Onboarding is critical to improving an individual’s overall experience with a new organization. 

It assists them in quickly adjusting to the social and performance components of their new work in order to become important contributing members of a company.

Since investing in solid employee onboarding is crucial to new employee success, many firms are increasingly embracing video onboarding approaches to polish their conventional onboarding procedures and swiftly onboard new staff.

In our post, we’re discussing the concept of onboarding videos, and we’re sharing 16 influential onboarding videos with you to highlight examples and inspire you.

Let’s get started!

Table of Contents

What is an Onboarding Video?

Why Use Video in the Onboarding Process?

4 Key Types of Employee Onboarding Videos

16 Onboarding Video Examples to Inspire You

5 Tips for Better New Hire Onboarding Videos

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is an Onboarding Video?

An onboarding video is often used during employee orientation to provide new workers with information about the firm they are joining, the type of work the business does, the company culture, core values, and other important information.

It helps managers and supervisors free up resources by enabling new workers to learn about much of the business and its operations through this premade video content.

While videos can’t replace face-to-face training and orientation, they are an excellent supplement to in-person orientation sessions. 

Also, onboarding videos are excellent tools for introducing your firm to your consumers, especially for new goods and services.

Why Use Video in the Onboarding Process?

A corporate handbook might inform your new hires that the firm is thrilled to have them on board. 

It will also include all the rules that new staff must observe. 

However, all it displays is black writing on white paper.

It doesn’t display the CEO’s happy face welcoming new recruits, nor does it give a collective cheer from your new coworkers. 

Also, it doesn’t lead anyone through the software platforms ready for use or introduce new employees to the hardware they will use.

These things can be accomplished via live, in-person introductions and demonstrations. 

Still, these elements need people to deliver them, who can be crucial to operations or have employees to manage projects in the pipeline, so you can’t promise they’ll always be accessible or provide a consistent experience. 

Plus, only video can show new workers complicated, dynamic material about your firm while providing a consistent experience and having a minimum influence on company productivity.

What’s more, everyone reads at a different pace. 

If your onboarding process includes many papers to read, it may take time for a new employee to go through them. 

Whether it takes new team members an hour or an afternoon to read your handbook, new workers will likely ingest many short videos containing the same (or more) content in less time. 

That means you can cover more subjects quicker, with more time for one-on-one interactions that make workers feel like they are a part of the team. 

Additionally,  people are more likely to recall material presented through video than if they read it, resulting in a more comprehensive learning experience with fewer time-consuming inquiries. 

The quicker team members are onboarded, the sooner they can begin performing their duties, providing value, and feeling a sense of achievement; they get to feel the actual quality of the onboarding experience.

According to research, excellent employee onboarding methods result in increased work satisfaction, better job performance, and stronger loyalty to their employers. 

Companies that provide an onboarding program have an average employee retention rate of 86%, while companies without successful onboarding programs, on the other hand, have an average retention rate of 56%. 

In addition, according to a GallUp study, employees who have had a well-structured and effective onboarding process are 2.6 times more likely to be satisfied with their jobs and end up sticking around.

4 Key Types of Employee Onboarding Videos

Companies can eliminate the need for managers, staff members, and human resources trainers to spend extra time repeating essential information by building a collection of onboarding videos.

Various types of onboarding videos are often employed to boost employee engagement and instruct new employees; let’s look at the ones right below.

1. Welcome videos: 

The first video in your onboarding process should most likely be a message from your organization to new hires, and it should come from someone like the CEO, the new employee’s supervisor, essential team members, or a mix of all three.

This video will help alleviate the first-day anxiety and make new employees feel like they’re a part of something vast and significant. 

It also helps you to express your company’s objective and purpose and address the most common question new workers have: “What am I truly doing here and why?”

To put it another way, a welcome message video is your chance to properly introduce yourself. 

However, it’s also a fantastic approach to demonstrate to new hires your company values, the importance of their job, and the good things your business is trying to do. 

By establishing that sense of meaning and purpose in a new employee, you elevate their experience from being recruited to perform a new role to playing an important position in a team mission with a clear objective.

2. Knowledge transfer videos: 

When significant roles are being filled, knowledge transfer is crucial. 

The more knowledge and on-the-job experience that can be passed on to a new employee, the better.

Senior personnel often hold high-level roles for lengthy periods (5+ years), and when it becomes time to replace that post, a lot of technical knowledge departs with them.

