If your kitchen sink unexpectedly sprung a serious leak, how would go about learning to fix it? Would you drive to the nearest library in the hopes that an available book would provide all the necessary instructions in a simple and understandable format? Or, would you simply access YouTube to watch a brief instructional video? Chances are you would prefer watching a video.
Video offers one of the most dynamic ways to deliver corporate training content. Video has the ability to bring content to life while engaging learners on an emotional level. It is also more convenient and cost efficient to create corporate training videos than it is to facilitate in-person training—especially if your audience is dispersed around the globe.
First generation learning management systems (LMS) characterized by facilitator-led presentations or in-person courses, fail to support a growing, diverse, and mobile workforce. But with the influx of digital technology and mobile smartphones, our learning expectations have changed.
Today workplaces can create a library of corporate training and development content to be continually referenced for many years, providing organizations with a higher return on investment over traditional training methods.
Put employees in the driver’s seat
Employees all learn differently from each other. They absorb information differently, at various paces, and have different educational goals. By making learning and development content accessible through an enterprise video platform, companies can empower employees to take control and own their professional development.
Further, most organizations employ a diverse range of employees. From millennials to baby boomers, to remote and freelance workers, it only makes sense to shift the learning responsibility to the learner. This enables all employees to learn at their own pace—one that aligns with individual career goals and values.
Continuous learning opportunities and self-directed learning are quickly becoming the new norm relating to workplace learning. Rather than having a corporate trainer dictate how and when employees learn, employees themselves are becoming their own content curators. By leveraging an enterprise video platform, employees are now in the driver’s seat. According to Deloitte’s 2017 Global Human Capital Trends report, an organization’s role is to create an environment and systems which enable employees to constantly learn and relearn, through self-directed professional development.
Identify key messages
The first thing you want to do when creating video training content is figure out exactly what the goal of the video is. Is there something specific an employee needs to take away? How will you ensure that message is delivered and retained? Educational videos should be brief and concise, so if your topic is too complex to deliver in one video, consider breaking it down into several videos as the optimal length for a training video is between two to seven minutes. Remember, the quicker employees are trained, the sooner they can start contributing to your workplace.
Consider your audience
Is your audience primarily millennials? Do they readily understand the language the content is presented in? Do they prefer mobile access? Understanding who your audience is will save you time and money as you create content. For example, a meme about Drake may not make sense to baby boomers, but it may well engage employees under 30.
Select a format
Once you have solidified some of your messaging, you will want to consider what format may work best. Having video with real talking presenters is one popular option. Another is to include animations or video within video. Again, consider your audience and assess different options. This may feel difficult in the beginning, but you will soon get the hang of it.
Rehearse your script
While video has alleviated many of the traditional challenges associated with delivering corporate training, you still need to rehearse your script. Ensure your script is clear, concise, and well written. Once you have completed a first dry-run, take note of things like tone and energy level. Some videos may demand a more upbeat tone, while others require a more serious approach. Reading your script out loud is also useful for catching grammatical errors and repetitive word selections.
Ensure strong video quality
Your corporate training videos won’t earn you Oscar nominations, but it is still worth ensuring a certain level of quality. Who knows just how many people may see your finished product. It may be only a few, or it may be hundreds of thousands, and it could be accessed and or critiqued for many years to come. Having a strong enterprise video platform will be the foundation to video quality. And of course, you will also want to ensure you have a decent camera, with efficient audio.
Measure success
You might think that once a video is completed that your work is done, but there are still many things to review. Apart from ensuring the video actually works, you will need to collect feedback. Your video platform should have survey functionality built within, which should easily allow you to request specific feedback from your audience.
One final word
Embarking on a video training strategy is a long, yet fruitful road. Take the time to complete the steps above and you will realize quickly how video can deliver excellent and engaging content at a fraction of the price of traditional corporate training sessions.