Employee training is a cornerstone of corporate success, yet research reveals a startling truth: 70% of employees forget what they learn within 24 hours if no effort is made to reinforce it. This phenomenon, known as the forgetting curve, poses a massive challenge for businesses investing time and money into learning and development (L&D).
But there’s a solution—animation. At Sharp Eye Animation, we’ve seen firsthand how animated training videos can transform retention and engagement. Here’s why employees forget so quickly and how animation fixes it.
The Forgetting Curve: Why 70% of Employee Training is lost in a Day
First identified by psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus, the forgetting curve shows how quickly we lose new information without reinforcement. Studies, including those from The Learning Guild, consistently find that within 24 hours, learners forget an average of 70% of new material—jumping to 90% within a week. For corporate training, this means that traditional methods like slide decks or lectures often fail to stick.
Why does this happen? The brain prioritizes information it deems relevant or engaging. Dry, text-heavy training sessions rarely make the cut, especially when employees are juggling daily tasks. Without repetition or emotional connection, that $1,286 per employee companies spend annually on training (per Training Magazine) largely goes to waste.
The Corporate Employee Training Crisis
In 2025, businesses face a skills gap that’s wider than ever. With skills shifting by 25% since 2015—and expected to double by 2027—effective training is non-negotiable. Yet, 31% of employees receive no formal training, and 43% of those who do find it ineffective (Employee Training Statistics, 2025). Disengaged learners plus the forgetting curve equals a recipe for wasted potential.
For HR and L&D leaders, this is a wake-up call. Employees crave training that’s engaging, memorable, and relevant—93% want it to be easy to complete, and 90% demand it be fun (Shortlister, 2022). Traditional methods aren’t cutting it. Enter animation.
How Animation Beats the Forgetting Curve
Animated training videos aren’t just eye-catching—they’re brain-friendly. Here’s how they solve the retention problem:
1. Visual Storytelling Boosts Recall
The human brain processes visuals 60,000 times faster than text. Research from PopVideo (2016) shows people are 95% more likely to remember video content than text alone. Animation simplifies complex ideas—like compliance rules or software tutorials—into digestible stories, making them stickier in memory.
2. Engagement Keeps Learners Hooked
A whopping 90% of employees want training that’s engaging. Animation delivers with vibrant characters, motion, and humor. At Sharp Eye Animation, our corporate training series for clients like Sephora and Walmart have a 90% client return rate—proof that engaged learners retain more.
3. Emotional Connection Anchors Knowledge
The forgetting curve weakens when emotions are involved. Animated characters and narratives create empathy and relatability—think a quirky avatar guiding employees through onboarding. This emotional hook helps anchor information, reducing that 70% loss.
4. Repetition Made Easy
Short, repeatable animated videos fit the “microlearning” trend—93% of workers prefer bite-sized content (Mentimeter, 2024). A 1-2 minute clip can be rewatched anytime, reinforcing key points without overwhelming schedules.
Proof Animation Works
Data backs up animation’s impact:
• Companies using video see 42% revenue increases (Shift study), partly due to better-trained teams.
• Gen Z consumes 50% more learning material when it’s visual (McKinsey, 2016)—a trend growing across all ages.
• Our own work at Sharp Eye Animation has driven measurable results, like RepairShopr’s 300% revenue boost after adopting our animated training series.
Compare that to the 70% forgetting rate of static training. Animation doesn’t just fight the curve—it flattens it.
How to Implement Animated Training Videos
Ready to ditch forgettable training? Here’s how to get started:
• Identify Pain Points: Focus on high-impact areas like onboarding, compliance, or skills gaps.
• Partner with Experts: At Sharp Eye Animation, we craft custom videos in 2-3 weeks, tailored to your needs—no templates, just results.
• Measure Success: Track engagement, retention, and performance metrics (e.g., quiz scores or productivity) to see the difference.
• Scale Smart: Start with a pilot series, then expand with a subscription model for ongoing content.
The Future of Employee Training Is Animated
With Millennials and Gen Z dominating the workforce—75% by 2025—visual, engaging learning isn’t optional; it’s essential. Animation bridges the gap between what employees need and what businesses invest, turning the forgetting curve from a liability into an opportunity.
Don’t let 70% of your training budget vanish in a day. Explore how animated training videos can transform your L&D strategy.
Visit Sharp Eye Animation to see our award-winning work in action or contact us for a free consultation. Let’s make training stick—frame by frame.
Speak With A Video Producer Today
Let Sharp Eye Animation create affordable, high-quality video content for your brand!
