Why You Need Video for Employee Training

It helps you to draw the right people towards your company and keep them there, as well as setting you apart from your competition.

Good training does, however, come at a cost, and whilst it is probably one of the most critical investments you can make for your business, there is no denying that the cost of training is often a barrier to employees reaching their full potential.

But does it really have to be that way?

Just as it is a great tool for marketing your business, selling your product and educating your audience, video is a phenomenal tool for training, and here’s why:

As we’ve already stated, training can be expensive, so we won’t dwell too much on the cost, but more on what that money pays for. For classroom-based courses, the vast majority of the money paid by learners actually funds the instructor. Well, guess what? Video eliminates the need for that because it is a one-time creation or purchase that can be used endlessly. It also takes travel and possibly even accommodation expenses out of the equation too, because employees can undertake video training at the comfort of their own desk.

Believe it or not, there are A LOT of variables when it comes to classroom-based training. The day of the week, the instructor teaching the course, and even the group all have a massive impact on the experience learners have. When you think about it, that could lead to some hugely varied results in what your employees takeaway from a course, which could cause all sorts of issues for them and your company later on down the line. Of course, with video, the standard is constant. It’s going to be the same every time it gets played, and the added bonus is that if there is something that somebody has missed, they can always go back over it in their own time.

Just as first impressions count for you when hiring new team members, they also matter for potential employees. A good induction process is known to boost employee satisfaction and delivering this through videos that you’ve created specifically for that purpose ensures that there is an element of consistency for every new hire you make. What’s more, with onboarding videos that you yourself have created, you can be sure that your brand’s voice and personality is present right from the start of your new employee’s journey with you.

Let’s face it, people just like videos more – in fact, you are 75% more likely to watch a video than anything else. There is something about the visual element that video inevitably brings to everything that helps to retain attention far better than just text or lectures alone.

It’s also worth remembering too that everyone learns in different ways. Some people learn purely by listening, others learn by seeing and some by doing. Video can be moulded to fit all three of these types of learners, making it a far more accessible format when it comes to delivering effective training.

There are many different styles of video, and this gives you a lot of range in terms of how you deliver a message to an audience, which is great when you consider point we’ve just covered about the ways people learn. For example, you can break down the higher concept material with animation so that it is easier for people to absorb and understand.

However, this versatility also means you can tailor video to suit virtually any purpose. You might want to educate employees on a new product or service that you’re launching, demo a new internal system that will be a key part of their day-to-day work, or provide some customer service training. The beauty of video is it can be made to fit anything and everything, which is perfect when you consider that the needs of every company are unique to that company.