Despite just 23.9% of businesses providing complete sponsorship, 46% of Indian professionals prefer to self-fund upskilling efforts, according to a new TeamLease Edtech research.

According to the TeamLease Edtech research, "Impact of Upskilling on Performance Appraisals," 46% of professionals opted to self-fund their most recent learning initiatives, while just 23.9% of companies volunteered to sponsor their workers' upskilling.

In addition to skills, professionals who take the initiative—especially those who engage in their education—stand to gain respect, accountability, and genuine career advancement. That serves as a warning to organizations to make greater deliberate investments in performance-cycle-aligned, organized upskilling pathways. According to the study, TeamLease Edtech founder and CEO Shantanu Rooj advised staff members to take immediate action, learn wisely, and have a long-term perspective.

A survey of more than 14,000 professionals from a range of businesses and roles throughout India served as the basis for the research. The study also discovered that, motivated by long-term career planning and a desire to be prepared for the future, almost 84% of professionals reported upskilling in some capacity within the previous 12 months.

Over 64% of professionals stated that upskilling had a direct beneficial effect on the results of their appraisals. It's interesting to note that within 18 months of finishing their upskilling, 42% of respondents reported receiving promotions, pay increases, or improved jobs, further demonstrating the importance of education as a short- to mid-term development lever.

According to the survey, more than 40% of respondents stated that they purposefully sought upskilling closer to evaluation cycles to maximize exposure and effect, indicating that timing has also become a crucial consideration.