Using Video to Humanize the Digital Onboarding Process

Beyond the Handshake: Bringing Human Touch to Digital Onboarding

Picture this: a new hire’s first day is entirely online, forms to fill, modules to click through, and a welcome email from HR. While efficient, such a digital onboarding experience can feel sterile and isolating. First impressions matter, and onboarding sets the tone for an employee’s journey. In fact, companies with strong onboarding programs have significantly higher new-hire retention (up to 82% improvement in retention) and productivity. Yet many organizations fall short, only about 12% of employees rate their onboarding as excellent, leaving a huge opportunity to improve this crucial process. The key is humanizing onboarding so that even in a digital or remote setting, new team members feel personally welcomed, supported, and connected.

One powerful way to inject a human touch into digital onboarding is through video. Onboarding videos offer a human touch, helping new hires connect with the company’s culture, values, and the people they’ll work with. Video can convey warmth, personality, and authenticity in ways that text on a screen cannot. It’s no surprise that 72% of employees say video-based training improves their onboarding, yet only 23% of organizations use video in their hiring and onboarding process. In other words, most companies aren’t fully leveraging a tool that employees actually want. With a thoughtful approach, video can bridge the gap between efficiency and empathy, streamlining onboarding while making it far more personal and engaging.

In this article, we’ll explore why human connection is so important in onboarding and how video can transform the experience. We’ll also cover the benefits of video-based onboarding and provide best practices (in a step-by-step guide) for implementing video effectively. Let’s dive in.

Onboarding is more than paperwork, it’s the process of integrating a person into a new professional family. For organizations looking to optimize this process, see our approach to Employee Onboarding for strategies that combine efficiency with a human touch. A warm, human-centric onboarding experience makes new employees feel welcome and valued from day one. This has tangible impacts on the business. Research shows employees who go through exceptional onboarding are 2.6 times more likely to be satisfied in their jobs long-term. They ramp up faster and stick around longer, boosting retention and performance. Conversely, a poor or impersonal onboarding can leave newcomers disengaged, and twice as likely to seek a new job shortly after starting.

Why does the human element matter so much? At its core, starting a new job is a human transition. New hires are anxious to belong, to build relationships, and to understand the culture. Personal touches during onboarding directly address these needs. For example, assigning an onboarding “buddy” or mentor has been shown to increase new-hire satisfaction by 23%. Similarly, face time with managers and team members early on helps newcomers feel connected. In one survey, 72% of employees said one-on-one time with their direct manager is crucial for good onboarding. These interactions build trust and signal to the new hire: you are not just an ID in the system, you’re a valued member of the team.

Humanizing onboarding is especially vital for remote and hybrid workplaces. Without the casual hallway greetings or office tour, a new remote hire can feel invisible. A human-centric approach, welcoming videos, virtual meet-and-greets, mentors, regular check-ins, ensures that even if onboarding is largely digital, it doesn’t lose the personal touch. By prioritizing people and culture alongside processes, organizations set the stage for engaged, motivated employees from day one.

While digital onboarding platforms and automated workflows have made onboarding more efficient, they come with pitfalls. A purely digital onboarding (think self-service portals, e-signatures, lengthy PDF guides) can easily become impersonal and overwhelming. New hires might complete all the required online forms, yet still feel unsure how they fit into the team or whom to turn to for help. In fact, a recent survey found that among employees who onboarded remotely, 63% felt their training was inadequate, 60% felt disoriented, and over a third found the process confusing. This indicates that many digital onboarding experiences are failing to orient and comfort new team members.

Several pain points are common in digital-only onboarding:

• Information Overload: It’s easy to inundate new hires with a barrage of documents, slide decks, and tool logins. A staggering 81% of new hires report feeling overwhelmed by the amount of information and apps thrown at them during onboarding. Without human guidance to prioritize what’s important, critical info can get lost in the shuffle.
  
• Lack of Personal Connection: No matter how slick the software, software alone can’t convey a company’s personality. New hires might miss out on the “feel” of the culture, the faces, voices, and stories that make the organization unique. They also have fewer organic opportunities to introduce themselves and form relationships. This can leave them feeling like an outsider looking in.
  
