Employee training videos can be pretty darn cringe-worthy. From the fake, forced smiles, to the cheesy elevator music, to the terrible acting, it’s like someone took the entire cast of the Office, put them in a blender, and hit frappe. Twice. (You know what we’re talking about).

Cool TV references that show we have our finger on the pop culture pulse aside, there’s no denying that some employee training videos out there are, well, not good. And we get it!

Employee training videos can be dry, full of jargon, and let’s be honest—not everyone is a Spielberg in the making. But there are ways to make employee training videos engaging, informative, and, dare we say—even enjoyable for your team to watch.

By following our tips below, you can ensure that your company training videos engage, inform, and even entertain your team! 

• What is an employee training video?
• Why create employee training videos
• Types of corporate training programs—and how video supports them
• How long should an employee training video be?
• Preparing your corporate training video
• How to make employee training videos with ScreenPal
• Top tips for creating engaging employee training videos

What is an employee training video?

An employee training video is a short film or clip used to educate staff on company procedures, products, or services. Employee training videos can be used for onboarding new hires, cross-training current employees, or as part of an ongoing internal education program.

Corporate training videos are essential for businesses, especially in remote and hybrid work environments. From internal communications videos on company policies to more comprehensive training programs, training videos can support your team in various ways. 

Employee training videos can also be a crucial tool for compliance. For instance, employees must receive regular updates and refreshers on health and safety procedures in certain industries. In this instance, training videos provide an easy way to ensure that everyone in your team is up-to-date on the latest procedures.

Why create employee training videos 

Incorporating video into your employee training programs benefits both employers and employees. For example, onboarding videos can help new hires learn about your company culture, values, and processes—in a way that’s more engaging than reading through an employee handbook.

Employee training videos can:

• Save time: Employee training videos can be an efficient way to quickly communicate large amounts of information to your entire team. The time you would have spent leading in-person training sessions can now be better used elsewhere!

• Increase engagement: Videos are more engaging than text and can help hold your team’s attention for longer. You’ll find that your team retains more information when it’s presented in an engaging and interactive format.

• Foster a sense of culture: Employee training videos are a great way to introduce new hires to your company’s culture and values. By sharing your company story, you can help new employees feel like they’re part of something larger—and that they belong.

• Boost retention: Company training videos can help new hires remember essential information like procedures and products. Better onboarding means new employees are more likely to hit the ground running and be productive members of your team from day one.

• Improve clarity: Videos provide a way to show rather than tell employees what they need to do. Video training can be especially helpful for complex processes or procedures.

• Make onboarding fun: There’s nothing better than a little friendly competition to engage your team! Gamification is a great way to add an element of fun to your employee training videos and improve retention at the same time. 

• Reduce costs: Employee training videos can help you save on the cost of materials, travel, and other expenses associated with traditional in-person training methods.

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s look at the different types of employee training programs.

Types of corporate training programs—and how video supports them 

Employee training programs come in all shapes and sizes. The type of training program you choose will depend on the needs of your business, as well as the goals you’re hoping to achieve.

Here are some of the most common types of employee training programs—and how video can support them:

• Orientation programs: Employee orientation programs help new hires acclimate to their new role and workplace. Onboarding videos can introduce new employees to your company’s culture, values, and processes. While orientation programs are typically led by HR, employee onboarding videos can supplement these sessions and provide new hires with material that they can refer back to again and again.
• Technical: Technical employee training programs help employees learn the skills they need to do their job. Video provides step-by-step instructions on using your company’s products or services. If they miss a step or need to revisit one later, the video is always there to use as a tool. Training videos can also help employees troubleshoot common issues or problems.
• Soft Skills: Skills like teamwork, communication, and problem-solving are essential for success in any role. Training videos can help your team improve their soft skills and become more well-rounded employees.
• Certification programs: In many industries, employees need to complete regular certification courses to stay up-to-date on the latest procedures. Employee training videos deliver this type of training in a convenient and engaging way.
• Product training: Videos are an excellent way to introduce new products to your team. You can provide employees with a comprehensive overview of the features and benefits of your product—without overwhelming them with too much information at once.
• Customer service training: Customer service videos can cover topics like handling complex customer interactions, using positive language, and upselling techniques. They will help your team deliver exceptional customer service by providing them with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed.

How long should an employee training video be?

When teaching your team new skills, longer isn’t always better. Most employee training videos should be between three and five minutes long. This is just enough time to cover the essential information without overwhelming your team.

Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule. For example, if you’re covering a complex topic or procedure, you may need to create a longer video. Or, if you’re making a video series, each individual video can be shorter in length.

The important thing is to make sure your employee training videos are concise and to the point. Keeping your videos short will help ensure that your team actually watches them and retains the information that they need to succeed.

Preparing your corporate training video 

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a total novice, creating an employee training video doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, with the right tools and resources, it can be surprisingly easy.

Here’s a quick overview of how to best prepare for an effective training video:

1. Choose your topic 

Before you start filming, you’ll need to choose a topic for your employee training video. To do this, ask yourself what skills or knowledge you want your team to learn. Once you’ve identified the key takeaways, you can start brainstorming video ideas.

