How to Use Video to Strengthen Your Company Culture

Shared values and a common purpose are what holds teams together and moves them forward. But company culture is more than a mission statement or mascot–it’s about how an organization respects and nurtures its workforce. Recognizing the power of a strong and productive company culture is the very first step toward fostering it. When companies start to truly invest in their employees and foster a space for them to thrive, their business will too.

In the upcoming article, we'll dive into the benefits of using video to maintain and forge a strong culture, even while remote. Then, we’ll put these learnings into action with helpful video examples and professional video templates.

Jump ahead:

• Where does video fit into company culture?
• Why does video work?
• Use video to communicate company values and mission
• Use video to build employee engagement and morale
• Use video to improve employee communication and collaboration
• Tips for creating effective video content

Why company culture matters

Workplace culture is extremely valuable, and it doesn’t happen by accident. According to Gallup, 84% of the value of an S&P 500 company comes from the their employees’ unique skills, work ethic, and talents. Company culture is purposely created to build cohesion among employees, foster a feeling of safety and belonging, attract new talent, and ultimately, to achieve the company goals while retaining employees.

The shift towards remote and hybrid work settings has presented both challenges and opportunities in shaping company culture. Employee engagement is on the decline post-pandemic at just 31% in 2023. Without the ability to host frequent in-person events, meetings, and happy hours, employers are struggling to find ways to reach and engage their employees. In other ways, remote work can enable so many positive elements of company culture like flexibility and work-life balance.

Now that teams aren’t connecting in the cafeteria, meeting room, or the neighborhood bar, they need a way to come together and communicate as if they were in person. Unfortunately, we all know that video calls, while the next best thing to being “together”, do not have the same effect as meeting in person. It might take a little extra work to communicate authentically and make your teams feel unified. That's where video comes in.

Where does video fit into company culture?

Video can be used to celebrate, connect, announce, update, train, educate, and more. Because videos leverage audio, pictures, video clips, and webcam recordings, they are more memorable, engaging, and entertaining to both remote and in-person teams. From marketing and sales to customer support, video is business' go-to communication tool. In fact, in 2022, HR and Operations teams were among the top video creators across companies of all sizes.

Video-first companies communicate through video at all levels, instead of solely relying on Slacks and emails. They create videos to:

• Increase communication and transparency
• Personalize their communications
• Effectively train employees
• Reinforce a culture of appreciation
• Promote continuous learning and knowledge sharing
• Recruit employees that align with their values
• Gather feedback and give employees a voice
• and more

Thanks to beginner-friendly video makers, creators of all skill levels are bringing their messages to life through video. All it takes is an idea.

Why does video work?

Video is a uniquely powerful medium for building and strengthening company culture. We know that viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video compared to just 10% when just reading it. Video allows for a genuine, unfiltered representation of individuals and organizations, as facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language can all be on display. In the corporate context, video offers a direct and personal way to communicate with employees and give a face to the leadership.

Additionally, video can help foster a sense of community. Through social events like virtual games, live streaming, and Q&A sessions, your teams can make genuine connections and positively impact team morale. Even shoutouts and spotlights show that you are dedicated and proud of the work your teams do.

This authenticity, personalization, and cohesion is a huge part of what’s missing from today’s hybrid workforces, and it’s what employees look for in an organization. Video helps to bridge this gap and help teams feel more connected, seen, and appreciated.

Here are some practical ways you can use video to strengthen company culture in your organization.

Use video to embody your values and mission

Values and mission statements are critical for business success. But how you lead your teams in this pursuit is what really makes your company unique. And since culture is one of the most valuable qualities of a workplace, you don’t want to leave your core values to a stale slideshow. From the get-go, you can build and communicate your company values in a way that resonates with current and future employees.

Below are three unique videos you can create to highlight different aspects of your workplace and embody your company values. These videos can be added to your website or hiring page and included in recruiting and onboarding materials to make your company stand out.

Company values and mission videos

Defining and promoting your core values is a great foundation of trust and purpose. Your teams should be united and driven by a commonly held belief, passion, and mission. This motivates them to do their best work, and it attracts job seekers to join your cause.

In this example, the company’s mission and vision isn’t just an abstract sentence–they use photos of their products and team members to bring them to life. Their brand becomes instantly recognizable to external and internal audiences by applying their brand elements from their logo to colors and tone. This type of video shows recruits and new hires exactly what they can expect from your organization.

