If we asked your HR department, "How well do employees understand your handbook, internal policies, or even company values?" most would probably admit, "Not well."
And when it comes to recruiting new employees through social media, the typical response might be, "We usually ask the marketing team to post something via the company channel."
These responses highlight three common challenges HR teams face when it comes to content creation:
- Dependence on external teams: Imagine needing to communicate new internal policies. You want these messages to be clear, engaging, and memorable. Video is a proven way to achieve this, yet the typical route involves seeking approval from an external agency or submitting a request to the marketing department. These processes are slow and often place HR needs at the bottom of the priority list making it hard for HR to act fast and get information out in a desired time.
- Perceived lack of skills: Consider recruitment. Attracting top talent through social media requires content that showcases your company culture and clearly describes open positions. While HR professionals may wish to create this content themselves, they often believe they lack the skills to ensure it aligns with brand standards, which typically necessitates a lengthy approval process with marketing.
- Lack of awareness: Many HR professionals haven't considered transforming onboarding materials or job ads into more engaging content like videos. They may not realize how these formats can significantly enhance communication effectiveness and engagement by making the message clearer and easier to remember.
The solution is simple: HR needs the ability to create their own content independently, with the confidence that it is on-brand and effective.
In this article, we'll:
- Explain why video is the ideal medium for effective communication and engagement for all roles under the HR umbrella.
- Share real-world examples of companies transforming their HR operations through independent content creation.
- Show you how HR can become a content powerhouse using video.
Read on to discover the tools and strategies your HR team needs to make content creation efficient, scalable, and seamlessly integrated into daily operations.
Why video is the game-changer for HR
When was the last time a PDF really grabbed your attention? Now think about how often a video has made you pause, reflect, or even smile.
Videos are not just another medium; they're game-changers for HR departments looking to communicate more effectively.
Key benefits of video in HR:
- Superior retention and engagement: Videos are incredibly effective at capturing attention and making information stick. Studies show that viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video, compared to just 10% when reading text. This makes video an ideal tool for communicating complex information, like internal policies or company values, in a way that’s both memorable and engaging.
- Accessibility and ease of creation: You might think creating videos requires technical skills and a lot of time, but that's no longer the case. With today's technology, anyone can produce high-quality videos. Platforms like Storykit make it even easier by locking in your branding and tone of voice and automating the production process, so even those without experience can create professional-looking content. Trust us—we will explore this creative magic later in the article.
- Repurposing existing content: HR doesn’t have to start from scratch when creating video content. Your HR department already has a treasure trove of valuable resources, from policy documents to training manuals. Video breathes new life into these materials, transforming them into accessible content that resonates with employees, whether they prefer to watch or listen. By turning text-based content into text-based videos, HR can communicate important information more effectively, boosting engagement and retention—and AI does all the heavy lifting for them.
Takeaway: Video content is easy to create and dramatically enhances HR's ability to communicate effectively and engage employees.
HR video use cases and real-world examples
In the introduction, we touched upon a couple of use cases for HR: communicating internal policies and recruitment. However, the potential for video in HR goes far beyond these examples.
Under the HR umbrella, roles such as HR Manager, Recruiter, Learning and Development, Talent Acquisition, and Engagement and Inclusion all have unique needs that can be effectively addressed through video content.
Incorporating video into HR functions opens up a wealth of opportunities across various roles.
Learning and Development
Video transforms traditional training materials into engaging modules that significantly boost learning retention and engagement.
Employees are more likely to absorb and remember text presented in a visual format, making training more effective and enjoyable. For instance, video tutorials can break down complex concepts into digestible pieces, catering to different learning styles and improving overall comprehension.
This is especially critical in industries like construction, where workers must stay up-to-date with constantly changing safety information.
Here is one of our own videos, showing how to add talking head clips to a video in Storykit:
Recruitment
Recruitment videos can make job postings more dynamic and appealing by showcasing your company culture, employer branding, and highlighting open positions.
This approach not only helps attract top talent but also gives candidates a better understanding of what it's like to work at your company. For example, a video tour of your office, testimonials from current employees, or a day-in-the-life series can provide candidates with an authentic glimpse into your workplace, helping them connect with your brand and values.
Here is a recruitment ad Listgrove created for one of their many clients:
Engagement and Inclusion
Videos that promote a transparent workplace culture can foster inclusivity and unity, motivating and inspiring teams across the organization.
By sharing real stories and experiences through video, HR can create a sense of belonging and community among employees. This might include spotlighting employee achievements, celebrating diversity and inclusion initiatives, or highlighting team-building activities.
Video content can also be used to address sensitive topics within minutes, providing a safe space for discussion and encouraging open dialogue.
Peab wants to create a more inclusive workforce and found that the most effective way to attract the women candidates they want, is to promote the presence of women within their workforce through video. Here is an examples of one of their videos:
HR Management and Internal Communications
HR Managers can use video to streamline internal communications, ensuring important messages are delivered consistently across the organization. From policy updates to company news, video keeps everyone informed and aligned. Leadership messages via video can reinforce company values, build trust, and foster transparency.
Additionally, making these communications accessible by adapting them to different learning preferences ensures that all employees clearly understand the information.
Here is a video that PostNord created to remind all internal staff to take their employee survey:
Real-world success stories
Many companies have successfully used video to transform their HR operations. Here are a few that we have chatted with:
PostNord - Automating brand communication and recruitment
PostNord, a leading logistics provider in the Nordic region, needed to strengthen their employer brand and manage recruitment efficiently across diverse markets.
