This new year is well underway, but plenty of companies are still working out their communications wrinkles. When it comes to employee communications, it seems there’s never a set-and-solid process. After all, the way you talk to your team members—and the messages you need to deliver—are constantly evolving. This year, video will make its way to the front of the class when it comes to internal communications best practices.
From conferencing to live streaming big events to the creation of employee engagement and training videos, this medium offers massive potential for strengthening internal messaging, and—thanks to today’s technology—there are more ways to integrate it into the workplace than ever before. Let’s take a look at a few key ways video’s going to change up the work scene in 2018:
Make Video an Integral Part of Employee Engagement Initiatives
“Employee engagement” is a phrase in and of itself. Organizations need to implement this all-encompassing endeavor at every level of the organization. Connectivity—particularly when administered by way of video—is more engaging and effective than its voice- or text-only counterparts from the olden days.
An intranet is an awesome way to boost your internal customers’ experiences. Post videos of your employees talking about their role in the company and maybe what they do outside of work. Include video snippets of awards people have received within their employee intranet profiles and encourage them to add to their video library as they embark on other awesome adventures within the company.
Encourage Executives to Adjust to Demographic Changes
Although many companies’ C-Suite seats are still comprised of Baby Boomers, these leaders are beginning to retire, ushering a new era of tech-savvy leaders from the Gen X and Millennial generations. Although older execs still prefer gaining information about their companies the old-fashioned way—the written word—the people in this new group of leaders look toward video when they’re performing information-gathering tactics.
According to a study presented by Forbes.com, “[Y]ounger executives are much more likely to select video over text. For example, 30% of executives under age 40 indicated they prefer video for reviewing business information, compared to just 9% of those age 50 or older.” That study also cites the fact that consumption of work-related videos increased 11% in just one year, gaining traction from 64% to 75% from 2009 to 2010.
Obviously, a lot can happen in eight years. This study only marked the beginning of a change in attitudes taking over corporate culture. Since “[m]illennials will comprise more than one of three adult Americans by 2020 and 75 percent of the workforce by 2025”, companies that don’t adjust to the changing attitudes of their future leaders will be left in the dust.
To keep up on these changing times, integrate video into your daily operations now, beginning with the ways you disperse everyday information.
Implement “Ask Me Anything” Sessions
“Ask Me Anything” (AMA) was an internet sensation brought on by the popular forum website Reddit.com. In its original structure, people all over the world were encouraged to ask celebrities anything they wanted to know. Wise leaders took this concept and ran with it, creating opportunities to optimize transparency in their own companies.
Dan Sommer, Founder and CEO of Trilogy Education, was one of these leaders. After launching his own version of “Ask Me Anything”, he reported seeing an increased feeling of cohesiveness among his team members, many of whom were spread across the country. People need to know what’s going on in their organizations, but they don’t always feel their senior leadership is accessible. Video is bridging the gap, allowing employees at all levels to connect with their decision makers on a more intimate level.
Moral of the story: intranets only succeed when executives utilize the channel to guide their employees. C-suite involvement is imperative in this medium.
If you’re a leader who’s ready for a more transparent, efficient, and effective workplace, get the ball rolling by starting your own Ask Our Executives Anything series. Keep your employee intranet updated with new video posts, and be sure employees have access to historical archives, ensuring future new hires have the same opportunities to learn about your organization as those who work there today.
Are you ready to engage your workplace in a way that resonates with today’s employees? Put Simpplr on your side today! We have the resources you need to help your organization become the best place it can possibly be for existing and future employees. Learn how a modern digital workplace can drive employee engagement by scheduling a demo with our Simpplr team today!
Watch our webinar: Trends Redefining the Modern Intranet and learn how the modern intranet has redefined the digital workplace.