• Inconsistency in Message: When different managers or departments onboard people in siloed ways, the messaging can be inconsistent. Some new employees might get a thorough welcome, while others get just the bare minimum, leading to unequal experiences. Important topics (company values, security policies, etc.) might be covered differently or not at all, depending on who is delivering the information. Digital onboarding content that is purely text-based is also prone to being skimmed or misunderstood.
  
• Delayed Feedback and Support: If onboarding is largely asynchronous (e.g. “read these materials and complete these e-learnings”), a new hire may not get immediate answers to their questions. Oak Engage reports that 40% of new hires experience slow responses to their questions during onboarding, leading to frustration and disengagement. Lacking real-time support, a newbie might feel stuck or anxious when issues arise.
  

All these challenges can add up to a poor experience. The new hire may technically “complete” the onboarding checklist yet finish their first week without feeling truly welcomed or prepared. The good news is that we can counter these issues by deliberately injecting human elements into the digital onboarding process. One of the most effective ways to do this is through video.

Imagine instead that our new hire, even in a remote setting, is greeted on Day One with a short welcome video message from the CEO or their team lead, who smiles, introduces themselves, and expresses genuine excitement to have the person on board. That simple video immediately puts a face to the company leadership and conveys warmth in a way a text email cannot. Videos can convey tone, enthusiasm, and personality, helping new hires feel the human side of the organization from the get-go.

Video has a unique ability to humanize communication. It lets new employees see and hear their colleagues, making interactions more personal. For example, a recorded video tour of the office (or a virtual team intro where each team member says hello on camera) can simulate the feeling of walking around shaking hands, even if done virtually. “Onboarding videos offer a human touch, enabling new hires to connect with the company culture, values, and team dynamics,” as one video marketing firm describes. Through imagery and storytelling, videos can bring a company’s mission and values to life, showing real employees living those values, rather than just telling through an employee handbook.

Crucially, videos also help bridge geographical distances. In a dispersed workforce, a welcome video from a colleague on the other side of the world still feels like a personal greeting. One common practice is to include a series of personalized welcome videos from leadership and the new hire’s team. These might be pre-recorded shout-outs or introductions prepared for each onboarding cohort. New hires have commented that seeing their manager or CEO speak directly to them (even via a generic video) makes them feel valued and more connected. It shows that the company cares enough to have real people talking to them, not just sending automated tasks.

Video can also inject emotion and storytelling into onboarding. Instead of reading about company history, a new hire could watch a short documentary-style video of the founders explaining why they started the company, or customers sharing testimonials. Such content resonates on a human level, building pride and emotional connection to the organization’s purpose. Likewise, training or policy information delivered by video can include personal anecdotes or scenarios that make it more relatable.

Live video sessions (videoconferencing) are another aspect, scheduling early video calls for introductions or Q&As ensures new hires get face-to-face (albeit virtual) interaction. Seeing everyone’s faces in a live virtual orientation or team meet-and-greet helps combat the loneliness of remote onboarding. It gives space for personalities to shine and for new folks to speak up and be seen.

The impact of using video to humanize onboarding is often very positive. For instance, one company introduced a series of bite-sized, personalized video messages for each new hire (using AI-generated video presenters to scale the process). The result was remarkable, their new hires gave the onboarding experience a Net Promoter Score of 100, indicating extremely high satisfaction. One reason behind such success is that the videos made each person feel like the company was talking to them, not at them. Video turned a formerly dull process into an engaging, human experience.

In short, video brings voices, faces, and stories into the onboarding process, making it feel less like a checklist and more like a welcome celebration. Next, let’s look at the concrete benefits organizations can gain by leveraging video in onboarding.

Incorporating video isn’t just a gimmick, it provides real advantages for both employers and new employees. Here are some of the key benefits of using video to enhance onboarding:

• Consistent, Standardized Messaging: Video allows you to deliver the same core onboarding content to every new hire in a uniform way. This ensures consistency across departments and locations. Important information about company policies, values, and expectations is communicated accurately and uniformly to all. No matter who is doing the onboarding, a well-made video can guarantee everyone hears the same message, reducing the risk of something being missed or misexplained.
  
