eLearning ROI: How to Prove the Value of Digital Learning

It’s common knowledge that elearning offers a faster and more efficient way to deliver training - it’s a strategic driver of capability, performance and organisational agility. However, many Learning and Development teams still struggle to articulate its financial impact in a way that resonates with senior stakeholders. 

That is where demonstrating elearning ROI (Return on Investment) becomes essential. When measured and communicated well, ROI turns elearning from a perceived cost into a proven business asset.

What Is eLearning ROI?

eLearning ROI is the calculation of the financial return an organisation gains from its digital learning initiatives compared to the cost of delivering them. It answers a simple question:

“For every pound invested in eLearning, what value did we get back?”

This value can come from:

• Reduced training costs
  
  

• Saved time for learners and trainers
  
  

• Increases in productivity or performance
  
  

• Reduction in compliance breaches or operational errors
  
  

• Faster onboarding
  
  

• Improved customer satisfaction scores
  
  

• Higher employee retention
  
  

ROI gives stakeholders a tangible understanding of impact - using numbers, not just narrative.

Why Does eLearning ROI Matter?

1. L&D Needs to Demonstrate Strategic Value

In many organisations, training budgets are closely scrutinised. L&D teams need credible data to justify investment in digital learning, especially when competing with wider business priorities such as sales, operations and technology.

ROI analysis helps L&D shift from being seen as a cost centre to being recognised as a contributor to revenue, efficiency and growth.

2. Stakeholders Speak the Language of Value

Different decision-makers care about different outcomes:

• CFOs look at cost savings, efficiency and measurable risk reduction.
  
  

• COOs and Operations Heads focus on performance improvement and error reduction.
  
  

• HR Leaders look for retention, engagement and time-to-competence improvements.
  
  

• Compliance Teams want reductions in breaches, fines and regulatory exposure.
  
  

• Commercial Directors care about productivity uplift and customer experience metrics.
  
  

ROI provides a unified framework that translates learning outcomes into operational and financial benefits.

3. It Helps Prioritise What to Build

Knowing which training delivers the highest return helps organisations invest in the right capabilities - whether onboarding, compliance, leadership, product knowledge or systems training.

How to Calculate eLearning ROI

While ROI formulas can vary by industry, the standard equation is:

ROI (%) = (Net Benefits / Cost of eLearning) × 100

Where:

Net Benefits = Total Benefits - Total Costs

Costs usually include:

• Design and development
  
  

• LMS or platform fees
  
  

• Subject matter expert time
  
  

• Learner time (opportunity cost)
  
  

• Updates and maintenance
  
  

Benefits often include:

1. Cost Reduction

• Fewer trainer hours
  
  

• Reduced travel and accommodation
  
  

• Lower venue or classroom costs
  
  

• Less time away from core tasks
  
  

2. Productivity Improvements

• Faster onboarding
  
  

• Reduced time to competence
  
  

• Higher output per employee
  
  

• Improved accuracy or fewer errors
  
  

3. Risk & Compliance Savings

• Avoided fines
  
  

• Lower insurance premiums
  
  

• Fewer safety incidents
  
  

• Reduced rework or service failures
  
  

4. Revenue or Customer Impact

• Better sales performance
  
  

• Higher customer satisfaction or NPS
  
  

• Faster delivery of new products or processes
  
  

To illustrate:

If an organisation spends £40,000 on elearning and sees £120,000 in combined savings and productivity gains:

• Net Benefits = £120,000 - £40,000 = £80,000
  
  

• ROI = (£80,000 ÷ £40,000) × 100 = 200%
  
  

This means for every £1 invested, the business gained £2 back.

Real-World Evidence: eLearning Delivers Strong ROI

Multiple studies, industry analyses and company examples consistently show digital learning provides positive financial returns.

1. Reduction in Training Costs

• IBM reduced training costs by around 40% ($200 million) after implementing elearning, according to their corporate learning research.
  
  

• A Brandon Hall study found companies switching to elearning saved between 40% and 60% on training delivery.
  
  

These savings typically come from reduced travel, venue, instructor and lost-productivity costs.

2. Realising the Productivity & Performance Gains of Training

• According to the American Society for Training & Development (ASTD), companies that invest in comprehensive training generate 218% higher revenue per employee than those that don’t.
  
  

• McKinsey reports that companies enhancing skills through digital learning see 6–12% increases in worker productivity.
  
