Training Videos for Employees: A Practical Guide to Making Training That Actually Works

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Let's be honest—most training videos for employees are a total drag. They’re a chore to watch and an even bigger headache to create. Too often, they become digital relics, gathering dust in some forgotten corner of the company intranet. New hires are left with confusing, outdated instructions, while HR and L&D teams are stuck in a never-ending cycle of re-recording.

This broken system leads to one thing: a constant stream of repetitive questions that kill everyone's productivity.

Why Most Corporate Training Videos Miss the Mark

We’ve all been there, haven't we? Forced to sit through a painfully long, monotone video explaining a process you’ll probably forget in five minutes. The fundamental flaw is that companies often treat training videos like a one-way lecture instead of a practical, problem-solving tool. The focus is just on dumping information, not actually helping an employee get something done right now.

This old-school approach is a huge drain on time and money. A single, professionally polished video can take weeks to script, record, and edit. And the kicker? By the time it’s finally launched, the software has already been updated or the policy has changed.

The Disconnect with How We Actually Work

Think about it. When we need to learn something outside of work, we head to YouTube or even TikTok for a quick, straight-to-the-point answer. We expect content to be short, searchable, and get us what we need in moments.

So, when an employee is faced with a mandatory, 30-minute training module they can't even skip, their eyes glaze over. It’s no surprise that engagement plummets after just the first few minutes.

This creates a few massive pain points for the business:

Nobody Remembers Anything: Employees retain as little as 10% of what they learn from passively watching a video. That means most of the time and money spent on that training just went down the drain.

A Black Hole for Resources: Your support teams spend countless hours producing content that becomes irrelevant almost immediately. It’s a frustrating cycle of creating, updating, and re-creating.

The "Quick Question" Epidemic: When training is hard to find or follow, what do people do? They tap a coworker on the shoulder or send a Slack message, pulling multiple people away from their work.

At the end of the day, these outdated methods fail because they completely ignore how people learn and work today. A static, one-size-fits-all video just doesn't cut it. A new hire might need a full, step-by-step walkthrough, while a ten-year veteran just needs a 30-second refresher on one specific feature. Forcing both of them to watch the same long video is just plain inefficient.

The goal isn't just to make better videos. It's to completely transform training from a dreaded task into a seamless, self-serve resource that finally stops the shoulder taps and empowers your team to find their own answers.

How to Plan Training Content Your Team Will Actually Use

Let's get practical. If you want to create something your team actually uses, you need to stop thinking about the camera and start thinking about the plan. A little bit of strategy upfront makes all the difference between a video that solves a problem and one that just collects digital dust.

The first, most crucial question you have to answer is: “What should my employee be able to do after watching this?” Notice the word do. The goal isn't for them to "understand the new software." It’s for them to "successfully submit their Q4 expense report using the new software." This simple shift from passive understanding to active capability is the foundation of any effective training.

Get to Know Your Audience

Once you know the what, you need to figure out the who. Are you making this for a brand-new hire who needs a full A-to-Z walkthrough of your entire system? Or is it for a seasoned pro who just needs a quick 30-second reminder on a rarely used feature? The one-size-fits-all video is a myth; it usually just means it doesn't really work for anyone.

Knowing your audience lets you cut out the fluff and get straight to their specific pain point. For example, a new employee might appreciate context on why they have to follow a certain process. An experienced user just wants to see the clicks and get back to work.

If your current training isn't hitting the mark, it's usually because it's outdated, confusing, or just plain boring. A good plan helps you avoid these pitfalls from the start.

Choose the Right Format for the Job

The format of your video has to match the task you're teaching. The good news is we've moved beyond long, monotonous screen shares. The training industry is embracing more flexible and engaging methods. In 2023, blended learning (a mix of online modules and live sessions) accounted for 32% of all training hours, while virtual classrooms and webcasting made up another 28%.

