The first days and weeks in a new job can be a challenging period for any employee. As they grapple with new systems, processes, and organizational culture, effective onboarding is crucial to ease this transition.

Traditionally, onboarding involved a combination of lectures, manuals, and hands-on training. However, in the modern age of digital disruption, many organizations are embracing animation as an innovative tool to enhance engagement and retention during employee onboarding. 

This blog post aims to explore the role of animation in employee onboarding and how it can positively impact your organization.

Enhances Understanding Through Visual Communication

Firstly, animation plays a pivotal role in enhancing understanding during employee onboarding by harnessing the power of visual communication. Animated videos can simplify complex ideas and make them digestible for the new hires. An animation provider’s effectiveness, however, varies greatly and depends on several factors, including price.

For example, a high-end provider might produce stunningly animated videos but at a prohibitive cost for some businesses. Thus, which provider is best depends on price, your budget, and the complexity of the concepts you need to explain.

Boosts Engagement

Animation can significantly boost engagement during the onboarding process. Unlike text-based resources that can be tedious, animated content is more appealing and can hold the employee’s attention for longer. 

The use of color, movement, and storytelling in animation makes it a powerful tool for conveying information in an enjoyable and engaging manner.

Promotes Information Retention

The use of animation in onboarding also aids in information retention. According to research, people remember 65% of the visual content they see, compared to 10-20% of what they read or hear. The memorable nature of animations ensures that key messages are more likely to stick, thus improving the overall effectiveness of the onboarding process.

Encourages Self-Paced Learning

Animations are often accessible on demand, allowing new hires to learn at their own pace. This flexibility can reduce the stress associated with traditional onboarding processes where information is presented all at once, potentially overwhelming new employees.

Facilitates Remote Onboarding

In an increasingly remote and digital workplace, animation plays a key role in remote onboarding. Animations can be shared and viewed across different geographical locations, making them an essential tool for organizations with remote teams or those adopting a hybrid working model.

Serves As A Branding Tool

Another noteworthy advantage of using animation during the onboarding process is its potential as a branding tool. An organization can incorporate its brand colors, logos, and other brand-related elements into the animation. 

This not only creates a consistent brand image but also fosters a sense of identity and connection among the new hires. An effective brand message presented through engaging animated content can resonate with the employees, making them feel a part of the organization’s vision and culture from the get-go.

Provides Scope For Scalability

Animations provide a scalable solution for onboarding, especially for organizations experiencing rapid growth or high employee turnover rates. 

Once created, an animated onboarding video or module can be used repeatedly without any additional costs. This is a cost-efficient strategy when compared to traditional onboarding methods, which might require regular sessions conducted by an HR professional or a team leader. With animation, the information is consistently delivered to every new employee, regardless of when they join.

Conclusion

The potential of animation in employee onboarding extends beyond merely informing and educating. It acts as a powerful branding tool that helps create a strong impression of the organization’s culture and values. 

Furthermore, animation provides a scalable and cost-efficient solution for organizations, making it a valuable tool in the landscape of modern HR practices. By leveraging the strengths of animation, companies can enhance the effectiveness of their onboarding process and significantly improve new hire experiences.

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HR Future Staff Writer