Human Resource Managers are consistently looking for more effective ways to onboard new hires. Given the current virtual working environment of many businesses, induction videos have become a popular method of onboarding.

But how does their effectiveness compare to traditional onboarding methods in the Corporate Events industry?

In this blog post, we’ll dive into comparing the effectiveness of induction videos vs. traditional methods, in terms of attention retention, memorisation, time spent, cost, scalability, consistency of message, feedback mechanisms, interactivity, and accessibility.

Attention Retention

It’s been shown that attention retention is greater in video presentations rather than in-person ones. According to a study carried out by Insivia, people retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video compared to 10% when reading it in text.

This means that induction videos are an effective way to capture and retain an employee’s attention during onboarding.

Effectiveness in Memorising Key Information

In-person presentations may be more effective in terms of memorising key information but the effectiveness of such presentations decreases as the audience grows.

As such, induction videos are more effective at helping new hires remember critical information when the group is larger. Videos can also be paused, rewound, and re-watched, which can contribute to better memory retention.

Time Spent

Companies can save significant amounts of time by using induction videos. This is because videos can be viewed flexibly by employees as per their convenience and the entire group does not need to spend time in a meeting room.

On average, video induction can take up to 2 hours to take in all the information compared to in-person sessions, which can take six hours or more. This can save a significant amount of time, making the process more efficient and economical.

Cost

Creating videos is initially more expensive than organising conventional onboarding methods. Video production companies charge a premium to create quality videos. However, the video production cost can be reduced if a company produces induction videos through their own media department or through digital tools available online.

Moreover, the cost of organising in-person sessions such as hiring event spaces, travel, lodging, and catering, can be more expensive than creating high-quality induction videos.

Scalability

In-person presentations can be constrained by the size of the room and the number of staff available for induction whereas video inductions can be easily scaled up to accommodate any kind of audience.

By using induction videos, HR Managers can onboard as many staff as possible without being constrained by physical meeting spaces or inconvenient times.

Consistency of Message

When it comes to consistency of message, video inductions are more reliable. With in-person induction methods, employees can miss important information if they arrive late, leave early, or fail to pay attention.

However, with induction videos, the same message is presented every time, ensuring that new hires receive the same information. This way, employers can ensure new hires are being properly informed.

Accessibility

Video inductions can be more accessible for employees who may need additional support that may not always be as easy to do in traditional inductions. This means that companies can cater to different needs and preferences of their new hires.

Video presentations can be easily optimised with subtitles, descriptive audio, and other measures to boost accessibility and remove any potential barriers.

Feedback Mechanisms and Interactivity

In-person sessions allow for more feedback mechanisms and interactivity during onboarding, such as Q&A sessions and group activities.

However, several interactive video learning tools can be used to make up for the lack of interaction in video inductions. Using digital quizzes and online portals can make video inductions interactive and fun.

Ease of Updating Content

Updating content in an induction video is easy and can be done in a short space of time. On the other hand, updating content in an in-person session can be time-consuming and may require scheduling, re-inviting new users, and setting up a new meeting room.

Conclusion

In summary, induction videos can be an effective and economical onboarding method for the corporate events industry, with their advantages including greater attention, retention, flexibility in terms of time spent, saving on costs, scalability, consistency of message, and accessibility.

That being said, in-person onboarding still has its place, particularly when it comes to feedback mechanisms and interactivity.

Instead of looking to choose one method over the other, consider how you can combine the best of both in your induction and onboarding process.

To explore the benefits of induction videos further, book a strategy call or get in touch on 01225 970242.