Onboarding videos are used by companies and businesses, large and small, to welcome new members of staff or introduce existing staff to new practices, equipment or procedures. 

Onboarding videos can be used in combination with face-to-face training sessions or, in a world of remote work, can be sent straight to the employee. But is an onboarding video right for your business, or are you better off sticking with traditional training methods?

Onboarding Video vs. Training Sessions

Traditional training sessions still retain a host of benefits. Not only does it give attendees the opportunity to ask a trained professional follow-up questions or seek clarification, but it also allows networking between employees. For large businesses, this alone may outweigh the benefits of onboarding videos. For smaller businesses, however, training sessions have their downsides. 

Training staff must either be hired externally or, if it is a regular employee, pulled away from their regular tasks. Depending on the number of people in attendance, there are also the costs of renting a venue and providing refreshments. 

Regardless of your company’s needs, Squideo has identified five main benefits of using onboarding videos. Read on or, if you would like expert advice from our team on how an onboarding video could benefit your business, get in touch with us directly. 

1. The Time Saver

Onboarding is a time-consuming process for all involved parties. Using an onboarding video frees up staff and keeps training running to a specific time. If used in a training session, the training leader can start the video then step away to complete their regular tasks until it’s time to take questions. 

2. The Family Favourite

No matter how many times you need to deliver onboarding, the video can be replayed over and over again. And its reusability isn’t only an advantage to the business. Make it available to your employees so they can refresh their onboarding information whenever they need. 

3. The Life Saver

Depending on the industry, onboarding videos may need to cover complex topics – like safety procedures, safeguarding or data protection – or a large variety of topics. Death by PowerPoint is all too real and it’s easy to lose an audience with complex or dry content. Visuals help retain interest and simplify difficult concepts through the use of motion graphics, infographics and video. 

4. The Mascot

In large businesses which have several branches, onboarding videos maintain important consistency when it comes to messaging and company branding. Make sure your employees understand company policies and procedures, no matter where they are. 

5. The Entertainer

The thought of training sessions may automatically fill some people with immense boredom, but training can be entertaining if its delivered right. It’s an opportunity to fire-up employees, get them excited about the job or new changes ahead. Onboarding videos are a great way to do this, with powerful visuals, lively audio and energetic narration. 

What are Onboarding Videos Used For?

Onboarding videos are an introduction, and there are a lot of potential people to introduce. Whether they’re existing staff, newcomers or visitors, Squideo has broken down the top six uses for an onboarding video below. 

1. New Hires

Introduce new employees to company policies and procedures, explain the management hierarchy and show what an average day will look like. Onboarding videos can be customised for different departments or, if it’s for a smaller business, kept generalised for maximal use. 

2. Refresher Training

Some training content needs refreshing on a routine basis to ensure employees stay up-to-date on the latest legislation or procedures. Onboarding videos are easy to update or add to, while keeping the core message intact. 

3. Customers

Introduce new customers and users to your services with an onboarding video. This explains what they can expect throughout the journey and how your business will support them. Have a look at Squideo’s process video which is sent to new customers who sign up to have a video made by us. 

4. Company Changes

Merger? New software? Pension update? There’s lots of reasons you might need to contact your employees about important company changes. Using an onboarding video introduces everyone to the topic and breaks it down. No need to host numerous meetings, just send a video.

5. Visitors

Your business may accept visitors on-site, but while they’re your guests it’s also important for them to follow some basic rules. An onboarding video condenses this information and clearly shows visitors what they can expect on their tour, what rules apply to them, and where to go in an emergency. 

6. Interns

Whether your business offers apprenticeships and internships, work placement opportunities, or open days for local schools, colleges or universities, an onboarding video combines the on-site rules of a visitor video with an introduction to your industry. Sell your audience on the benefits of working in your company. You can also use these videos at recruitment fairs! Check out this video Squideo made for people interested in working in the digital sector.

Get Started with Your Onboarding Video

Watch our video below to get a better understanding of how Squideo creates our videos and works to create the perfect content for you. 

If you want to discuss how our videos can benefit your business, get in touch with the Squideo team today!