Improving internal communication with video
Video presents an engaging opportunity to share vital messages and communicate in a more personal way than traditional internal communications. This post aims to outline some of the many opportunities that effective video content can offer to organisations in helping get employees on the same page.
Online video: The distribution revolution
Video messages can now be spread throughout an organisation in seconds to any number of devices. Using video for internal communications finally makes sense thanks to the ease of online distribution – saving both time and money by becoming instantly accessible to employees and integrating perfectly with their daily online experience.
Video for internal communication: The stats
We believe that video will become the number one medium to communicate effectively throughout large companies.
Research being conducted amongst industry professionals adds real credibility to this belief and is the primary reason that Engine Creative is working with our clients to produce quality internal video communications and training.
Video has become an essential part of the online experience for everyone
People in the 18-34 age group spend more time watching online video than they do watching TV – almost 50% more (Google Industry Trends).
Key benefits of using video internally
In response to Melcrum’s recent survey on the use of video in internal communication, 93% of 1,200 respondents believe that video has become a vital part of internal communication. Corporations of all sizes in all sectors are looking at video to enhance their internal communications. Companies such as IBM, Airbus and Lloyds Banking Group are all using video in this way.
“No more long, cumbersome marketing documents – no more boring presentations. Video is how companies and business should communicate.”
Mark Leaser, Worldwide Offerings Manager, IBM
Video can provide a number of key benefits to organisations:
- Recipients of video internal communications are more likely to fully absorb the intended message.
- Video is more effective as it can communicate in seconds what might have taken multiple paragraphs to write.
- Video can eliminate many in-person meetings, handouts, e-mails and documents.
- Research has suggested that people react to video positively as it feels more personal.
- It can spread training messages without costly sessions and seminars.
- Video is always available in the future for people to refer back to – email is often deleted.
- Video is accessible from a variety of devices from desktop to mobile.
- Video offers the chance to create emotive content that increases engagement.
Video for all seasons
Video has a wide variety of applications in communicating messages across a business:
CEO Messages
Short videos driven by an interview with the CEO designed to create a connection between upper management and the rest of the business. Regular videos from the CEO offer many advantages over newsletters and e-mails as they help to build feelings of greater communication and openness across the business. These are often friendly, personable and inclusive and help to build a sense of transparency to encourage greater corporate loyalty and increase in morale. Such a message could include:
- Updates about current developments, performance and upcoming events.
- Underlining of corporate policies.
- Changes in the marketplace that have implications on the business.
- Congratulations for good work being done.
Company Changes
It’s important that everyone understands any changes that are being put in place and, importantly, the reasons why. An interview driven film can help to create an easy to understand breakdown of any changes or new initiatives – replacing what could be pages of text with just a few minutes of film. These films can:
- Keep everyone informed of changes in direction, structure, philosophy etc.
- Explain reasons behind changes.
- Reduce any potential confusion by mapping out changes visually and supporting with on-screen text.
Training & Education
Video is the ideal format for training initiatives that have to be pushed out across a company. Complex ideas can be easily explained and supported with visuals across the business and graphics underlining key areas. Rather than the costly practice of gathering all employees together at once, online video viewing opens up the possibility of everyone being able to watch in their own time. In addition to easy online distribution, the training materials can be accessed by employees at any time as a refresher. These videos are able to offer:
- Upskilling of staff across the business.
- Graphics and visuals to help explain complex processes.
- Opportunities for horizontal training – other employees giving tips about how they work more effectively.
- Cost savings over traditional training methods and an uptake in retention of information.
- An archive for future reference.
HR Employee Inductions
Video is an ideal method for the induction of new employees – it can save time and money. Current forms of distribution allow them to watch in their own time and orient themselves to the works of the business with much greater ease than the reading of handbooks and the like. Video also gives them a chance to see and more easily understand far reaching parts of the business allowing greater identification with operations as a whole – strengthening their connection to the business from the beginning. Induction films could include:
- An overview of the business and its operations.
- Orientation of the work place and best practices.
- Health and safety information.
- Information on holidays, sickness and other important processes.
Team & Morale Building
Events can be a great way of building team morale and video can provide a memory of those great experiences for attendees as well as being a promotional tool to encourage employee participation. Events videos provide organisations with the ability to create positive PR with regard to employee care. This could include creating videos covering:
- Awards evenings for employees.
- Activity days out for team building.
Engine Creative and Internal Comms Videos
Engine Creative is an integrated creative agency providing award-winning video production to our clients. We have worked with companies of all sizes to help increase the effectiveness of their internal communications through video. Recent projects include training videos with frontline staff, departmental promos shot across Europe and engaging company overview films.
Bring your internal comms to life with video
For more information on how video could be integrated into your internal communication strategy, please call us on 01604 453 177 or drop us an email.
