Information is shared in a variety of different ways with varying degrees of effectiveness.
Traditional methods can include long emails, written briefs or memos but are teams actually taking in the information you're cascading to them?
At Yapster, we believe the key to getting teams onside is through short (90s) interactive videos. In this way, your team can easily consume the information (watching the shift brief on the commute into work) and the content will be more memorable given the added personal aspect.
The streamlined briefings should revolve around one or two key messages delivered by a manager or senior leader increasing the likelihood of teams recalling and actioning new instructions. The personal element of a video rather than endless copy makes the news more real and you're more likely to see staff give discretionary effort to managers they feel they know and respect, instead of an anonymous list page passed around the staff room.
Think about uploading one weekly video to the newsfeed summarising progress so far and highlighting one key area to concentrate on going forward. This maintains momentum and encourages a "one team, one dream" mentality.
Here are some practical tips for adding video updates as part of your structured team communication:
be authentic!
If you've just got back to your car after visiting a local site, let your teams know that. You may be way out of your comfort zone in front of the camera (most of us are!) but your teams will appreciate you putting yourself out there in order to reach out to them.
don't overthink it!
You don't need a laborious script or multiple takes. Just concentrate on the things you want to share (no more than 3) and you're good to go.
don't be afraid to ask questions!
Although you're the one in front of the camera, this isn't just about you. This is a new way to get teams involved in the conversation. The best videos are those that encourage feedback and interaction with your viewers. This could be by requesting feedback in the comments section or even by launching a competition element. Building rapport will encourage users to tune in every week.
Last but not least: turn your phone to the side and film in landscape mode for the best in-app view of your video - have fun!
For Longer updates, take a look at our best practices for Large Video Uploads!