• Greater Engagement & Retention of Knowledge: Let’s face it, watching a well-crafted video is often more engaging than reading a dense manual. Video combines visuals, audio, and storytelling, which helps capture attention and improve memory. Employees are generally more receptive to video; surveys found 73% of employees would rather watch a short video than read through an email or document, and 83% want more video content to improve their experience. By making onboarding content more interesting and interactive (for example, with graphics or scenario-based videos), companies can help new hires retain information better. This is especially useful for training on complex topics, where a video demo or animation can simplify learning.
  
• Flexibility for Learners (On-Demand Access): Onboarding videos can be made available on-demand, meaning new hires can watch (and re-watch) them at their own pace. If someone didn’t catch everything the first time, they can replay the video later, a luxury not possible with a one-time live presentation. This flexibility is great for remote teams across time zones and accommodates different learning speeds. New hires can also refer back to recorded tutorials or introductions whenever they need a refresher, effectively creating an ongoing resource library for them.
  
• Personal Connection at Scale: One of the magical benefits of video is the ability to scale personal messages. A CEO can’t meet every new employee in person, but a recorded personal welcome from the CEO can reach every single one and still feel intimate. Likewise, a sales team in one city can record a fun welcome for a new sales rep in another city, helping them feel part of the gang. These touches go a long way in making employees feel valued. Video helps “make a digital experience a human one” by showcasing real people and personalities, even as your workforce grows.
  
• Cost and Time Savings: While creating quality videos requires upfront effort, they can save time and money in the long run. Training that might normally require scheduling instructors or flying facilitators around can be delivered via video to many hires at once. Companies with geographically dispersed staff especially benefit, for example, instead of flying new hires to headquarters for orientation, they can get much of the information via video. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) estimates the average training cost per new hire is about $4,100, much of which can be trimmed by using video and virtual delivery. One company reported cutting their onboarding time in half (a 50% time savings) by moving much of their training to video content. Additionally, videos can be reused for multiple onboarding groups, maximizing the return on the investment to produce them.
  
• Scalability and Global Reach: Video-based onboarding scales effortlessly as you grow. Whether you onboard 5 people or 50 at a time, a video platform can handle it. This is far easier than trying to schedule enough live trainers or managers to personally onboard everyone during rapid hiring phases. Also, videos can be easily localized, you can add subtitles or translate voiceovers into multiple languages for a global workforce. This way, everyone gets the same welcoming message and training in a language they understand, reinforcing inclusion.
  
• Demonstrating and Simplifying Complex Topics: Some things are just much clearer when shown, not told. Need to train new hires on how to use a software tool or follow a safety procedure? A screen-capture video or a filmed demonstration can walk them through step-by-step, visually. This simplifies complex subjects by using visual aids and real examples. New employees grasp intricate concepts more easily with a visual walkthrough compared to reading a lengthy procedure document. It’s the difference between watching a how-to video vs. reading a manual, the video is often more intuitive.
  
• Improved Compliance and Analytics: Delivering certain mandatory trainings (like security awareness, compliance policies) via video helps ensure 100% compliance in a trackable way. Modern video platforms can track whether an employee watched the full video, and even embed quizzes to verify understanding. This provides an audit trail for HR and compliance officers (a perk a Chief Information Security Officer would appreciate). It also gives data, you can see which parts of a video people rewind or where quiz scores dip, highlighting areas to improve. In short, video can enhance the quality control of onboarding content and provide metrics on engagement.
  

By leveraging these benefits, organizations can make onboarding not only more enjoyable and engaging for their new hires, but also more effective and efficient for themselves. It transforms onboarding from a routine formality into a strategic opportunity to impress, inspire, and inform new team members.

Of course, simply throwing a bunch of videos at new hires isn’t a panacea. It’s important to do it thoughtfully. In the next section, we outline best practices and a step-by-step approach to effectively implement video in your onboarding program.