For your own video, take the time to explain your work culture, both in the office and remote, and how these values are illustrated on a daily basis.

Onboarding videos

Your onboarding process is the first time new hires get to experience your company culture. According to a report by enboarder, 69% of employees are more likely to stay with a company for at least three years after a great onboarding experience.

With video, you can share what might otherwise be mundane information and turn it into an exciting and engaging video. Take, for example, this how-to video. With one video, you can walk remote and in-office employees through a tutorial step by step while showing them that they have a familiar face to turn to whenever they need help.

With a video like this, you can lead by example and demonstrate core values such as efficiency, continuous improvement, passion, teamwork, and trust.

Employee testimonials

Employee testimonials can provide an authentic view of your workplace culture. By amplifying your employees' experiences and shared values, these videos can promote a cohesive culture and attract like-minded talent.

There are many ways to make a testimonial video. First, ask employees from various departments and roles to share their stories and why they love working for your company. Ideally, you can have them speak directly to you through a video. Or, you can share their written testimonial next to their picture to make it more authentic and personalized.

This testimonial template showcases customer testimonials, but it’s a great example of a video you could make for your organization. Once you've created your video, you can then add it to your onboarding materials or hiring page to attract future employees.

Use video to boost employee engagement and morale

Employee morale is directly tied to engagement, satisfaction, and productivity. It’s what carries and comforts teams through tough times, knowing that time and work is valued and will be rewarded.

No matter your message, video can give your communications a personal touch and reinforce your dedication to employee satisfaction. From introductions to events, celebrations, and spotlights, these videos celebrate achievements and strengthen a sense of community and belonging.

Here’s how you can use video to boost morale and engagement in your workplace.

About me videos

This example comes from a tradition we like to follow here at Animoto. Every time a new person joins the team, we introduce them with a fun about me video! These videos help break the ice which can be especially difficult while working remotely. Then, we store everyone’s videos in a shared drive so new members can get to know the team at their own pace and start building connections.

Not only is this a fun tradition to have in the workplace, but it facilitates team bonding without another meeting or virtual happy hour. It’s a great way to celebrate each unique individual and boost team cohesion and connection.

In addition to a company-wide “about us” library for employees, your new hire’s teammates can also give them a personalized welcome with a video! You can include photos of each team member alongside their title, where they are based, how long they have been working there, and even a fun fact to get the ball rolling.

Employee recognition videos

Employee recognition is one of the most important and impactful aspects of company culture. Positive and frequent recognition can lead to increased productivity, safer workplaces, and fewer turnovers. When employees receive the recognition they deserve, everyone benefits.

You can meaningfully celebrate your employees’ many achievements with personalized videos. They can be made for entire departments, teams, and individuals to say thank you and shine a spotlight on their accomplishments. Be sure to include photos of your employees and personalized messages for each individual to show your genuine appreciation.

Don’t just celebrate the big things! Any time your employee has an anniversary or promotion, finishes a project, receives industry recognition, gets a glowing review, or announces a major life event, you can celebrate with them. This employee anniversary video template is a great place to start.

Virtual events and team-building activities

Bumping into a coworker and having a chat is something many of us miss about the office. Now, the only time we get together is for a Zoom call or Google meeting, and we only unmute when we have something to share. But getting your team together for a simple check in, chat, or event is important too!

First, pick the event. Tons of creative and fun virtual events arose because of the pandemic like virtual happy hours, game nights, and Q&As to share a few! Pictionary is a favorite of the Animoto team, but even a simple game like “this or that” can also help break the ice and encourage conversations. This article has a long list of creative ideas to get the ball rolling.

Once you’ve chosen an activity you know your team will love, make sure everyone knows about it and is excited to join! In this virtual event invitation, you can share a sneak peek, or even challenge your team with a bonus question or puzzle ahead of the event.

When you’re all wrapped up, share a fun recap to get them excited about the next event! Any photos and videos you have from the last event will help share the fun and encourage others to join in.

Use video to improve employee communication and collaboration

Video, ultimately, is a communication tool. Thanks to the help of visual and auditory cues, With video, you can convey complex information more effectively than text-based communications. And rather than adding another meeting to everyone’s calendars, each employee can consume this information at their own pace, on their own time.

