TL;DR<\/h2>\n
The article explains that refresher training helps employees review and update previously learned knowledge that fades over time, reducing mistakes and improving performance, safety, and compliance. It describes signs that indicate a workplace needs refresher training and provides detailed guidance on planning, reviewing content, creating materials, communicating the purpose, choosing delivery methods (especially online via an LMS), and gathering feedback to build effective refresher programs that reinforce learning and keep staff skills current.<\/span><\/p>\n Refresher training is retraining in a subject to refresh your memory and make sure your knowledge is up to date.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The term \u201crefresher course\u201d can be applied to almost any type of training program<\/a> or intervention. But it is frequently used in compliance<\/a> and annual safety training<\/a> sessions, where there are often specific requirements for periodic retraining. It can help to keep important knowledge fresh in employees\u2019 minds, reinforce learning, and embed more complex organizational procedures and processes.<\/p>\n Ignoring knowledge gaps in areas such as policies and procedures, for example, can lead to expensive mistakes for your business, possible miscommunication, or even physical injuries, in the case of missing knowledge of safety protocols. So, regularly offering refresher training and retraining on industry standards is essential.<\/p>\n Besides, learners often report being unable to retain key learning points after a training session concludes and thus recall these concepts when they\u2019re needed. And this isn\u2019t surprising. It\u2019s important to factor in the \u201cforgetting curve,\u201d<\/a> which basically states that employees forget what they learn in training sessions quickly. It\u2019s estimated that employees forget:<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what the forgetting curve looks like for a single learning event.<\/p>\n Employee refresher course training can reduce the impact of the forgetting curve on an organization\u2019s time, resources, and, ultimately, the bottom line.<\/p>\n Periodic or annual refresher training for employees can help an organization in several ways. Some direct benefits of refresher training include:<\/p>\n As with all other training interventions, you\u2019ll need to do some analysis before deciding if an employee refresher training program would be beneficial to your organization. To start you off, here are six key indicators that could show that refresher training is a good idea.<\/p>\n It goes without saying that, if at all possible, you shouldn\u2019t wait until you see the abovementioned signs to implement your online refresher training. A proactive approach to continuous learning<\/a> always pays dividends and will save you a lot of time and money in the long run.<\/p>\n In this section, we\u2019ll break down the precise steps you need to take to create, build, and deliver a refresher course. We\u2019ll focus on the online training method, as it\u2019s the most current, popular, cost-effective, and arguably the most effective way to deliver refresher training.<\/p>\n With that in mind, here are the steps to follow so your learners get the most from your refresher course.<\/p>\n The effectiveness of your refresher training depends on aligning it with your company\u2019s goals<\/strong> and opportunities. So, the first things to establish are the purpose of your refresher training and how often you plan to run it. Your refresher training plan should cover the following key points:<\/p>\n These will be unique to your organization, but a sample objective<\/strong> for refresher training could be: \u201cUpon completion of the training, all manufacturing staff will understand and adhere to the latest safety standards and be able to hold all the prescribed emergency procedures.\u201d<\/p>\n Here you are to find out what makes your refresher training important. Identify which employees<\/strong> need the training and what the priorities<\/strong> are. Then, determine how you can cater to that specific audience, and reach the learning objectives. This will include deciding which refresher training methods to use, such as online learning, blended learning, or hands-on training.<\/p>\n This depends on the needs of the organization, but annual refresher training is a good starting point. According to the forgetting curve, you should try to schedule training as close to any compliance deadline or major business initiative as possible<\/strong> to ensure that retention and enthusiasm are at their peak.<\/p>\n This is often referred to as a \u201ctraining needs analysis.\u201d The more precisely you define the prior knowledge of your trainees and the knowledge they lack<\/strong>, the more accurate, shorter, and useful the refresher training will be. Check here for a deep dive into how to conduct a training needs assessment<\/a>.<\/p>\n As these are refresher classes, chances are you already have materials on hand. Now is the time to review those, deciding what to include, cut, and add. Once you\u2019ve audited the current course content, you can plan how to convert it into an online course and what images, interactions, and other elements to use. This acts as an eLearning storyboard<\/a> that will map out the structure of your course, making the development process easier.<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t have existing training materials, you\u2019ll need to build your content from scratch by using research, subject matter experts, and other tools available to you. Include only precise, need-to-know information, whether it\u2019s a refresher on a product or an update on a safety compliance training module<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you decide to use scenario-based training<\/a>, write new scenarios every year so your learners aren\u2019t able to repeat the same answer from the previous year.<\/p>\n Now it\u2019s time to develop an online course for your training sessions. For this, you\u2019ll need an eLearning authoring tool. There are many options on the market, so you\u2019ll have to research which one will best suit your needs. If you have no prior experience in content development and want to build professional-looking training courses fast, you can try the iSpring Suite AI authoring toolkit<\/a> \u2014 it\u2019s easy to use, even for newbies.<\/p>\n You can quickly convert PowerPoint presentations into engaging online courses, build interactive quizzes, train soft skills with dialogue simulations, create impactful tutorial videos, and make microlearning training courses within minutes. This allows you to cover a wide range of training scenarios, including refresher courses to hone customer service skills, reinforce safety protocols, train your employees\u2019 skills in emergency procedures, or fill urgent knowledge gaps.