Implementing video in your onboarding process requires planning and a human-centric mindset. Here’s a step-by-step guide with best practices to ensure your videos truly enhance the onboarding experience:

1. Assess Your Current Onboarding Process: Start by mapping out what your existing onboarding looks like. Which parts feel impersonal or confusing for new hires? Identify the points where new employees typically feel lost or disengaged, these are opportunities to introduce video. For example, if new hires often struggle with a certain software setup, a short how-to video could help. By pinpointing the gaps, you can target video content to the areas of greatest impact.
   
2. Identify Where to Use Video for Human Touch: Not everything in onboarding needs a video, focus on the moments that benefit from face-to-face connection or visual explanation. Common places to use video include:
   
   • Welcome/Introduction: A greeting from the CEO or team, a “meet your team” montage, or a message from a peer buddy.
     
   • Company Culture & Values: A storytelling video about the company’s mission, culture, or history to bring these concepts to life.
     
   • Administrative How-Tos: Walkthrough videos for tools (IT systems, HR portals) or processes (how to submit expenses, security protocols).
     
   • Training Modules: Instead of lengthy reading, use video lessons for compliance, safety, or role-specific training.
     
   • Virtual Office Tour: If remote, a video tour of the office or a day-in-the-life video can help a newcomer visualize the workplace.
     In deciding this, always ask: Will a video make this aspect more personal, clearer, or engaging? If yes, it’s a good candidate.
     
3. Plan and Create Engaging Content: For each video, plan the key message and how you will present it. Keep the videos concise, generally a few minutes each is ideal, as attention drops on very long videos. Use an informal, warm tone where appropriate to avoid coming off as too stiff or corporate. Where possible, feature real people (managers, team members, recent hires) speaking naturally, as this authenticity resonates with viewers. Ensure any instructional videos are well-structured: for example, break complex processes into step-by-step visuals or incorporate animations to highlight important points. You don’t need Hollywood production values, but do invest in clear audio and decent lighting so that speakers are easily heard and seen. If resources allow, consider adding subtitles or captions, this not only aids non-native speakers and those with hearing difficulties, but also enables watching without sound.
   
4. Personalize the Experience: A video is most powerful when the viewer feels it speaks to them. Small touches can personalize videos at scale. For instance, use dynamic fields in an onboarding platform to display the new hire’s name or role on screen, or have the presenter address “new engineers” versus “new sales associates” in their respective training tracks. You might maintain a library of role-specific or location-specific videos (e.g., a welcome from the head of the London office for UK hires, a different one from the APAC leader for Singapore hires). If creating individual personalized videos is feasible (some companies use tools to generate personalized welcome clips), it can leave a strong impression. At minimum, ensure the content feels relevant, new hires should think, “This was made for someone like me,” not “I’m watching a generic corporate video.” As one HR director put it, he wanted to make sure everyone received clear, consistent guidance “while making the experience personal and engaging”.
   
5. Blend Video with Human Interaction: Video is a supplement, not a replacement for actual interaction. Coordinate your video content with live touchpoints for a balanced approach. For example, you might have new hires watch a series of onboarding videos in their first week and schedule a live video call with their manager or team to discuss any questions. Encourage managers to reference the videos in their conversations (“As you saw in the welcome video, our culture is very team-oriented, let me share how that looks on our project…”). This reinforcement helps connect the dots. Also, consider setting up a discussion forum or Q&A channel (perhaps an internal chat group) where new hires can talk about the videos or ask follow-up questions, and have real people respond. The goal is to prevent isolation: videos deliver knowledge and personality, and live interactions ensure dialogue and personal connection continue.
   
6. Ensure Accessibility and Security: From an IT and CISO perspective, make sure the video platform or method you choose is secure and accessible. Host your videos on a trusted internal platform or a secure external service (with appropriate access controls) so that confidential company information isn’t exposed. Always provide captioning/subtitles for videos, not only does this help those with hearing impairments, it also allows new hires to watch videos without sound and improves comprehension for non-native language speakers. If you have global teams, consider offering translated subtitles or versions. Test that videos play smoothly on various devices (laptops, tablets, smartphones) since new hires may use different equipment. Also, supply alternatives or transcripts for anyone who has technical issues or disabilities that make video difficult. A truly humanized approach is inclusive for all viewers.
   
