Hannah Vorlicek 
Employee engagement – it’s a bit of a buzz phrase, we know. But it’s so, so important. Engaged employees mean greater profitability for your business. And on top of that? Showing your employees you genuinely care and value them can increase employee retention rates. So, the low down is this. Show genuine appreciation, and you’ll see your employees sticking around for longer to impact your business.
The year we have been through has not been easy – maybe your team has been remote, and their working rhythms disrupted during the pandemic. You have had to shift and ‘pivot’ the way you run your business. Or as the HR manager you have had to manage this new way of working. This required flexibility and adaptibility from your employees.
Whatever the reason may be, we want to encourage you to consider a few ways you can increase employee engagement as we approach the holiday season. And we encourage to use the most engaging kind of content around – video.
Now is the time to let your employees know, if you haven’t already, why you appreciate their hard work through one of the hardest years they’ve faced.
#1: A straight to camera piece.
This kind of video is exactly what it sounds like – you sit down (or stand, whatever you prefer) and communicate with your team straight to the camera. This kind of message comes across more friendly and personal than a company-wide email, and allows you to express yourself in a genuine way.
#2: Employee highlight compilations.
Assemble a cast of employees that are your shining star team members – the ones who have exemplified your values all throughout this year. Interview them about their experience of 2021, what was a challenge and what were some of the highlights. These interviews get edited together to create a compilation that showcases the ‘behind the scenes’ look at 2021 for your team. These are useful for you to use internally to share stories with your team. Or, you can use them externally to grow brand awareness and affinity. They are both great ways to showcase your employees’ dedication and hard work on a more visible level.
#3: Animated story-telling.
This option is for the camera shy people – we see you! Video does not have to have ‘real life people’ in it – instead, using animation can sometimes be preferable! Here, making an animated video that personifies your brand through an animated character, or creating a motion graphic animated video that uses text and animation to convey your message to your employees. By animating something you’re immediately simplifying it. This makes it far easier for the viewer – in this case, your employee – to digest, which means they’re far more likely to engage.
To wrap up
To reiterate we said at the start; communicate why you value your team with genuine care, and you’ll see those employees sticking around for longer to positively impact your business. Use video, and you’ll be making sure your message is using the most effective method possible.
Interested in finding out more about what makes an engaged employee? Check out this article for a great infographic breakdown. If you are looking for a partner in creating your end-of-year employee appreciation video, we would love to hear from you, and work with you to engage your employees.
