This is a guest post from our partners Recruitment Juice.
According to Cisco’s Visual Networking Index, 2021 will see video account for more than 80 per cent of all internet traffic. In the enterprise setting, companies are creating more streaming video of their own than ever before. And yet here you are, reading this.
Let’s put all the nonsense about dwindling attention spans and a culture of laziness to one side. The reason video is fast becoming the world’s preferred form of content isn’t just because nobody can be bothered to read. It’s because video offers certain things that the written word simply can’t.
And, in a training setting, it combines the immediacy of face-to-face teaching with the control, pace and flexibility that learners demand.
Learners are more likely to pay attention
A Forrester Research study claims that employees are 75 per cent more likely to watch a video than interact with content like reports, PDF files and presentations. As a baseline, learners are more likely to watch the content if it’s in a video.
However, the real power of video training isn’t just in getting people to hit play. It’s keeping employees engaged and actively listening. Unlike a piece of writing, video can hit more of the senses at once – and, with the right script and credible, interesting content, can retain attention and interest for longer. It’s like a real-world training session, with the added bonus of being able to pause the speaker or dip back into older material for a useful refresher.
It’s the most memorable type of content
Of course, it’s no good getting people to watch some training if it doesn’t stick. And content doesn’t get much stickier than video. In the world of marketing, video drives conversions, social sharing, and ultimately sales. In training, video stays with people for longer, helping to embed skills and create lasting development.
After two weeks, people retain on average 10 per cent of a written piece of text. For images, which speak louder than words, this figure increases to 30 per cent. But video speaks louder than them both – retention leaps to a huge 50 per cent when learners can see and hear information at the same time.
Video can keep ongoing training fresh
You’ve managed to make people watch the content. They’ve managed to retain the information for longer. But now it’s time to keep them learning for years to come, growing and developing over the course of an entire career.
What makes video so powerful is its flexibility. Sometimes there’s no substitution for a charismatic talking head to share words of wisdom. At other times, video can tell a story, provoke an emotional reaction, or get a laugh – things that are much more difficult to do in print or a PDF.
Video brings learning to life – and keeps learning lively – so there’s less chance of the fatigue that puts people off trying another course or learning another skill.
Managers can make better decisions with video
Finally, video isn’t just good for employees – it’s great for employers. Video is uniquely easy to monitor, helping you build a better understanding of how your training content is used – and how you could make it more effective.
From how often people pause to the timestamps of moments where learners lose interest, the right data gives managers ways to track progress and see whether video content is really delivering a return on investment. It’s information that can be used to make more informed decisions about interventions, additional training, and which skills may be underdeveloped.
So video isn’t just the most effective way to train people. It’s a medium that makes it easy to measure that effectiveness for yourself.
About Recruitment Juice
Founded in 2007, Recruitment Juice offers the world’s leading online training platform made exclusively for recruiters. The platform includes award-winning video courses, gamification to drive engagement, and automated pathways to guarantee relevant, actionable content. All backed by Juice’s team of learning experts to tailor content and customise platform.
It’s a comprehensive training solution that motives teams, improves performance, and helps embed a culture of learning and development.
Find out more: www.recruitmentjuice.com