This is where knowledge transfer videos bridge the knowledge gap between your old employee and the new one. 

Overall, knowledge transfer videos can include:

• Recent and ongoing projects 
• Primary responsibilities associated with the role and the operations that support them
• Employees’ names, roles, and command structure
• Insider details, including prospects and connections

3. Company policy videos: 

Each new recruit should be educated on the fundamental corporate rules that serve as the foundation of your corporation. 

This onboarding video should contain the standard HR material:

• Policies on ethics and behavior
• Policies against discrimination
• Cybersecurity guidelines
• Policies on workplace harassment

However, this type of video can also contain a section on culture, ethics, and other factors that distinguish your firm. 

It doesn’t have to be a dry, by-the-book session covering all the dos and don’ts and their potential repercussions.

It can be endearing and funny, showcasing your company’s personality, all of which will make new workers delighted with their decision to join you.

Additionally, policy training is undoubtedly a procedure that should be enhanced with face-to-face meetings wherever feasible, but videos and screen recordings can save HR time and save the business from hiring a legal team to deliver the same presentation again. 

4. Training videos: 

Employees you recruit will likely already have some of the competencies needed to execute their tasks, but they will most likely need to acquire new skills to do their best work. 

These day-to-day skills will take time to develop; they won’t be absorbed and fully executed on day one, yet there is still a temptation to throw as much at the new worker as possible right away and then walk away to let them figure it out on their own.

This is inefficient and a complete waste of time and money. 

One of the most common issues in many onboarding processes is information overload, which is where video training materials can assist.

Video training allows you to do two things that just one-time presentations and printed resources cannot:

• Divide material to new recruits over time, at a pace that permits their brains to absorb the knowledge in manageable bits and on a timetable that allows them to apply what they learn.
• Host a library of material that new hires can access on-demand whenever they get stuck.

16 Onboarding Video Examples to Inspire You

As we have discussed above, a great onboarding video can make a great difference.

The following corporations have successfully achieved that through their engaging content, so let’s check them out. 

Example #1: Google

The video highlights five summer interns from various backgrounds expressing their distinct experiences, from their first days through the particular tasks they worked on.

Joining such a challenging program must undoubtedly be nerve-racking; that’s why the video’s general tone is warm and friendly.

Example #2: Zappo’s

You don’t have to employ witty comedy to express the message of your key values in the onboarding video.

Sometimes it’s preferable to assemble the whole crew and let them voice their opinions on camera.

The film begins with different pictures of their headquarters, followed by teammates introducing themselves.

They then go on to describe Zappos’ genuine fundamental beliefs and reveal their normal routines.

Example #3: Adobe

In under 3 minutes, the video has successfully been very people-oriented as it includes employees from different departments.

The video also highlights the company’s mission and goals through its employees’ eyes.

Example #4: Canva

The video begins with a staff member skating around the office on a skateboard to demonstrate how much fun it is to work at Canva, followed by Melanie Perkins, the company’s co-founder, who describes the company’s goal via an inspiring tale.

The video showcases staff employees at different levels, emphasizing millennial-driven principles to create a welcoming workplace while also introducing Canva product benefits. 

Example #5: Zynga

To give some comfort to the worried new team member on day one, the video begins with a colleague developer expressing a personal (and sometimes embarrassing) part of his job.

Then they go on to provide an overview of the business before highlighting their favorite aspects of working at Zynga.

Example #6: HubSpot

In only 3 minutes and 30 seconds, the new hire video not only takes you through the whole history of the firm but also introduces you to the team, the perks they enjoy, and the principles they strive to keep—all in an entertaining manner.

Example #7: Metropolitan Airport Commision

You definitely don’t think of an airport when you think of clever staff onboarding videos. However, MAC’s new recruit video does a good job of demonstrating the diversity of its workforce. 

Also, these workers recall their first day on the job and explain why they like working at MAC.

Example #8: Waste Management Services

Waste Management Services of Edmonton is not the kind of organization that would have a fun, high-quality onboarding video. 

They do, though! It only goes to show that you can utilize video to assist your new workers in understanding your business no matter what market or sector you’re in. 

In addition, the video discusses why workers are proud of their contributions to keeping the city appealing.

Example #9: TrueCar

TrueCar assists customers in obtaining information about new and used automobiles for sale in their region. 

