How Simulation-Based Training Covers Retention Gaps

As organizational leaders, you’re under constant pressure to get new employees and trainees job-ready, quickly. Despite investing in structured onboarding and compliance-driven training, too many employees still forget what they learned once they hit the field, and far too often.

To explore what’s going wrong—and what leading organizations are doing differently—this article addresses common objections faced by operations leaders and demonstrates how simulation-based platforms like SimTutor are built to address them head-on.

Common Concern #1: Our Training Isn’t Sticking

Many leaders report frustration after investing heavily in onboarding modules—PDFs, video walkthroughs, live lectures—only to see recurring mistakes in the field. Despite covering all the necessary content, teams still struggle with consistency and performance, like the material doesn’t stick.

This is because most traditional training methods are designed to present information, not reinforce it. Learners consume the material, maybe take notes to help remember it when the real moment comes. This form of traditional training relies on passive absorption, but human cognition doesn’t work that way.

The underlying issue here is known as the retention gap—a lag between initial exposure and the ability to execute under pressure. Despite research showing that retention from these formats hovers between 5–20%, this is still the default form of training. Compare that to 75–90% retention when learning by doing, which is precisely what SimTutor, simulation-based training enables.¹ It’s clear to see why organizations are taking a serious look at implementing simulation-based training.

Common Concern #2: Training Covers Compliance, But Not Competency

Operations directors often find that, while training programs satisfy compliance checkboxes, they don’t always lead to proficiency when trainees go live. Training teams may have rolled out protocols or policies only to encounter critical errors down the line, errors that carry repetitional and financial risks.

Simulation-based training flips that paradigm. It enables employees to actively engage with realistic, job-specific scenarios and make informed decisions.

Picture this:

• A call center agent practices handling a furious customer call with branching dialogue simulations.
• A plant technician troubleshoots a digital version of a pressure alarm before walking onto the floor.
• A new utility hire rehearses blackout restoration protocols on-screen before their first day in the field.

Every one of these scenarios builds neural pathways in memory, as well as builds confidence and aids in emotional regulation. Simulations encode information in the context of where and how it will be used.

Common Concern #3: Simulation Sounds Great—But Isn’t It Expensive?

Budget concerns are a frequent barrier when considering simulation-based training, especially when organizations assume that adopting simulation requires VR and other expensive equipment, extensive coding, or costly external developers. But modern platforms like SimTutor Author and SIMTICS are designed to remove those barriers entirely.

With no headsets or hardware required, training teams can build interactive modules using drag-and-drop tools, deploy them across roles and locations, and update them as needed. These platforms offer:

• Built-in assessments to compare pre- and post-learning performance.
• Replayable modules that enable spaced repetition and retention.
• Manager dashboards with observation checklists to link training to real-world behavior.

All this is delivered at a fraction of the cost associated with many legacy or VR-based solutions.

Common Concern #4: Leadership Needs Real ROI

As training leaders, you are being asked to provide metrics that demonstrate ROI, especially as programs require scaling, or you ask for additional budget. It’s not enough for training to feel like it makes your organization better. It needs to give measurable results and show your executive team that the program is effective.

Traditional methods typically rely on subjective assessments and fragmented data sources, however, in addition to quantifiable cost savings, simulation-based training platforms like SimTutor Author and SIMTICs provide the key metrics you require to assess the needs of your trainees and allow for real time adjustment. This is a powerful contrast to traditional training where you don’t find out reinforcement is needed until after the employee goes live.

SimTutor offers pre- and post-assessments which demonstrate knowledge gains. They also include spaced repetition analytics to track if learners are reinforcing key tasks over time and observation checklists to indicate readiness with real-world performance.

The shift from reactive remediation to proactive readiness is where simulation-based learning  delivers its most transformative value. It empowers leaders to act on data, not assumptions, and ensures that every hour spent learning directly contributes to stronger, safer, and more efficient performance on the job.

All of these concerns—poor knowledge retention, hidden costs of remediation, and inconsistent execution—underscore the challenge you face today as training leaders. Simulation-based training platforms like SimTutor Author and SIMTICS offer a direct solution to these challenges and help you meet today’s demands with speed, and measurable impact.

In short, modern demands should be met with modern, more effective, solutions. 

“Are You Ready to Start Closing the Retention Gap?

Book a demo  to see how simulation-based training can transform your organization’s learning function from a cost center into a performance engine.

¹ https://uafs.edu/academics/academic-resources/academic-success-center/_documents/Learning%20Pyramid.pdf?utm_source=perplexity