How customers use video to make their leaders more human
We’re in the latter stages of the Interact awards and one of the emerging themes we’ve found is the use of video to transform leaders from job titles to people.
I’ve presented on this topic at various conferences in the last few months and wanted to share three video examples which have been generating a lot of questions and admiring comments.
Expounding on the value of video is a good way to get both existing and would-be users excited about the potential of using their intranet more effectively and to look at how they can make changes to their current approach.
We challenge why so many organizations still use the cold nature of email as their primary news channel. Ragan made an estimate in “The State of Employee Communication”, that 98% of internal communicators use email as a primary channel (intranets only scored 80% in comparison).
So, why are people still holding on to email as their primary medium?
The digital workplace has given users the ability to convey a message in so many other ways. Video remains one of the most powerful and effective methods. And with all the stats to back it up, it’s clearly a medium that needs to be used a lot more regularly by businesses.
According to a report from VidYard, businesses using video grow company revenue 49% faster, year-over-year, than organizations without. But not only does video give buyers a great first impression of a brand, it also has huge value for use within an organization.
A common theme has emerged at the various communications, employee engagement and business change conferences I’ve attended over the last twelve months. How do we humanize our board members to move them from CEO to a more relatable, human figure?
Alternatively, how do you maximize the impact of a character, in a way which email certainly can’t and blogging may only have a limited effect on?
With the INT18 Interact Awards about to be announced, the team has been reading through the entries and ideas that individual businesses have devised to help connect and engage employees. We’ve noticed a lot of organizations focusing on video this year, so we’ll look at how our clients have used the medium to great success.
Using video to communicate change
Travelex’s award entry features one of my favorite videos for communicating change. It explains the business challenge – an update on company uniform and how employees can help. It also features subtitles to help the hard of hearing, those without computer volume or even those who just don’t like sound with videos.
It relies on a natural presenter but has a strong ‘Know, Feel, Do’ structure to it mixed with great humour. The Travelex team shot it using a simple iPhone app.
This is top-down information which is delivered really effectively. By incorporating the opinions and ideas of the workforce, it’s an organizational collaboration kickstarted in a memorable and engaging way.
Gonzo Journalism
How about turning the tables?
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So what next?
When you’re toying with video in your internal communications, the key is to consider what this particular tool allows you to do which you couldn’t achieve with other mediums. You also can’t rescue a painful presenter (we all have them) with video so for those people, consider blogs and other activities.
On the other hand, big personalities can be shown off really well on video, so take advantage of anyone who feels comfortable in front of the lens, and use the opportunity to experiment with content.
Are you winning at video content or have plans to start? Contact us and share your experiences, I’d love to learn more and feature you the next time we approach this topic.
