5 Engaging Video Types for Corporate Training
Tanoy Chowdhury - July 6, 2022
If your employees fell asleep during the last corporate training session or complained about it as boring, then it’s not their fault. Organizations, and managers in particular, have to understand that while it’s the responsibility of an employee to participate in training sessions, it’s also their responsibility to keep training sessions interesting. Because right now, one in three employees find the training content to be uninspiring.
The sad part about corporate training is that it always remains as an afterthought. Management does not work on it actively, trying to find breakthrough solutions to make training more inspiring. However, this has to change now. After the Coronavirus pandemic, the work environment has become very dynamic. Remote working is normal, and employees have the power to choose where they want to work from. While they’re doing that, they’re also leaving organizations where they see limited learning opportunities.
The only way to stop these employees is by designing & implementing corporate training in a revamped way. The one that is more relevant & syncs with the current employees. One that inspires them to stay in their job & push themselves to generate better results. On that note, if you’re a manager or an L&D professional, read this blog till the end to get some ideas on how you can make corporate training better with some engaging video ideas.
5 types of engaging videos for corporate training
Before we get to the list, here’s something important that you have to remember. This list is not exhaustive. There are different ways that companies are using to make corporate videos. The learning and development field is constantly evolving, so keep an out there. Use this list as a reference, and keep adding more as you discover along the way.
Animated videos
We don’t have to tell you why animated videos are so engaging. We watched them as kids. Our eyes glued to the TV screen for hours, we do it even now. Well, at least some of us still do it. It’s hard to explain why animated videos are so charming, but they definitely pique interest when they appear on the screen. That’s why animated videos top our list.
What we also love about them is their flexibility. You can use them in your corporate training video for explaining how different teams work. Or, it could be a company overview video, corporate health policy, or an investment education series. The point is that it is effective for all of them equally.
However, the biggest reason for recommending animated videos is that they can be created by anyone and without being dependent on an external agency. With tools like Animaker, you can pick templates, characters, and make the complete video by simple drag and drop.
Screen recording
The reason why we keep suggesting screen recording videos as making them part of corporate or any training videos is because they are agile. They can single-handedly do what multiple tools can’t do together. It just doesn’t end with recording your screen. With your voice and webcam recording, the videos become personal and educational. And, when you’re making a corporate training video, this blend works great.
You must have already figured that screen recorders can be a great fit for your budget. Other than that, the biggest advantage of using a screen recorder is that you can mix different content types & present them in the form of a video. For example, you can record an animated video, presentation slides & a keynote message from the CEO, and put them all together in one single video. This also keeps things interesting for the employees as they get equal doses of different forms of content.
We recommend you use Vmaker, obviously. But, don’t take our word for it. Go check it out and see if it plays well for you. We also recommend checking out software comparison websites to get the hang of the different screen recorders that are available on the market and make the best choice for yourself.
Instructor-led videos
The specialty of this type of training video is that it is reminiscent of formal educational training that everyone has to go through. It’s like an online classroom session where the instructor explains and breaks down the meaning of complex stuff, making it easy for the attendees to assimilate the information.
The onus shifts to the shoulder of the instructor. The employees attending the training session have to do the less stressful part of the training, and that is listening. They don’t have to read from slides or lines of text and try to find the meaning behind them. Moreover, the instructor’s body language, expressions, and gestures add to the experience of learning, which is highly impactful from the retention point of view.
Before we move to the next part, here’s something you should know. To make instructor-led videos, you don’t need a classroom or a heavy studio setup. Using a screen recorder, you can get the job done in the same way, at a lower cost, but high quality.
Employee made videos
It’s easy to learn from colleagues. It’s more believable when they share their job experience, learning at the workplace and how their work is contributing to the success of the organization. For these reasons, employee-created videos can be an excellent way to train employees. This type of video is great when you’re planning to create videos for each department.
This way, senior employees can get into the specifics, be more technical, and share practical knowledge about working in the team. Also, the attendees feel more comfortable opening up and asking questions.
To make the most out of these videos, you can create a database and keep uploading similar videos here, so that it can be used and repurposed as needed. In a remote work set up, employees can check the videos and update themselves on the latest developments.
Interactive videos
We kept this for the end because interactive videos are complex and require more time, money, and effort. In interactive videos, the attendee plays an active role in controlling the video. They have the ability to make choices, answer questions, skip content or play it at a higher speed. Many companies have started using more modern techniques like 360 - degree views where the employees can view the environment and make an assessment.
The interesting part about these videos is that they are fresh and more innovative as compared to other training sessions. Having said that, all of this comes at a cost. If you plan to make interactive videos, be ready to shell out some extra bucks. Because you have to hire an agency first who are experienced in this type of content creation. You also have to spend a large amount of time working on the curriculum and re-iterating with your team.
However, interactive videos are a worthy investment as they can be shared with the whole organization and expect active participation from everyone.
Summing it up
Corporate training is one of the most crucial jobs of a learning and development team. Whether it’s on the job training or training for new employees, training programs are highly effective. But, with remote work and hybrid work set-up, using the traditional ways for training like presentations and online documentation will not cut it. Videos are the right way for learning and development professionals to create corporate training material.
But, when it comes to making videos, it can be done in so many ways. This blog is a snapshot of that. As you’re aware of the most popular types of videos now, discuss with your team, senior management, analyze your strengths and weaknesses to zero in on the right technique. And, once you get started, don’t forget to improvise to get better at it.
Recommended Reading:
7 upskilling and reskilling strategies to improve employee retention
Top 10 Styles of Animated Explainer Videos (With Examples)
How to Use Screen Recording Software for Video Creation
