How-To Use HR Videos To Inspire Team Members

Marketing videos are so popular these days, but many tend to forget a traditional video that benefits from a modern storytelling touch. HR videos, when done right, are a great way to engage your team and pump them up.

Your human resources team can use a recruiting to get prospects excited about working for your company, an orientation video to acclimate them to your culture, and a training video to make sure they know the way you do things. You can do it all using good storytelling techniques to keep people interested.

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Recruiting videos

You might think that during times of high unemployment you don’t need a recruiting video.  Here’s an important thing to keep in mind:  Do you want candidates who are inspired by your company and its mission, or those who are simply desperate for a job?

A rhetorical question? Yes, but many business leaders really don’t put extra effort in promoting their company to potential team members. They might write a great job description and post it on some employment boards, but that isn’t exactly awe-inspiring.

A recruiting video on the other hand… that’s something that can really set a business apart. Take candidates behind the scenes of your company. Let them hear from team members. Have the CEO talk to them. This is an opportunity to encourage the best job seekers to apply to your company.

Orientation videos

Okay, maybe you’ve already nabbed the top candidates you were looking for and they’re in the fold. Now you just need to assimilate them into your company culture. Instead of having them read about it or letting it trickle down from other team members, an orientation video can set them out on the right foot.

This is your opportunity to let new employees know what you expect of them, and frankly, what they can expect from you. This is an opportunity for your human resources team to shine. Make sure new team members are clear on the dress code, where they can eat lunch, and how they finish their work day.

However, don’t be satisfied with that. Go beyond the day-to-day things they’ll need to know. Tell your new team members about the company’s charity efforts. Highlight team members and their efforts improve the company’s culture. This is your chance to make sure people know their new workplace is awesome, and inspire them to contribute to that awesomeness.

An orientation video like this can bring your company handbook to life.

Training videos

They’ve been hired, they’re squared-away on the company’s culture, now you just need to get them working, or to improve employee processes that are already in place.  A training video can demonstrate how the job is done and answer the most frequently asked questions.

New team members are sure to get all sorts of on-the-job training, but you never know who the source of that training will be.  Video assures consistency as you share important processes with team members.  

Use a team member in your training video who does  things “right.” The majority of people are visual learners, so it’s a great idea to show them examples of your top people and how they do their jobs.

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HR videos don’t need to be boring

I know, some of you rolled your eyes at the notion of HR videos. The thing is, these videos don’t have to put people to sleep. You just need to apply the same mindset to these videos as you do your external marketing videos.

In a way, all of the HR videos I described are marketing videos. The difference is that you’re marketing to your team members rather than potential clients.

Think about it. How many times have you heard business leaders talking about getting their team to “buy-in” to the corporate mission or culture? That’s why the same storytelling strategy we use to sell customers needs to be used in these HR videos.

Telling stories is the key to it all.  When you have a ton of information you’re trying to give someone, they’re more likely to pay attention and remember when you tell them a good story.

What’s your story?

Get your best storytellers in on the effort. If your marketing team rocks, encourage them to work with your people in HR. The two united teams can look inward to help you sell your policies and processes to the rest of the team.

If neither or those teams have the time, you can always turn to outside pros to help with this sort of thing. Professional video storytellers can help you tell your stories.

HR videos that use storytelling to motivate can be a great way to inspire your team.

–Tony Gnau

 

Tony Gnau - T60 ProductionsTony Gnau is the Founder and Chief Storytelling Officer at T60 Productions. He’s a three-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, has led T60 Productions to winning 18 Telly Awards for its corporate videos, and is the author of the Amazon #1 Bestseller “Lights, Camera, Impact: storytelling, branding, and production tips for engaging corporate videos.”