In the TrueCar welcome message, the CEO discusses how he began skating as a means of transportation to work. 

The one-of-a-kind video makes new employees feel as though they know the CEO on a personal level as it shares his personality and identity.

Example #10: Zendesk

The straightforward “This is Zendesk” video walks us through several photographs and clips of a person displaying what to anticipate at the Zendesk offices, introducing the teams, and progressing to a discussion of the company’s basic principles.

The end result? A simple and effective video that may not only prepare you for successful onboarding but also help you recruit qualified candidates for new opportunities.

Example #11: Dropbox

Dropbox’s new hire culture video demonstrates their team’s enthusiasm for the products and how the culture is developed from the ground up.

This clip is more professional, with staff dressed in business clothes, providing viewers with a genuine behind-the-scenes glimpse at how Dropbox’s work environment appears on a daily basis.

Example #12: Entelo

The video showcases all the employees coming together to work and how their workday flows all together.

It also highlights the importance of teamwork and instills a huge sense of pride in being part of the corporate culture.

Example #13: Digistorm

The visuals in this clip are shot in a very professional sense to convey that first impression.

The way it’s shot keeps the content quite enticing and engaging.

Example #14: Atlassian

People have had to adapt to the changes since the pandemic, and Atlassian has focused on the work-life balance. 

The Atlassian team video is unusual and powerful because it depicts the company in a pleasant, family-like setting, and they also enable an employee to work from home, as they are highly flexible in regards to this.

Their distinct culture is shown in powerful team imagery, which clearly represents the Atlassian objective of bringing forth the best in individuals through cooperation. 

Example #15: Annie’s

The video highlights employees discussing their duties and what they like most about their jobs, ranging from working out at their company’s gym to bringing their pets to work.

It also demonstrates making a difference globally with its items and products.

Example #16: Station F

The intro feels very series-like, kick-starting the short film on the right foot.

The onboarding video shows all the robotic and futuristic elements the company stands for while being funny and witty.

5 Tips for Better New Hire Onboarding Videos

Focusing on your onboarding video content is really important. 

So, give the below tips a good read to help make your content-making process easier.

1. Use humor: 

Don’t be scared to express yourself and have some fun. 

When possible, try to include current staff in your videos.

Remember that people react to actual people, and incorporating other workers can aid in building some good ties.

2. Keep it short: 

Don’t bore your staff to tears right away!

People are less inclined to watch lengthy films all the way through because they can be overwhelming.

Also, try to stick to one subject per video and divide long presentations into parts 1, 2, 3, and so on.

Try to limit each to 5-10 minutes, as viewing six 10-minute videos is considerably less boring than a one-hour-long one.

3. Explain to new employees what difference they can make: 

Video can inspire and connect with people on an emotional level. 

Instill pride in your new staff and emphasize their ability to make a difference through your firm. 

What’s more, showing new hires the difference they can make is not only uplifting but can also be very encouraging.

4. Introduce the company: 

Don’t get right into the meat of the matter; begin with the big picture: who we are, what we do, and who our customers are.

Then you can start to dive deep into the details of their new team and job roles later.

5. Don’t overwhelm new hires with information: 

Don’t drench your video material with all the required elements at once.

You may feel like it’s convenient to share the corporate story, work ethic, the new employee’s job role, and new team all at once; yet this can be extremely hard for the individual to digest.

Now Over to You

A great onboarding experience entails much more than just discussing company HR policy or demonstrating how to conduct day-to-day assigned tasks.

By incorporating a range of orientation, training, and company culture videos, you can contribute to ensuring that new workers have the skills they need to succeed and stay motivated.

Feel free to contact us anytime to create the best onboarding gifts and bundles to take your onboarding process to the next level. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What should an onboarding video include?

An onboarding video should include the following:

• Welcome message
• Corporate overview
• Department overview
• Job role description
• Policies and procedures

Q2. How long should an onboarding video be?

Not all onboarding videos carry the same content; so, it varies from one video to another.

Yet, the average length of most onboarding videos is 2-5 minutes.

The key is to keep communicating your content effectively while keeping the viewer engaged.

Q3. How do you make an onboarding video?

Decide what you want to discuss or educate in this video first. 

Then, decide on the style you want to employ for the content; you can illustrate and educate procedures using animations, live recordings, or screen recordings.

Keep in mind that you may need a professional to help you achieve a polished look.