A thick PDF manual, hours of webinars, or overly technical instructions rarely make anyone excited. But imagine if learning felt genuinely interesting and even enjoyable.

Good news: it absolutely can. 7 out of 10 people say meaningful learning experiences make them feel more connected, be it to their workplace, their community, or their personal growth.

This means that the right kind of training does more than build skills. It also builds morale, engagement, and a sense of belonging.

This article is mostly concerned with creating engaging training videos for teams and employees, but these ideas apply just as well to teaching yourself, guiding friends, or sharing knowledge in your community.

Read on to learn how to create effective training videos that tap into that power and make your team feel energized and valued.

Why are training videos important?

It is much easier to learn something new by watching a video rather than reading a long document. There’s a good reason for that: our brains simply love visuals.

Research shows that people remember up to 95% of information from videos, compared to just 10% from written content. That means you're almost ten times more likely to remember a task, a trick, or a tip if you watch someone demonstrate it first.

To add to that, Dr James McQuivey, back in 2008, calculated that a single minute of video can be worth 1.8 million words. That’s a lot of talking!

Why is video so effective, though? There are a few good reasons:

• Our brains are visual-first. We process images and motion instantly, while text needs effort to interpret and visualize.
• People naturally prefer video. Around 83% of people would rather watch a video than read instructions or listen to audio. It’s how we learn things at home, from cooking recipes to DIY fixes on YouTube.
• It saves everyone time and frustration. Videos are always available when you need them. Forgot a step? Replay it immediately instead of flipping through pages or bothering someone for help.
• They're budget-friendly. Making one good training video once means you don’t have to repeatedly spend on trainers or lose a whole day in a classroom. Plus, most folks prefer learning at their own pace anyway.

A quick video makes your life a lot easier, whether you're training a new team, explaining how to use software, or simply teaching yourself how to fix something around the house.

With that said, let’s see the different formats on which you can base your training videos.

What are the different formats of training videos

The format of the training video you choose plays a big role in how engaging and effective your content will be.

Below is a breakdown of the most common training video formats:

Types of employee training videos (with examples)

Now for the fun part. We know why video is the most effective medium of training, but what should you yourself create? You can’t just boil the ocean.

Let’s see how you can get massive returns by focusing on five key types of training videos.

1. Onboarding videos

Onboarding videos are a new hire’s first interaction with your company’s culture. They immerse the new team member in the company's vision and values. They answer you: "Why should I be excited to work here?"

Organizations with a strong onboarding process improve new hire retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%. Video is the most scalable way to deliver a consistent, high-quality message to every new hire, whether they're at headquarters or working remotely.

We like to think of a thoughtful onboarding video as an act of care. It tells a new hire, "We're invested in you and thrilled you're here." It sets the tone for their entire journey with your company.

Here are some inspirations for your next onboarding video:

Google - An Intern’s First Week

This is a beautifully done onboarding video: friendly, welcoming, and on-brand for Google. Interns share their first-week experiences, show Google’s office environment and creative culture.

This warm, personal style gives new hires a realistic preview of life at Google and makes the onboarding feel inviting. You can definitely try out something like this.

HubSpot - Company Culture

This video uses the authentic voices of its employees to narrate the company culture. It's not a polished corporate script; it feels like a genuine conversation about values like flexibility, transparency, and impact. It sells the experience, not just the job. It’s a great way to make a new hire feel they've joined a community.

Lego - Life at the LEGO Group

This connects every employee's role, no matter how small, to the company's objective of inspiring children.

This video shows the journey from idea to a child playing with the final product; it instills a sense of purpose. A new hire immediately understands that their work matters.

You can also take it a step further and use interactive demos to make the onboarding experience more self-paced and hence, more beneficial. Here's an example of an interactive employee training video created using Supademo -

2. Company policies and compliance videos

These videos take your most important (and often achingly boring) documents, like the code of conduct, security protocols, or social media guidelines, and turn them into engaging and easy-to-digest content.

This genre of training videos is all the more necessary because employees ignore dense policy manuals. Ironically, 70% of the training employees receive is compliance-related. Videos solve this by making the information impossible to misunderstand

Here are some examples:

Services Australia - Social Media Policy

This is how you do a simple video on something very important to workplace security, like social media policy. The videos use cartoonish but effective animation to get the message across: that social media must be used responsibly and in a conscientious manner.

You’ll see relatable online situations, which makes the message about proper social media use more effective.

AMAZE Org - What is Sexual Harassment?

This is a great example of a sensitive topic handled professionally. This brief clip shows actions that signal harassment and how one should respond. The animations make the scenarios and gestures identifiable, and the calm narration offers advice for victims.

