Out of all the types of internal communication styles, video is by far one of the most effective, cost-conscious and versatile. Video can be used for any form of corporate communications, creating a personal touch, strengthening ties with employees and building upon the company culture and branding. There are many ways that video can be used to either augment existing communications or even replace them entirely. Below are a few examples of internal communication videos you can use for your business.
1. CEO Messages
In larger corporations, employee-to-CEO contact is usually minimal. But a CEO shouldn’t be some nebulous figurehead that an employee never interacts with; such a situation is not likely to build employee loyalty. Studies have shown that believing in and trusting a CEO has a significant impact on an employee’s performance and satisfaction.
By broadcasting CEO messages through video, a company is able to show that the CEO is knowledgeable about the company’s current goals, prospects and challenges. It can be difficult to achieve this type of unique connection through text, such as CEO letters and emails — which, to an employee, could have been sent by anyone. Video indicates that the CEO values their communications with their employees and is willing to set aside the time to work on them.
2. Corporate Changes
Some changes are good, some changes are bad — but all changes can be frightening for employees. Any time there is a new development in the corporate structure, employees will be wary. A business can get ahead of any anxiety by being clear, transparent and timely. Video is uniquely suited towards these forms of announcement. Internal communication videos can be used not only to discuss corporate changes but also to show that they won’t have a negative impact on the business and employees, cutting down on speculation and addressing concerns. Through video, a company can control exactly what type of message they’re sending out regarding issues that might be otherwise altered through rumor and repetition.
3. Progress Updates
On a corporate level, employees need to feel as though they are in the loop or they lose their feeling of connection and control within a company. Regular progress updates through internal video communications will keep employees motivated and educated. By being all on the same page, a company will feel less like a place of work and more like a team focused on achieving similar goals. On an employee level, the ability to transmit progress updates via video to coworkers or managerial staff makes it much easier for them to describe more difficult concepts and explain current objectives. Tone and information that is usually lost through email and instant messaging can be retained through video.
4. Brand Re-enforcement
Your company’s identity is vitally important for all aspects of your messaging, and it’s important for employees to be on board. But a brand can lose a cohesive identity if it isn’t regularly enforced. Brand re-enforcement can be a standalone goal, but it should also be included in every video that a company creates. By creating standardized branding throughout a company’s internal communications, a company can ensure that its brand is reinforced every time a video is transmitted or viewed. Studies have shown that employees are often considered to be more important to external reputation than a CEO. If they don’t understand the company’s brand, they cannot promote it to potential clients and investors.
5. Induction
When new employees enter into a company, they need to absorb huge amounts of information all at once. Induction through video has been used for many decades — especially in industries with high employee churn — as it is the most efficient and effective way to digest this new knowledge in a standardized fashion. Employees, through video, can get a feel not only for the expectations the company has for them, but also the company’s attitude and culture. Video induction can significantly cut down on one-on-one training time.
6. Health & Safety
Health and safety regulations and protocols are required to be standardized by many industries and can be rather extensive and complex. A health and safety video series ensures that nothing is lost in translation, and vastly reduces the overall cost of health and safety training. Without health and safety video and media, company wide seminars would need to be introduced — a significant drain on resources. As new information is rolled out, health and safety videos provide proof and documentation that these new standards were introduced to employees.
7. Training & Education
Training and educational courses can be easily dispersed through a company through internal video training. For continued training, video media is invaluable as it provides the employee with the opportunity to learn at their own pace and without disrupting their day-to-day responsibilities. Training and education will be standardized throughout the company in a way that one-on-one or even group training cannot be, and employees can always follow up in person to find out more information regarding the skills and information that they have learned.
Training and education through video media also does not need to be rigorous: small updates can be transmitted to employees, such as minor changes that will enhance productivity, in a way that would not normally be conducive to an in-person training session. Many individuals find that they learn more readily through video than any other media.
8. Team & Morale Building
An employee with high morale is an employee who is both more effective and more valuable. Team building and morale building can be emphasized in video media the way that it cannot through text and other messaging. Engaging video updates are far more likely to build morale than plain text emails outlining changes. Video is also a highly personal form of communication: after watching a video, people are more likely to feel a connection with the speaker. By creating this type of personal relationship with the employee, the employee will feel more as though they are on the same team and a part of the company.
Video media is a highly personal way to reach out to employees, strengthen bonds within a company and build on a company’s culture. From CEO announcements to health and safety training, video can be utilized within a company’s internal communications to both widen the impact of their messaging and ensure standardized procedures. Throughout it all, video messaging will re-enforce a company’s brand and build upon the employee-company relationship.
