How to Create an Employee-Led Training Video

In an era where employers are increasingly desperate to bridge the skills gap through smart hiring and training, some forward-thinking companies are bringing a personal touch back to professional development through employee-led training videos. This approach not only injects a dose of personality into the learning process but also capitalizes on the unique insights and experiences of a company’s own workforce.

By empowering employees to lead the way, these organizations foster a more engaging and relevant training environment that resonates with staff and enhances learning outcomes. Here’s a simple guide to get you started on producing effective employee-led training content:

Step 1: Plan Your Content

• Identify Training Needs: Begin by identifying the knowledge or skill gaps that your training intends to address. This could be anything from sales techniques to responding to customer complaints or software troubleshooting.
• Select Your Talent: Choose employees who have experience and expertise in the training topic and are comfortable being on camera. You might consider using potential or current leaders within your team and those who possess persuasive communication skills.

Step 2: Write a Flexible Script

• Outline Key Points: Prepare a script or a list of bullet points that covers all the necessary content. This script should be flexible enough to allow some natural deviation and personality to come through.
• Keep It Short and Sweet: Aim for a video length of 5-10 minutes to maintain viewer engagement. Mariel Davis, co-founder of software company Spokn, suggests keeping videos short and avoiding over-production to maintain authenticity.

Step 3: Set Up Your Recording Environment

• Choose a Quiet Location: Find a space that is free from background noise and interruptions. This could be a conference room or a quiet corner in your office.
• Simple Equipment Works: You don’t need high-end equipment. A good quality smartphone or a digital camera on a tripod can suffice. Ensure there is adequate lighting and all audio is clear.
• Consider Audio Equipment: While a good quality smartphone or a digital camera can capture decent video, consider using a separate microphone to enhance audio quality. External microphones can significantly improve clarity and reduce ambient noise, making the dialogue easier to understand.
• Ensure Adequate Lighting: Proper lighting is essential. Natural light is preferable, but if that's not available, set up additional lighting to avoid shadows and grainy video.
• Obtain Consent: Ensure that all participants in the video have given their written consent to be filmed and for the use of their likeness in the training material. This helps prevent any legal issues related to privacy violations.
• Review Content for Compliance: Before finalizing your video, review the content to ensure it adheres to company policies and legal standards, particularly regarding confidentiality and sensitive information. This step is crucial for maintaining professionalism and compliance in workplace training.

Step 4: Record Your Video

• Schedule Adequate Time: Set aside sufficient time for rehearsals and script revisions before recording. This prep time helps iron out any issues with the content and delivery, ensuring a smoother recording experience.
• Practice Makes Perfect: Encourage staff to rehearse their parts to reduce nervousness. This will also help in smoothing out any issues in the script and make the content of the video appear more natural.
• Encourage Authenticity: Remind your talent to be themselves. Encouraging them to act naturally can make the training more accessible and relatable.
• Record Multiple Takes: Don’t hesitate to record several takes. This gives you options to choose the best segments for the final video and allows you to have backups in case some parts don’t turn out as expected.

Step 5: Edit for Clarity

• Keep Editing Minimal: Trim unnecessary parts and ensure the video flows well, but keep editing to a minimum to preserve the authenticity of the presentation.
• Add Subtitles: Including subtitles can aid comprehension and accessibility, especially if your organization includes non-native speakers or when the video’s audio might be less clear.

Step 6: Implement and Gather Feedback

• Distribute the Video: Share the video with your intended audience through your usual channels, such as an LMS (Learning Management System) or internal communications platforms.
• Seek Feedback: Collect viewer feedback to see how well the video meets their learning needs and how it could be improved. Use this to refine future videos.

Step 7: Follow-Up

• Reinforce Learning: Tim Connon of ParamountQuote Insurance Advisors follows up with one-on-one meetings to discuss key learnings and answer any questions. This personal touch helps reinforce the video’s content and addresses individual concerns.

As with any training process, it's important to continually review the effectiveness of employee-led training videos to see if they meet your learning objectives. Keep in mind that not all skills and processes are best taught through video, and learning preferences can vary widely among individuals. Regularly evaluating your training approach and being flexible in adapting to different educational needs will help increase the impact of your training programs and foster a more knowledgeable and engaged workforce.