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6 Reasons Why Refresher Training is a Good Idea

By: Rachel Kolman November 9, 2023
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Training is essential for retaining strong employees. But training isn’t a one-time occurrence. Even with an effective employee training course, knowledge fades over time. After a while, it’s normal for anyone to forget particulars. 

That’s where refresher training comes in. Refresher training allows learners to review those concepts they tend to forget, as well as learn updated information. 

As a result, you’ll retain employees, improve efficiencies, and foster a culture of learning. 

Let’s dive more into the six reasons why refresher training is a good idea. 

1. Improve productivity and performance 

A natural byproduct of offering refresher training is seeing better performance in your employees. Employees will have a chance to review protocol, practice concepts, and in turn, produce better work. 

If you notice productivity slowing, refresher training can help learners understand tasks better and faster. Make sure to offer activities like a “Check for Understanding” so learners can feel a sense of accomplishment. This can help information stick and make learners feel more equipped to do their job. 

2. Stay compliant and secure 

Any employee who uses email for work is familiar with taking some sort of “phishing” training to keep accounts secure. Additionally, certain industries need to meet compliance requirements. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employees in most industries to receive at least annual safety training. 

Refresher training is perfect for safety and security trainings that help keep the organization secure. Employees who take a refresher training course will have safety best practices reinforced, so they’re more likely to remember these important policies throughout their workday.

3. Keep employees up-to-date

Policies, tasks, and day-to-day operations change over time. Refresher training keeps employees updated on changes in policies, industry trends, new technologies, and more. This is especially useful for industries where change occurs rapidly, such as in tech or research fields.

When everyone at your organization is keeping up with current  processes, it’ll contribute to a sense of togetherness across your company. There will be less confusion and need for clarification as everyone is operating with the same set of information. This’ll lead to a more efficient, and positive, working environment.

When your workforce is up-to-date, so is the company. 

4. Promote a culture of learning 

It’s known that the more we repeat a task, the easier the task becomes. You can apply this logic to training. If you keep refresher training consistent, employees may enjoy that learning has become a part of their job.  

The key is to provide ongoing training instead of a one-off event. This will make refresher classes part of the fabric of everyday life in your workplace.

To aid in this, make sure that training is accessible and available to everyone. Online courses on a reliable, trusted platform with a strong mobile interface can ensure that all can access and complete courses. 

With a culture of learning in place, employees are likely to stay engaged and motivated

5. Boost retention and find talent 

Investing in your employees means they’re more likely to stay with the company. Refresher training will make your employees feel like they’re cared for and that you value their development. 

In addition, ask other employees to host refresher training. If there’s a skilled coworker in Excel, for example, they could lead a workshop demonstrating new spreadsheet skills.

Not only does this put the training in your employees’ hands, it’s also a great way to find qualified candidates for management positions. Your current managers can also boost their teaching and leading skills by leading a monthly training refresher for direct reports. 

6. Identify training needs

Besides measuring the effectiveness of employee training programs, you can discover training gaps you may have by offering refresher training.

Look to see the success rates of the training, and make sure to ask for feedback after the course. Poor scores or negative feedback can identify the need for a specific training,  whether it be more in-depth on existing topics or a new concept. 

Build refresher courses with LearnDash  

When you’re thinking of offering refresher training, make sure to consider two things: online learning and microlearning

Placing your refresher training online is the most accessible option for all employees. Employees can complete training at their own pace on their own device. You can easily incorporate videos, quizzes, and completion certificates.  It’ll also provide a place to gather resources such as checklists, worksheets, informational documents, and other training materials.

Pair online learning with microlearning for the best experience. Microlearning refers to short, targeted teaching systems. (Think 1-2 minute videos and 1 question quizzes). With microlearning, employees can dip into training when they have a spare minute.

If you’re ready to build a refresher training course, read up on our tips for effectively building refresher courses, and try it out in our LearnDash demo

Rachel Kolman

Rachel Kolman has over 10 years of experience writing and editing for a variety of clients and brands. She is passionate about education, social change, pop culture, and video games. She lives in Seattle, WA with her husband and two cats.