So, you’ve just finished a workplace training course. You probably turned up bright-eyed, coffee in hand, ready to absorb all the wisdom being shared. Maybe it was on communication skills, team leadership, time management, or how to handle those tricky performance management conversations no one really wants to have.
You sat through the sessions, participated in the activities, maybe even nailed the group presentation. You left feeling energised, inspired, and ready to take on the world (or at least your now overflowing inbox).
And then… Monday happened.
Suddenly, the excitement fades a little. You’ve got a stack of emails waiting, a meeting you forgot about, and a to-do list longer than your arm. That shiny new training folder gets pushed to the side, and before you know it, a few weeks have passed—and you can barely remember what the course was even about.
Sound familiar? You’re not alone.
The problem with workplace training
Workplace training is one of the best investments a company can make—but it’s also one of the easiest to waste. Organisations spend thousands (sometimes tens of thousands) of dollars each year on training and development, yet the return on that investment often falls short.
The reason? Most people walk out of training feeling great but don’t have a plan for what happens next. Without follow-up, accountability, and reinforcement, that burst of learning fades fast. Research shows that people forget around 70% of what they learn within a week if they don’t put it into practice.
So how do you make sure all that time and money actually pays off?
Let’s talk about how to get the best bang for your buck from your workplace training—whether you’re the person who attended or the manager who approved it.
(Oh and if you’d like to know how to get the most out of a small training budget, check out our article about that here. You might also like our training subscription that takes the guesswork out of budgeting for training and spreads the cost of training evenly over the year.)
Six tips on how to maximise the value from your workplace training – and make the learning stick
Maximising the value from your training means that not only have you come away from the training with new skills and knowledge, but also that it’s all being applied on the job. This means you’ve actually learned something! Here are six things you can do to make sure this happens.
1. Schedule time to review the learning – ASAP
You know how you can watch a movie and forget half of it the next day? The same thing happens with training. If you don’t review your notes or materials soon after the course, the details start to fade.
So before life takes over, schedule time—ideally within a few days—to go through what you learned. Identify the situations in which you could apply your new skills, and create a plan to make it happen.
Ask yourself:
- What were the key takeaways?
- Which parts felt most relevant to my job?
- Where can I apply these new skills or ideas right away?
Write it down. Be specific. For example, instead of saying, “I want to communicate better,” try “I’ll use open-ended questions in my next team meeting.”
Even a 30-minute reflection session can make a massive difference.
2. Share your plan with your manager
Now, here’s where things often fall apart. You’ve got good intentions, but without a bit of accountability, it’s easy to let them slide. That’s why sharing your action plan with your manager is so important.
Set up a quick meeting and talk them through:
- What you learned
- How you plan to apply it
- Where you might need their support
Better yet, schedule a few follow-up catch-ups to share how it’s going and ask for feedback
Managers play a huge role in embedding learning—so if you are a manager, this is your cue to get involved. Ask your team members how their training went. What did they find useful? What can they try out at work? Maybe even ask them to teach you one thing they learned. It’s a great way to reinforce their confidence and show that you’re genuinely invested in their development.
3. Keep a journal of your progress
Yes, a journal. Before you roll your eyes, hear me out.
You don’t have to write long diary entries—just a few bullet points each time you put your new skills into action. Jot down what you tried, how it went, what you learned, and what you might do differently next time.
It’s like having a personal record of your growth. Over time, you’ll start seeing patterns and real progress.
For example:
“Used active listening in today’s client meeting. Felt more connected, and the client opened up more than usual. Next time, pause longer before responding.”
That’s gold. Because when it comes time for your next performance review or development discussion, you’ve got concrete examples to show how your workplace training has improved your performance.
4. Revisit the learning materials frequently
Workplace training isn’t meant to be a one-and-done event. The best learning happens over time, with repetition and reflection.
So here’s a simple but powerful idea: for at least the next two months, set aside 30 minutes a week to revisit your notes or course materials.
This keeps everything fresh in your mind and helps you spot new opportunities to apply what you learned. You might also notice sections you didn’t fully understand during the course—perfect chance to go back and fill in the gaps.
If your training included online modules or videos, rewatch the bits that resonated most. Repetition is what helps move information from your short-term memory into long-term habits.
5. Turn your learning into real goals
If your organisation has a good performance development process, use it to your advantage.
Set a goal (or two) that links directly to your training. For instance:
- “Lead a small project using the new project management tools I learned.”
- “Coach one team member using the GROW model from training.”
- “Deliver a presentation using storytelling techniques from the communication workshop.”
By setting a tangible goal, you give your learning structure. It turns a vague “I’ll try to use it more” into a measurable action—and that’s when the real transformation happens.
6. Tap into social learning
If you attended the training with colleagues, you’ve got a ready-made support network. Make use of it!
Catch up over coffee or lunch and talk about what you’ve tried, what’s working, and what’s not. You’ll learn just as much from those conversations as you did in the classroom.
Social learning keeps the momentum going. It also helps normalise the idea that learning isn’t just something you do in a workshop—it’s something you keep doing together, back at work.
Even if you were the only one who attended, try sharing your insights with your team. You might spark new ideas or even inspire someone else to attend similar workplace training.
The manager’s role in learning transfer
Managers, this part’s for you.
If one of your team members goes on a course, you’ve got a crucial role to play in making sure the learning sticks. Don’t just send them off and tick the box—ask about their experience. At the same time you approve their time off for the training, schedule several catch-up meetings (one straight after the training) to discuss what they’ve learned and how they’re applying the learning. Doing this at this time signals to the employee that there is an expectation that the training is relevant to their job, and that you’re going to supporting their development beyond the course itself.
Questions you could ask your team member about their training
- What did they learn that could benefit the team?
- How can you give them opportunities to practice those skills?
- Is there a small project or task they can take on to apply their learning?
- Where are the ‘quick win’ opportunities to implement new skills?
- What support do they need from you, to apply their learning?
Even a few encouraging conversations can make a big difference. When people feel supported to try new things, they’re far more likely to embed new behaviours—and that’s when workplace training really pays off.
Wrapping it up
Workplace training isn’t just about attending a course; it’s about what happens next. The real growth comes from applying, reflecting, and refining over time.
When you take charge of your own learning—and managers play their part too—you turn a few hours of training into lasting growth and improved performance.
So, if you’ve recently been on a course (or have one coming up), block out that time in your diary, make your plan, and keep the learning alive.
And if you’re a manager, help your people keep that spark going. Because when learning sticks, everyone wins—the employee, the team, and the whole organisation.
Ready to get started with workplace training?
At Epic People, where we’re all about helping businesses and individuals make the most of their workplace training, leadership development, and employee growth. Check out all of our course offerings here or contact us to talk about your workplace training needs.
