It is no secret that, whatever the sector of activity or its size, good internal communications is the key to meeting the objectives set by the company and to boosting the motivation and well-being of employees.
One format in particular has grown in popularity: video, which took a major place in 2020, with 84% of professionals using video for internal use. And there are solutions to meet the quality, budget and time requirements of the business.
Internal communications objectives remain unchanged
Internal communications can address a wide range of issues, including
- The transmission of important information: decisions taken by the management, announcing new projects, etc.
- The presentation of staff: managers, employees, etc.
- Spreading company values and developing a sense of belonging
- Sharing knowledge and skills quickly and easily
- Celebrating successes: from business reviews and results to the delivery of cross-functional projects
- Motivation and relationships, especially when working remotely
Meeting these different objectives requires coordinated and planned efforts as well as modern communications tools, as we have all become personally accustomed to the pace of innovation of the main social platforms. This is why video is particularly popular with employees and has become the star format for internal communications.
The trend towards spontaneity and simplicity
“Internal communications are moving more and more towards video and evolving towards more spontaneity. The crisis has really liberated people on this subject. ”
Sarah-Pearl Bokobza Head of communications, ATOS
Traditionally, in-house video creation has been restricted to communications teams or in-house studios using production agencies, but the trend is towards more authenticity and autonomy. Indeed, the creation of videos by employees makes it possible to produce more content, which is more authentic, more frequently.
The HSBC bank, for example, gave its employees a hand in a video in which the footage was shot 100% by them (see below). This”a day in the life of” mini-documentary sequences clips of employee daily routines around the world. Ultimately used for external communications, this internal communications video is as interesting for attracting future recruits as it is for strengthening the ties between veterans.
The benefits of video for internal communications
Video is the ideal tool for internal communications: combining visuals and sound, it captures the attention of employees immediately. Many startups and large companies have adopted this format for their internal communications: let’s take a look at the benefits.
Video to boost internal communications
An average employee receives 94 e-mails per day. 94 e-mails is a lot of text, and there is a risk that the information shared will go unnoticed. In addition to employee mailboxes, written information is often posted on the company’s intranet, but employees do not pay much attention to it.
Communicating through video is more effective: a study shows that 75% of employees prefer to watch a video rather than read a text. Videos, posted on the intranet or internal social networks, give an impression of dynamism and attract the attention of employees.
Video strengthens the bond between employees
A relationship of trust between employees, including managers, helps to strengthen the motivation of all. Thanks to video, internal communications creates links even from a distance, as employees can get to know other offices and teams.
This medium makes it possible to go beyond top-down communications patterns: by taking a more casual tone, managers can speak directly to employees eye-to-eye. And peers can also speak up and participate. Out of sight, out of mind? Not with video!
In this video produced by HSBC, we follow the journey of Adrienne, an HSBC employee but also an international rugby player in her spare time. Thanks to this medium, we can discover her and share her success with the whole team!
Video by HSBC
A practical and effective medium to train and inform
When it comes to training on the company’s values, vision, offer or even markets, it is generally a task for the Communications teams. And to be practical and effective, there is nothing like using video. By putting a trainer on stage, information can be conveyed more easily than in writing and in a more engaging way.
The other strong point of this medium is that you can show and explain exactly what you want and thus reduce the risk of misunderstandings and speed up learning.
This documentary-style video produced by the Ørsted Group raises awareness of the company’s good community work in a very visual way.
Video saves time and money
Video is a flexible medium, which can be viewed on the most basic of smartphones and can therefore be consumed anywhere, anytime. This avoids blocking off dedicated meeting time to get information across and let everyone in the company view the video when they can.
And to make sure everyone gets the information, there’s nothing like a few surprises to get people talking at the coffee machine or on Slack. For example, the Danone group shared this very creative video to promote the use of travel agencies approved by the group.
Many types of video in internal comms
With the massive adoption of video in internal communications, there is an abundance of formats. There are many variations to choose from, depending on the message and information you want to convey.
