Recruiting new team members is an expensive and often protracted process, with SHRM data suggesting that it costs $4,700 for each employee you add to your roster.
Because of this, it’s necessary to optimize the onboarding of fresh hires in order to ensure this upfront investment pays off with a person being quickly, seamlessly integrated with existing colleagues.
Video content promises to provide a bevy of benefits in this context, so here’s a look at how this plays out and why you need to be on top of it if recruiting is on your list of responsibilities.
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Enhancing Engagement Through Visual Storytelling
Videos can captivate people like no other medium. They do this by conveying narratives that transform mundane procedures into engaging experiences. That’s why the reach of this medium on the web hit 92.3 percent last year.
In a recruitment context, visual storytelling adds context and emotion to the information. For instance:
- Employees see real scenarios they might encounter.
- They understand company culture through relatable stories.
- Videos simplify complex concepts with animations or visuals.
This is something which major brands have been taking seriously for years, especially in consumer-facing businesses like retail and fast food. There are many retro training videos from the 1980s and 90s which go viral today because of how compellingly they’re put together, for instance. And in many cases they ensure employee loyalty.
Take the example of Pizza Hut, which has been onboarding new hires with video content for decades. Today, 80 percent of franchisees are actually people who started out as entry-level team members. This shows the knock-on effect of successful, story-driven onboarding with video at its core.
Narratives put across with visuals are more memorable than dry presentations. And by appealing directly to human emotions, videos help employees internalize key messages faster than static content does. So regardless of the industry niche you occupy, this is a strategy worth pursuing.
Bridging the Gap for Remote Workers
Remote onboarding demands flexibility and accessibility, and video content delivers both. In a world where employees might be oceans apart, videos offer a unified experience.
Videos create an inclusive environment where:
- New hires feel part of the team regardless of location.
- On-demand access allows learning at each person’s pace.
There are also lots of creative ways to use video in employee training and onboarding. For instance, live streaming sessions paired with recorded content allow remote workers to participate in real-time discussions while revisiting materials when convenient. This setup fosters connection without any logistical hurdles.
With videos available anytime, anywhere, they transcend physical office limitations, empowering new employees to hit the ground running from day one. The resulting alignment helps boost productivity early on as everyone shares the same foundational knowledge despite geographical barriers.
Personalizing Onboarding Experiences with Video Content
Every new hire has unique learning preferences. Videos cater to this diversity, providing a customizable onboarding journey that resonates personally.
Personalized video content lets you:
- Adapt messages to align with individual roles and responsibilities.
- Reflect different departments’ nuances through tailored examples.
This tailored approach allows for immediate engagement and relevance. Employees can choose what matters most to their role, ensuring efficient use of time without sifting through irrelevant materials.
The same perks apply when it comes to upskilling employees as well, so getting to grips with personalizing video content is not just advantageous in an onboarding context.
Utilizing Interactive Videos for Skill Development
Interactive videos go beyond passive watching. They transform onboarding into a dynamic, participatory experience that actively engages new employees in skill-building.
With interactive video:
- Viewers answer quizzes to reinforce learning.
- Simulations provide hands-on practice with real-world scenarios.
For instance, integrating clickable elements within videos lets companies catalyze comprehension of procedures or tools. New team members receive immediate feedback, enabling them to learn from mistakes in a safe environment before applying skills live.
Interactivity ensures better retention of complex concepts as employees “learn by doing” rather than passively absorbing information. Such an approach transforms theoretical knowledge into practical competence quickly and effectively.
Integrating AI and Automation into Onboarding Videos
AI-powered tools are set to generate $942.4 billion in spending in recruitment alone by the end of the decade. For onboarding purposes, they’re applicable to how videos are crafted, enhancing the experience through efficiency and precision. Automation streamlines production, ensuring high-quality content with minimal effort.
AI technologies enable:
- Personalized video recommendations based on role or interests.
- Automated translation to cater to a global workforce.
Moreover, automation allows seamless updates across training materials without extensive re-recording sessions. This adaptability ensures that employees receive current information quickly, keeping pace with organizational changes or industry trends.
Wrapping Up
Put simply, video content is a potent force in employee onboarding because it caters to new hires as individuals while also being more efficient and impactful than alternative methods, thus benefiting entire organizations. If you have yet to use it, now is the time to rectify this.
