HR Tip> Make ‘Em Love You with Video

HR Leaders >> here is a quick tip for you.  Start using video more instead of text to get your messages out.Why?  It makes people fall in love more easily than text.

To see an example > check out the “President’s message” video (above) I sent out to the Birmingham Society of HR Management members

Let me explain.  HR folks want to accomplish two things with messaging:

  • To be heard
  • Create empathy (that’s the people side)

Video helps you do both.  And it only takes 5 minutes to do!

Here is a great article from Psychology Today that will give you more tasty tidbits, stats, and info on using Video vs. Text than I ever could.  But here are some take aways from the article:

  • Videos are processed by the brain 60,000 times faster than text“.  So, if you want something absorbed more quickly, video may help.
  • Video’s are easy to digest:  folks who use the internet typically prefer video.  It’s just easier for your brain. According the Psychology Today article, reading text is active; watching videos are passive (aka easier).
  • “Videos create an empathetic connection“. When you see that video of the dog greeting his master who just got back from Afghanistan, or the “Twist Like A Tornado, Girl” (which is actually quite touching) you have an visceral response. Employees feel a connection with you more easily that text.

Tools to create quick video: 

  • Use any smart phone
  • Use a program called eCamm to record Skype video calls
  • Typically every laptop has a camera/video feature built in
  • Hit the record button
  • You – talk

Tips: 

  • Be yourself
  • Make it quick (ish)
  • Just like any text email, it will linger, so make sure it is work appropriate.
  • If you aren’t personable in front of a camera — practice first.  If it is a medium that makes you nervous and can’t overcome it – assign someone from your team to do it. I’m not a fan of videos that are like “press releases”.  Those defeat the point of “connection”

So, Cecil B. DeMille — get filming.

 

Published by

Dawn Hrdlica-Burke

VP People & Culture/ Talent Consulting at Kinetix. Advisor. Speaker. Writer.

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