Boost Employee Engagement with Video in Your Internal Communications Strategy
For many organizations, remote and hybrid setups have become the norm. Many people have settled into their new patterns or “new normal.” But with all new things, there have been some growing pains.
In 2020, organizations saw a peak in employee engagement at 36%. But in recent years, engagement has been on the decline at only 31% in 2023, according to Gallup.
When an organization has a highly-engaged workforce, it can lead to better productivity, profitability, and customer satisfaction. Now that organizations and their company culture have had to travel over different time zones, cultures, and devices, getting it right and growing engagement poses a challenge.
In this blog, we'll explore the importance of a strong internal communication strategy and how leveraging video and other tools can help you close the gap and enhance employee engagement.
How do you measure employee engagement?
Employee engagement can be measured through a combination of surveys, feedback mechanisms, and data analysis. Regular employee engagement and pulse can provide valuable, scalable insights into employee satisfaction, motivation, and overall engagement.
Meanwhile, more personalized feedback mechanisms like one-on-one meetings, focus groups, and suggestion boxes encourage open dialogue and help uncover specific areas for improvement. Other metrics such as retention rates, absenteeism, and productivity can provide quantitative indicators that you can measure and compare over quarters and years.
The advantage of the internal communication strategy
An internal comms strategy is more than just sending out periodic emails or announcements. It's a well-thought-out plan that aims to facilitate clear, consistent, and timely communication throughout an organization. It ensures that everyone is on the same page, aligned with company goals, and feels valued as part of the team.
Internal communications is a catch-all term for any type of communication that is sent on behalf of an organization to its employees. This can include formal messages like trainings, onboardings, and benefits presentations, or culture-oriented communications like announcements, celebrations, and shoutouts.
Your internal communication strategy will ultimately serve as the backbone of your company culture and employee engagement. So here’s how to do it the right way!
5 steps to an engagement-oriented internal communication strategy
Wondering where to start? It all begins with your baseline. Follow these five steps to kickoff your data-driven, scalable internal communications strategy.
- Step 1: Summarize the situation Provide an overview of the current situation and the need for communication. Use previous survey data to illustrate the need for increased engagement to get key stakeholders on board.
- Step 2: Determine desired outcomes Identify specific, measurable outcomes you want to achieve for the business. Define both organizational outcomes and communication objectives.
- Step 3: Define your audience Clearly outline audience groups, their mindsets, and the desired impact of communication on their thoughts, feelings, and actions. Again, you can use previous data collected from surveys and split it up by departments if necessary.
- Step 4: Develop your messages Craft messaging pillars that align with your audience's needs. Keep it concise, about three key points, supported by facts, anecdotes, and stories. This will serve as the direction for individual internal communications moving forward.
- Step 5: Choose strategies, channels, and tactics Select communication strategies aligned with your objectives. Choose appropriate channels and tactics, such as face-to-face communication, meetings, paper, electronic methods, videos, and internal social media, based on your audience's preferences and needs.
-Step 6: Content creation Once your strategy is in place, you’re ready to create your content.
Once your strategy has been implemented, keep an eye on it and gather feedback so you can improve it in the future. Using the specific metrics you’ve identified and by asking your employees for feedback, you can adapt and improve your strategy.
Below are some of the tools and ideas you can use in your internal communications strategy to engage employees and measure the impact of your efforts.
Tools for your internal communication strategy
A complete and holistic internal communication strategy includes a variety of tools to facilitate interactions and share information. When integrated strategically, you can create a cohesive strategy that caters to diverse communication needs, ensuring that employees are well-informed, engaged, and aligned with the organization's goals.
By using these tools alongside surveys and other measurement tools, you can find the strategy that resonates with your teams and boosts engagement in the long run.
Here are some tools to consider adding to your internal comms toolkit:
According to an analysis conducted by Forbes, Email is the most popular workplace communication tool, with 25% of remote workers and 10% of on-site workers marking it as their preference.
Email is table stakes for nearly all businesses. But with an average of over 300 emails per day, it’s easy for your communications to get lost. In order to bring your communications to the forefront, you’ll need to reinforce it with the tools below.
Messaging tools
Communication tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams include features for sentiment analysis, to get insights into employees’ feelings through their messages.
Additionally, these instant messaging tools are a great way to send out quick messages to large amounts of people at a time.
Video
There are many ways to send out your message. Video communication stands out as a dynamic and engaging method of communication, both remotely and in person. Videos transform static text to a vibrant, interactive experience that resonates with employees.
Whether it's leadership messages, training modules, or company updates, videos allow for visual storytelling that captures attention and enhances understanding. This engaging media also enables organizations to connect with employees on a more personal level with photos, webcam recordings, and video clips.
Animoto’s user-friendly video maker and professional internal communications video templates make it easy for anyone to share their story via video. Then, send it via email, slack, intranet, or more to engage anyone, anywhere.
Live video meetings
Video conferencing platforms like Google Meet and Zoom are another popular form of video communication. They allow you to speak directly to your audience in real time and create a sense of community. Videos can be played while in video meetings to re-engage and excite your audiences.
You can join live meetings for virtual coffee dates, virtual town halls and all-hands meetings, interactive webinars and workshops, and fun challenges.This channel is also helpful for sharing sensitive or intricate information that needs a more nuanced explanation.