  

Productivity gains often come from faster onboarding and better on-the-job performance. Often, training - and even digital learning - is seen as a time-suck to be done later when there’s more time (which never seems to be available). 

Implementing elearning allows training to be done at convenient times - even on 10 minute breaks - so that the above revenue and productivity benefits can be realised. 

3. Faster Time to Competency

• Studies show elearning can reduce time-to-competency by 25–60%, enabling employees to start adding value sooner.
  
  

• Microlearning alone has been shown to improve learning efficiency by 17% and boost knowledge retention by up to 80%.
  
  

4. Compliance and Safety Benefits

Industries such as healthcare, aviation, logistics and manufacturing report substantial ROI from reducing:

• Safety incidents
  
  

• Compliance errors
  
  

• Insurance claims
  
  

• Regulatory penalties
  
  

For organisations with high compliance exposure, even a handful of avoided breaches can generate ROI far exceeding the cost of the training.

5. Scalability & Global Reach

One piece of digital learning can be delivered to hundreds or thousands of learners at no additional marginal cost. This reduces the per-person cost dramatically over time and increases ROI each year the training remains relevant.

Examples of eLearning ROI in Practice

Here are simplified generalised examples based on typical business outcomes:

Example 1: Onboarding

A company spends £30,000 to digitise its onboarding programme.
New hire time-to-productivity decreases by three weeks, worth an estimated £3,000 per new employee.

With 100 new hires a year:

• Benefit = £300,000 per year
  
  

• Net gain = £300,000 - £30,000 = £270,000
  
  

• ROI = 1,000%
  
  

Example 2: Compliance Training

A logistics company sees a 22% reduction in safety-related incidents after implementing eLearning.

If each incident previously cost an average of £5,000 and 20 occurred per year:

• Annual cost before: £100,000
  
  

• After improvement: £78,000
  
  

• Savings: £22,000 per year
  
  

If the elearning programme costs £15,000 annually:

• Net benefit = £22,000 - £15,000 = £7,000
  
  

• ROI = 47% in year one
  This often rises sharply in future years as development costs are already absorbed.
  
  

Example 3: Sales Training

An organisation launches product knowledge simulations costing £50,000.  Sales conversion improves by just 2%, generating an extra £300,000 in annual revenue.

• Net benefit = £300,000 - £50,000 = £250,000
  
  

• ROI = 500%
  
  

These examples demonstrate that even modest performance improvements can deliver substantial returns.

Importantly, many of these ROI benefits can stack together and be seen across multiple departments. A safety training programme delivered via elearning could reduce onboarding costs AND reduce incident costs 

Relevant First Media Case Studies

Amazon - Accelerator Program

First Media developed video-based training for Amazon alongside PlanetMark and British Chambers of Commerce. This learning content is helping small businesses to work towards both commercial growth and carbon net-zero, and can be rolled out at scale with minimal cost of delivery. 

Financial Times

First Media supported FT’s capability growth with bespoke elearning for leadership training. Stronger leadership skills will help their senior employees deliver enhanced performance, culture and operational efficiency.

Sabre

By simplifying complex content into modern digital modules, our sales enablement training for Sabre is helping their business development staff to boost revenues by better demonstrating the benefits of their Retail Intelligence Suite to potential customers. 

Zellis

Our AI-powered video training for Zellis is helping users to get up to speed with their software - reducing time to competency. 

BVRA

Our elearning for BVRA is helping veterinary receptionists develop communication skills that improve client interactions. Better customer experience supports retention and their long term revenue.

"This was our first time working with First Media and it was a breeze. The team made it very easy to turn our content into a more interactive, engaging piece that our learners are really enjoying. Each member of the team was patient and responsive to our needs.”

Why eLearning Should Be Seen as an Investment, Not a Cost

Framing elearning purely as an expense misses the wider picture.

Strong ROI evidence shows that:

• It reduces organisational risk
  
  

• It increases productivity at scale
  
  

• It boosts revenue through better performance
  
  

• It cuts training costs year after year
  
  

• It accelerates strategic change and capability building
  
  

In a rapidly evolving business environment, digital learning is one of the few investments that can simultaneously decrease costs and increase value.

Final Thoughts

Measuring and communicating elearning ROI equips L&D teams to speak the language of business. It builds confidence among stakeholders, unlocks budgets and demonstrates that learning is not just a support function - it is a strategic driver of performance, profitability and long-term resilience. 

Contact us here at First Media to discuss how we can help you create and deliver engaging elearning that will keep your learners and your finance team happy.