Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay
It may come as a surprise to learn that 2020 marks the 150th birthday of video conferencing. The concept had to wait until the 1930s before the word ‘video’ was invented, and the 1960s before ‘conferencing’ was added. Nor was it until the 1970s that the tech became widely known to the general public. Later creations such as the World Wide Web would push its potential as a medium even further.
However, despite having a long and colorful history, video conferencing is not old hat! From its initially-brilliant invention, it’s taken decades to truly find its place in the world. But with the need for businesses to stay in line with the times and ahead of competitors, video conferencing can now be utilized as an affordable communication tool in the modern era.
And the unforeseen global pandemic has highlighted its usefulness more than ever before.
What is video conferencing?
Video conferencing is a meeting between two or more people, without the need for them to meet face-to-face. These days, such meetings are conducted through the use of an internet connection. Any device can be used, so long as it has a built-in webcam facility, like PCs, laptops, tablets, and mobile phones.
Away from work, most of us use video conferencing as a means of keeping in touch. The likes of WhatsApp or Signal and companies like RingCentral are popular mediums for online video calls, which have replaced voice-to-voice as our preferred method of communication.
Video conferencing software can enable employers to reach thousands of their employees through a simple screen sharing tool and to interact within a single call.
Discover how video conferencing can benefit your business and its training processes via the guide below.
Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay
1. It increases employee understanding
Behind face-to-face staff training, effective training videos have been shown to increase employee understanding. It’s essential that your employees are empowered to do their jobs properly, and they need a sufficient level of understanding to do so.
Let’s say you are training a new employee on how to use ecommerce analytics tools remotely. The dashboard for an ecommerce tool can be confusing for newbies. Luckily, by utilizing a video conference platform it will be easier for both of you to communicate and present the step-by-step process needed to perform the job.
It’s much easier – and quicker – for employees to question and provide feedback during a video conferencing session. And video has been shown to not only engage audiences better than any other medium but to get the point across more effectively. Facial expressions and other non-verbal forms of communication have all been shown to aid comprehension of a given topic.
It’s no surprise that a number of salespeople are adopting video conferencing as their first-choice method since social distancing guidelines appeared. Remote selling is so much simpler when you can display your human side, as well as read your recipient’s body language.
This point is demonstrated by how we act in our daily lives. 66% of consumers prefer watching a product video to reading about it. We like things that make our lives easier. And video does this.
2. It’s cost-cutting
Video conferencing for staff training can actually be a cost-cutting exercise too. Many smaller businesses have been hit hard by the global pandemic, and adopting video conferencing software saves money in the long-run.
Bringing all your employees together in one place can be costly and time-consuming for both parties. But with the help of apps and collaboration tools online, you can have the best video conference for small businesses without spending much.
Consider the cost of a video software investment then compare it to that of the fuel, rail, airport, and hotel fees required to bring your workers into the same room. And think of the time your employees lose through travel.
3. It’s safe
The global COVID-19 pandemic has seen a necessary yet forced shift in how we manage our employees. The convenience of a massive office space with everyone working under the same roof now seems positively ‘old school’ amid the wearing of face masks and social distancing guidelines.
Prior to the pandemic and the rise of home working, most of us remember the non-delights of winter colds being shared around our offices. And the constant battles between employees for control of the thermostat.
With no current end in sight for things to return to ‘business as normal’, we need to consider the future. This pandemic has inspired a need for business owners to think differently and utilize remote work tools. Without our workforce, we have no business, and without our health, we have no economy.
Moving forwards, employee safety needs to be a greater priority than ever before, and video conferencing has a massive role to play. Virtual learning methods have already been taken up by schools and universities as a way of maintaining education outside of the classroom. Such tactics can help companies maintain a ‘business as normal’ stance even in the middle of a pandemic.
If safety of a different kind concerns you – non-invited people logging into your system and watching your training sessions – then don’t fear. Secure video conferencing software is available to ensure your meetings remain confidential at all times.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
4. It’s flexible
We all want the best talent for our business. The digital revolution has empowered us all, and the days of suits, ties, and 9-5 are distinctly out of date. From offering flexible working hours to the wearing of jeans and T-shirts in the office, most workplaces are moving towards promoting an environment where employees can truly be themselves.
Adopting a corporate culture that empowers employees is a must these days. Offering flexibility is a necessary piece of this jigsaw. A video conferencing training session can not only be viewed from home on a laptop, but it can be watched via tablet or mobile phone from anywhere in the world. Additionally, learning how to set up a video conference call is also effortless and doesn’t require any special skills.
To get the best talent on your team and keep them happy, think of the process as being no different from an e-commerce customer journey. Flexibility is an important upside when reaching out to new employees.
The old corporate culture is now a thing of the past in most fields, and your training program needs to change in line with this.
5. It fosters team spirit
A great team spirit is a must for any successful business. Happy employees have been shown to be 12% more productive, and close friendships in the workplace can boost employee satisfaction by as much as 50%. Even if we’ve been working remotely throughout recent months, we can all remember the positive effects that a shared coffee or lunch with a colleague can have on our working day.
So where does this fit in with video conferencing? Well, it’s a bridge towards friendships and the forming of team culture. It’s much easier to form working relationships with people if you’re able to ‘meet’ face-to-face. And positive relationships can harbor a better team spirit.
Businesses are constantly adjusting, pandemic or not. Part of that is continuously improving business processes and looking for ways to innovate. Cultivating a strong team culture should be among those things. Employers have long realized the joint benefits of bringing their staff together, through social functions, team-building exercises, or simply situations where fun can be had.
A downside to remote working is that it can be lonely and leads to a detachment from the ‘common purpose’ feeling that comes from a shared workspace. Video conferencing is a great way to bridge that gap.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
6. It’s green
Green initiatives have been creeping into the workplace for several years now. It’s rare to see an office without paper and plastic recycling facilities. But there’s much more we can do to reduce our overall carbon footprint.
Video conferencing your staff training not only reduces carbon emissions through travel but also minimizes paper and electricity use. From a green perspective, you’re doing more for the environment and ergo the future of your business. And your company earns extra points for being attractive to customers and employees.
With millennials now being the largest generation in the workforce, sustainability is one of the top issues they care about. It could make all the difference between a desired recruit accepting your job offer or going over to work with one of your rivals.
Of course, greener workspace initiatives make for healthier employees as well, and in the current climate, the health of our workforce needs to remain a number one priority for us all.
The takeaway
Employers need to continually change to keep up with a modern world that never stands still. With the abundance of tools for businesses, we can seamlessly attract and keep our customers happy. But in the current climate, the same degree of attention needs to be given to our workforce.
If eLearning is the future, then using video conferencing is a solution that benefits both employers and employees. And as the past twelve months have shown us, it’ll also help your business deal with whatever the outside world throws your way.
