Optimism Reigns Despite Sluggish Economy

This has been a telling year for learning and development. After reaching a record highscore in the first quarter of 2011, learning executives optimism diminished in Q2 and Q3 but increased slightly in the last quarter of 2011, according to the latest ASTD Learning Executive Confidence Index data. The Q4 score was almost identical to Q3, but slightly more optimistic. Positive expectations prevail as the ASTD LXCI scores reported by respondents were stable throughout 2011, only deviating by 1.4 points overall throughout the year.

The overall LXCI Q4 score rose less than a point to 66.6 from last quarters score of 65.9. While learning executives are cautiously optimistic, economic and job market instability has the potential to negatively influence their optimism, strategies, and budgets.

LXCI 2011 Q4 Key Findings

• This quarters overall LXCI score of 66.6 reflects a slight 1.06 percent increase in the learning executives economic confidence levels from last quarters score of 65.9.
• The average LXCI score for 2011 was 66.7, which was higher than the 2010 average of 61.4, reflecting an increase in confidence levels among learning executives for this year compared to last.
• About 45 percent of learning executives believe that the availability of resources needed to meet learning needs will get moderately or substantially better in the next six months.
• Learning executives responded that they see their organizations profit/performance expectations getting moderately or substantially better over the next 12 months. That incrreased from 61.7 percent last quarter to 65 percent, reflecting a 3.3 percent increase.
• Only 2.5 percent of learning executives believe that the learning functions ability to impact corporate performance will be moderately or substantially worse in the coming six months.
• The majority of learning executives (66.2 percent) believe that the current economic situation will increase the use of e- learning, while the vast majority of learning executives (85.2 percent) believe that travel for training purposes will stay the same or decrease over the next six months.
• 44.7 percent of learning executives anticipate increased expenditures on outsourced or external services to aid in the learning function in the coming months, up from last quarters 37.4 percent.
• Only 14.8 percent of learning executives believe that their organizations funding for workplace learning and development will moderately or substantially decrease.
• 15.9 percent of learning executives reported a substantial increase in their ability to meet learning needs in 2011, while in 2010 only 8.6 percent of learning executives believed there would be a substantial increase in their ability to meet learning needs in the next six months.