- Communications
2018’s Enterprise Video Usage Trends
2018 marked a record year for video usage in the enterprise. In a Wainhouse Research (WR) survey conducted last month, 79 percent of respondents report using streaming video for work at least once a week, up 6 percent from 2017. In total, 41 percent of respondents say they’re watching more business videos than they were a year ago.
Now in its sixth year, the latest WR survey collected responses from over 2000 people at large, mid-size and small companies, revealing both continuing and emerging trends in the ways businesses are using video and how users perceive the value of these use cases.
On-Demand Videos Remain in High Demand
In fast-paced business environments where many workers prioritize daily tasks around over-booked schedules and squeeze in learning when they need it, more and more people are looking to on-demand videos to maximize their own productivity and performance.
Related Reading: Video Learning — It Works And Employees Love It
With on-demand videos, employees can get detailed information recorded by colleagues, trainers, and executives, anytime and anywhere. In a previous WR survey from 2016, 85 percent of respondents agreed that on-demand videos offered better help than written instructions — a sentiment that has fueled the continued growth in streaming video usage at work. This year, more than half (51%) of all survey respondents report that they watch on-demand business video via their PC at least weekly. 25 percent report watching on-demand videos daily.
Live Streaming On the Rise in the Enterprise
While workers continue to watch more on-demand video than live video, the use of live streaming has continued to creep upwards. WR’s 2018 survey showed 53 percent of all respondents say they now watch live streaming video at least weekly, up from 47 percent last year.
A more pronounced trend in 2018 was the significant change in employee attitudes towards live streaming’s effectiveness in supporting the business. This year, respondents almost unanimously agreed that live streaming does the following:
- Enhances viewer engagement with online presentations
- Helps employees better understand management priorities
- Offers a cost-effective way to enable training and instruction
What Are Employees Streaming Exactly?
Today, live and on-demand video is being created by teams in learning and development (L&D), human resources, corporate communications, marketing, and customer support. And employees are indeed watching. Two of the most watched types of videos are on-demand training videos and live executive communications videos.
On-Demand Training & Education Videos
87 percent of employees surveyed agree that pre-recorded training videos are a valuable work tool, giving them access to information precisely when they need it. As a result, we continue to see employee training and development as one of the most popular applications for on-demand video streaming at work.
Related Reading: Live Streaming, It’s Not Just For Marketing
Live Executive Communications
When it comes to live streaming, executive communications and town hall meetings are the most common types of videos employees are watching live. They’re also watching them later on-demand. It’s a trend that aligns with favorable employee attitudes towards live streaming — 9 out of 10 employees surveyed in 2018 said that streaming video is effective at helping to communicate work-related information.
How Enhanced Video Communications Support Businesses
So why did businesses stream more video in 2018 than they have in any previous year? Because it adds value.
When asked why video was an effective tool for their businesses, respondents largely agreed that enterprise video communication technologies help cut costs, improves productivity, improves collaboration, and more.
What’s Next?
Looking ahead, enterprise video streaming will continue to grow in the next year as leaders and employees alike leverage it to scale knowledge sharing, improve productivity, and reduce costs.