Hiring & People
01-06-2026
(Updated 01-06-2026)
7 min
Summarize with
Training budgets are tight, schedules are packed, and employees forget most of what they learn in traditional sessions within a week. Video changes that equation—delivering consistent, engaging instruction that people actually retain.
This guide covers everything from the types of training videos that work best to practical steps for creating them, plus the tools and metrics that help you measure real impact.
Key highlights
Employee training videos are pre-recorded or live video content designed to teach employees skills, processes, policies, or company knowledge. They replace or supplement traditional in-person training sessions, making it possible to deliver consistent instruction across teams, locations, and time zones.
The format varies widely. Some companies use simple screen recordings, while others invest in professional productions with animations and professional voiceovers. What matters most is that the content is clear, relevant, and accessible when employees need it.
Here are the most common types of training videos you'll encounter:
Video combines visual and audio learning, which helps employees remember information longer than text-based training alone. Research shows that 83% of people prefer watching videos over reading text or listening to audio when learning new information. There's also a practical advantage: viewers can pause, rewind, and rewatch sections they didn't fully grasp the first time. That flexibility means employees learn at their own pace without holding up a group or asking an instructor to repeat themselves.
One video can train hundreds of employees without scheduling conflicts, travel costs, or time zone headaches. For organizations with distributed teams, this changes everything. Instead of flying trainers to every office or coordinating live sessions across continents, you record once and share everywhere.
Investing in onboarding and continuous training can significantly reduce turnover during the most vulnerable first months. Employees who receive proper training are far more likely to stay. New hires with adequate training are 62% more likely to remain with their employer.
In-person training comes with recurring costs: trainer fees, venue rentals, travel expenses, printed materials. Video training flips that equation. You invest upfront in creating the content, then reuse it indefinitely. Over time, the cost per employee trained drops dramatically.
Every employee receives the same information, delivered the same way. There's no variation based on which trainer led the session or how rushed the schedule was that day. This consistency matters especially for compliance topics, where a missed detail could create legal exposure.
Microlearning refers to short, focused content—typically under five minutes—that addresses a single learning objective. Video is ideal for this approach because employees can access exactly what they need, right when they need it. Instead of sitting through an hour-long session to find one answer, someone can search for a specific video and get back to work in minutes.
Onboarding videos are often the first videos a new hire sees. They introduce company values, explain organizational structure, and set expectations for the employee's first weeks. A strong onboarding video makes new team members feel welcomed and informed before they even meet their colleagues.
Video example: Google – “An Intern’s First Week”
Why it works: Google uses real employees and authentic moments to bring company culture to life. Short, genuine, and scalable. Every new hire gets the same strong first impression.
Compliance videos cover legally required topics: workplace safety, anti-harassment policies, data privacy regulations, and industry-specific requirements. They're often mandatory and tracked for completion. The challenge with compliance content is keeping it engaging enough that employees actually pay attention. Scenario-based videos, where employees see realistic situations play out, tend to work better than dry policy recitations.
Video example: TotalEnergies - "TEPUK Westhill Office Safety Induction"
Step-by-step instructions for completing tasks, using equipment, or following processes. Screen recordings work especially well for software tutorials, where viewers can see exactly what to click and when. A well-made tutorial can reduce support tickets and free up managers from answering the same questions repeatedly.
Video example: PlayPlay - Product Tour
Why it works: Shows the platform in action. Teams and users see exactly how to create professional videos without editing skills. It's quick and visual, proof that anyone can make polished content.
When your team uses internal tools or customer-facing products, video training helps everyone get up to speed faster. IT training videos, for example, can walk employees through security protocols or new software rollouts. The key is breaking complex systems into digestible segments rather than one marathon video covering every feature.
Not all training is technical. Videos addressing interpersonal skills (active listening, giving feedback, conflict resolution, customer service) help employees grow professionally. Watching a well-handled difficult conversation is more instructive than reading about it.
Video example: Harvard Business Review - "How to Receive Feedback Like an Olympic Athlete"
Why it works: Instead of the usual "how to give feedback" angle, this flips the script and focuses on receiving it. Employees learn to pause, manage their emotional response, and extract actionable insights from trusted sources. The result? Practical techniques they can use immediately to receive feedback calmly and turn it into real improvement.
Preparing managers and emerging leaders requires content on delegation, coaching, performance reviews, and team building. Video makes it possible to deliver this training consistently across leadership levels and locations.
Short videos, typically under five minutes, focused on a single learning objective. They're ideal for reinforcement, quick reference, or fitting training into packed schedules. Microlearning works particularly well for ongoing skill development, where employees build knowledge incrementally.
Video example: LinkedIn Learning - "Cybersecurity training"
Why it works: Breaks down cybersecurity into bite-sized chunks. One framework, one objective, zero fluff. Employees get exactly what they need in minutes, not hours. Perfect for busy teams who need to learn fast and move on.