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s an example of what you can build with iSpring right in your browser:<\/p>\n Nothing saps motivation like the words \u201cmandatory training.\u201d It may be a given that the training is mandatory for compliance requirements. Nevertheless, it can also be something your employees believe is important and will improve the way they do their jobs.<\/p>\n So, don\u2019t wait until the first day of training to communicate the purpose behind the upcoming refresher training sessions. Your organization may have a change manager and a communications method that covers that, but if not, even a short series of emails to prep the trainees and encourage good expectations will go a long way. This will show that your refresher training is both important and useful.<\/p>\n If you provide solid reasoning and address how the training will benefit learners as well as the company, you will encourage buy-in from the employees.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019re happy with the content of your refresher classes and you\u2019ve tested the program, it\u2019s time to decide how to deliver it to employees.<\/p>\n The simplest way to do this is usually via a learning management system<\/a>, which will allow you to automate many of the steps required for successful training delivery \u2014 for example, scheduling, sending out invites, registering trainees, and measuring results.<\/p>\n Opting for a user-friendly LMS will allow employees to access training right away without any steep learning curve. Ideally, your LMS should facilitate mobile learning, gamification, and integrations with your existing tech stack to ensure the best possible learner experience.<\/p>\n Also read:<\/p>\n The simplest way to deploy training is usually via a learning management system, which will allow you to automate many of the steps required for a successful training delivery. These include scheduling, sending out invites, registering trainees, and providing results.<\/p>\n If you still don\u2019t have an LMS, you can try iSpring LMS<\/a>. It\u2019s an easy-to-use system that allows you to get your courses online and delivered in just a few clicks. Plus, it has recurring enrollment features that will help you make refresher classes completely automated<\/a>.<\/p>\n Instead of manually enrolling users in your online training every time, you can set up automatic course re-enrollments. They will repeat at specific intervals, and you can just track the results \u2013 which employees have started and finished a course, what scores they got, and more.<\/p>\n Moreover, it comes with a user-friendly mobile app so employees can access refresher training from any device, at the point of need, either in their workplace<\/a> or on the way to work.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t forget to be proactive in asking your learners what worked, what didn\u2019t, and what they would like to see in future refresher courses. This feedback is critical, as you can use it to improve next year\u2019s course.<\/p>\n iSpring LMS comes with robust analytics and reporting so you can monitor key performance metrics closely and pinpoint areas of improvement.<\/p>\n Here we\u2019ve answered the most commonly asked questions about employee refresh training.<\/p>\n The purpose of an effective refresher training program is to review and reinforce<\/strong> knowledge that employees have previously learned, either on the job or during formal educational programs. Not only does this improve competence, reduce errors, and encourage continual growth, but it also ensures that your organization remains compliant with relevant rules and regulations.<\/p>\n This is a specific type of ongoing training<\/strong> provided to employees who have already completed initial training on the subject or have previous knowledge of the topic. This type of training aims to update and refresh employees\u2019 understanding of the subject, improve their confidence, and ensure they\u2019re up to speed on the latest changes or developments.<\/p>\n This depends on the topic, industry, and context. In some heavily regulated industries like healthcare or aviation, staff must take annual refresher training<\/strong> to maintain their certifications and stay updated on the latest procedures and protocols.<\/p>\n It\u2019s also recommended to provide employee training whenever there are new technologies or updates in the company or sector.<\/p>\n This wraps up our examination of the importance of refresher training. Businesses don\u2019t have to look very far to see the benefits of providing staff with regular refreshment training; improved safety, performance, competence, and compliance are just a few of the rewards your organization can reap.<\/p>\nWhat Is Refresher Training?<\/h2>\n
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Why Is Refresher Training So Important?<\/h2>\n
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![\"Ebbinghaus\u2019](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2025\/08\/forgetting-curve-1755681038.png\" "\\"\\"")
<\/div>\nBenefits of Refresher Training<\/h2>\n
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Signs Your Workplace Needs a Refresher Training Program<\/h2>\n
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Too much to read? Get a summary from AI<\/h3>\n \n
How to Conduct Refresher Training Online with an LMS<\/h2>\n
Step 1. Make a training plan<\/h3>\n
Refresher training objectives<\/h4>\n
Who your audience is and their needs<\/h4>\n
How often to run refreshment training<\/h4>\n
What training materials to include<\/h4>\n
![\"\u270d\"](\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/15.0.3\/svg\/270d.svg\")
<\/span>For more information on this, download our free training plan template<\/a>.<\/p>\nStep 2. Review existing training material and select new content<\/h3>\n
![\"PowerPoint](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2025\/08\/course-storyboard-example-1755682013.png\" "\\"\\"")
<\/div>\nStep 3. Create learning materials<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2025\/08\/blobid1755682187719-1755682193.png\")
<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\nStep 4. Communicate the \u201cwhy\u201d with your learners<\/h3>\n
Step 5. Choose your deployment method<\/h3>\n
![\"Safety](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2025\/08\/safety-training-reminder-1755682411.png\" "\\"\\"")
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![\"Upload](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2025\/08\/upload-training-courses-1755682550.png\" "\\"\\"")
<\/div>\nStep 6. Deliver learning materials<\/span><\/h3>\n
Step 7. Ask for feedback<\/h3>\n
FAQ<\/h2>\n
What is the purpose of refresher training?<\/h3>\n
What is refresher and updating training?<\/h3>\n
How often do you need refresher training?<\/h3>\n
Final Thoughts<\/h2>\n