Surveys
There are two helpful forms of surveys for checking in with employees and determining their engagement: quarterly/yearly engagement surveys and pulse surveys.
Platforms like SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics, and Culture Amp offer customizable survey templates to gather comprehensive engagement feedback from employees. They are usually longer and provide ample room for qualitative feedback.
Pulse surveys can be sent more frequently, like on a monthly basis, to check in with your teams. Tools like TINYpulse and Officevibe enable quick, frequent surveys to capture real-time insights into employee morale and satisfaction.
This survey template by MailChimp is a great starting point. You can always customize your survey to reflect your unique goals and culture.
HR Information Systems (HRIS)
HRIS platforms like BambooHR and Workday offer modules for tracking employee engagement-related data, such as performance reviews and recognition. You can compare this data to productivity date, revenue, and more to track the impact of engagement.
A sample internal communication plan
Before you craft a singular internal communication, consider the following factors:
- Video/message length: Respect your employees' time by keeping videos concise and to the point.
- Visuals: Incorporate graphics, animations, and visuals to enhance engagement and understanding.
- Encourage feedback: Foster a culture of feedback by allowing employees to comment, ask questions, and share their thoughts on video content. You can even invite select employees or team members to review and revise your message before sending it out.
With that in mind, here’s an example of how a survey announcement could be shared in this internal communication strategy.
The message:
What we like about it: This video is short, concise, and straight to the point. It uses engaging visuals and music to boost engagement.
Where it was shared:
This type of video, an announcement that needs a prompt and specific response, is best shared multiple times. We recommend announcing it by sharing it during a live video conference first, with any added context. Then, follow up by sharing it again in an email or via Slack with a link to the survey.
Why we shared it here: This type of announcement can easily be overlooked by your busy teams. By sharing it first over video and making a personal connection, you’re more likely to connect with your audience and convince them to complete this task. Promptly following up with a link to the survey helps your request stay top of mind and easy to complete.
The follow-up:
What we like about it: Again, this concise, eye-catching video helps convey your message in a more engaging way. It includes a personalized message to remind your audience why this is important for your team, and for them.
But the follow-up shouldn’t stop there. Again, share a written communication via email or Slack (whichever your organization tends to use) with the video and survey linked again.
Don’t be afraid to follow up with individual team members as well. A friendly reminder via Slack or in person can help boost completion rates one by one.
Post-survey communications
As a final thank you and engagement boost, share the results of your survey and any actions you’re taking to address their concerns. This shows your team that you’re invested in their growth and success and will help boost completion rates for future surveys and tasks. This can be done in a live presentation or through a presentation video.
Why this method works
In this internal comms strategy, your message isn’t limited to one channel. This strategy engages employees at multiple touch points with a memorable and actionable message. It works on a large scale while taking into account 1-1 communications and interactions as well.
Then, it uses comprehensive metrics to evaluate the success of the communications so you and your team can watch its growth. This strategy is repeatable and scalable for any organization, both in person and online.
For even more examples of internal communications ideas that you can use today, check out this blog.
Create internal communication videos the easy way
An effective internal communication strategy is the cornerstone of a thriving workplace, especially in the era of remote work. By harnessing the power of videos, organizations can connect, engage, and inspire their employees in ways that traditional communication methods cannot match. Video and data-driven internal communication strategies create a cohesive and informed workforce, resulting in higher morale, improved remote collaboration, and a stronger organizational culture.
With Animoto, you and your team can create branded professional videos, even without any video experience. Sign up for a Professional Plus plan and bring the power of video to your organization!
Internal communication strategy FAQs
What are internal communication strategies?
Internal communication strategies are organized plans and tactics employed by organizations to facilitate effective information exchange among their employees. These strategies aim to promote transparency, engagement, and alignment within the workforce, ensuring that employees are well-informed and connected to the company's goals and values.
How to write an internal communication strategy:
To write an internal communication strategy, start by defining clear objectives and goals. Identify the key messages you want to convey to your employees and determine the best channels to deliver these messages. Consider audience segmentation to tailor your communication to different employee groups. Create a timeline for communication initiatives and allocate resources effectively. Lastly, regularly evaluate and adapt your internal communication strategy to ensure it remains effective in fostering engagement, alignment, and transparency within your organization.
How can internal communication be improved?
Internal communication can be enhanced by implementing a clear internal communication strategy, promoting open and transparent channels, and actively engaging with employee feedback. A well-defined strategy helps set objectives and guidelines for effective communication, while open channels and feedback mechanisms ensure that employees are heard and informed, fostering a more collaborative and informed work environment.
What employee engagement means:
Employee engagement refers to the extent to which employees are emotionally invested in their work, committed to their organization's goals, and willing to contribute their best efforts. It often involves fostering a sense of belonging, purpose, and alignment with the company's mission through various means, including a well-implemented internal communication strategy.
Does employee engagement improve business performance?
Yes, employee engagement has been shown to significantly improve business performance. A well-executed internal communication strategy, fostering engagement, can lead to increased productivity, higher customer satisfaction, reduced turnover, and overall improved organizational success.
Is employee engagement important?
Yes, employee engagement is crucial for organizations. It fosters a motivated and committed workforce, leading to increased productivity, higher retention rates, and better overall performance. An effective internal communication strategy plays a pivotal role in nurturing and sustaining employee engagement.