Asynchronous video also caters to multiple learning styles and engagement preferences. Those who might not feel comfortable with real-time interactions can take their time to reply to your video thoughtfully. And because these videos are easy to create, your entire organization can contribute to a shared knowledge base for current and future employees, making problem-solving much simpler.

Below are some ideas to make your internal communications more effective and efficient.

Leadership Communications

Leadership teams play a huge role in shaping culture. They can lead by example, demonstrating proactive leadership and communication, and promoting transparency. Getting your entire organization together for a Q&A session or meeting can be tricky, but a shareable video can connect everyone.

This example has a video of a CEO sharing appreciation and recognition to his teams. The talking head-style video helps to foster a more personal connection with his audience and shows that the leadership team is tuned in, connected, and appreciative of all their work.

Asking the leadership to record a quick and simple video is much less time consuming than an actual meeting. With Animoto, you can have anyone in the organization create a webcam recording (tips for creating webcam videos here). Then, it’s up to you to customize the video yourself, or invite the team to support their message with text, visuals, and animations.

Trainings and company resources

Video tutorials and how-to guides can effectively show and tell your team how to complete specific tasks. From the little things like submitting expenses to learning about workplace safety practices, video engages your audience and offers them an on-demand resource to watch at their own pace.

This example elevates your standard “how to” video by using voice-over. Putting a familiar face or voice behind your videos makes the people team more approachable and recognizable. It promotes a culture in which everyone asking for help and empowering each other is welcomed and encouraged.

Similarly, this training video reinforces values like effective communication, continuous learning, and efficiency. It tells employees exactly what they are going to learn and why it matters, boosting compliance rates.

Meeting notes and presentations:

Meetings are another area where more introverted employees, or employees used to “on-mute” culture, can feel stifled. By recording and sharing meetings and presentations, employees can review them at their convenience and spark ideas for brainstorming.

With the ability to tune in on their own time, your employees will be more likely to watch and, more importantly, retain the information. From sales reports to weekly check-ins, presentation videos can inform and engage everyone on your team.

This meeting recap template can also be used in lieu of an in-person meeting. Anyone who is out of office, in a different timezone, or has a conflict can get caught up to speed with a quick summary containing the most important information.

Updates and announcements

It’s not uncommon for departments to feel like they don’t have visibility into what other departments are working on. But getting everyone for a check-in can be time consuming and chances are, not all the information shared will be relevant anyways. With a high-level company update video like this one, you can share everything your teams across departments need to know without bogging them down with unnecessary details.

Use this video instead of weekly or bi-weekly all-hands meetings, or kick off your next meeting with a quick check-in.

For more detail-oriented updates, you can create a helpful screen and webcam video like this one. This contains more specific information like timelines and demos. The addition of webcam recordings also allows team leaders to add nuance to their message and connect on a more personal level.

Tips for creating effective video content

When creating video content to build your company culture, it is important to be authentic and genuine. Each video should be a reflection of your company's brand and values. Luckily, you don't need to have a professional video production team to create effective videos. With a little creativity and a beginner-friendly video tool, you can drag and drop your way to professional videos that will engage and inspire your employees.

Here are some things to keep in mind when creating your next company culture video:

• Tell a story: Use storytelling narratives to keep your audience engaged.
• Add visual elements: Photos, videos, and video stickers provide a direct and engaging way to represent an organization's identity. Use them to bring attention to important elements of your message.
• Use screen and webcam recordings: When you need to show and tell your audience how to complete a task, especially a technical task, use screen and webcam recordings.
• Apply your brand: (when it makes sense): For onboarding and announcement videos, you can use your brand to make your videos look professional and recognizable. But for events and more casual videos, don’t feel too stuck to your brand guidelines. Have fun with different colors and elements (perhaps from your secondary branding colors) to make them stand out and feel less stuffy.
• Make your videos accessible: Subtitles, transcripts, contrasting text, and audio descriptions can help ensure that your message reaches a wider and diverse audience while promoting inclusivity within the workplace.
• Use the right channels: Where you share your videos can make a huge difference. Consider where your employees typically go for information and look out for announcements like Slack, Teams, email, shared drives, private social media groups, and/or Linkedin.

Create videos in four simple steps with Animoto

With Animoto, anyone can create professional videos, no experience required. Using drag and drop features, built-in tools, a collaborative workspace, and hundreds of pre-made templates, all you need to get started is an idea. Browse our workplace template catalog or use any of the templates linked above to get started for free.