If your topic is corporate life
Official announcements and news video
The video format is ideal for announcements and for keeping people informed of company news. A product update, new deals signed by the company, New Year’s greetings, released projects, company results, etc. are all news that will benefit from being shared in video, especially by using images and music to strike a chord.
Corporate life and internal events
The video captures moments that show team cohesion, a sense of belonging and key company events – internal events, company anniversaries, team-building activities, parties etc.
For example, at the end of a seminar, the employees of the Accor group participated by recording their feedback in a “confessional” mode with Kannelle. The resulting video took the pulse of the internal community. To encourage engagement, companies are beginning to take an interest in “employee generated content”, content created entirely by employees.
If you need to communicate values and commitments
General business culture
Having a good knowledge of the company culture is essential to boost employee motivation. Video is the ideal solution because of its flexibility, which eliminates the time constraints and costs associated with the travel of speakers or internal experts!
For example, video lends itself very well to replacing CEO conferences that can simply explain the company’s activities in the countries concerned.
CSR video to give meaning to the employees’ mission
Corporate social responsibility is increasingly influencing employee engagement: 51% of employees do not want to work for a company with weak CSR. The video allows to highlight CSR commitments and actions taken and helps to reinforce employee motivation.
If you need to recruit, host or train
Video onboarding
Welcoming a new recruit becomes easier with video. Making company presentation videos is perfect to show the company culture and explain its missions and values. These videos are practical, especially in the current context of remote work, and make it easier to integrate new recruits.
Employee video interview and feedback
Start-ups and large groups alike have understood that giving their employees a voice makes them feel valued and shows that they are listened to. And this is a good recipe for boosting their commitment to the company.
Our customers who use Kannelle to create videos for internal communications are also very keen on our interview scenarios to capture their employees’ feedback, even in light tones such as with the Fast and Curious format.
Our customer HelloCSE conducted a Fast and Curious interview with Kannelle to welcome a new recruit to the tech team. What a great way to get to know new employees and integrate them into the team!
Everything you need to successfully adopt video in Internal Communications
Our tips for creating the perfect video
Once you have decided what type of video you want to create, here are some tips on how to get started and make the ideal video for internal communications.
Making a short video
It has been proven many times that our concentration tends to decrease with a longer video. For effective internal communications, it is advisable to make a video that is no longer than 2 minutes, focusing on the essential ideas – the specifics can be detailed in follow up articles or videos.
In the context of a training course, it is possible to segment the videos into several parts according to each subject to be covered, for a better understanding and retention of information.
Adopting storytelling
Human beings love stories: this is why storytelling, which consists of thinking about content with a narrative axis, is a strategy that is increasingly adopted in companies. With anecdotes and examples, the message gets across better because it plays on familiar narratives and the emotions of the audience.
For example, for a staff interview video, it is advisable to ask the speaker to tell stories, funny anecdotes, mishaps that will give the audience the chance to recognise themselves in the speaker’s experience.
A case study
Microsoft asked its employees to film key moments in their daily lives. The end result is an unvarnished and moving video that shows their strong attachment to the company and their pride in working there.
Empowering employees
Making videos, even of professional quality, is no longer complicated. Even without technical skills, any employee can make a video for internal communications with their smartphone. Of course, it’s even easier with Kannelle.
You can thus give your employees the opportunity to create their own videos independently, resulting in authentic and more spontaneous content. Of course, you will need to integrate simple production instructions and a validation process.
As far as the visual identity is concerned, the easiest thing to do is to be well equipped – here again, with Kannelle, it’s easier: the company’s identity is configured through our centralised web platform!
“One of the principles of video is to convey a human message and to create a direct link with your employees. By leaving the strict framework of the traditional video made in the office, we obtain a much more vibrant and spontaneous video! ”
Prescilla Bergoz Customer Success Manager, Kannelle
Measuring video KPIs, even internally
In order to know if the chosen video approach is working, nothing is more effective than looking at the Key Performance Indicators! In terms of video metrics for internal communications, we are interested in :
- Time or % of video viewed
- Number of views
- Interactions generated by the video
- Call-to-actions that worked after viewing
Measuring performance then allows you to identify which videos are the most successful, and to improve the approach by comparing and favouring the type of content that works best (e.g. interviews, “a day in the life”, “did you know”).