Not sure where to start? Here are a few popular employee training topics:

• Company culture
• Employee onboarding
• Sales techniques
• Customer service skills

Hint: If you’re having trouble coming up with video ideas, try looking at your company’s most frequently asked questions. These can be a great source of inspiration for employee training videos.

2. Write a script 

Once you’ve chosen your topic, it’s time to start planning your video. The first step is to write a script. The script doesn’t have to be fancy—just a few bullet points covering the essential information you want to include in your video.

If you’re not sure where to start, try using the following basic template:

• Introduce yourself and your company
• State the purpose of the video
• Outline the key takeaways
• Thank your team for watching.

Not a fan of writing scripts? You can create an employee training video without one. However, it may be harder to stay on track (and on message) without a script to guide you.

Hint: Keep your script short and sweet. The goal is to provide employees with a quick overview of the information they need to know—not an exhaustive list of every detail.

3. Choose your filming location 

Now it’s time to start thinking about where you’re going to film your employee training video. Ideally, you’ll want to choose a location that’s quiet and free from distractions. This will help ensure that your team can focus on the information you’re sharing.

If you’re filming indoors, try to find a room with good lighting and a neutral background. A well-lit, clean background will help your team members stay engaged and prevent them from getting distracted by their surroundings.

With ScreenPal, you can film your employee training video directly from your computer. Using a webcam recorder is an excellent option if you don’t have access to a dedicated filming space. And an easy-to-use screen recording software is a must-have for creating internal software training videos.

How to make employee training videos with ScreenPal

ScreenPal is the perfect tool for creating employee training videos. It’s quick and easy to use, and it doesn’t require any special equipment or additional expensive software. You can record your webcam, screen, or both, plus add your company logo, brand your videos, and even add closed captions with our video editing tools.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating an employee training video with ScreenPal:

1. Record an employee training video 

Now it’s time for the fun part – creating!

Launch the screen recorder from the ScreenPal website to record a new video. If it’s your first time using the software, a download window will pop up almost instantly. Go ahead and click “Run” to install the recorder.

Once the installation is complete, hit “Launch Recorder” to open up the app.

You can choose to record your entire screen or any part of it, whether or not to include your webcam, and which audio source to use. 

Once you’ve made all your selections, hit the big red “Record” button in the left corner, and you’re ready to start filming!

As you’re recording, you can pause whenever you need to take a break and then restart when you’re ready. You can even draw on your screen as you record and add text to highlight information and hold your team’s attention. 

Not sure what to say? Just refer back to your script (or outline) and take it one step at a time. Or consider using the scripted recording tool to easily record your video in step-by-step sections. Remember, you don’t have to be perfect—just focus on getting the information across clearly and concisely.

You did it! Click the pause button in the corner when you’ve finished recording and give it a watch.

2. Edit your video 

If you’re happy with what you see (and we’re sure you will be), click the “Done” button. From here, you can choose to add music and captions and trim your video, or you can go ahead and export it as-is.

Trim your recording by using the handles to cut any excess time off of the beginning and end of your recording before you share. 

You can also add captions to your recording to make your training video accessible to all. You can upload a caption file for free or add automatic captions with speech-to-text with any premium plan.

Looking to make your employee training videos even more engaging and fun? Bring your recording into the ScreenPal video editor. You can automatically remove silences, add and animate text and overlays, apply transitions and video effects, and even add music. 

You don’t need to do a lot of editing to create a compelling training video for your team. But a little light editing and a few polishing touches can give your videos a professional look and feel.

3. Export and share 

Now it’s time to share your video with your team. You can select Save As (select MP4, AVI, or FLV file format), upload directly to your ScreenPal account or Google Drive, or go ahead and share your video directly to YouTube.

And that’s it! You’ve now created an engaging employee training video that will drive your team to success in every aspect of their role. Congrats!

Browse our video tutorial library for more ScreenPal resources, tips, and tricks.

Top tips for creating engaging employee training videos

No matter how great your content is, if your video is boring, no one will watch it. To help you out, we’ve put together our top tips for creating engaging training videos for your team:

• Keep it short and sweet: Employee attention spans are shorter than ever, so it’s essential to make sure your corporate training videos are short and to the point. The average person has an attention span of just eight seconds, so try to keep your videos under five minutes.

• Make it visually appealing: Adding visuals is a great way to engage your employees and ensure they’re paying attention to your video. Include things like charts, graphs, images, and screenshots to break up the monotony of a talking head and keep your employees engaged.

• Include a call to action: Corporate training videos are an excellent opportunity to include a call to action (CTA). Whether you’re asking your employees to fill out a survey, take a quiz, or download a whitepaper, make sure your CTA is clear and concise.

• Add some personality: Employee training videos are the perfect opportunity to inject some personality into your company culture. Whether it’s adding a bit of humor or simply being relatable, making your employee training videos personable will go a long way in ensuring your employees actually watch (and enjoy) them. Remember, funny sells! 

Retain, engage, and onboard your team with ScreenPal

Now that you know how to create great employee training videos, it’s time to put your knowledge into action and make employee training fun again! Or, at least, a little less painful. 

Get ready to create engaging employee training videos that will help onboard, engage, and retain your team -and maybe put a smile on their face while you’re at it. It’s all in a day’s work when you’re using ScreenPal. 

Start creating employee training videos for free today with ScreenPal!