This shows a clear shift toward approaches that respect employees' time and learning styles. To get a deeper look at what’s working, this guide to training video creation is an excellent resource.

Deciding on the format early on is key. Here’s a quick rundown to help you choose the best tool for the task at hand.

Choosing the Right Training Video Format

Format Type	Best For	Pros	Cons
Traditional Screencast	Longer process overviews, conceptual walkthroughs, and guided software tours.	Simple to produce; great for providing context and the "why."	Can be passive; viewers might forget steps without practice.
Interactive Walkthrough	Teaching specific, multi-step tasks inside software (e.g., Guidejar).	High engagement and retention; learning by doing.	Requires specialized tools; less suitable for high-level concepts.
Talking-Head Video	Company announcements, leadership messages, and culture-focused content.	Builds personal connection; adds a human touch.	Can feel static if not done well; not ideal for technical tasks.

Ultimately, the format you pick will shape the entire production process. By matching the format to your learning goal and your audience's needs, you're setting yourself up to create a video that not only gets watched but gets remembered and applied.

Crafting a Script That Actually Helps

Trust me on this one: even if you're just recording a quick two-minute screencast, you need a script. I've seen it a hundred times—people try to "wing it" and end up rambling, forgetting crucial steps, or using confusing language. The result? A video that creates more support tickets than it solves.

Your script should sound like a helpful coworker leaning over your shoulder to show you something, not a robot reciting a user manual.

A great first step is to ruthlessly eliminate corporate jargon. Instead of something stiff like, “Next, we will leverage the CRM’s functionality to optimize our outreach,” just say what you mean: “Okay, here’s how you add a new contact to the sales pipeline.” Simple, direct language always wins. It makes your training videos for employees feel practical and immediately useful.

I’ve found that a simple "problem-solution-benefit" framework works wonders for just about any training script.

State the Problem: Kick things off by addressing a common frustration. For instance, "Tired of manually pulling sales data every single week for your reports?"

Show the Solution: This is where you walk them through the exact clicks. "Let me show you how to set up an automated report that lands in your inbox every Monday morning."

Highlight the Benefit: Wrap it up by reminding them what they've gained. "And just like that, you've saved yourself 15 minutes every week and the data is waiting for you."

Sketch it Out: Why a Storyboard Isn't Just for Hollywood

Before you even think about hitting that record button, take five minutes to storyboard your video. This doesn't have to be a work of art. Seriously, a few boxes sketched on a notepad or a simple digital whiteboard like Miro is all you need. A storyboard is just your visual game plan.

Think of each key action or screen in your tutorial as a "scene." For each one, sketch out what the viewer will see on the screen and jot down a few notes about your voiceover. For example: "Scene 1: Show the login screen. Voiceover: First, log in to Salesforce here." This is the perfect time to decide where you'll need to add an arrow pointing to a specific button or a text box with a handy shortcut.

This little bit of prep work is what separates the okay training videos from the truly effective ones. By scripting clear, actionable language and sketching a quick visual plan, you're setting yourself up to create a video that is tight, logical, and laser-focused on helping your team get the job done.

Recording and Editing Tips That Save You Hours

Let's get one thing straight: you don't need a Hollywood-level studio to create genuinely effective training videos for employees. Some of the most useful training I've ever seen was filmed with nothing more than a standard laptop webcam. The secret isn't spending a fortune on gear; it's nailing a few small details that deliver a massive impact.

Here’s a practical tip I've learned over the years: your audio is way more important than your video quality. Seriously. People are surprisingly forgiving of a slightly grainy picture, but they will absolutely abandon a video if they can't clearly hear what you're saying.

A simple USB microphone or even the mic on your earbuds can make a world of difference compared to your laptop’s built-in one. Just find a quiet room, do a quick test recording, and listen back. You'll be amazed at the improvement.

Set Your Screen for Success

Before you hit that record button, take 30 seconds to tidy up your digital workspace. This is one of those tiny habits that instantly makes your video look more polished and keeps your audience from getting distracted.