With over 20,000 employees and the need to recruit 1,000 new hires during peak summer months, they faced challenges in reaching diverse audiences and maintaining effective internal communications.
By implementing Storykit, PostNord automated video production, enabling them to create up to 40 recruitment videos by using their job descriptions and enhance their internal communications by transforming articles, company updates, and more into engaging video content.
Key achievements:
- Improved recruitment: Produced customized, on-brand videos from job descriptions, increasing recruitment efficiency and visibility across platforms like Meta, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, helping attract the right candidates for various roles.
- Enhanced internal communications: Transformed articles, company updates, and announcements into engaging videos, effectively reaching their large workforce through channels like office screens and coffee machines.
- Cohesive brand identity: Maintained brand consistency across multiple markets with custom templates and animations, ensuring a unified visual identity for over eight PostNord companies across the Nordics.
"Using Storykit doesn’t just help us attract better candidates; it also raises our profile as a vibrant place to work," says Petra Almert, Employer Branding Specialist at PostNord.
PostNord's use of video automation with Storykit led to significant improvements in recruitment and internal communications, strengthening their employer brand and operational efficiency.
→ Explore the full case study and watch video examples
Einar Mattsson - Boosting HR strategy with video
Einar Mattsson, a family-owned real estate company in Stockholm, enhanced its HR strategy by using video as a primary communication tool. With over 350 employees, including nearly 200 at construction sites, they needed an effective way to engage both employees and potential recruits.
By implementing Storykit, Einar Mattsson automated video production, allowing them to efficiently create high-quality content for recruitment and internal communications.
Key achievements:
- Increased engagement and reach: Videos consistently receive more views than traditional formats, boosting visibility on platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn and helping attract top talent.
- Improved recruitment outcomes: Candidates frequently see company videos before applying, helping attract individuals who are already familiar with the company’s culture and keeping our company top of mind when they are searching for new opportunities down the road.
- Enhanced internal communications: Short, engaging videos effectively communicate important updates to all employees, especially those on construction sites, ensuring better information retention.
- Strengthened employer branding: Videos showcase the company’s commitment to values like equality and diversity, attracting skilled individuals and maintaining a strong employer brand.
- Empowered employee participation: Storykit’s ease of use encourages employee involvement in video creation, increasing engagement and fostering a sense of ownership.
"We see significant results: our videos get more views than the news, blog posts, images, and other material that we publish onto our other digital platforms," says Katarina Lorenz, Digital Project Manager at Einar Mattsson.
Einar Mattsson’s use of video automation with Storykit has improved HR operations, resulting in better communication, stronger recruitment outcomes, and a more cohesive employer brand.
→ Explore the full case study and watch video examples
Listgrove - Growing social media presence with video
Listgrove, a global recruitment and HR specialist, sought to enhance its social media presence and incorporate video into its marketing strategy. With Storykit, Listgrove was able to create high-quality videos in-house, leading to significant growth in their social media following.
Key achievements:
- Increased LinkedIn followers: Listgrove achieved a 28% increase in LinkedIn followers, growing from 58,000 to 78,000 in just one year by consistently posting engaging video content.
- Enhanced brand visibility: By promoting their services, sharing client testimonials, announcing job vacancies, and updating followers on the latest news and events through video, Listgrove improved brand awareness and engagement and made a significant impact on both clients and candidates.
- Streamlined video creation: Storykit enabled Listgrove's marketing team to easily produce and adapt videos for various platforms, including Twitter and Instagram, without any prior video experience.
- Empowered marketing team: The ability to create and share high-quality videos quickly and efficiently empowered Listgrove’s marketing team to explore new creative opportunities and enjoy the process.
"When we started using Storykit we had 58,000 followers on LinkedIn, and now we have 78,000," says Airelle Charra, Director of Marketing at Listgrove.
Listgrove’s use of Storykit for video production transformed their social media strategy, resulting in substantial growth in their online presence and increased engagement with their audience.
→ Explore the full case study and watch video examples
Conclusion: Turn your HR department into a content powerhouse with Storykit
As HR professionals, we know the unique challenges that come with keeping employees engaged, communicating key messages effectively, and attracting the right talent. We also understand the frustration of relying on external teams for content creation. With Storykit, you can turn those challenges into opportunities.
- Take control and collaborate: Storykit gives you the power to create your own video content, freeing you from the delays of waiting for marketing or agencies. It’s a platform built for collaboration, allowing your entire HR team to work together effortlessly. Whether you’re crafting onboarding videos, recruitment ads, or internal announcements, everyone can contribute and access the same projects, ensuring consistency and efficiency.
- Create with confidence: You don’t need to be a tech wizard to make great videos. Storykit’s intuitive design means anyone in HR can produce professional, on-brand videos without stress. Plus, our dedicated customer success team is always here to help, so you can be confident that your content looks great and aligns with your brand standards and accessibility.
- Expand your reach quickly: With just a click, Storykit allows you to tailor your videos for different platforms, and save the same video in various formats, ensuring you reach your audience wherever they are. This means you can communicate important messages faster and more effectively, making your HR department more agile and responsive.
By using Storykit, your HR team can transform into a content powerhouse, driving better engagement, fostering a strong workplace culture, and attracting the talent that fits your organization. Embrace the power of video, and watch your HR initiatives come to life like never before.
