those gaps affect business performance and career paths.

Career mobility pressure

The report links learning with internal mobility and long-term career growth. It examines how L&D programmes influence promotions, role changes, and professional development.

It also outlines how AI is reshaping learning design and delivery. This includes the use of AI tools in course creation and personalisation. It also includes AI-based recommendations for training paths.

The study identifies three emerging trends in learning and development for 2026. These trends relate to the role of AI, the ownership of L&D strategy, and the link between training and employee loyalty.

The data suggests that HR leaders recognise the strategic value of learning but struggle to sustain it as a priority. Heavy workloads limit the time employees can spend on training. This is happening at the same time that AI is creating a new set of skill requirements.

The report says organisations now face a clear mandate for the year ahead. It highlights the need to protect time for development, close perception gaps between leaders and employees, and embed AI literacy at every level of the organisation.