We know Halloween is just around the corner, so allow us to introduce a pretty spooky stat — one that would get most business leaders shivering in their shoes.

Did you know that employees can forget a whopping 50% of the information presented in training within just one hour? Yikes! And it gets worse — employees can lose up to 70% of that information within the day, and a staggering 90% within the week. Talk about a leaky memory faucet!

Those numbers are pretty significant, especially considering that companies in the U.S. have spent over $100B on corporate training in 2023. And yes, if you have an accessible and easy-to-search knowledge base, looking up forgotten information is simple and effective. But training is also about preparing employees to tackle any challenge that comes their way — and ensuring they retain the most important information is pretty crucial for a high-performing and fast-moving team. 

But we've got some good news: With the right training techniques, you can boost your employees’ knowledge retention by up to 60%! Meaning, your team is better prepared to perform their roles and your training budget isn’t being washed down the drain.

Let’s explore four simple (but powerful) hacks that'll drastically improve your team’s learning retention:

Hack 1: Utilize storytelling to make training relatable

Once upon a time, in a galaxy not so far away, there was a new hire onboarding program that kept people engaged — and more importantly — was hard to forget. All by harnessing the power of storytelling.

Because let's face it — no one wants to sit through a dry, fact-filled lecture that's about as exciting as watching paint dry. But we all remember a good story, especially if it gets everyone on the edge of their seats, hanging on your every word.

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Here's why storytelling is your secret weapon:

• Our brains are wired for stories. We're 22 times more likely to remember a fact when it's part of a narrative. 
• Plus, stories create emotional connections. When your new hires can relate to people or situations, they're more likely to remember and apply the lessons.
• And stories paint vivid mental pictures. These stick in our minds far longer than a boring bullet-point list ever could.

So, how can you weave storytelling magic into your training?

1. Get your team hooked from the start with your “Welcome to the Company!” training. You can create early engagement by sharing the story of how the company started. (Bonus points if you can include a video from your founder or another high-ranking leader.)
2. Use real-life examples for the best ways (and worst ways) to perform processes at your business.
3. Create fictional scenarios that mirror common workplace situations. (Like what happens when a process is documented but the instructions are super unclear.)
4. Encourage employees to share their own relevant experiences.

Remember, you don't need to be Shakespeare to tell a good story. Just keep it relevant, relatable, and maybe throw in a plot twist or two.

Hack 2: Use spaced repetition for reinforcement

Pop quiz: What did you have for lunch... three weeks ago? Drawing a blank? That's because our brains are like leaky sieves when it comes to retaining information — especially when there’s no repetition. (You’d probably remember if you were having the same roast beef sandwich for lunch every day.) 

That’s why spaced repetition is a great learning retention technique. Think of it as interval training for your brain. Instead of cramming all the information into one marathon session (hello, information overload!), you space it out over time. Spaced repetition also:

• Fights the forgetting curve: By reviewing information at gradually increasing intervals, you're telling your brain, "This stuff is important! Hold onto it!"
• Is time-efficient: Shorter, spaced-out sessions are less overwhelming and easier to fit into busy schedules.
• Builds stronger neural connections: Regular reinforcement helps cement the information in long-term memory.

Ready to space out your training? Try these tactics:

1. Create micro-learning modules that can be completed in 5-10 minutes.
2. Ask employees to complete follow-up quizzes at increasing intervals after the initial training — especially for processes and policies that could have critical implications for your business.
3. Implement a training app that can send daily reminders to complete training.

When it comes to retention, slow and steady wins the race. So, space it out and help your employees keep that important information.

Hack 3: Create clear training paths 

Picture this: You’re about to build a ready-to-assemble desk. Instructions are included (good), but then they tell you to put the drawers into slots before showing you how to assemble the drawers themselves (bad). 

Throwing your new employees into onboarding without a clear training order is kinda like that. How can they retain information about your buyer personas without knowing what your business actually sells? Or how they should apply for parking reimbursement without knowing where your office is?

That’s why you have to create clear training paths for your employees. It's about guiding them through information in a logical, step-by-step manner — that way, they won’t feel like they’ve been dropped into an IKEA-themed nightmare. Training paths also:

• Provide a sense of progress: Seeing the big picture and tracking progress boosts motivation and engagement.
• Build on existing knowledge: Each new piece of information connects to what they already know. You can ensure they have foundational skills before moving on to more in-depth training.
• Help prioritize learning: Employees know what to focus on and when, reducing cognitive overload.

Set training paths with Trainual

Trainual's training paths functionality gives you the power to create the perfect onboarding flow for your new hires. With this functionality, you can ensure employees complete their training in a certain order, allowing you to design training that fits the needs of your business. 

That could mean providing foundational training before moving on to role-specific skills, or helping employees add value faster with structured training sequences. Organize your training in a way that works for you!

And because you can customize training schedules and include strategic breaks (also great for spaced repetition!), employees are less likely to feel overwhelmed — and better able to absorb and apply what they’ve learned. This feature helps employees retain information by guiding them through content in a structured, paced way that supports long-term retention.

👉 Want to incorporate Trainual’s training paths into your employee onboarding? Book a demo.

Hack 4: Incorporate active learning techniques

Let's play a quick game of "Spot the Difference." Picture two training scenarios:

Scenario A: Employees sit in a room, staring at slides for hours, occasionally nodding off.

Scenario B: Employees are solving problems, discussing ideas, and applying concepts in real-time.

Which one do you think leads to better retention? If you guessed Scenario B, give yourself a gold star!

Scenario B perfectly describes active learning, where "sit and absorb" takes a backseat to "do and remember." It's like the difference between watching someone ride a bike and actually hopping on and pedaling yourself. In fact, a study showed that active learners retained 93.5% of information after one month, compared to 79% for passive learners.

Here are some reasons why active learning results in high learning retention:

• It engages multiple senses, and the more senses involved, the stronger the memory formation.
• Applying knowledge in real-time deepens understanding.
• Collaborative learning can reinforce concepts and introduce new perspectives.

If you want to implement active learning into your employee training, try these techniques:

1. Introduce role-playing exercises, especially great for customer service or sales training.
2. Play with problem-solving scenarios, which can test your technical or process-based training.
3. Bring in hands-on simulations, which are ideal for software or equipment training.
4. And include teach-back sessions, where employees explain concepts to others to reinforce their own understanding.

Ditch the "sit and listen" approach and get your team involved, engaged, and actively learning. Your retention rates (and your employees) will thank you!

Great training isn't about how much information you can cram into your employees' heads — it's about how much they can remember and apply when it really counts. Every employee you have will need onboarding and continuous training — let’s make sure that all that information sticks from the get-go.