Animation simplifies complex concepts, processes, or abstract ideas. When live footage isn't practical or when you're explaining something that can't be filmed, animation fills the gap. Animated videos also age better than live-action content featuring specific employees or office spaces that may change.
Video example: Slack - "Search in Slack"
Why it works: This 100% animated video effectively uses visuals to make search feel simple, not intimidating, while maintaining long-term relevance regardless of product updates or UI changes.
Start every training video with a specific goal: what will employees know or be able to do after watching?
This focus keeps content tight and prevents scope creep. A video trying to cover too much ends up covering nothing well. One clear objective per video is usually the right approach.
Attention spans are limited, especially when employees are squeezing training into busy workdays. Break long topics into shorter segments, ideally under ten minutes each. If a subject genuinely requires more time, create a series rather than one marathon video.
Demonstrations, screen recordings, and real-world examples are more effective than talking heads reading from scripts.
Captions make videos accessible to employees with hearing impairments and those watching without sound, which is more common than you might think, especially on mobile devices. Text overlays can also reinforce key points, helping viewers remember critical information.
Quizzes, clickable chapters, and branching scenarios keep viewers engaged and check comprehension along the way. Even simple knowledge checks after each section can significantly improve retention compared to straight-through viewing.
Consistent colors, fonts, logos, and tone across all training videos build trust and professionalism. Employees recognize the content as official and authoritative.
Platforms like PlayPlay offer brand kits that lock in visual identity, so anyone creating videos stays on-brand without design expertise.
| Tool Type | Best For | Skill Level Required |
|---|---|---|
| All-in-one video platforms | Teams creating multiple video types at scale | Beginner |
| Standalone screen recorders | Quick software demos and walkthroughs | Beginner |
Platforms like PlayPlay combine everything you need in one place: templates, drag-and-drop editing, screen recording, AI avatars, and brand controls. You can create polished onboarding videos, record software tutorials, generate presenter-style content with AI avatars, and add subtitles, all without switching tools or hiring editors.
These platforms work especially well for HR and L&D teams producing different types of training content regularly.
If your primary need is capturing software workflows or system demonstrations, dedicated screen recording tools offer simplicity. They focus on one thing: recording your screen and webcam clearly.
Tools like Loom are straightforward: hit record, walk through the process, stop. The trade-off is limited editing capabilities compared to full video platforms.
Track how many employees finish each video and where drop-offs occur. Key indicators to monitor:
Low completion rates often signal content that's too long or not relevant enough to hold attention.
Post-video quizzes measure whether employees actually understood the material. What to track:
If quiz scores are low despite high completion rates, the content may not be communicating effectively.
Quantitative metrics tell part of the story. Qualitative feedback reveals whether employees found the training relevant, clear, and useful for their actual work. Ask specific questions:
The ultimate measure of training effectiveness is business impact. Look for connections between training and real outcomes:
AI helps teams create videos faster through automated scripts, voiceovers, translations, and even avatar presenters. For organizations producing training content at scale, these tools dramatically reduce production time.
Human review remains essential. AI can speed up creation, but accuracy and tone still require human judgment.
Video platforms increasingly serve different content based on role, department, or skill level. A new sales hire sees different training than a senior engineer, even within the same onboarding program. Personalization improves relevance and reduces time spent on content that doesn't apply.
The trend toward peer-to-peer training videos is growing. Employees with specific expertise record short videos sharing their knowledge, creating organic libraries of institutional wisdom.
PlayPlay makes it simple for any team to produce professional training videos without video editing experience. Use drag-and-drop templates designed specifically for onboarding, tutorials, product, and soft skills training. Record your screen to capture software walkthroughs, add AI avatars for presenter-style content, and automatically generate subtitles in multiple languages—all within one platform.
The advanced branding features ensure every video stays on-brand, no matter who's creating content. Your team gets consistent, professional results every time. And because PlayPlay is built for collaboration, multiple team members can contribute, review, and refine training content together.
Ready to transform how your organization trains employees? Start your free trial today and create your first training video in minutes.
How long should an employee training video be?
Most effective training videos run between two and ten minutes. Shorter videos work best for single topics or quick reference, while complex subjects benefit from a series of short segments rather than one lengthy video.
Can teams create training videos without video editing skills?
Yes. Modern video creation platforms offer drag-and-drop editors, templates, and AI-assisted features that let anyone produce professional videos without technical experience.
How often should companies update their training videos?
Update training videos whenever policies, processes, products, or branding change. Beyond reactive updates, review all videos at least annually to ensure accuracy and relevance.
What is the difference between training videos and eLearning courses?
Training videos are standalone video content focused on specific topics. eLearning courses typically combine videos with text, quizzes, interactive modules, and structured curricula. Many organizations use training videos as components within broader eLearning programs.
Mastering Employee Training Videos: A Step-by-Step Guide
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