News flash…you might be boring your employees to death! Time to shake things up!
When was the last time you felt inspired by a corporate email update? It’s probably been a while (if ever). Conveying emotion and forging a human connection through written communication can be difficult. That’s why video should be an integral part of your company’s internal communications strategy.
From training remote employees to distributing CEO updates, internal video is one of the most effective ways to engage your team. In fact, since visuals are processed 60,000 times faster than text, video actually results in higher retention rates.
Organizations benefit from internal video messages because they are engaging, efficient, and personal. Here’s what I mean:
Engaging: Viewers are less likely to skip through a video than skim through an email. By strengthening employee engagement, your message has a better chance of actually being absorbed.
Efficient: Video can communicate a message in seconds, rather than paragraphs. This helps you to keep viewers’ focus while saving time. And — as you know — time is money.
Personal: The best videos elicit emotion. Whether you want to inspire, motivate, or connect with your team, video that features real people in real situations is key.
Here are 6 ways you can improve internal communications with video:
1. Distribute Video Updates
Whether you’re sharing a weekly update from the CEO or announcing a large-scale company change, video is an excellent way to keep your team in the loop. Since the message comes straight from the source, there is little room for miscommunication. No more he-said-she-said, or ‘I must have missed that in the meeting’.
2. Connect with Remote Employees
In 2016, 43% of employed Americans worked remotely at some point during the year. If your team is permanently distributed across regions and time zones, or an employee is simply working from home for the day, video makes it easy to distribute consistent information to every remote employee at the same time.
3. Tailor Your Onboarding Process
Rather than skimming through an old-fashioned handbook, you can quickly introduce your new employees to the ins-and-outs of your business with video, including best practices, health and safety information, and important policies. Your new employees don’t have to wait weeks for the next HR benefits presentation, they can get up to speed right away and in a way that engages and entertains them.
4. Provide Uniform Training
When it comes to training, it is important to tell a consistent, uniform message. Videos make this endeavor convenient and allow “students” to self-pace, which helps ensure that the lessons are sinking in effectively. In fact, video can improve long-term retention of training materials by 83%. And since there’s no travel expense, you can minimize the cost of employee training. It’s a win-win.
5. Simplify Complex Instructions
Video breaks down complex ideas and processes better than text alone because it uses supporting visuals to convey information. This is backed by a scientific idea known as the ‘picture superiority effect’, or the idea that pictures are more memorable than words. After 3 days, text or audio leads to 10% memory retention, while text and picture leads to 65% retention.
6. Capture Meetings and Events
Document stand-ups, team meetings, and other company events. Instead of distributing abbreviated meeting notes to employees who are unable to attend, video will capture exactly what happened. And since you can easily archive every video, your team can refer back to a brainstorming session or roundtable discussion whenever they need to.
Using video for internal communications helps your organization share important (and sometimes career changing) ideas and information in a personal, reliable and highly effective way. Plus, it’s the preferred form of communication! Give your employees what they want…your retention rate will thank you for it.Still not convinced about the power of video for internal communications? Check out the mind-boggling facts in this blog:The Science of Motion.
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