Why New Hires Forget What They Learn—and How Training Videos Solve It

Think back to your very first week at a new job. Exciting, sure—but also overwhelming. New names, passwords, systems, and processes fly at you like a firehose, and by the end of the week, your brain feels like it’s running on fumes. This is exactly why training video production has become such a lifesaver for modern companies.

Why do new hires forget so quickly?

Here’s the tough truth: it’s not that your employees aren’t smart. It’s just how memory works. Psychologists call it the forgetting curve. Within days of training, people lose 50–70% of what they learned unless it’s reinforced. Add in workplace distractions—emails, meetings, Slack messages pinging every 30 seconds—and it’s no surprise that even the sharpest new hire blanks out on those "critical procedures" by the end of the month.

And let’s be honest. Traditional onboarding methods don’t help much. A four-hour orientation PowerPoint? Snooze-fest. A thick manual left on someone’s desk? Might as well be a paperweight. The problem isn’t the content—it’s the delivery.

Why videos stick when lectures don’t

Here’s where video changes the game. Unlike text-heavy manuals or a trainer droning on, videos show the process in action. People remember visuals far better than words—some studies even suggest retention rates shoot up to 65% when information is paired with engaging video and audio.

Imagine a new warehouse worker learning how to operate a machine. Reading about it is one thing. Watching a step-by-step video, complete with demonstrations, pauses, and even mistakes to avoid? That sticks. Plus, they can re-watch the video whenever they need a refresher instead of sheepishly asking a co-worker for the fifth time.

Repetition without the burnout

Here’s another big win: scalability. A trainer repeating the same onboarding spiel a hundred times a year is exhausting—and costly. A well-produced training video, though, does the heavy lifting forever. It’s like having your best trainer available 24/7, always fresh, always consistent, and never running out of energy.

And don’t forget about flexibility. Not everyone learns the same way or at the same pace. Some folks absorb instructions instantly, while others need to pause, rewind, and replay. Training videos give people control over their own learning pace, which is a game-changer for long-term retention.

A story from the real world

A client I once worked with (a mid-sized tech firm) had a nightmare problem: new developers kept forgetting security protocols. No matter how many workshops they ran, mistakes slipped through, costing time and, honestly, credibility. Once they invested in a library of short, easy-to-digest training videos—each one under 5 minutes—the issue dropped dramatically. Why? Because employees could refresh their memory at any point, without waiting for the next scheduled training.

It’s not magic. It’s just practical.

Making training videos that actually work

Of course, not all videos are created equal. A 40-minute, unedited recording of someone clicking through slides? That’s no better than a live lecture. The best training videos are short, focused, and a little bit engaging—think animations, real-world demos, captions, and even a touch of humor when appropriate. Production quality matters too. Grainy footage and muffled audio don’t exactly inspire confidence.

Investing in professional training video production isn’t just about looking polished—it’s about respecting your employees’ time and attention. And when they feel valued, they learn better. Simple as that.

Wrapping it up

So, why do new hires forget what they learn? Because they’re human, not machines. But the solution isn’t more binders or endless orientations—it’s smarter delivery. Training videos bridge the gap between teaching and remembering, giving new employees the tools to succeed long after orientation day.

If your team has been struggling with knowledge gaps, maybe it’s time to rethink how you’re sharing information. A reliable video production company in Michigan could be the partner you need to transform your onboarding from forgettable to unforgettable.