Combating the Forgetting Curve in Corporate Training

Combating the Forgetting Curve: Strategies for
Effective Corporate Training
The Forgetting Curve and Its Relevance for Trainers: How to
Make Learning Stick
Introduction
One of the biggest challenges trainers face is ensuring that employees
retain and apply what they learn. Studies show that most people forget
nearly 50% of newly acquired knowledge within an hour and

up to 80% within a few days — a phenomenon known as the
Forgetting Curve, first introduced by German psychologist
Hermann Ebbinghaus in the late 19th century.
For corporate trainers, learning and development (L&D)
professionals, and HR teams, this natural decline in memory retention
poses a serious problem: ineffective training leads to poor
knowledge retention, reduced productivity, and wasted
training budgets.
In this article, we’ll explore:
● What the Forgetting Curve is
● Why it’s important for trainers
● Strategies to overcome knowledge loss
● How AI-powered microlearning can help
1. What Is the Forgetting Curve?

The Forgetting Curve describes how newly learned information
fades from memory over time unless it is reinforced. Ebbinghaus
conducted experiments on himself to study how quickly he forgot
meaningless syllables. The results showed that:
● Memory loss happens rapidly — People forget around
50% of information within the first hour and nearly
80% after a week.
● Reinforcement is key — Regular review and active
recall slow down the forgetting process.
● The brain filters information — Knowledge that is not
frequently used is discarded as unnecessary.
The Forgetting Curve in Workplace Training
In corporate training, the Forgetting Curve is especially
problematic because employees often forget most of their

training before they even have a chance to apply it. This leads
to:
Wasted Training Investment — Organizations spend resources
on training that employees don’t retain.
Decreased Performance — Employees fail to apply knowledge
effectively.
Higher Retraining Costs — Companies must conduct frequent
refresher courses.
Without reinforcement strategies, training efforts often fail to
deliver measurable results.
2. Why Is the Forgetting Curve a Critical Issue for
Trainers?
For trainers, understanding the Forgetting Curve is essential because
it directly impacts learning effectiveness and business
performance.

Here’s why it matters:
Low Knowledge Retention = Inefficient Workforce
When employees forget key concepts, productivity and
performance suffer. This can lead to mistakes, compliance
risks, and lost opportunities.
Poor Training ROI
Organizations spend billions on training each year, but without
proper reinforcement, most of that investment is wasted.
Need for Frequent Retraining
Without long-term retention strategies, employees require
constant retraining, increasing costs and time away from
work.