According to the Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve, learners generally forget more than half of their newly acquired knowledge in a matter of hours, unless they make a concerted effort to review and retain the learned material.

The challenge this presents to learning and development leaders is significant. How can you build learning programs that stick with participants for the long-term?

The ripple effect of creating sticky learning programs is far-reaching. Beyond increasing the skills and knowledge base of employees, training has other significant organizational impacts. According to the Association for Talent Development (ATD), training increases profit margins by about 24%. Furthermore, research shows employees cite their training as the number one factor in recruitment and retention. In the 2022 Workplace Learning Report, “opportunities to learn and grow” was named the top driver of a great work culture, a massive shift from just two years earlier when it was ranked ninth on the list.

Three Strategies For Sticky Learning

With so much riding on creating effective training programs that stay with learners, here are three strategies L&D leaders can implement to ensure a boost in knowledge and application transfer post-delivery.

1. Implement Team-Based Simulations

There’s a reason simulations have become a top-ranked training method – their success in developing management and critical-thinking skills in learners is proven. By creating a safe, consequence-free learning environment that allows managers to make decisions and learn from their mistakes and successes, simulations, and particularly those that are team-based, are an effective tool for developing critical business skills and ensuring post-training application transfer.