Close extra tabs: No one needs to see your Amazon cart or that personal email notification that just popped up. A clean browser keeps the spotlight where it belongs.

Pick a neutral background: A simple, non-distracting desktop wallpaper works best.

Zoom in a little: Make sure your cursor and the on-screen text are large enough for someone to follow along easily, even if they’re watching on a smaller screen.

Let Automation Do the Heavy Lifting

The biggest evolution in creating training content is the shift away from old-school, tedious video editing. Instead of recording one long take and then spending hours painstakingly slicing out every "um," every wrong click, and every awkward pause, modern tools can handle all of that for you.

Tools like Guidejar are built for this. They automatically capture your on-screen actions and clicks, then magically assemble them into a series of clean, individual steps. This approach is a massive time-saver because the "editing" is essentially happening while you record. You can just focus on doing the task correctly, without the pressure of a perfect, one-take performance.

This efficiency is crucial because video is an incredibly powerful way to help people learn. Research shows employees can retain 82% of information from e-learning videos, which helps explain why 70% of employees prefer online, self-paced courses.

The trick is to keep things short and to the point. Videos under three minutes see 75% engagement, making them absolutely perfect for quick process walkthroughs. If you want to dive deeper, you can explore more data on video's impact on employee training.

When you do need to make a few tweaks, keep it simple. Your goal is to produce clear, helpful content fast—not to win an Oscar. Just trim any dead air at the start or end and add a few highlights or annotations to point out key buttons or fields.

Making Your Training Videos Easy to Find and Use

You can create the most brilliant training video in the world, but it's completely useless if your team can’t find it the moment they need it. Honestly, making the content is only half the job. The other half is ensuring it’s organized and accessible, so answers are always just a click away.

This isn't just about being convenient; it’s a smart business move. The corporate eLearning market was valued at an eye-watering $163.5 billion in 2023, and a huge driver of that growth is the demand for on-demand, searchable training. In fact, a whopping 92% of employees feel more engaged when training is well-planned and easy to get to. If you want to dig into the numbers, you can get more insights into employee training statistics here.

Where Should Your Training Videos Live?

Picking the right home for your videos is a big decision because it dictates how your team will actually use them. There are a few common spots, and each has its own pros and cons.

Learning Management System (LMS): An LMS is your go-to for formal, structured learning paths. Think new hire onboarding or required compliance modules. They’re fantastic for tracking progress, but they can sometimes feel a bit stiff and separate from the day-to-day grind.

Company Intranet: Your intranet is familiar territory, which makes it seem like a natural place to stash videos. The catch? The search function is often clunky, and content can get lost or outdated fast if no one is actively managing it.

Dedicated Knowledge Base: This is where modern tools really come into their own. A dedicated knowledge base or help center (like the kind you can create with Guidejar) is purpose-built for search. It basically becomes an internal Google for your team, letting them find quick answers to specific "how-do-I-do-this" questions.

Put Knowledge Right Where Your Team Works

The best training videos for employees are the ones that show up exactly where the work is happening. Instead of making people log into a totally separate platform, you can embed guides directly into the apps they use every day or share them with a simple link.

Picture a new sales rep trying to get the hang of your CRM. Rather than having them watch a video and then awkwardly switch back and forth between screens, you can pop a short, interactive guide right onto their CRM dashboard. This is called contextual learning, and it's incredibly powerful. It delivers help at the precise moment of need, which helps the new process stick.

This simple shift turns training from a separate task into a seamless part of the job itself, giving your team the power of instant, on-demand support.

When to Use Interactive Guides Instead of Videos

Training videos are fantastic, but they have a blind spot, especially when you're trying to teach someone how to use software.

Think about it. You've got a new hire learning your CRM. They press play on the training video, watch a few clicks, and immediately have to pause. They switch over to the CRM app, try to mimic the steps from memory, get something wrong, and tab back to the video. Rewind, re-watch, repeat.

