Email template · Training
Training reminder email
In short
A training reminder email tells an employee who is already registered or scheduled for training that the session is coming up, and repeats the essentials: date, time, location or link, prep work and how to reschedule. A two-message sequence plus a same-day text cuts no-shows sharply. Below are four templates, subject lines, a text version and a reminder schedule.
When to send it: Send the main reminder two business days before the session and a short one the day before. For early-morning or shift-based sessions, add a text one to two hours before the start.
Training reminder email: 4 versions
Two days before
SubjectReminder: [Training Name] on [Training Date]
Hi [First Name], A reminder that you're booked on [Training Name]: When: [Training Date], [Start Time] to [End Time] ([Time Zone]) Where: [Room and Building / Video Link] Bring: [Items to Bring, e.g. your laptop, charged, and your badge] Before the session: [Pre-work, e.g. complete the 15-minute module here: Pre-work Link] Your shift has been adjusted so you're covered for this time. If you can no longer attend, please move to another session by [Change Deadline] here: [Reschedule Link]. Don't just skip it; the seat can go to someone on the waitlist. See you there, [Your Name] [Title], [Company]
Day before (short)
SubjectTomorrow at [Start Time]: [Training Name]
Hi [First Name], See you tomorrow for [Training Name] at [Start Time] in [Location]. Please arrive 5 minutes early so we can start on time. [Pre-work reminder, if not done] Can't make it? Let [Contact Name] know today at [Contact Email or Phone]. [Your Name]
Virtual session
SubjectYour link for [Training Name] at [Start Time]
Hi [First Name], [Training Name] starts at [Start Time] ([Time Zone]) on [Training Date]. Join: [Video Link] Dial-in backup: [Dial-in Number], passcode [Passcode] A few minutes before, check your audio and that [System or Tool] opens, since you'll practice in it during the session. Please join from a quiet spot where you can use your camera. If you have a technical problem on the day, message [Contact Name] at [Contact Email or Phone]. [Your Name] [Title], [Company]
Not yet confirmed
SubjectPlease confirm: [Training Name] on [Training Date]
Hi [First Name], You're scheduled for [Training Name] on [Training Date] at [Start Time], but we haven't received your confirmation yet. Please accept the calendar invite or reply to this email by [Confirm Deadline]. If the time doesn't work, choose another session here: [Reschedule Link] This training is [required for your role / required before Go-Live Date], so we need everyone booked into a session. Thanks, [Your Name] [Title], [Company]
Subject line ideas
- Reminder: [Training Name] on [Training Date]
- Tomorrow at [Start Time]: [Training Name]
- Your link for [Training Name] at [Start Time]
- Please confirm: [Training Name] on [Training Date]
- 2 days to go: [Training Name]
- Pre-work due before [Training Name]
- Starting in 1 hour: [Training Name]
SMS and WhatsApp version
Hi [First Name], reminder: [Training Name] today at [Start Time], [Location or Link]. Your shift is covered. Can't make it? Text or call [Contact Name] at [Contact Phone]. - [Company] Training
Placeholders to replace: [First Name], [Training Name], [Training Date], [Start Time], [End Time], [Time Zone], [Location], [Video Link], [Dial-in Number], [Passcode], [Items to Bring], [Pre-work], [Reschedule Link], [Change Deadline], [Confirm Deadline], [Contact Name], [Contact Email or Phone], [Contact Phone], [Your Name], [Title], [Company]
A reminder schedule that cuts no-shows
Most training no-shows aren't refusals. People forget, the floor gets busy and their supervisor keeps them on the phones, or they never saw the original invitation. A simple sequence fixes most of this:
- Two business days before: the full reminder email with prep work and a reschedule link.
- The day before: a short email or calendar notification.
- One to two hours before: a text, especially for frontline and shift teams who don't sit at a desk.
For a 20-person session, moving from a single invitation to this sequence often turns three or four empty seats into one. The reminder assumes the person was properly invited first; if your training invitation email didn't include a calendar hold, fix that before adding more reminders.
What to put in a training session reminder
Repeat the logistics, because nobody goes back to find the original email:
- Date, start and end time, time zone.
- Exact location or join link, plus a dial-in backup for virtual sessions.
- Prep work with a direct link and how long it takes.
- What to bring or have open.
- Who covers their work, for scheduled staff.
- How to reschedule, with a deadline.
The reschedule link matters more than it seems. Employees who can easily move to another date usually do; employees who can't just don't show up, and you lose the seat. Keep the tone neutral and practical. A reminder that sounds like a warning (“Attendance is mandatory and will be tracked”) is better saved for people who have actually missed a session.
Email versus text reminders
For desk-based staff, email and calendar notifications are enough. For contact center agents, warehouse associates, retail and healthcare staff, a text is far more reliable, because many don't check work email before a shift. A short SMS reminder the morning of the session gets read within minutes.
If you text employees on personal phones, get their consent first, usually at onboarding, and include a way to opt out. The Telephone Consumer Protection Act restricts automated texts to mobile numbers without prior consent, and some states have their own rules. Keep training texts to logistics; no marketing.
Connecting reminders to attendance
Reminders are only half the loop. Take attendance at every session, and compare it with who was booked. When registration, reminders and sign-in live in one place, attendance tracking shows no-shows within minutes of the start, and the coordinator can text them a link to the next session the same day.
For anyone who misses it anyway, send a training no-show email within 24 hours with a new date. Waiting a week means they fall behind the rest of the class, which in a new-hire program often turns into training attrition. For compliance courses with deadlines, a separate compliance training reminder email sequence that escalates to managers works better than more of the same reminder.
Mistakes to avoid
- Sending the reminder to people who already cancelled. Sync your list with registrations before each send.
- Changing the room or link without saying so in the subject line.
- Reminding without a reschedule option.
- Five reminders for one session. Three touches is plenty; more trains people to ignore them.
- Forgetting the manager. For mandatory training, copy the supervisor on the two-day reminder so they plan coverage.
Frequently asked questions
How do you write a reminder to attend training?
Name the session, repeat the date, time, time zone and location or link, mention any prep work, and include a way to reschedule. Keep it short enough to read on a phone.
When should I send a training session reminder?
Two business days before, the day before, and for shift-based or early sessions, a text one to two hours before the start.
What should a training reminder text say?
Training name, start time, location or link, a note that their work is covered if relevant, and who to contact if they can't attend. Stay under 160 characters where you can.
How do I reduce no-shows for training sessions?
Send a calendar invite with the original invitation, follow with two reminders and a same-day text, offer an easy reschedule link, and make sure supervisors plan coverage for frontline staff.
Can I text employees training reminders on their personal phones?
Yes, with their consent, which is usually collected at onboarding. Include an opt-out and keep the texts to training logistics. Rules vary by state.