Utilizing video for employee communication is crucial. Although not novel, video conferencing surged during lockdown, fostering familiarity with screen interactions.
Mastering video isn’t effortless. Despite my experience as a public speaker, facing a camera feels daunting. What are the keys to crafting compelling content?
Practice
Sounds obvious but it really does work! If you are using video for employee communications you must first feel relaxed and confident. Or as relaxed and confident as you can be at least!
Just grab your phone and start recording yourself talking about anything. These videos will never leave the safety of your phone storage, their purpose is to get you used to looking at the camera rather than yourself in the screen and feeling more comfortable with the result.
Let your eye line roam a little, staring at the camera intently whilst you recite content can come across a little… well, creepy!
Start alone at first, get used to the feeling of recording yourself. Then, when you’re feeling more confident, move to a public space and repeat the process. Hold the phone boldly – don’t try to secretly record yourself!
Equipment
3 items that will make your video for internal communication look and feel more professional.
Lighting. A must on every filmset in the world is good lighting, even when filming outdoors and it will make a real difference to your videos. You can buy selfie ring lights that clip onto your mobile phone for as little as £15. Alternately you can get mini stands with halo lighting built in. Good lighting makes you look good, which in turn will improve confidence!
Tripod. Set your phone or camera into a stand so there is no distracting wobbles, no moving out of shot and no arm ache! Using a tripod with a phone or monitor mounted webcam frees up your hands for gesturing. Hand movement is an unconscious thing you would do if speaking face to face so freeing up your hands will relax you.
Microphone. Either invest in a good microphone or utilise the one in your earphones. A microphone eliminates external noises like wind and means you won’t find yourself talking loudly or unnaturally.
Do your preparation
Ensure you have a storyboard before starting.
Filmmakers don’t just show up on day one and start filming. They plan scripts, storyboards, rehearsals beforehand.
Consult colleagues or conduct a quick survey to determine the best approach for employee video communication. Identify preferred topics and speakers.
While it may seem excessive for weekly updates, having a basic storyboard expedites video production. Practice without recording before filming.
Don't fly solo
Release your inner chat show host.
Getting colleagues involved with your video content via employee or senior management interviews is a great way to relive any filming tension you may experience and increase overall employee engagement.
Without the emphasis on the camera your internal comms content will look and feel more natural in an informal chat setting. Making it more watchable and less staged.
Paralysis by analysis
Using video to communicate with employees is a really valuable tool in your internal comms strategy but remember you’re not remaking The Shawshank Redemption.
Unlike written or image based internal communication content, video seems to fall under a whole new level of post-production scrutiny. Resulting in very long lead times and worse, not releasing the content at all!
You are not Steven Spielberg, unless you are, and by some miracle you’ve stumbled on this blog. In which case, I’m a huge fan sir! The rest of us have to expect our internal communication videos to be slightly rough sometimes, for them to have places you’d love to redo. The key here is to let them go and publish.
Don’t get stuck overthinking. A video that is 95% perfect and released will improve employee engagement and company moral. A video that is 5% wrong (in your eyes) and not released will do neither.
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