The State of Employee Development 2026

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Key Findings of the Study:

• 16% of respondents say that there are currently no learning and development opportunities available in their company.
• 82% of respondents consider learning and development opportunities within their organization to be important or very important.
• 22% of respondents say they find it difficult or very difficult to identify a suitable learning opportunity within their company.
• 14% of respondents are (very) dissatisfied with their company’s current learning and development offering.
• 56% of respondents state that an attractive learning and development offering has a long-term impact on their decision to stay with their employer.

 

About the Study

To gain a comprehensive understanding of the state of learning, knowledge development, and employee motivation in Germany in 2026, Mystery Minds conducted a nationwide survey in collaboration with YouGov. The study is based on responses from 1,004 employees, aged 18 to 65.

The objective of the study was not only to assess the learning and development opportunities currently available in the workplace, but also to understand how motivated employees are to develop their skills, where they perceive gaps, and which learning formats they feel are currently missing. In addition, the study examined how satisfied employees are with their organization’s existing learning offerings, which formats they prefer, and the role learning and development play in employee satisfaction and retention.

Note:
The study was conducted in Germany. This version is a translated, shortened version. If you wish to receive the full German version, please let us know.