Even before the pandemic started, work-from-home arrangements were becoming more popular. Also, many companies are now recruiting talent from around the world. For all these reasons, remote teams are now becoming the norm.
Unfortunately, it’s harder to create a sense of collaboration and camaraderie when everyone is spread out. While remote workers tend to be more productive, studies show they’re also more isolated and burned out. That can make it harder for them to feel motivated and connected.
So how can you cultivate a thriving company culture among remote workers? The answer is video — and we don’t mean Zoom calls! Here are five ways to use video to bring your people together.
Create Onboarding Videos
When new people join your team, they’re often inundated with a flood of new information. In remote-work situations, it can be confusing as they attempt to navigate the project management system, time-tracker, style guide, and all the other documents they’ve been emailed. Most people better absorb information when it’s presented both visually and socially, i.e. someone is talking through it.
That’s why it’s an excellent idea to create an onboarding video for new remote workers. Include “hello” clips from your existing team members, screen-capture walkthroughs of any software, and footage of your home office, if applicable. This will help new people feel more connected and confident in your company culture.
Have New Team Members Create Intro Videos
Few things are more overwhelmed than meeting dozens of new coworkers. When done virtually, this experience is often shoehorned into a Zoom call or giant email chain. Either way, it can make the new worker feel isolated and awkward. Give them a chance to introduce themselves with a video: it’s something they can share instantly with your entire team.
Prompt them to answer some questions about themselves, such as their hobbies, skills, and pets. Encourage them to be creative and casual, then ask your team to respond to the video. This is a great way to make new team members feel special and excited to be part of your company culture.
Host “Show and Tell” Video Events
During these stressful times, morale might be low at your company. Your team members may be feeling pressure to do more work, tired of frequent Zoom calls, or simply unable to achieve work–life balance as they work from home. Take a break from the mediocrity with a fun twist on staff meetings: “show and tell” videos!
Establish a theme or prompt, then ask team members to create a video demonstration in response. It could be a brief video tour of their home office, a tutorial on how to make espresso at home, or an amusing clip of one’s pets. (Everyone loves those!) This activity breaks up the monotony and gives team members a chance to bond even if there’s no water cooler.
Allow Your Team to Video Chat
In an office environment, team members are much more likely to engage in unscheduled conversations and spur-of-the-moment brainstorming. Being able to see each other and read body language also helps reduce miscommunications. A remote team tends to stick to emails and phone calls, where it’s much easier for wires to get crossed.
To fix this problem, use a messaging tool such as Slack or Skype, which allows instant video calls that don’t require scheduling or special links. Encourage your team to video-chat with each other when they need to collaborate.
Send Out a Video Newsletter
Company newsletters help foster a strong culture — but when your team is partly or entirely remote, they are likely flooded by emails and messages. It’s all too easy to ignore your newsletter, which means that birthdays get forgotten and important updates get missed!
Make your newsletter more accessible and intriguing by creating a video. Include clips of team members sharing updates or wishing their coworkers a happy birthday. You can even cut in charts or photos illustrating your recent sales, products, and other achievements. Keep it short and sweet, and watch company engagement rise!
Team Building with Video
Video is a powerful tool for connecting remote teams because it’s essential face-to-face — but virtually! In fact, it’s potentially more effective. You can bring together multiple voices and allow people to share information in new ways. In many ways, video-based communication is much more engaging than simply sitting around a conference table. Give your team as much opportunity as possible to create videos and use video chat. By doing so, you can nurture a strong company culture, even if your people are miles apart.
Need help creating videos for your company’s newsletter, onboarding process, or special events? We’re here to help. Reach out any time for expert video production.
