It’s human nature to desire a sense of belonging, and that desire doesn’t go away when people enter their workplace. Creating a work environment that’s inclusive, friendly and productive starts with a great culture. And as any recruiter knows, positive company culture not only contributes to better employee engagement and success, but it also gives your company a leg up on the competition when it comes to attracting and hiring talent.

As candidates make the choice to join your organization, culture is a top consideration. Fancy bean bag chairs or a fridge of sparkling water are great, but culture goes far beyond surface-level perks. Corporate culture is expressed through the company’s attitudes and behavior around professional development, employee recognition, work-life balance, management, how employees treat each other, and more.

Explaining your company’s culture can be difficult, and it’s not something that can always be put into words. That’s where a corporate culture video can make a big difference for potential hires.

What is a company culture video?

Company culture videos are a short highlight reel that give prospective employees an inside look at what life is like at your organization. Often communicating brand purpose, company values and insights from current employees, these recruiting videos should communicate in the simplest way possible what your team members love about their jobs. They should function as an advertisement that accurately sells all the reasons why an applicant should want to join your organization, and are best implemented when included on a career page or shared for social media recruiting.

Why is creating a recruiting video important?

Video continues to take over the world of content. In fact, viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video compared to 10% when reading it in text, according to this report on video marketing statistics. Easily shareable on social media, video content is a surefire way to attract young talent and offer a high-tech recruiting experience. And if you’re hiring millennials and Generation Z, adding a corporate video to your organization’s open role postings will help you meet their expectations for a non-traditional job description.

How can I make company culture videos?

Company culture videos are like any other video media project. You’ll need to thoroughly conceptualize your objectives and goals before even thinking about beginning production. From there, begin scripting and storyboarding which parts of your work culture you’d like to showcase. This could be shots of your office environment, interviews with employees, clips of company outings — find what most accurately depicts your company as a great place to work.

From there, you’ll need to decide if you’re going to produce the video in-house or work with a video production company. If you decide to make the video yourself, make sure you have all the right equipment—from cameras, lighting, and microphones to the right video editing software. If you’re including testimonials from current employees or customers, make sure you have an interview question or two prepared.

When the video is complete, determine exactly how you plan to promote it. Including it on a career page or sharing on social media accounts are great starts, but don’t be afraid to get more creative with recruitment marketing tactics that will best connect you to your audience.

Need a little inspiration? Check out Yello’s company culture video.

What types of company culture videos are successful?

Employer branding through video is never an easy task. There are a few types of company culture videos that have been successful for companies across a variety of industries. Themes that typically perform best are:

  • Employee testimonials that highlight work-life integration
  • Videos showcasing company benefits
  • Explanation of a business’s corporate social responsibility initiatives
  • Commentary on the company’s core values
  • Demonstration of possible career paths at the company

Show (don’t tell) why your employees love working at your company. Video content is the perfect way to connect with prospective employees on an emotional level by showing what makes your workplace fun, ambitious and aligned with core values. Your new employees may be just a play button away.

About the author:

Derek Doeing is with G2, specializing in HR and recruitment trends and insights. He’s a recent graduate of Iowa State University and a proud son of Chicago. Can usually be found discussing pop music, politics, and digital marketing on the internet.