What is the ROI of training?
It’s a question L&D teams are asked all the time.
But I think it’s the wrong question.
The CFO doesn’t really care how many people completed a course.
They care about:How much cash did we release?
How much did we increase sales?
How much did we reduce costs?
How much did productivity improve?
So why not start there?
In retail, relatively small operational improvements can have significant financial consequences.
For example, our previous project experience suggests that in non-food retail an additional half a stock turn over 24 months can release cash, reduce inventory carrying costs and reduce clearance markdowns.
And a four-percentage-point improvement in on-shelf availability can generate approximately a 2% increase in same-store sales.
Now the conversation becomes much more interesting.
Instead of trying to calculate the ROI of every individual course, identify the skills that can move the numbers that matter.
Then build the learning intervention around those skills.
Critical thinking, leadership and other soft skills still matter—perhaps more than ever as AI changes the workplace.But you don't necessarily need to invent a speculative financial return for every one of them.
Start with the hard benefits. Build the learning strategy around the business.
Training is the intervention.
Business performance is the outcome.
That's the thinking behind our ROI model.
We're making an online version available shortly. Message me if you'd like to see it when it's ready, or click here for more detail.-
Posted by Brian Hume
7th October 2026
