The cost of training employees has skyrocketed over the years. Hence, companies have to spend a huge chunk of their money to empower their workforce.
Despite several human investments channeled into the corporate sphere by L&D professionals, the productivity exuded by the average employee is palpable.
Since the realization of the potency of videos as a learning tool, there has been the recurrence of a question. The question on the mind of the average employer is how to create a training video that would drive corporate success.
Tips for using training videos for employee success
When using training videos for employees, these tips would make a difference:
1. Understand your trainees/corporate learners
Getting this step wrong negates the efficacy of the other tips. The first step to effective communication is understanding the unique needs of your users. This phase requires you to carry out a bit of research about your users. You should ask yourself questions such as
- What necessitated the creation of this video?
- What is the level of knowledge the average employee possesses on this subject matter?
- Are my trainees amateurs or experts on this subject?
- What’s their level of exposure to real-life applications of this concept?
Providing answers to these questions would inform several of your choices. You would know the appropriate language and terms to use in conveying your message.
Using technical industry terms for a video in which new hires are your audience is inappropriate. However, if you carry out your fair deal of research you would avoid making little yet costly mistakes. These mistakes may put your users off.
2. Engage your audience
Learning doesn’t have to be boring and tense. Your video can be a perfect blend of knowledge and interactivity. Using special effects is the best way to sustain the attention of your trainees without compromising the sanctity of learning. Music is one of such effects. It improves the outlook of your video. Your trainees are also assured of a smooth and pleasant learning experience.
Your video should take your learners on a journey and you can only achieve this by creatively weaving a story. If your video doesn’t engage the mind of your learners then you take a step back to assess the situation.
3. Test your employees regularly
You can’t ascertain the level of knowledge garnered by your employees until you test them. It is however not sufficient for you to test them after the video.
Periodic testing is the best form of testing. The reason for this is its ability to keep viewers on their toes. When your trainees know that there is a quiz awaiting them at the end of every module, they will pay attention to the training contents.
4. Be Creative and versatile
Always have it at the back of your mind that creativity allows maximum attention, especially in videos. Do not be averse to trying new things out. Having a straight jacket approach to creating employee videos makes your video drab in the long run.
There are cases where your video plans waiting to be executed fail. In such cases, having an emergency creative plan would save you from confusion and frustration.
For context, if you initially set out to record a presenter-style video and circumstances are threatening its production, you can record a quality screencast. Learn more how to create a presenter-style video here: https://www.ispringsolutions.com/blog/how-to-create-a-video-presentation-with-ispring-presenter
You can also make use of animation to keep your trainee’s eyes fixated on the screen. A little bit of excitement doesn’t hurt much.
5. Use a unique teaching approach
Try to stand out from the crowd by using a distinct teaching approach. Most videos tend to teach employees how to carry out their daily tasks but they fail to inform them of how they can do it effectively and efficiently. The aim of the video after all is to boost their overall productivity and work rate.
You can suggest ways of improving their productivity by implementing tested tips.
6. Consistency works wonders
Consistency is not overrated. Repetition brings dexterity. Most companies and employees fall into the trap of sudden results. The effects of corporate training are oftentimes not instantaneous.
Do not stop midway as a result of your failed projections.
Always remember to constantly update your video contents if they are outdated or they need minor changes as a result of industry trends.
7. Break things down
There is quality in brevity and simplicity. The fact that it is a corporate video doesn’t mean it should be overly technical or obtuse. Pick your words correctly. Ensure you give a step-by-step explanation of difficult concepts.
Making your video free from the industry’s technicalities without sacrificing the essence of the concept guarantees your trainees a smooth ride. This is as a result of the air of understanding which pervades the entire process.
User-friendly videos are the most popular and resourceful types of videos. This is because they put the trainees at the center of its activities. Ensure that your video can be easily tweaked to fill the knowledge lacuna.
8. Ensure that the video is accessible
These are one of the problems that the corporate training sphere is battling with. Accessibility threatens the ability of the users to exploit the potential of the video content.
You should make use of a hosting platform that grants trainees unrestricted access to the videos. Barriers like location and poor network issues are contributory factors to this situation
9. Have a goal
Having a goal eliminates the stress associated with creating employee videos. A clear-cut goal gives you a sense of clarity, purpose, and direction. You should ask yourself questions such as:
- What’s the aim of this video?
- What flawed notions do I want to reject?
- Is the video corrective or instructive?
Answering these questions helps you streamline your training objectives and outcomes.
Failure to have a goal may tamper with your video’s effectiveness. Having a goal is synonymous with using a comprehensive analytics report. You can easily compare your projections and the performance of your video to make necessary adjustments.
Wrapping up!
It is the goal of every employer to see their business and employees flourish. One of the ways to drive up corporate success is in the use of videos to empower the workforce. This is only possible when you make use of a video training software that has great and professional features that allow you to create training videos in PowerPoint. However, you have to combine the efficacy of both the software and deliberate action to generate maximum ROI( returns on investment).
Rhydian Choi 
Nicola Holder