Arley’s comments:

You’ve done some good research and have organized the information clearly. I like how you give some do’s and don’ts. You’ve also given some good examples. Right now, however, there are some source use issues in this document. When you paraphrase, you should restate the author’s point. Changing one word out of the sentence is still considered plagiarism, and also makes it hard to use our brand voice. You did cite, which is great, but the next step is to paraphrase effectively. We will discuss this again in class.

Judy’s comments:

Overall, there is some good information here that provide valuable information to your audience. The Discrimination and Dollars infographic is not about an HR policy and therefore I would remove this and replace it with a relevant example. Do your best to use Canadian examples. I don’t believe the Khan Academy link and resource is accurate – it takes me to a donation page. Lastly, think it would be valuable to include information as to when policy training videos and infographics not just effective but necessary.

Policy Training Videos and Infographics

Compliance Training

Compliance training involves delivering training to employees based on the company’s policies, laws, regulations and internal behaviours. Compliance training also indicates specific attitudes and practices towards peers, managers and customers in any job description (Priscila, 2021). After successfully adopting a policy, every business must communicate and train on it efficiently. Videos and infographics are valuable tools for communicating policy goals to stakeholders.

Policy Training Videos

Policy training videos are digital presentations developed by companies applying such training or consulting firms. The main objectives are educating and training employees on corporate behaviour regulations and handling different situations, like sexual and moral harassment, racism, gender prejudice, and other uncomfortable topics (Taylor, 2019). These training videos are supposed to be straightforward in identifying negative employee behaviours and how to create approaches to solve the problem.

Usually, e-Learning classes are more resourceful than live classes. The virtual mode opens the possibility for a larger group of the company staff to participate and be certified in specific training, especially when the main topic is company policies. A sexual harassment training video is one example.

Additionally, policy training videos are very useful when targeting online simulations, such as work injury accidents, fire events or even a heart attack (Andriotis, 2018). Before Covid-19, most of the simulations and health training occurred in person, with a professional healthcare giver or firefighter visiting the company.

Nowadays, the learning process takes place through videos and e-learning platforms that aim to increase the knowledge and awareness of employees. For example, Hilton Hotels & Resorts currently deliver an e-learning training program that saves about US$ 2.000,00 per team member through innovative virtual instructors and real-life situation examples (Hilton Hotels & Resorts, 2021).

Company Policy Infographics

When companies use infographics to exemplifying their policies, everything becomes more accessible. Employees usually have a hard time reading unlimited handbooks with numerous pages and tiny letters, explaining each policy on every detail that can exist (Andriotis, 2018). With infographics, a company can achieve two objectives using only one resource: transmit the information in a more precise, summarized and easy way to understand and ensure that employees will actually check the infographics and learn from them.

As an example of policies been explained through infographics, SpriggHR has created a list of 15 essential HR policies (15-Essential-HR-Policies-Infographic) and an explanation of each one (SpriggHR, 2020).

Advantages of using Training videos and Infographics in the business environment

According to Engine Creative, a British marketing agency, in a survey conducted with 1,200 HR Managers in 2016, 93% affirmed that companies needed to adopt video as an important tool for internal communication.

Furthermore, in the same year, 75% of employees surveyed by Forrester Research indicated they were more likely to watch a business video rather than reading a document (Vaughn, 2016). Still, in 2016, a survey ran by Gatehouse Communication Agency showcased that 85% of the people surveyed affirmed they were using video as a tool to communicate with employees (Vaughn, 2016).

When onboarding new employees, companies have the ability to explain their policies through self explicative videos, so every employee can learn at his own pace, in his own time, as many times as he wishes. Moreover, ethics and compliance videos can be shared with all employees, whether working in the office or remotely anywhere in the world (Tribe Pictures, 2021).

For example, in 2018, due to a racism allegation in one of their north-American hotels, Hilton Hotels & Resorts have taken advantage of their e-learning program by applying diversity and unconscious bias training videos to employees of all of their properties around the globe, almost simultaneously, to emphasize the importance of such topic in the company’s culture (Green, 2019).

Infographics can help an organization to perform employee training and communication effectively. One of the advantages of this particular tool is the possibility of translating complex processes into easy, memorable and identifiable images in one single file (Administrator, 2019).

Using bullet points and double-space formatting can be helpful for short pieces of training, but more challenging tasks can be easily transformed into pictures to support the main ideas and steps to achieve the goals needed. Another advantage is that infographics offer a quick overview of the widely discussed topics in handbooks, increasing learning and knowledge retention (Administrator, 2019). Additionally, infographics are extremely useful for engaging and enforcing commitment with employees with dyslexia or neurodiversity issues. An inclusive tool that generates value is always a positive aspect of any organization.

Dos and Don’ts of Training Videos 

Do: Make a connection

We humans enjoy talking to people face to face, and so should be training videos. One good idea is to have someone discussing the training concepts and ideas, even if it’s a person made from a cartoon. Using images and presentations inside a training video will not create connections nor have the impact the trainer is aiming for (Ingwersen, 2016).

Google clearly uses all the advantages it can to create a training video that builds relationships with viewers, connecting the training objectives with the expectations of the audience and, therefore, places the employees as actors of its own policies.

