Over 80% Doing Regular Work 'Behind the Screen'? e-Learning 'Multitasking' Leads to Hollow Training

Otobank Inc. (Headquarters: Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Yuya Kubota; hereinafter 'Otobank'), which provides the unlimited audiobook subscription service 'audiobook.jp for Business' to promote employee self-directed learning, conducted a survey titled 'Survey on the Reality of e-Learning Participation' targeting 400 company employees aged 20–69 who had been required by their employers to take e-learning courses within the past year. The results revealed that the e-learning completion rate was only 42.5%, and 80.5% had experienced 'multitasking'—engaging in other work while taking e-learning—highlighting the hollowing out of corporate training.

Background of the Survey: Strengthening Human Capital Disclosure and Challenges of e-Learning

The revised 'Human Capital Visualization Guidelines,' published in March this year, emphasize the alignment of business and talent strategies, increasing the importance of disclosing not only training hours and costs but also the 'outcomes of initiatives.' Many companies have accelerated the adoption and expansion of e-learning to comply with these guidelines and adapt to the rise of remote work post-pandemic. However, companies implementing e-learning also report challenges such as 'low utilization rates' and 'uncertainty about actual learning outcomes.' In light of this, Otobank conducted the 'Survey on the Reality of e-Learning Participation' targeting 400 employees aged 20–69 who had been required to take e-learning within the past year.

【Survey Highlights】

◆ e-Learning completion rate: 42.5%. Among remote workers, it drops further to 30.7%.

◆ 80.5% have experienced 'multitasking.' Despite completion logs being recorded, actual work continues 'behind the screen,' indicating the hollowing out of training.

◆ Over 80% feel the need to learn, yet nearly 70% express dissatisfaction with current e-learning. A 'reskilling paradox' has emerged.

◆ The next ideal learning environment: 'short duration,' 'multitasking-friendly,' and 'mobile-first.' Demand is rising for learning that integrates seamlessly into daily routines without consuming dedicated time.

e-Learning Completion Rate: 42.5%, Drops to 30.7% Among Remote Workers

Respondents were asked what percentage of their required e-learning they had completed over the past year.

Overall, only 42.5% of employees completed 100% of their courses. Among the 231 employees who work remotely at least once a week, the completion rate dropped further to 30.7%.

While e-learning has been rapidly adopted as a corporate training tool due to the spread of remote work during the pandemic, the results show that employees working remotely are even less likely to complete courses.

Barriers to Participation: 'Psychological' and 'Time' Barriers

Among the 230 employees who did not complete their e-learning, reasons for non-completion were investigated.

The most common response was 'lacked interest in the content' (33.5%), followed by 'watching long videos was burdensome' (30.4%), 'lacked motivation to participate' (29.6%), and 'could not secure study time' (27.0%).

The main barriers to e-learning participation are psychological—such as lack of interest and motivation—and time-related—such as difficulty securing time and the burden of long viewing sessions.

Regular Work 'Behind the Screen'... 80.5% Have Experienced 'Multitasking'

When asked whether they had ever participated in e-learning while doing other tasks such as checking emails or working, 80.5% responded that they had experienced 'multitasking' ('frequently': 34.0%, 'occasionally': 46.5%).

While completion 'logs' are recorded, in reality, e-learning is often left running in the background during regular work, becoming a symbolic indicator of the 'hollowing out' of human capital disclosure.

'Want to Learn, but e-Learning Doesn't Fit'... The Emerging 'Reskilling Paradox'

When asked whether continuous learning is necessary for their job or career, 81.8% responded affirmatively ('strongly agree': 31.8%, 'somewhat agree': 50.0%), indicating high intrinsic motivation to learn.

However, regarding company-mandated e-learning, 68.3% found it inconvenient that 'dedicated time must be secured,' and 71.3% reported feeling 'tired or bored' from reading texts or watching videos. This widespread dissatisfaction reveals a 'reskilling paradox'—employees want to learn, but current e-learning formats do not suit them.

Ideal Learning Environment: 'Short,' 'Multitasking-Friendly,' 'Smartphone-Only.' Demand for 'Time-Efficient' and 'Location-Independent' Learning

When asked, 'What kind of learning tools or environments would make learning easier than it is now?' (multiple responses allowed), the top responses were 'can be learned in short bursts' (40.5%), 'can be learned while doing other things' (31.8%), 'can be learned at one’s own pace' (31.8%), and 'can be learned using only a smartphone' (27.5%). There is strong demand for learning environments that integrate smoothly into daily life without consuming dedicated time or being constrained by location or situation.

Toward a New Learning Style That Integrates into Daily Life to Solve 'Wanting to Learn but Unable to'

Comment from Wataru Ueda, Founder of Otobank Inc.

Wataru Ueda, Founder, Otobank Inc.

As human capital management gains importance, companies are increasingly evaluated not just on training volume, but on whether training 'leads to employee growth.' However, this survey reveals that even when e-learning is mandated, employees often participate while multitasking, failing to achieve meaningful learning outcomes.

At the same time, most employees recognize the need to keep learning and are not lacking in motivation. The challenge lies in securing dedicated study time amid busy schedules and the burden of prolonged screen time.

Future talent development requires not forcing employees to carve out time, but creating environments where learning naturally integrates into daily life. Utilizing 'downtime for the ears'—such as commuting or moving between locations—enables employees to absorb knowledge based on interest and necessity, promoting self-directed learning.

By combining structured corporate training with individual, self-driven daily learning, we believe sustainable talent development aligned with future human capital management can be achieved.

【Survey Overview】

Survey Period: June 12, 2026

Target: Full-time company employees aged 20–69 who were required to take e-learning at work within the past year

Valid Responses: 400

Survey Method: Online questionnaire (via Freeasy)

▼ Download the white paper on this survey here:

https://business.audiobook.jp/download/file_06

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