Professional Development Training ROI: Why It Pays Off
- Maud Vanhoutte
- Jun 23
- 5 min read
Updated: 5 hours ago
The financial returns of investing in professional development training and coaching
Why do high-performing organisations consistently invest in soft skills training?
Because it works. Studies show that companies investing in professional development see up to 12x return on investment[1], and 24% higher profit margins[2] than those who don’t. When you focus on communication, leadership, and emotional intelligence, you build stronger teams, and a stronger bottom line.
Are your people technically strong, but not always working well together?
You are a CEO, HR leader, or senior people manager who believes in developing your people. Yet you may be facing challenges like:
Rising turnover or disengagement
Managers struggling to lead with clarity and empathy
Teams and departments that work in silos and struggle with collaboration
Technically competent staff who lack confidence or communication skills
You are not alone. Many professionals we support across Australia and globally are dealing with the same issues. Soft skills, like leadership, communication, emotional regulation, and resilience, are often the missing link. Without them, your people cannot fully use the technical expertise they have.
What do you want from your employees and teams?
Employers and leaders expect professionals and teams to collaborate and work effectively towards a common goal. They dream of:
Better collaboration across departments
Lower absenteeism and stronger engagement
A workplace culture where people support each other
Improved performance and innovation
Leaders who inspire, not just manage
The good news? All of this becomes possible when you invest in professional development training focused on soft skills.
What are soft skills and professional development training solutions?
Professional development training is more than ticking a box to please your HR department. It is about upskilling your team in the areas that matter most:
Communication
Leadership
Conflict resolution
Critical thinking
Emotional intelligence
Teamwork and team building
Internal and external customer service
Time and stress management
Working with different personality types
Presentation skills for engaging meetings
It gives your people the tools to adapt, grow, and succeed. And when delivered through coaching and engaging group workshops, the results are measurable.
Why soft skills training delivers strong Return On Investment (ROI)
There is a reason top organisations prioritise professional development training. According to LinkedIn's Workplace Learning Report 2025[3], 89% of L&D professionals agree that soft skills are more important than ever. Because when your people grow, so does your business.
Top 10 financial returns of investing in soft skills training
Increased productivity: Better communication, time management and collaboration = faster, higher quality work.
Enhanced teamwork: Teams work together more effectively, reducing duplication and internal conflict.
Improved leadership: Confident, emotionally intelligent leaders make better decisions and motivate others.
Adaptability: Staff respond to change with confidence, not resistance.
Customer satisfaction: Soft skills lead to better service, and happy customers return.
Talent retention: Staff feel invested in and valued, reducing costly turnover.
Innovation: Encouraging curiosity, problem-solving, and collaboration fuels new ideas.
Conflict resolution: Less time managing drama, more time achieving results.
Employee wellbeing: Training shows you care, improving engagement and reducing burnout.
Stronger employer brand: Great workplaces attract great people.
A recent study by Boston College, Harvard, and the University of Michigan found that soft skills training boosts productivity and retention by 12% and delivers a 250% return on investment.[4]
How New Reflections Helps You Maximise ROI on Professional Development
For nearly 20 years, Maud Vanhoutte has delivered transformative training programs across Australia and internationally. Each session is 100% tailored, grounded in your reality, not pulled from a shelf. We start with a culture audit, speak with your teams, and build programs that:
Use real-life challenges and examples
Focus on behaviour change and mindset shifts
Are practical, hands-on, and interactive
Create a safe space for honest conversations and growth
We walk in your shoes to ensure every session feels relevant, respectful, and impactful.
The Four Skills That Drive ROI
At New Reflections, we specialise in turning human potential into performance by building the three critical soft skills identified by Forbes: problem solving, emotional control, and purpose. To these, we add one more essential skill: communication.
These are not abstract traits. They are teachable, practical, and deeply transformative when delivered the right way.
Problem solving is not just about fixing what is broken; it is about developing the mindset to persist. Many employees see setbacks as permanent or external. We help reframe their explanatory style so they see challenges as temporary and solvable. Our coaching and scenario-based workshops equip teams to stay in problem-solving mode, foster innovation, and take personal ownership, even in uncertainty.
Emotion control is a game-changer skill. Whether the trigger is project changes, an unhappy client, or team pressure, our emotional regulation modules teach individuals how to identify stress loops before they spiral. Participants leave with tools to remain calm, focus on solutions, and lead with empathy. The result? Resilient, composed teams who respond, not react.
Purpose is the quiet force that sustains effort. Purpose is not taught through theory, but uncovered through guided reflection and connection to real-life impact. When people connect their work to something bigger than themselves, their engagement becomes durable. We help your team uncover their own drivers through guided reflection and align them with your organisational mission. The shift is powerful: from ticking tasks to showing up with meaning.
Communication, finally, is the soft skill that holds it all together. Without the ability to connect clearly, manage conflict, and adapt to different styles, none of the above can flourish. All New Reflections programs integrate tools for confident, audience-aware communication verbal, written, and non-verbal.
Discover the New Reflections Difference
You don’t need a full-time People & Culture team to see results.Whether you are after a one-off workshop, a longer learning journey, or want to hire a coach or facilitator, we offer high-impact solutions with no long-term commitment.
One-off masterclasses
Individual and group coaching packages
Ongoing training programs
Pre-vetted freelance facilitators
No waste on off-the-shelf programs. No need for permanent hires.Just relevant, human-centred learning that sticks.
The Cost of Doing Nothing
Still unsure? Let’s look at the numbers.
In Australia, the average full-time salary is $102,741/year (≈ $395/day).
So for a team of 15, that’s nearly $6,000 per day, even without factoring in rent, super or payroll tax.
A single day of soft skills training represents a tiny share of that cost, but the ripple effects (better teamwork, communication and retention) last years.
And turnover? Replacing a team member can cost up to 1.5x their salary.Just a 5% improvement in retention in a 40-person team could save over $300,000.
The Real Reason People Leave
Employees rarely quit just for money. They leave because:
They don’t feel heard
They don’t grow
They don’t trust their leaders
They don’t see purpose in their work
Training your leaders to listen, coach, adapt, and create clarity is one of the best investments you can make.
Let’s Build a Team People Want to Stay With
Let’s talk about how we can help you:
Reduce turnover
Equip your leaders with the skills that matter
Strengthen communication and collaboration
Shape a culture your people are proud of
References
[1]: “Companies that invest in training and development enjoy 24% higher profit margins than those who don’t.” 2014 - Huffington Post / American Society for Training and Development
[2]: “Soft skills training can deliver a 256% ROI, or 12x return on every dollar spent, by increasing productivity and retention.” Source : Boston College, Harvard University & University of Michigan joint study
[3]: LinkedIn Learning Workplace Report - 2025
[4]: Forbes - Why Soft Skills Matter