• Google Training Video on Unconscious Bias

Don’t: Skimp on production

On the other hand, editing is vital to create significant e-trainings. Several software applications can help edit, design, and record training videos to increase quality and provide meaningful learning information. Software such as Filmora, Lightworks and Flashback Express are free and have different approaches, but the same objective in transforming training sessions into real Hollywood-wise productions (Ingwersen, 2016)

Do: Diversify platforms

In 2015, 48% of millennials reported streaming videos directly on their mobile devices (Ingwersen, 2016). There are a significant number of ways to launch training videos in the corporate environment, such as YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Usually, most organizations have accounts in at least one of those social media, making it easier for employees to keep track of their companies in the digital world.

Don’t: Disregard load times

Employees usually don’t have enough time to watch training videos or not the patience to sit in front of a computer for one-hour hearing lots of different information about policies, behaviours, and attitudes. Instead, to maximize engagement, the e-learning process should be easy, flexible, and low time-consuming (Ingwersen, 2016). Short videos that do not require too much time downloading or uploading are the key to improve policy awareness among corporations and their staff.

Do: Invite feedback

In every action we take, there are reactions to it. And to evaluate the quality of each action, one must receive feedback to realize what went better and what can be improved. Developing and applying training videos have the same cycle: After each training video, the host can send an e-mail to his audience, asking for feedback on the quality of the training, the length, and the material covered (Ingwersen, 2016). It’s always very constructive to ask an open question at the end, such as “how can we improve” or “do you have any suggestions.” For the host, it’s not about only receiving the feedback but also understand it and know how to apply each one to improve the training sessions.

Don’t: Let the content stagnate

Imagine you participate in an e-training session, and 6 months later, the mandatory e-training session happens again, and you encounter the same material, same quality, same design as if no one cared to make some updates or insert new ideas and concepts. Stagnation of ideas leads to disengagement and lack of concentration on any activity (Ingwersen, 2016). With the world changing so fast and dramatically, training videos should be restructured at every opportunity to keep the audience also updated on the latest information available for the public.

Do’s and Don’ts of Infographics

Infographics are more than just static images and texts spread all over it. Infographics can tell a story or can be a sum of infographics that can be used in videos. The infographics used nowadays are more than nice images combined. They are the brand voice, the brand image and the reflection of a company, its logo, name, values and objectives (McCoy, 2019). To design more visually appealing infographics and avoid common mistakes, we will discuss the dos and don’ts in creating more objective, straightforward infographics (Morales, 2020).

Do tell a story, Don’t show data without giving it context

Infographics are all about storytelling. A mix of images and texts on the perfect amount makes the infographic appealing, resourceful and memorable to the audience. When telling a story, the infographic must caption the reader’s attention and indulge the main idea right away to keep the reader’s curiosity to visualize the infographic to the end (Morales, 2020).

The example below displays the objectives that a well-designed infographic aims for.  Simple and objective, the information is divided into categories that are clear to see and understand, as the colours and images match with the content of the infographic, which is to educate the employees about the dress code in a particular company.

• Richly designed Policy Infographic

Do keep it simple, Don’t try to tell too much at once

When creating infographics, one should consider the amount of information not to generate traffic of words and data altogether, confusing the reader’s attention and the flow of the shared knowledge. The easier and quicker is the information displayed in the infographic, the faster the audience will assimilate the main ideas and absorb the learning specifics (Morales, 2020).

Do show information in a way that makes sense, Don’t confuse the reader with odd design choices

When building a new infographic, it is good to be creative and innovative in designing connections between images and ideas. However, it must be considered that too much design and too many images and texts might create confusion, and the reader will lose interest in the infographic (Morales, 2020).

Do use appropriate metaphors and create graphics that are stimulating, Don’t misrepresent the information and just use bar and pie charts

It is valuable to display information using different methods. Sometimes the use of graphs and charts is appropriate depending on the data that is shown. Contrariwise, if the data is too broad, some types of charts are not appropriated. Employing suitable methods to showcase and explain vital information and numbers is as important as the information itself. Metaphors, icons and tools are important to express words in an easier way for the audience to appreciate and digest the learning concepts (Morales, 2020).

Do give some background information, Don’t use a “one size fits all” approach and assume the reader is familiar with your topic

One size does not fit all. Readers have different perspectives and objectives when staring at an infographic, so they cannot be treated like they all are familiar with the topic. To avoid restructuration and redesign, a single brand voice and tone must be used to apply for all types of audiences, which will support an evaluation of the quality and context of the information provided (Morales, 2020).

Do leave plenty of breathing room, Don’t clutter the space

When designing an infographic, it’s important to consider room for ideas, graphics, images, and icons. However, there must be room for blank spaces for the reader to take a breath and absorb the information. Too much was never a positive feeling. The balance between empty spaces and data charts, images and texts is crucial for the perfect equilibrium between time and knowledge. Every information we learn in our lives requires time to inhale new information and time to exhale the meaning of each knowledge.