Note: YouTube videos for this type of training are rare due to privacy and confidentiality agreements at most companies. In case you need a bit more push, here’s some you can easily replicate in your training stack:

• Animated compliance stories: Short clips that use animation to show policy violations. They are effective because they visualize abstract rules and improve recall.
• Executive-led policy reminder: Make a senior leader, like a CEO or COO, address policy changes directly on camera. This adds authority and makes compliance more memorable.
• Case-study re-dos: Dramatize real scenarios like a data privacy breach response. Show the consequences of non-compliance.

3. Department overview video

These videos are an internal introduction; they explain what a specific department does, who the main people are, and how they contribute to the company's goals. They are a lot like company introduction videos, but more focused on a specific department.

They answer the question, "Who does what around here?"

These videos just work. Why? Because, first, department silos kill productivity. It also puts a face to a function. It's one thing to know you need to "contact marketing"; it's another to see a short video introducing the marketing team and the specific person who handles your type of request.

Here are some well-made ones we fished from the internet:

Michelle Carpenter - IS Department Overview

This short and sweet video is the perfect example of a department overview video done well. First, it tells you who runs the department. This means you know who’s running what, and second, it clearly tells you what the IS Department does.

Interestingly, the mission and objective take a backseat to the actual function of the department. Kudos.

What a Story - Company Introduction Video

Although it’s technically not a department overview, I just had to add it, because look at those amazing animations. It’s a delight to watch. Plus, I bet it didn’t cost an arm and a leg to produce. Plus, it achieves the aim: introducing the function of the company.

Google - Meet Security Engineers at Google

Google knows its way around training videos, and this is just another example. Here, you meet security engineers who take you through their roles and responsibilities, and the technicalities of the role while keeping it light and breezy. Learn it from Google to make your training videos friendly and warm!

Oh, that reminds me, Steve Jobs designed Pixar's headquarters around a central atrium to force interaction between different departments. He knew that innovation happens when different disciplines work together

A department overview video is also like that. Think about it!

4. Screenshare tutorials

Also known as screencasts, these videos are perfect for teaching step-by-step processes. They are screen recordings that walk a viewer step-by-step through a software or a digital process, like submitting an expense report, using a CRM, or setting up a project.

These tutorials are also the foundation of microlearning. Studies from the Association for Talent Development (ATD) show that this "just-in-time" learning, focused on a single objective, is very effective. A two-minute video on how to use a specific feature in Salesforce is the perfect example.

Let’s look at some examples:

Microsoft - How to create custom agents in Microsoft 365

Microsoft’s screencast videos are highly polished and professional, and set the standard for what you should be aiming for. However, if you’re just starting out, don’t chase Microsoft’s level of polish.

In this one, for instance, you learn how to create your own custom agents in Microsoft 365 Copilot. You learn how to set context, how to customize your agent, how to integrate data sources, and make your agent live; all in just over 2 minutes.

Supademo - Explore the Supademo platform in under 2 minutes

This is an even better one. This one takes you through the basics of an entire platform in just under 100 seconds. Now that’s the level of concise information delivery you should chase.

Speaking of Supademo, do you know what’s even better than screen-recorded tutorials? Interactive screen-recorded tutorials that you can make in minutes with Supademo.

Interactive demos give users hands-on practice and let them learn by doing. Both videos and interactive demos have their strengths, but when you want learners involved in the process, interactivity is the way to go.

More on that later.

5. Scenario and role-playing videos

Finally, we have training videos that use actors or animation to play out common workplace situations, such as handling a difficult customer, giving constructive feedback, or navigating a sales objection. They model both good and bad approaches to teaching soft skills.

This format of training video leverages what’s called ‘vicarious learning.’ Psychologist Albert Bandura showed that people can learn new behaviors simply by observing others. By watching a scenario play out correctly, employees build a mental model for how to handle that situation in real life.

Let’s look at some examples:

Xenium HR - How to Give Constructive Feedback

This is a short (under 2 minutes) live-action skit where a manager and employee play out giving and receiving feedback. This role-play format lets you see the exact language and body language to use.

Videos like this are best at giving hands-on training on a common scenario; in this case, that’s teaching employees how to give constructive feedback in a realistic setting

HSEnvolvy – SAFETY STARTS WITH YOU

Next is a cinematic short film showing how failing to follow safety rules leads to accidents. Its high-quality production and suspenseful narrative hook viewers immediately.

The dramatic storytelling and visuals (like staged incidents) make the safety lessons more memorable, as your employees see the realistic consequences of neglecting procedure

As leadership author Simon Sinek says, "Customers will never love a company until the employees love it first." Scenario videos that teach employees how to interact with customers and each other with empathy and respect are a direct investment in that principle.

I’ve come this far without telling you how can you make one of these for yourself. Sorry about that. Won’t make you wait any longer.

How to create training videos for your employees

So far, we’ve made it clear that moving from paper manuals to videos is a big step up. Let's break down how you, too, can create compelling, effective training videos your team will actually want to watch.

