Digital Learning Platforms Drive Enterprise Efficiency Despite Budget Constraints

Companies may be reining in spending on training and human resources, but when it comes to digital learning, they don't seem to be holding back. They have no choice; the need for enterprise talent development and training is growing, and digital learning tools are meeting the demand. For good reason: they are proving effective in reducing costs and expanding training. That's according to YXT.com Group (NASDAQ: YXT) and HR Excellence Center's "2024-2025 Enterprise Digital Learning Blue Book" report.

The digital learning platform company and the Chinese membership-based organization for human resources professionals spent six months visiting 306 Chinese companies to identify the latest trends and practical experiences in current enterprise digital learning. They found that 75% of enterprises are expanding training coverage, and 63% are reducing costs thanks to digital learning platforms. The efficiency and effectiveness of digital learning platforms are the main reasons the market rebounded last year and looks poised for more growth in 2025 and beyond.

In 2024 the global e-learning services market was valued at nearly $300 billion, and it's projected to grow at a CAGR of 19% from now through 2030. The double-digit growth is being driven by demand for remote learning and upskilling. Advancements in technology – namely AI and rising internet penetration rates – are also fueling the uptick in adoption rates. What changed in 2024 and is expected to continue to be a trend in the new year is enterprises' focus on using digital training to onboard new employees and for the training of basic-level managers.

YXT.com and HREC found in talking to enterprises that new employee and frontline position training are the main applications for digital learning, with merging online and offline training becoming widely applied. Companies are using a combination of internally developed professional content and externally purchased general courses, with an emphasis on business scenario integration. When serving up this content, SaaS is still the preferred method for delivering training on the enterprise level, although dual-end combination mode in which a PC and mobile are used is gaining traction.

The report found that for enterprises using digital learning, training project management and exam/practice functions have high satisfaction rates. Notably, about 25% of surveyed enterprises have applied AI technology in digital learning, showing good application prospects. AI tools are currently being used mainly to handle content generation and problem-solving functions, with high attention to intelligent push and content generation scenarios. While companies are in desperate need of content and can benefit from AI, the compliance risks and cost-effectiveness of rolling out AI tools have been the main obstacles to adoption.

Low employee enthusiasm about training in general remains the biggest obstacle in promoting digital learning. Enterprises expect weekly digital learning time to be less than 5 hours, thus operations become more flexible, improving participation through posters, OA, WeChat and other channels, while reducing hard measures like linking to performance or promotion. The report found that all of this comes as overall digital learning budgets are down, but enterprises are still spending more to develop content. At the same time, digital learning teams are shrinking, resulting in more companies purchasing content and talent development-related functions externally.

That presents a big opportunity for YXT.com. After all, with enterprises in need of more third-party content suppliers and consultants to meet their digital learning goals, YXT.com is standing by to deliver. That's particularly true in 2025, which is expected to be the year enterprises come up with clear digital learning strategies and find content partners that are actively embracing AI to support that. YXT.com checks off those boxes, helping enterprises improve talent cultivation quality by providing software SaaS services, content solution services and digital enterprise learning operation services to many industry-leading companies, including Fortune 500 enterprises.