The essential tools of internal communications
In business, internal communications continue to move towards greater flexibility and digitalization. This movement has accelerated with the health crisis, which has created a need for transparency and reassurance against a background of widespread remote working and uncertainty.
Communications managers have focused their attention on direct interaction between employees and the flow of information. At the same time, their role has led them to focus on the transition from traditional face-to-face meetings and the written word to more digital-native and mobile-first means of communications, led by corporate social networks and video.
Thus, the tools that are becoming essential are those that allow the quick and easy creation of a video message and those that simplify its sharing. We have compiled for you the must-have internal communications tools to deploy if you haven’t already done so!
The death of the written word (and paper) has often been predicted and rarely has it fared so well. And while their role is not in question, particularly as an accompaniment to other formats (such as text accompanying media on social networks), we must not overlook the rising format that everyone has become accustomed to over the past 10 years: video.
Need a video tool ?
With the Kannelle solution, create a video for your internal communications in 15 minutes, with your smartphone. A library of scenarios, guided video capture, branded and automated editing… everything has been designed to make your life easier. The proof is in the video!
Live, podcast and interactive video: video has many facets!
The communications departments of large groups have understood the value of live broadcasts, both externally (for employer branding) and internally, particularly to compensate for face-to-face events. More exciting than the basic webinar or videoconference, a well-prepared live event with sharing tools before, during and after the broadcast is a strong internal communications and engagement medium.
The podcast is the little brother of the video: easier to produce, especially if the speakers are reluctant to show themselves in front of the camera, and popular with your employees who have already adopted this use in their daily lives for information and training (more than 100 million podcasts are listened to every month in France!) Once recorded, it is very easy to create a video with a few animations to be able to share a podcast on your intranet or your CSR.
Finally, the video can be enriched with interactive elements such as quizzes, word searches, or fill-in-the-blank text in the context of a training video to complement the employee’s learning. Kumullus is an example of a platform that allows you to add this type of interactivity to your videos.
To spread your messages
Newsletter, email, intranet, corporate social networks… There are many tools that allow for smoother internal communications: here are a few to try.
The internal newsletter
When it is well written and accompanied by a video, the newsletter does not go unnoticed! The newsletter is an ideal tool for announcing new developments in the company, recapping the best moments of the week, etc. It is suitable for small start-ups as well as for large groups.
The newsletter acts as an in-house magazine to keep all your employees informed. And to make it more original, what better way than to include video content.
Obviously, the video is not included in the email directly (it can be hosted on a platform such as Youtube), except in special cases such as when the newsletter reaches field staff who do not have access to other tools (in this case, a low resolution such as 360p is chosen to create small files)
Video and live conferencing
Video conferencing is a tool that has exploded in recent years, especially with the Covid-19 pandemic. Video conferencing meetings have become a popular way to exchange and collaborate because the format is very instantaneous and it is effective for internal communications, even when employees are geographically separated.
Among the many services that exist, we can mention Zoom, Google Hangouts, Microsoft Teams… The same goes for live sessions that can be held on Facebook or Workplace and which have the advantage of being able to be recorded and viewed in replay.
File sharing tools
Sometimes internal communications are about specific information that needs to be found quickly. For this, file sharing tools such as Google Drive, Dropbox or Sharepoint are classics.
However, new tools such as Notion make it possible to organise information, with, for example, FAQs on certain company processes, a question box to which employees can contribute, etc.
These tools are very useful in the case of video files which can be quite large. You can also use streaming and hosting tools dedicated to video such as the French Streamlike or Empreinte, which also combine fine access controls.
The company intranet
Often forgotten, the intranet remains THE internal platform that gathers all the important information for employees. The new generation intranets are much more user-friendly and well optimised for modern uses.
Including videos and employee testimonies makes it possible to animate this good old companion that is the intranet and to make it more attractive and lively in the eyes of employees. French startups Lumapps and Inside are worth a look in this area.
