How Will AI Change the Future of Television?
Artificial intelligence is changing what is possible in film and television production. AI can now…
Employee training can be time-consuming, particularly when the same information needs to be explained repeatedly to different members of staff.
Training videos offer a way to make important information available whenever employees need it. Instead of relying entirely on face-to-face sessions or asking managers to repeat the same instructions, a well-planned video can provide a consistent explanation that employees can watch when it suits them.
This is particularly useful when businesses need to train people across different locations or regularly onboard new employees.
LinkedIn’s 2025 Workplace Learning Report found that 91% of UK learning and development professionals surveyed believe continuous learning is more important than ever for career success.
So, if you are thinking about creating training videos for your organisation, what can you do to make sure people actually watch them and learn from them?
There are several different ways you can approach employee training videos, depending on what you are trying to teach.
Presenter-led training videos involve someone explaining the subject directly to camera. This can work particularly well when you need to explain a process, introduce a new policy or provide general guidance.
Screen recording videos are useful when employees need to learn how to use software or complete a particular task on a computer. The viewer can see exactly what they need to click while listening to an explanation.
Demonstration videos can show employees how to carry out a physical process. These might be particularly useful for equipment, manufacturing processes, health and safety procedures or practical tasks.
You can also combine different approaches. For example, a training video could begin with a presenter explaining why a process is important before cutting to a demonstration showing exactly how it should be carried out.
Once you have decided what type of video you need, there are several things you can do to make the finished content more useful and engaging.
The first step is understanding who will be watching the video.
A training video for experienced employees will probably need a different approach from one designed for someone who has just joined the company.
Think about what your audience already knows, what they need to learn and where they are likely to watch the video.
You should also consider the language you use. Avoid unnecessary jargon and explain technical terms if your audience may not be familiar with them.
The more closely the video matches the needs of the people watching it, the more useful it is likely to be.
Before you start writing a script, decide exactly what you want the employee to understand or be able to do after watching the video.
It might be something very simple.
For example:
“By the end of this video, employees will know how to submit an expenses claim.”
That objective gives you something to work towards.
It also helps you avoid filling the video with information that is interesting but not particularly useful to the person watching.
If there are several different things employees need to learn, consider splitting them into separate videos rather than creating one enormous training film.
Training videos do not need to contain every piece of information you know about a subject.
In fact, trying to cover too much in one video can make it harder for people to understand and remember the important points.
Think about breaking larger subjects into smaller sections.
Instead of creating one 45-minute video covering an entire software system, you could create separate videos covering logging in, creating a project, adding users and generating reports.
This also makes the content easier to revisit later.
An employee who only needs to know how to generate a report can go directly to the relevant video rather than searching through an hour-long recording.
Even if the person presenting the training is very knowledgeable, it is worth planning what they are going to say.
A full word-for-word script is not always necessary. In some cases, a simple outline containing the key points will result in a more natural presentation.
The important thing is to know what needs to be covered before filming begins.
Your video production brief template can be useful for establishing the purpose, audience and key messages before you start developing the content.
A basic structure might be:
Introduction: What are we learning?
Main section: How does it work?
Demonstration: What does the employee need to do?
Recap: What are the key points?
Next step: What should the employee do now?
That simple structure can make a training video much easier to follow.
One of the biggest advantages of video is that you can demonstrate something visually.
If you are explaining how to operate a piece of equipment, show the equipment.
If you are teaching someone how to use software, show the screen.
If you are explaining a workplace procedure, demonstrate the procedure.
It sounds obvious, but it is easy for training videos to become a person talking to a camera for ten minutes.
The visual element is what makes video particularly useful for practical training, so make sure you take advantage of it.
Not everyone will watch a training video in exactly the same way.
Some employees may be watching on a laptop with sound. Others may be viewing it on a phone, or returning to a particular section while working.
Captions can make content easier to follow and improve accessibility, while graphics, diagrams, screen recordings and on-screen text can help reinforce important information.
You do not need to add graphics to every second of the video. Use them where they genuinely help explain something.
One of the biggest advantages of video-based training is that employees can return to the content when they need it.
That means your videos should be easy to find and easy to navigate.
Consider giving each video a clear title and organising them into sensible categories.
You might have sections for:
This turns your collection of training videos into a useful internal resource rather than simply a collection of old recordings.
Training videos can remain useful for a long time, but only if the information in them remains accurate.
If your software changes, your procedures are updated or company policies are revised, remember to review the relevant videos.
This is another reason why shorter, focused training videos can be useful.
Replacing a five-minute video about one specific process is considerably easier than having to remake a two-hour training course because one section has become outdated.
A good training video does not need to be complicated.
The most important thing is that it helps the person watching understand what they need to know and, where appropriate, shows them how to put that knowledge into practice.
Know your audience, establish a clear learning objective and keep the content focused. Use demonstrations, screen recordings, graphics and captions where they add value, and make sure employees can easily return to the content when they need it.
The best training videos are not necessarily the longest or most elaborate. They are the ones that make learning something easier.
For more practical advice on preparing for a video shoot, take a look at our video shoot checklist.
For businesses developing a wider training programme, LinkedIn’s 2025 Workplace Learning Report is also worth reading for current research into workplace learning and development in the UK.