The example below shows how an infographic with too much information, colours, and images can distract the viewer from its objectives, which is to learn the digital conduct policies. Also, the design used to align the information and the images is not professional nor easily understandable.

• Poorly designed Policy Infographic

Do craft your content for each application, Don’t forget to think about how this is being used

Design each infographic for each audience. Again, one size does not fit all. The audience and platforms also have different contexts and reach different generations (Morales, 2020). Take, for example, Tik Tok and Instagram. The content showcased in these social media should be clear, short and fun to read and understand, as the target generation consists of Gen Z and millennials. Now, use Linkedin or the NY Times digital version, for example. The infographic’s content and information can be denser and providing more data analysis and texts, as the target generations comprise Gen X, Y and Z.

Depending on the platforms, audiences and objectives, infographics can be designed in numerous ways. There are numerous free software applications that one can use to create meaningful, colourful and impactful infographics, such as Canva, Piktochart and Venngage.

 Examples of Training Videos

1. The below video describes How To Recognize, Address, and Prevent Workplace Harassment.
2. Sexual Harassment At Workplace

Examples of Infographics

• Basic do’s and don’ts for employees to prevent workplace violence

• Amazon Employee Engagement Policy

References

Administrator. (2019, October 21). Engaging learners with the use of infographics. Retrieved July 13, 2021, from Facilitated Training: https://www.facilitatedtraining.com/engaging-learners-with-the-use-of-infographics/

Amazon. (2021, n.d. n.d.). Employee Engagement. Retrieved July 16, 2021, from Amazon: https://sustainability.aboutamazon.com/people/employees/engagement

Andriotis, N. (2018, July 2). The 8 Microlearning Must-Haves For Better Compliance Online Training. Retrieved July 13, 2021, from Talent Lms: https://www.talentlms.com/blog/microlearning-must-haves-compliance-online-training/

Bullockk. (2016, September 17). Acceptable Use Policy Infographic. Retrieved July 15, 2021, from Genially: https://view.genial.ly/57dcf56f8391ed4834b4d5e5/interactive-content-acceptable-use-policy-infographic

CDC. (2020, September 16). Infographic: Basic do’s and don’ts for employees to prevent workplace violence. Retrieved July 13, 2021, from CDC – Center for Disease Control: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/business-employers/infographic-workplace-violence.html

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Google, L. A. (Director). (2014). Unconscious Bias at Work — Making the Unconscious Conscious [Motion Picture]. USA. Retrieved July 15, 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW5s_-Nl3JE

Green, A. (2019, October 09). Black guest ousted from Portland’s Doubletree hotel sues for $10 million, points to more reports of alleged racial profiling in Hilton chain. Oregon News, p. 6. Retrieved June 20, 2021, from https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2019/10/black-guest-ousted-from-portlands-doubletree-hotel-sues-for-10-million-points-to-more-reports-of-alleged-racial-profiling-in-hilton-chain.html

Hilton Hotels & Resorts. (2021, n.d. n.d.). HR & Training. Retrieved July 13, 2021, from Hilton Management Services: https://managementservices.hilton.com/en/support-services/hr-training/

Ingwersen, H. (2016, August 17). Training Technology. Retrieved July 13, 2021, from Capterra: https://blog.capterra.com/the-6-dos-and-donts-of-video-training-content/

Lawyers, H. &. (Director). (2019). Sexual harassment at work [Motion Picture]. USA. Retrieved July 13, 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odDUZgf66K8

McCoy, E. (2019, October 31). THE VALUE OF INFOGRAPHICS FOR MARKETERS IN 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2021, from Killer Visual Strategies: https://killervisualstrategies.com/blog/value-of-infographics-for-marketers-2020.html

Morales, D. (2020, August 17). How to avoid an infographic fail: do’s and don’ts. Retrieved July 13, 2021, from Cleveland Design: https://clevelanddesign.com/insights/how-to-avoid-an-infographic-fail-dos-and-donts/

Patriot Software. (2018, n.d. n.d.). Dress Code Policy. Retrieved July 15, 2021, from Small Business: https://smallbusiness.patriotsoftware.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/dress_code_policy_58851.1.jpg

Priscila. (2021, April 29). What is compliance training? Meaning and strategies for beginners. Retrieved July 11, 2021, from Easy LMS: https://www.easy-lms.com/knowledge-center/employee-training/what-is-compliance-training/item12835

Simplilearn (Director). (2019). Sexual Harassment At Workplace – POSH Training Video – Prevention Of Sexual Harassment [Motion Picture]. USA. Retrieved July 16, 2021

SpriggHR. (2020, March 16). 15 Essential HR Policies. Retrieved July 13, 2021, from SpriggHR: https://sprigghr.com/blog/hr-professionals/15-essential-hr-policies/

Taylor, R. (2019, October 21). How to Produce Great Corporate Training Videos In-House For Your Business. Retrieved July 11, 2021, from Rev: https://www.rev.com/blog/corporate-training-videos

Tribe Pictures. (2021, n.d. n.d.). Make An Ethics Or Compliance Video Your Employees Will Want To Rewatch! Retrieved July 13, 2021, from Tribe Pictures: https://www.tribepictures.com/ethics-compliance-video/

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