The company’s social network
The advantage of having your own social network is that you can customise and personalise it by adapting it to the type of communications you prefer. Solutions like Jamespot or Whaller allow employees to communicate at ease with their peers but also with managers.
Through tools specific to business uses, internal social networks also make it possible to take the pulse of the company on a regular basis and to monitor and engage employees.
7 ideas to inspire your next Internal communications videos
Publicis Chairman’s New Year’s greetings
This type of video is usually made in a serious setting but more and more companies are getting creative to make a more original internal communications video. Let’s go to the master of the genre, Maurice Levy, who has been delighting us for several years with his internal greetings – which have a nasty habit of leaking. Things take an interesting turn at 00:24. 😉
Video is the ideal format for making official announcements: the CEO’s greetings, a video thanking a manager, the announcement of a new partner, key figures, the launch of new projects…
It is easy to produce an interview format which can be shared in two clicks on the intranet or the company’s social network. And if necessary, you can also choose the right images and music to play the emotional card.
Valtech’s effective quircky interviews
Giving a voice to your employees is a way to show them that they are important to the company and to recognise their work. Ideal for boosting their motivation and commitment! Employee interviews also make it possible to present a person or a profile and to strengthen the links between employees.
The trend in recent years? A laid-back style and a couple of short unexpected questions! Rapid fire question-and-answer makes it possible to engage, generate incisive answers and keep control of what is said by cutting if necessary. Kannelle’s interview and testimonial scenarios are very popular with our customers, as they let them get feedback in 15 minutes and share them immediately.
Valtech’s communications department has created a series of interviews with our app, which makes it easy to introduce new talents. The advantage of this format is that the video lends itself equally well to internal and external communications to develop the brand with future recruits and customers.
HSBC reveals the lives of its employees on video
Internal events, like end-of-year parties, team building, conventions, seminars, are all important moments in the life of the company and foster relationships between employees. And employees can relive the moments of celebration that have been immortalised, thanks to video!
For example, HSBC asked its employees to document their day and put all the clips together to create a single video that captures all the moments together. At 08:34, we even see an employee proposing at a company event!
Ben & Jerry’s: employees present their commitments on video
CSR, or corporate social responsibility, has become an important factor in employee engagement. With the advent of digital technology and the development of remote working, engagement no longer depends so much on physical conditions such as well-designed offices and more on the impact of individual work for the collective. Indeed, 51% of employees do not want to work for a company with a weak CSR.
The video promotes CSR commitments in internal communications and reinforces the motivation of employees by showing them the cause to which they contribute, thus giving meaning to the work they do. Ben and Jerry’s shows its CSR commitments in this original video thanks to the intervention of the employees and suppliers involved!
Onboarding video from Spotify’s technical team
The onboarding video facilitates the integration of new recruits. It is important to explain the values, tasks and culture of the company from the outset in order to ensure a pleasant working relationship, and the video is the ideal tool to show all this. The onboarding video is also suitable in the context of widespread remote working!
This original onboarding video for the technical team shows Spotify’s corporate culture. Even though it’s 25 minutes long, its length allows for accurate documentation of knowledge and our attention is captured throughout the video thanks to its creative format! A voice-over from the narrator supports the drawings that appear as they are made. A format that you can certainly draw inspiration from for your own onboarding videos!
AXA’s documentary video training
Training employees is made easy with video: the format is more flexible than traditional face-to-face training because it removes time constraints and allows for economies of scale. But above all, it is a visual and engaging format for learning, which makes it easy for internal communications to share knowledge.
AXA, the insurance giant, has produced a series of highly original informative videos to raise awareness among its employees about its various international markets. The originality and success of this series can be explained by the fact that it is filmed from the perspective of a documentary.
Tiktok challenges carried out by employees
More and more companies, from small businesses to large groups, are taking the plunge and handing over to their employees the task of creating internal communications videos. These creative and original videos bring a breath of fresh air to internal communications that are often corporatey and banal.
And on a lighter note, this type of video is good for morale! At Kannelle, we took up a little Tiktok dance challenge with the whole team to motivate ourselves during the first lockdown. Good mood of the team guaranteed… when shooting and when sharing the final video!
