Emotional intelligence helps create workplaces that are not just tolerable, but genuinely productive, so we’re revisiting one of our strongest Insights case studies to see why it still holds up in 2026.
We’re talking about the Insights Discovery ROI success story presented in 2023 by recruitment giant Indeed.
Our point three years on is that empathetic leadership and human interpersonal skills were significant contributors to the celebrated numerical results. In the context of galloping developments in AI integration at work, we can now appreciate the role of these skills with an extra layer of understanding.
The ‘outcomes’ in the ROI study (in partnership with the ROI institute) focused on ‘Level 4’ tangible business gains like innovation and learner speed to productivity. But for all these gains to have been possible, the role of empathy in teams played a crucial part.
The Indeed-Insights ROI report recap
Indeed's approach to learning and development revolves around three pillars: individual, team, and leadership development.
The Insights Discovery personal profiles, primarily focused on enhancing team effectiveness, played a pivotal role in supporting and developing their teams. A fully blended learning pathway integrated the profiles, workshops, e-learning, team activities and a wealth of other resources to keep the learning experience dynamic.
What set Indeed apart here - and this remains essential for large organisations in 2026 as AI permeates global operations - was a significant corporate commitment to personal development.
Ownership was important, too. Employees were also empowered to track their progress through the programme in their Learning Management System. This self-led learning approach, coupled with robust management support, has seamlessly integrated Insights Discovery into Indeed's corporate culture.
At the time in 2023, the ROI study headline around the Indeed/Insights partnership was about the hard numbers. Indeed’s investment in the Insights Discovery learning programme yielded a remarkable ROI of 2063%.
It’s impressive. But let’s be clear: returns are driven as much by well-developed interpersonal human skills as by classic tangible factors. And as we digest the impact of AI-related change on employers across the globe, enhanced interpersonal skills are easily becoming as compelling as the numbers.
We celebrate that this study focused on the impact of improved self-awareness, communication, and team effectiveness on the company’s bottom line.
The ROI Institute's methodology was used to isolate the impact of Insights Discovery from other factors and convert, where possible, performance improvements into monetary value.
What the Insights ROI impact report on Indeed concluded
At Insights, our purpose is to make the world better, and what we rate even more is that respondents in the study reported that Insights Discovery was important to their professional life/development.
They viewed it as a good use of their time and something they would recommend to others. Through analysing their personal profiles in depth, they came to understand more about their personal preferences (within the framework of Insights four main colour energies) and recognised the nuanced detail of how their colleagues’ preferences and values (and therefore behaviour - on good days and challenging days) may differ widely from their own.
The goal at Indeed was to enhance team effectiveness, and that’s exactly what happened. Understanding their colleagues better helped workers adapt their behaviour and work with others more effectively.
Over almost a decade (2014-2023) and far beyond this specific 2023 study of ROI, the Indeed/Insights partnership saw over 15,278 personal profiles generated and 29 practitioners accredited within Indeed's Learning and Development team, who played a pivotal role in delivering the programme and driving its widespread implementation.
With dedicated teams on both sides, the programme has since expanded to ensure that every new Indeed employee receives their personal profile within the first 3-6 months of employment.
To us, it shows that the partnership between Insights and Indeed is a beacon of hope in the ever-changing world of business. Insights Discovery has not only transformed team effectiveness but has proven to be a wise financial investment.
It’s an essential fact to document. There will aways be discussion among HR and L&D professionals about metrics and how such programmes can show return on investment for the board. L&D leaders are constantly under pressure to prove ROI to retain budget.
The proof exists! L&D leaders are deeply familiar with the link between engagement and performance. It’s why we retain our attention on creating psychological safety and communicating more effectively, both of which have a huge impact on employees’ discretionary effort.
Harvard concurs...
In fact, a Harvard Business Impact study in 2025 cited emotional and social intelligence as top leadership capabilities for meeting current and expected business needs. Nearly half of respondents said it was even more critical than in 2024.
For leaders and the people they lead, better self-awareness means better conversations, better adaptability to change, better problem-solving, better conflict management and better business relationships. All of that - this ROI study included - shines a spotlight on the importance of empathy among colleagues. Knowing how to create, nurture and maintain positive working relationships, even with the most difficult players we meet, is the bedrock of good business.
Empathy is the core ingredient. Let’s keep measuring it, one way or another.
The partnership between Insights and Indeed serves as a beacon of hope when it comes to L&D measurement and impact, allowing the results to speak for themselves. And the message is clear: Invest in your people. Elevate your teams. Reap the rewards. Discover the power of Insights and the remarkable ROI it offers. As you plan for the future of your organisation, take a page from Indeed's book and explore the extraordinary possibilities that self-awareness can provide.
