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Published
Nov 11, 2022

How Video Improves Learning in any Organization

Jarrod Rice
Content Lead

As the move to remote and hybrid environments has evolved the past several years, the corporate landscape has learned many lessons from the EDU world. Asynchronous video has become a dominant medium for more effectively communicating with individuals and entire teams and organizations. 

Video can empower flexibility in the way people learn in (and outside) the workplace compared with traditional methods like lengthy reading materials or synchronous in-person training. 

We’ve outlined some of the reasons why asynchronous video — screen recording in particular — has become the preferred method for training employees in the workplace.

Self-paced learning in any environment

Every organization has a variety of people with a variety of learning styles. With asynchronous screen recording videos, viewers are given the power to watch and rewatch at their own pace. This allows flexibility for every viewer to take in the information at their own pace and ensures they will get the full picture in one watch or as many as they need.

As we show in this article about self-paced classrooms, there are many more lessons that can be taken from the world of education when implementing self-paced learning for corporate training or tutorials. 

‘Meet people where they are’ no longer means ‘meetings’📱

Screen time is a term that’s pervasive in content consumption discussions. Above all, it’s indicative of people’s preferred method and medium for learning versus reading walls of text. Video is the perfect way to “meet people where they are” and provide them information in the format they want — without having to have a meeting.   

Evergreen or ephemeral experiences 🌲

Video can be permanent, but it doesn’t have to be. Organizations can and do build libraries of evergreen videos that are useful in the long term for tutorials or training. However, with simple screen recording, it’s easy to create one-off or temporary videos such as team updates or specific project reviews. Videos can be stored and distributed for as long as you want and shared with anyone you want from your library. 

Utilizing video for training across your workplace

Videos put the power in the viewers hands, allowing them to watch when they’re ready and can be used as long as they’re needed. Videos can also be used to address a wide spectrum of corporate training. Here are just a few of the use cases that video can drive:

Tutorial videos 🙋

Tutorial videos can quickly and clearly teach workers a process or help them to visualize step-by-step instructions for a specific task or procedure. Tutorials empower viewers to asynchronously learn any process at their own pace. Here are just a few examples of tutorial videos that are often used internally: 

  • A new process for teams to enter leads in a CRM
  • The correct way to to file an expense report or PTO requests
  • How to submit a work request to the marketing department

Training videos ✅

Training videos are similar to tutorial videos. However, they are longer-form and more commonly cover things like inter-office social dynamics and other onboarding or on-going topics such as digital security, human resources (insurance and benefits), compliance and leadership training. 

Troubleshooting videos 🛠

A troubleshooting video is a customized, one-off recording designed to solve a common challenge in an organization and is typically used in a self-serve capacity. 

Many FAQs can be answered and posted to an internal knowledge base to help newly onboarded and existing employees overcome challenges. Troubleshooting videos are the ultimate time-saving tool for any help desk or IT department. They are easily created and easily accessible and can demonstrate the solving of simple or complex issues asynchronously with minimal communication needed.

Video across the organization 🏢

Aside from learning the processes above, any workplace can use video in one-to-one, department-wide or company-wide initiatives, such as:

  • Performance reviews
  • Asynchronous all-hands meetings
  • Weekly announcements 
  • Celebrating company success
  • Welcome videos for new hires
  • Flipping meetings (learn more about flipping meetings here)

How to improve video-based learning in any workplace

Every video creator can improve their videos to create the best learning experiences. Check out this article for dozens of tips, and read on for some of the most important ways to make your video-learning content better. 

Keep them concise ✂️

When creating a video, the content should dictate the length. Whether your video needs to be 5 minutes or 35 minutes, you’ll still want to make sure the pacing is fit for the audience and unnecessary filler is removed. Editing out pauses or irrelevant information or even blurring irrelevant information will keep pacing and focus as efficient and effective as possible. Related article: Learn more about how a blur tool can protect privacy in your organization

Make them interactive and engaging 👀

Interactive Questions are a powerful tool for increasing engagement and understanding when using video as a learning tool in the workplace. Create content that focuses viewers and requires them to take a more active approach while engaging with the video content. 

Additionally, Interactive Questions provide you with the ability to more accurately and comprehensively understand the engagement and quality of your videos. Not only will you know who watched your videos; you will also be able to understand who engaged with the content, who might have had additional questions or ideas, or who may have not fully understood the material covered in the video lesson.

Multimodal learning for everyone 🎧

A mixture of audible instruction, engaging visuals and necessary on-screen text provides every employee with multiple ways to take in and easily process all of the content of a video. 

With each of these elements, video-based learning is more accessible for every employee — no matter their learning style or whether they have a visual or auditory impairment. Using things such as narration, gifs, and annotation can also make video more dynamic and engaging.

Flexibility with a screen recorder 🖥

Having multiple options for recording your screen gives flexibility to create what’s most useful for the viewers.

  • Screen + Webcam screen recording: Include a computer's webcam and screen, as well as the audio recorded by the microphone. This format is perfect for capturing the content on your screen as well as any narration and body language conveyed by the subject and presenter of the video.
  • Webcam screen recording only: Use only the computer's webcam to record the audio and visual of a person speaking into the camera. This format is great for sharing feedback or abstract ideas as it conveys tone and body language. 
  • Screen recording only: Include everything on a computer's screen, as well as the audio from your computer’s microphone. They are perfect for recording a presentation when you want complete focus on the content within the screen. 

More reasons video-based learning is valuable

Video has countless uses and value for improving learning in the workplace. Here are more reasons that incorporating video-based learning is a must for every organization that wants to improve how employees take in information.

Building a library 📚

Video can be shown to as many or few people as you’d like, and it can last as long as you’d like. Creating a library of tutorial videos lets you determine which are the best to keep and share with anyone who would benefit, and keep them as long as they’re needed. And analytics let you see who is watching what.

Video feedback 💻

Feedback pushes toward mastery. Unfortunately, written feedback can be misconstrued. To make your feedback clearer and more engaging, try using Screencastify to record it as a companion video for any written pieces. It’s as simple as pulling up their project on your device and turning on Screencastify to share your feedback or praise. 

Integrate video-based learning with screen recording right now

Video makes learning simple. Fortunately, integrating video into your or your entire organization’s workflow is just as simple. Install Screencastify free to see how quickly you can become a creator and improve learning and communication right now!

Jarrod Rice
Content Lead

Here to help every user get the most from Screencastify.