1. Set your goals

Before you touch any equipment, you need a plan. What is the single most important thing you want your employees to take away from this video? Getting specific now will save you a ton of headaches later.

Your goal could be to

• Introduce new hires to company culture, key team members, or essential first-day tasks.
• Teach employees how to use a new piece of software or operate a machine.
• Break down a complex workflow, like submitting expense reports or a new sales process.
• Cover important safety protocols or HR policies in a format that’s easy to digest.

2. Storyboard your vision

A storyboard maps out your video, scene by scene. It doesn’t have to be a work of art; a simple table will do.

This process ensures your video flows logically and covers all the necessary points.

Here’s a simple template to get you started:

Video Inspiration Break!

Remember the condensed language lessons from Duolingo?

They use simple animations and concise text. Could you adopt a similar microlearning style for teaching a new software feature? A quick, two-minute video is often more effective than a 30-minute epic.

3. Choose your tools and equipment

You don't need a Hollywood studio. Great-quality video is more accessible than ever.

After you have your storyboard, just get the basics right: clear audio and good lighting.

Turns out, Supademo is an excellent tool to start making training videos as well. Now, isn’t that an interactive demo software? Yes it is. But Supademo also lets you export quick tutorials and how-tos in video format.

Say, you’ve already recorded a super-important Supademo for a tool that you use internally. If you decide to repurpose that demo, you can just turn it into a high-resolution MP4 video you can post on YouTube, Vimeo, or any social site.

There, you got your quick training video, with just ONE tool. Told you, you don’t need a studio to get started!

4. Now, you record

Time to hit record! Authenticity beats perfection. Your team wants to learn from a real person, not a robot.

• Find a quiet spot. Background noise is distracting and unprofessional.
• Use a tripod or prop your phone against a stack of books to avoid shaky footage.
• Talk at a natural, conversational pace. Do a few practice runs to get comfortable.
• Smile! Your positive energy is contagious and will make the video more engaging.

Video Inspiration Break!

For process-heavy training, like showing software, look at Supademo’s YouTube Channel.

You’ll find plenty of simple yet incredibly effective videos: a screen recording with a clear, friendly voiceover explaining each step. This direct, no-fuss approach is perfect for "how-to" content.

5. Edit for impact

The goal of editing is to make your message as clear and concise as possible. Trim any long pauses, mistakes, or repetitive information. Keep the pace brisk. Next, add visuals: use on-screen text, arrows, or zoom-ins to highlight exactly what you're talking about.

Add your company logo and use brand colors for text and graphics for a professional touch.

Remember to keep it short and sweet. If your topic is complex, break it into a series of shorter videos instead of one long one.

6. Share with your team

After your edited video is ready for takeoff, make sure your employees can easily find and watch it. Common distribution methods are

• A company intranet or server, which is often a central, secure place for all training materials.
• Your Learning Management System (LMS) if you want to track completion rates and quiz employees.
• A service like Vimeo or a private YouTube link for easy, mobile-friendly access.

Remember the Supademo we repurposed as a video earlier? If you go that route, you’d be surprised to know just how easy it is to share anything you make with Supademo.

After you make your Supademo, you can share it across docs, websites, or a public link. Share regular links or trackable/personalized links, or add to existing multi-demo showcase collections.

7. Revise and refresh

Processes change, and software gets updated. Your training videos should, too.

Schedule a yearly (half-yearly is even better) check-in to review your video library.

A quick re-record of a specific section is much easier than starting from scratch, and it  that your team always has the most current and accurate information. Happy training!

What did we learn so far?

That video is a big leap from text manuals. It shows, it engages, and it improves retention.

However, for teaching hands-on processes, especially with software, even a standard video has a big limitation: your employee watches someone else perform a task.

What if you could close this gap between watching and doing? What if, instead of just seeing a process, your team could interact directly with what’s in the video?

Use interactive training videos for a better impact!

It takes everything great about traditional videos, like visual clarity and guided instruction, and turns it into fully interactive walkthroughs.

Supademo makes creating these step-by-step interactive demonstrations incredibly simple. Instead of complicated timelines and video editing software, you just click through your process as you normally would.

Supademo automatically captures your actions, generates a guided, hands-on demo complete with text instructions and highlighted hotspots that your team can click through at their own pace.

• Supademo lets you build demos with hotspots, text entry fields, and branching scenarios. Passive viewing turns to active learning.
• Supademo's intuitive capture makes creating "how-to" guides for software and processes faster and easier than producing a traditional video.
• You can speed up training instantly with AI-powered voiceovers in multiple languages, automatically redact sensitive information, and let AI generate text for each step.

It’s perfect for internal training, too. Supademo helps with employee onboarding, creating knowledge-sharing SOPs, and even gathering feedback on new workflows.

With a tool like Supademo, you can start building a library of high-impact, easy-to-digest interactive training videos that your employees will love.

Check it out today.

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