With just 23.9% employer sponsorships, Indian professionals are funding their own learning, finds TeamLease Edtech

• 84% of professionals took upskilling in the last 12 months
• 92% believe long-form degrees carry the strongest career signaling value
• 64% reported a direct positive impact on appraisals, and 42% saw a promotion, role enhancement or salary hike within 18 months

Mumbai : As India’s workforce redefines its approach to career growth, a new study by TeamLease Edtech reveals that a significant majority of professionals are taking charge of their learning journeys. The report “Impact of Upskilling on Performance Appraisals” highlights that only 23.9% of employers offered full sponsorship for upskilling, while 46% of professionals chose to self-fund their most recent learning initiatives.

Based on responses from over 14,000+ employees across functions like technology, finance, sales, operations, and human resources, the report brings to light the evolving expectations around performance, learning, and advancement. An overwhelming 84% of professionals reported engaging in some form of upskilling over the past year, driven by long-term career planning and a desire for future readiness.

More than 64% of professionals reported a direct positive impact of upskilling on their appraisal outcomes. Interestingly, 42% witnessed promotions, salary hikes or enhanced roles within just 18 months of completing their upskilling, reinforcing the role of learning as a short-to-mid-term lever for growth. Timing has also emerged as a key factor, with over 40% of respondents stating that they intentionally pursued upskilling closer to appraisal cycles to maximise visibility and impact.

Employees who self-funded their courses were more likely to report appraisal gains compared to those who didn’t upskill at all. Additionally, professionals from Technology and Finance backgrounds showed the highest self-upskilling rates (78.3%), often without organizational learning support. In contrast, 80% of Sales and Marketing respondents preferred short-term certifications and online tutorials, emphasizing the growing relevance of just-in-time, low-cost learning formats tailored for immediate application.

Shantanu Rooj, Founder and CEO, TeamLease Edtech, stated, “This study makes one thing very clear. The professionals who take initiative, especially those who invest in their learning, stand to gain not just skills but also recognition, responsibility, and real career momentum. For organizations, this is a wake-up call to invest more strategically in structured upskilling paths that align with performance cycles. For employees, they need to act now, learn smart, and think long-term.”

Employers are encouraged to align learning budgets with appraisal cycles, recognize self-funded learning efforts, and build structured upskilling tracks, especially for high-impact functions like tech and finance. For individuals, the data suggests clear gains from timing learning closer to performance evaluations and from prioritizing programs that match their long-term career aspirations.