7. Gather Feedback and Continuously Improve: After you implement video into onboarding, don’t consider the job done, measure its effectiveness. Include questions in your new-hire surveys specifically about the videos: Were they helpful? Which videos did they like most or least? Do they feel more connected and informed after watching them? Look at engagement metrics if available (e.g., completion rates, re-watches). This feedback is gold for refining your content. Perhaps new hires say the IT setup video was too fast, you can slow it down or add more explanation in a revision. Or maybe they didn’t really watch the lengthy policy video, could you break it into two shorter segments? Continuously updating your video library keeps it relevant and useful. Also, keep the content current: assign someone to review and refresh videos when policies change or when they become dated. New hires will notice if a “welcome” video mentions the wrong CEO or an office you closed two years ago. Keeping content fresh signals that you care about their experience.
   

By following these steps and best practices, you’ll integrate video into your onboarding in a thoughtful way, playing to its strengths of engagement and human connection, while avoiding common pitfalls (like videos that are boring, irrelevant, or inaccessible). Done right, video onboarding becomes a powerful extension of your team, delivering a warm welcome and clear guidance in a format that today’s employees readily embrace.

As workplaces continue to digitize and remote work becomes routine, companies must remember that behind every new login is a human being eager to feel welcomed and equipped for success. Technology can streamline and scale our onboarding processes, but it’s the human touches that truly resonate with people and inspire them to give their best. Video is a medium that uniquely combines the efficiency of digital content with the emotional power of human interaction. It allows organizations to maintain a personal, caring touch even as they onboard employees across different cities and time zones.

Using video to humanize the onboarding process is ultimately about showing new hires that they matter. A friendly face on the screen saying “We’re excited you’re here!” can calm first-day nerves in a way that an automated email never will. A well-crafted training video can convey not just how to do something, but why it’s important, underscoring the shared purpose between the employee and the company. When new team members feel a personal connection, to their colleagues, to the mission, and to the culture, they become more engaged and more committed. They start to see their future with the organization, not just a new job.

By investing the effort to create engaging, authentic onboarding videos and blending them with live interaction, companies demonstrate empathy and innovation in equal measure. They show that even in a digital age, they value people and relationships. For HR professionals, business leaders, and CISOs alike, this approach strikes the right balance between leveraging technology and maintaining security/compliance, while never losing sight of the human element.

In conclusion, humanizing your digital onboarding through video is a win–win: new hires get a more welcoming, informative, and memorable start, and organizations benefit from employees who are better prepared and more connected from day one. As you refine your onboarding strategy, remember that every video, every call, every personal touch is an investment in your people, one that can pay dividends in performance, loyalty, and culture. In the words often attributed to Maya Angelou, “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”With video-powered, human-centric onboarding, you can make your new colleagues feel that they’ve truly joined a team that cares, and that feeling can make all the difference.

FAQ

Why is humanizing digital onboarding important?

Humanizing onboarding helps new hires feel welcomed, valued, and connected to the company’s culture. This emotional connection boosts engagement, speeds up integration, and improves long-term retention rates.

What challenges do companies face with digital-only onboarding?

Common challenges include information overload, lack of personal connection, inconsistent messaging, and delayed feedback. These issues can leave new hires feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsupported.

How does video help make onboarding more personal?

Video adds faces, voices, and stories to the onboarding process, making it more relatable and engaging. It allows leaders and team members to convey warmth, enthusiasm, and culture in a way text-based materials cannot.

What are the benefits of using video in onboarding?

Video onboarding provides consistent messaging, improves engagement and knowledge retention, scales personal connections, saves time and costs, and can be tracked for compliance and effectiveness.

What are best practices for implementing video in onboarding?

Start by assessing current onboarding gaps, identify where video can add value, create concise and engaging content, personalize where possible, blend video with live interactions, ensure accessibility and security, and collect feedback for continuous improvement.