The research findings revealed a staggering 77% of companies believe that learning technologies will help them respond faster to changing business conditions, an increase of 11% from 2010. Learning technologies are helping organisations reduce proven competency time by 35%, roll-out new IT systems faster by 33%, and improve product and processes changes by 33%.

With 64% of participants expected to allocate a greater proportion of their overall training budget to learning technologies in the next two years. Towards Maturity's research findings revealed how L&D professionals are looking at learning technologies to increase access to learning (89%), increase flexibility (85%), improve quality of learning (84%), reduce training costs (83%), and extend the reach of training (82%).

Craig McCoy, HR Director, Bupa Health and Wellbeing who participated in the Benchmark Study, says, "It is time to move learning technologies up the value curve. If HR is looking to establish a credible relationship with the business, we can't afford to ignore the tangible business benefits illustrated by this report. Investment in innovative learning approaches facilitates business agility and can support business generation, improve customer service, and increase organisational efficiency."

Organisations are using learning technologies to improve induction (79%), employee engagement (78%), and talent management (68%). In contrast, 60% of managers are not giving employees time to learn.

The study also highlights how 55% of organisations agree that face-to-face classroom courses are no longer the only option for improving skills and performance in the workplace. In the current fast changing environment, 78% of organisations are now using technology to improve the sharing of effective learning methods among staff using a variety of platforms including social networks, video, and mobile phones.

The 600 organisations that participated in the study received a complimentary personalised benchmark report. Within the report is a Towards Maturity Index (TMI) figure that provides organisations with a benchmark measurement of how well they have implemented their learning technologies across six work streams of good practice. Towards Maturity has identified companies in the top quartile of the scale as being twice as likely to report improvements in agility, influencing business impact, and improving opportunities for talent management than the average company.

The sixty-page Towards Maturity 2011 Benchmark Study report is available as a free download thanks to Towards Maturity's Ambassadors, who are sixteen leading learning organisations. They work together as Ambassadors for change, identifying and improving good practice, raising awareness, and driving the whole learning industry forward.