Learn how to use asynchronous video for better workplace communication, productivity and relationships.
How we work together is changing. Today, more and more teams are distributed across multiple offices, working from home, or always on the go. As a result, video-based communication has become essential for effective collaboration, even when it’s not convenient.
Until recently, professionals have only used video for real-time meetings without realizing recorded video has many uses in the workplace as well. While we often record and share videos in our personal lives, doing so at work has been largely nonexistent.
This guide will show you how to use recorded video at work for better communication, stronger relationships and improved productivity. Video messaging is the next phase in the evolution of workplace communication, and this guide will explain why you and your team should start using it.
Video messaging is two-way communication using short, recorded videos. It enables the use of your voice, face, and screen to ensure the meaning behind your message gets across, without requiring a real-time conversation. If your message would be more effective if shared visually or in person, but doing so is impractical or impossible, sending a recorded video message is the perfect alternative.
Video messaging is two-way communication using short, recorded videos. It enables everyone on your team to use their voice, face, and screen to ensure important messages get communicated faster and more effectively, without requiring a real-time conversation.
While some benefits of video messaging are easily measured, such as saved time, other benefits are less tangible but equally important in improving communication within teams, throughout companies, and even with customers. The key benefits of video messaging are:
Video conferencing and video messaging are distinct uses of video. We use video conference calls to gain the benefits of real-time, synchronous communication without being in the same room. But when video conferencing is inconvenient or impossible, video messaging can be a novel alternative. By recording and sharing video messages, you gain the benefits of asynchronous communication (fewer meetings and interruptions) while preserving the “face time” and intimacy of video.
While email is a fast and easy way to organize, edit, and share your thoughts, it lacks the intimacy (and often clarity) of face-to-face communication. For some messages, it’s not just the text that matters, but also the manner in which it’s delivered. Sending a video message allows you to include the audio and visual cues such as tone, body language, and facial expressions that you can’t attach to an email.
It’s a misconception that video messaging is primarily for remote teams that can’t easily meet in person. In reality, video messages are just as useful when they travel between walls or offices as when they travel across countries or continents. No matter how your workplace is organized, you can find great use cases for video messaging.
Let’s be realistic: Not every message needs to be shared using video. But there are often circumstances at work where video messaging can help you save time while retaining the benefits of face-to-face communication. You should consider sending a video message when it’s inconvenient to share something in real-time or face-to-face, but you feel that without your face, voice and/or screen:
Because you are able to use your full range of communication skills, video messages often contain far more information than written emails. When your brain loses the burden of ensuring a written message has proper punctuation, grammar, spelling and tone, you are able to speak your mind with clarity and conviction. The recipient of your message will immediately notice they don’t need to interpret anything for themselves—your video message speaks for itself.
Deciding when to share a video message isn’t difficult, but be careful—some things are better just said using email or Slack. Receivers should feel that your message was sent through video for a good reason.
Don’t let the convenience you feel when quickly recording a video message result in your coworkers feeling inconvenienced after watching a 10-second clip of you saying, “Sounds good to me.”
As a general rule, if a message doesn’t require your screen, you shouldn’t share a video message unless it’s at least 90 seconds long or it’s very important that the recipient sees your face and hears your tone. Don’t let the convenience you feel when quickly recording a video message result in your coworkers feeling inconvenienced after watching a 10-second video clip of you saying, "Sounds good to me." Otherwise, people will come to dread receiving a video message from you.
No matter where you work, or what you do, there are many ways to communicate more effectively with recorded video. The following are some common and creative use cases for video messaging at work.
For most companies attracting and recruiting top talent is both essential and challenging. Implementing recorded video throughout your recruitment process will help you build stronger connections with the candidates you want to hire and ultimately gain an edge in the competitive labor market.
Your new hire onboarding experience isn’t just about completing paperwork but also building personal connections within the company. Video messaging can streamline onboarding tasks and timelines while creating a more informative, personalized new hire experience.
Employees today are more attracted to companies that provide them with opportunities to continually develop their skills, but it can be hard for managers to find time for professional development. Using recorded video, managers can be sure that employees receive adequate training, coaching, and career guidance without dedicating more time to developing careers.
Employees are more productive and committed when they feel engaged, but sometimes it’s hard to give their ideas, issues, and achievements proper attention. Video messaging increases employee engagement by allowing managers to augment real-time employee conversations with asynchronous coaching, recognition, feedback, and more.
Creating an amazing company culture is a challenge, especially when your team is distributed across multiple offices or when everyone works remotely. Recorded video is a creative way to capture and curate the employee experiences that define your company culture, wherever they occur.
Teams are the most productive when everyone has a clear direction, the right resources, and minimal distractions. Implementing a video messaging platform will reduce everyone’s time in meetings while keeping teams more aligned and performing at their best.
Video messaging is a valuable tool for customer acquisition. Adding recorded video to your selling and marketing tactics will help you capture the attention of prospects, stand apart from competitors, and close more deals.
Retaining customers is just as important to a successful business as acquiring them. Adding recorded video to your customer support efforts will differentiate your company when communicating with customers, creating lucrative, long-lasting relationships.
It might sound like recording a video at work would be a ton of...well, work. From recording yourself, to uploading the video and finally sharing it by email or message app, sharing video messages sounds like too much trouble. This was certainly true in the past, but not today.
Video messaging platforms like Kommute were built specifically to remove all the friction in creating, sharing, and organizing recorded videos. Kommute enables you to send private video messages, share videos within an organization, or record and publish videos for public access. In most cases all you need is your laptop or phone and internet connection.
From our personal phones to our work computers, it has never been easier to communicate through video. Video messaging is revolutionizing how we communicate with our coworkers and customers. Now that you have learned how to use recorded video for better communication, relationships, and productivity, the next step is choosing a great video messaging platform.
Kommute is a video messaging platform that can support every use case shared in this guide, and many more. To learn more visit Kommute.com.
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