Are Your Onboarding Videos In Need of an Upgrade?

As with any new technology, there is a point at which novelty begins to wear a little thin. Video has been around plenty long enough for that to happen. In the distant past, it was a sign of modernity and creativity to greet new hires with an orientation video instead of just a brochure or slideshow during onboarding. These productions often cost a great deal of money and employers took well deserved pride in the results.

Now, any company can make a video - and employees are not impressed with "special effects". After all, we can watch Avatar in 3D. Our standards are higher than they used to be. Workforce communications consultant Fran Melmed goes so far as to declare "Death to Your Orientation Videos" in this scathing blog post. Her take down of the genre is spot on. Employers who try to be "hip" and "relevant" are failing miserably. Another blogger goes so far as to refer to the content in corporate orientation films as Fascist brainwashing.

In contrast, the employee-designed videos Fran links to make it evident where the real creative talent lies in most organizations. As a tool for introducing new hires to corporate culture in a fun way, it makes sense to enlist the aid of people who are actually in touch with it from day to day. Perhaps it's time to get your rank and file workers involved in the production of your onboarding videos.

This doesn't necessarily have to be part of the formal orientation module either. Do you have a YouTube channel or a corporate blog where workers can upload their own content (subject to approval)? New hires would probably love to spend time watching fun videos and seeing what their coworkers are up to. With AllegroHR's Acculturation Portal, you can add updated content and links to cool videos at any time - making it easier to change with the times.