Press Play: Harness the power of video in your internal communications

Over the last decade, communication has become more instantaneous, personalized, and mobile, with a greater emphasis on visual and multimedia content. When it comes to communicating and engaging employees, the traditional channels of newsletters and emails no longer cut it in the modern workplace. 

Instead, to reach and connect with employees – especially Gen Z and remote workers – companies need to embrace new forms of communicating. This is where captivating video and storytelling comes into play.

Everyone likes video but for Gen-Z, keep it short

No matter your industry, it’s a pretty safe bet to say that your total workforce is made up of people who enjoy watching videos. But this especially rings true for Generation Z. 

By 2025, Gen Z will make up 27% of the workforce in OECD countries and one third of the global population according to the World Economic Forum.  WARC analysis has found that Gen Z (those aged approximately between 13-26 years old) spend two-thirds of their total media time on digital channels, higher than any age group that’s come before. Most of this time is spent watching videos on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram Reels. 

A recent study by Adobe found that Gen Z spend on average 5.9 hours a day consuming content on mobile, and over 54% of those from the study said they used multiple devices at any one time. 

It doesn’t stop at the device, either. To paint a picture – before work begins, Gen Z wakes up, checks if BeReal has gone off, and preps lunch from a video recipe they bookmarked the night before, while a podcast plays in the background. 

But, when they get to work, will their workplace digital tools match up to this level of personalisation, captivating content, and seemingly limitless options? 

How to personalize video content for Gen Z

So, how do you capture their attention, and translate this to success within your organization? 

When creating content for video, think bite-sized and digestible. A survey conducted by Animoto, a video creation platform, found that 56% of Gen Z respondents preferred short-form video content (less than 15 seconds long).

While short-form video content is particularly appealing to this demographic, video is an incredibly versatile medium that can help engage your total workforce. Whether it’s a data-heavy topic like compliance training, or a strategic message, like a presentation from the CEO, videos that are engaging, high-level and human perform well. And for the companies that are using video, it’s working – 52% of companies use videos to convey messages to employees and 69% say it's effective according to a Gallagher report.
 

1. Onboarding

When new joiners start, the standard ‘get to know me’ messages are great, but, through a 2-minute video, colleagues can get a better sense of someone’s personality, particularly for remote teams. With LumApps Play, the video-management add-on to the LumApps employee experience platform, they can like, comment, and engage, fostering that authentic connection with their new coworker from day one of employment, regardless of different time zones or remote locations. 

2. Culture and values

Videos showcasing the company's mission and values, employee testimonials on work anniversaries, and stories ‘from the frontline’ that can highlight the company's culture.

3. Employee recognition

Video can be used to recognize and celebrate employee achievements, milestones, and contributions. This can help boost morale and increase employee engagement. 

4. Company updates

Video can be used to deliver announcements in an engaging and interactive way. This can include messages from senior leadership, updates on company policies and procedures, and information on company events.

5. Learning

Video can be used to provide training and development opportunities to employees. It can be used to explain complex concepts, demonstrate processes, and provide visual aids that can aid in retention of information. Using on-demand videos, companies can empower their staff through easily accessible educational content. 

6. Hybrid/Remote Teams

In a hybrid work environment, video content bridges the gap between on-site and off-site employees, helping connect remote teams. Video is an especially effective way to share messages asynchronously so remote and hybrid employees can watch a video when it’s convenient for their schedule. 

7. Accessibility

Accessibility is top of mind for many who work in employee communications, and video can be a great asset to improve your accessibility accommodations. There are many employees for whom long-form text or more traditional methods of information do not work well. Video can be a great alternative to this.

No matter how you choose to use it, video has been shown to improve the retention of information, as viewers can see and hear the information presented in context – Viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it on video, compared to 10% when reading text. By incorporating graphs, statistics, and visual pieces into the video, you can get your message across quicker and in a way that will stick. 

How to create video for internal campaigns 

Learn how to make an impact with your videos - plus, a must-have checklist for video creation!

At LumApps, we’re working hard to turn opportunities for video into action, with LumApps Play.

Built into the LumApps platform, LumApps Play allows for full control of video content management, without the need for technical skills. Now, your internal communications or HR team can manage their own videos without needing to rely on IT. 

LumApps Play allows you to search, organize, and broadcast relevant videos in native languages or with subtitles, in the best quality available for employees' devices and internet access. LumApps Play also enables content contributors to gather videos and embed them in any content of the LumApps platform. The native search toolbar allows a precise and quick search across the corporate catalog, bringing up articles, posts, documents, and videos via titles, descriptions, and tags. 

Videos are encrypted and secured, contrary to videos embedded in YouTube or Vimeo private channels, to ensure optimal security. Employees can only view videos if logged in to the platform via their corporate identity (single sign-on), and are restricted from sharing a video link outside the company. Global market intelligence firm IDC featured LumApps Play in their 2022's Video Software Landscape Report as a solution that enables companies to manage and deliver video securely.

Let’s say you’ve got a new process for onboarding, but it’s only pertinent to the people managers in the APAC team. By leveraging your metadata with LumApps Play, you can make a video and only push it out to the relevant audience. You’ll also get more metrics to back up your methods, like audience retention score and viewership analytics. Do you find people dropping off after the 5 minute mark in your CEO’s quarterly update? You can pull that data and present it when it’s time to prep the next one. 

Video strategy that makes sense for your team

At LumApps, we are focused on equipping teams with the tools they need to create the best employee experience, however it makes sense for them. LumApps Play makes it possible to enrich videos (adding chapters, managing subtitles in dozens of languages, and interactions) to improve accessibility and maximize impact on employees. 

Ready to incorporate video in your internal communications? Book some time to explore this with a LumApps expert.