This constant back-and-forth isn't just annoying; it’s a productivity killer that completely drains the momentum from learning. The employee isn't really learning by doing—they're just trying to memorize clicks between two different windows. This is precisely where an interactive guide changes the game.

A diagram like this can show you the steps, but an interactive guide actually walks you through them, turning a passive viewing experience into an active learning one.

Identifying the Best Use Cases

The real difference comes down to watching versus doing. A video shows someone else performing the task. An interactive guide, on the other hand, prompts the employee to perform the actions themselves, step-by-step, right inside the actual software.

These guides really shine in a few key scenarios:

Complex Software Onboarding: Getting a new team member up to speed on your custom project management tool or sales platform.

Multi-Step SOPs: Walking an employee through the exact process for submitting an expense report or requesting PTO in your HR system.

Infrequent but Critical Tasks: Showing the sales team how to generate that specific quarterly report they only have to run a few times a year.

This hands-on approach has a direct impact on business results. You’ll find it leads to shorter training cycles, fewer errors, and much better long-term retention of the material. Knowledge just sticks better when it's applied in the moment. This idea of shifting from explaining to showing is a cornerstone of effective training, and you can see a breakdown of how to build your own at https://www.guidejar.com/blog/stop-explaining-start-showing-a-practical-guide-to-interactive-guides.

While videos and interactive guides cover a lot of ground, it’s also smart to keep an eye on what’s next. For more physical, hands-on jobs, technologies like augmented reality for training your workforce are creating incredibly immersive learning experiences. By picking the right tool for the job—whether it’s a video, an interactive guide, or AR—you make sure your training investment truly pays off.

Common Questions We Hear

Getting started with training videos often brings up a few common questions. Let's tackle some of the practical hurdles teams run into.

How Long Should a Training Video Be?

It's a classic question, and the answer is always: as short as you can possibly make it.

Think about it from your team's perspective. They need a quick answer to a specific problem. For a single task or process walkthrough, you should aim for under three minutes. Honestly, the sweet spot is often closer to 90 seconds. The data doesn't lie—engagement takes a nosedive after the 2-minute mark.

If you're tackling a big, complex topic, don't try to cram it all into one epic video. That's a recipe for glazed-over eyes. Instead, break it down into a playlist or series of bite-sized videos. For example, instead of one 20-minute video on "Using Our CRM," create five short videos: "Adding a New Contact," "Updating a Deal Stage," "Logging a Call," etc. This makes the information much easier to absorb and lets people jump straight to the specific part they need later on.

What Gear Do I Actually Need to Start?

You can get surprisingly far with just a few basics. Forget the professional studio setup for now. All you really need to create clear, effective training videos for employees is a decent USB microphone and some screen recording software.

The real game-changer isn't expensive hardware; it's smart software. Using a tool that automatically handles the most annoying parts of editing—like highlighting clicks or turning actions into documented steps—will save you a massive amount of time.

How Do I Know if My Videos Are Actually Helping?

Simple view counts are just a vanity metric. You need to look deeper to see if your videos are making a real impact. The most powerful metrics are the ones tied directly to your business goals.

Ask yourself questions like:

Are we getting fewer support tickets about the process we just explained?

Are new team members getting up to speed and completing onboarding tasks faster?

Is the team adopting that new feature we highlighted?

Direct feedback is also pure gold. A simple poll at the end of a video asking, "Was this helpful?" can give you immediate, actionable insights. If your video platform provides analytics, keep a close eye on completion rates. If most viewers are bailing halfway through, that’s a clear signal that your video is either too long or isn't getting to the point quickly enough.

Ready to stop telling people how to do things and start showing them? Guidejar makes it ridiculously easy to create interactive guides and step-by-step videos that your team will love. Skip the painful editing process and start shipping polished training content in minutes.

Create your first interactive guide for free at Guidejar