Onboarding is one of the most crucial steps in integrating new employees into a company.
Done right, it sets the stage for long-term success, helping new hires feel informed, valued, and ready to contribute.
Yet, traditional onboarding methods—think lengthy presentations, mountains of paperwork, and repetitive explanations—can often feel inefficient and disengaging.
Enter the onboarding video, a powerful tool that streamlines the onboarding process and enhances the new hire experience.
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What Is an Onboarding Video and What Purposes Does It Serve?
An onboarding video is a structured, pre-recorded guide designed to introduce new hires to a company’s culture, policies, roles, and expectations.
Think of it as a tutorial like ones you might find on YouTube or other online platforms, walking you through the essential steps. And here these steps are based on the company itself.
Here are some key elements often found in effective employee onboarding videos:
- A heartfelt welcome message from the CEO or leadership team
- A visual walkthrough of the company’s mission, vision, and values
- A virtual or in-person tour of the workplace to familiarize new employees with their environment
- Practical guidance on tools, technologies, and processes they’ll use daily or on occasion
- Compliance training and instructions presented in an approachable format
- Testimonials or advice from current employees to make the experience more relatable
The primary purpose of onboarding videos is to educate and inspire. They serve as a bridge, ensuring new hires feel connected to their new role and the organization’s larger mission.
Interesting fact: 69% of people mentioned companies could have a better onboarding process if they had more video content.
Benefits of Onboarding Videos: How They Speed Up the Hiring Process
1. Consistency Across the Process
One of the biggest challenges in any company, especially large enterprises, is delivering the same quality of information to every new hire.
Traditional onboarding might differ depending on who is conducting it, their communication style, mood, and workload.
With an onboarding video, this issue becomes a thing of the past. You need one person to work on the video in a beginner-friendly program, such as ones by Movavi for example.
2. Saving Time and Reducing Costs
The repetitive nature of onboarding—explaining company policies, introducing tools, or conducting compliance training—takes up a lot of time.
Pre-recorded videos free up the HR department to focus on other strategic initiatives, allowing them to onboard more employees simultaneously.
Additionally, videos are a one-time investment means they can be reused for any future hires, reducing costs associated with constantly updating and printing physical materials or conducting multiple in-person sessions.
3. Faster Familiarization with Workflows
Employee onboarding videos often include tutorials on software systems, workflows, and job-specific processes. This allows new hires to familiarize themselves with these tools at their own pace.
What’s good about it? They will much likely be more productive in the first month of work, thus contributing, not wasting time.
4. Improved Engagement Through Visual Learning
Not everyone retains information effectively through reading or lectures. Videos combine visuals, audio, and motion to capture attention and make complex topics easier to understand. This multimedia approach is particularly effective for training on tasks like using internal tools or understanding safety protocols.
5. Enhancing Employer Branding
A well-crafted onboarding video does more than inform—it inspires. Watch some employee introduction videos, like, for example, Canva’s ‘Canva Culture’: video, where employees share their stories and experiences working at the company.
Sounds like a promotional video, but it isn’t. It’s an authentic portrayal of the company’s values, making potential employees eager to be a part of it.
6. Accessibility and Flexibility
Onboarding videos can be accessed anytime, from any spot, where you are working at night or on the go. A remote worker logging in from another country or an in-office hire revisiting policies during their lunch break, videos cater to various schedules and learning styles.
This flexibility can be achieved through traditional onboarding methods, but who wants to carry around a thick manual?
How to Make a Good Onboarding Video?
1. Start with a Solid Script
A compelling script is the foundation of any great video. Just become a vlogger for a second that tries to come up with some YouTube video ideas.
Start by outlining your goals: what should new employees take away? Break the content into sections like “Welcome,” “Company Overview,” “Role Expectations,” and “Next Steps.”
Avoid overwhelming your audience with too much detail; don’t put everything into one long video. Use simple, conversational language as well.
2. Add a Personal Touch
Include personalized elements like a welcome message from senior leaders or a couple of words from employees who embody your company culture. Seeing familiar faces creates a sense of connection, even in a remote setup.
3. Focus on Visual Storytelling
Use visuals to complement your message. For instance, instead of listing company values in text, show employees putting those values into action. A quick office tour or clips of team events creates a sense of inclusion and breaks the monotony of an information-heavy video.
4. Incorporate Scenarios and Role-Playing
Real-life scenarios or role-playing segments reach out to different learning styles and give new hires a taste of what they’ll be doing. For example, demonstrate how one might handle a common challenge in their role or interact with team members in a collaborative project.
5. Use Gamification
Injecting gamification into your onboarding video can transform a standard viewing experience into an interactive journey. Include elements like progress trackers, rewards for answering questions correctly, or even unlocking “hidden tips” embedded within the video. This approach keeps new employees motivated to watch and learn, while the process becomes much more enjoyable.
6. Highlight Career Growth Opportunities
Go beyond day-to-day tasks and show the potential for professional growth within a company. Include short interviews with employees who have advanced in their roles, emphasizing how your organization supports personal development. This helps new hires see your company as a long-term opportunity rather than just a job.
7. Make Room for Cultural Nuggets
Add subtle yet meaningful nods to your company culture. For instance, showcase team traditions, unique office quirks, or inside jokes that embody your organization’s spirit. These elements foster a sense of belonging and excitement about becoming part of the team.
8. End with an Invitation to Connect
Rather than simply listing next steps, wrap up your onboarding video with an invitation for new hires to actively engage with their team or resources. Encourage them to schedule a one-on-one meeting with their manager, join a team chat, or participate in an upcoming event.
Conclusion
Efficiency and engagement are paramount. How to achieve a high level of both? Create onboarding videos. They streamline processes, foster consistency, and provide a warm introduction to your company.
From crafting an inspiring welcome message to highlighting your company’s values, onboarding videos for new employees are a huge investment. These videos set the tone for a productive and fulfilling journey ahead.
Making onboarding videos doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. With resources like screen recording tools, visual storytelling apps, and video editing software, you’re one step away from creating an informative and engaging onboarding experience for your employees.
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