Funny Safety Videos

If you’re a training or HR manager, you’ve probably struggled with choosing the types of videos to show your employees. You have probably also wondered how you can keep your employees engaged with the info you’re presenting them. You understand that the courses you offer directly influence their impression of the company and their ability to retain information. That’s why the eLeaP course offering is so helpful. Contact our content experts to try out our library.

And that’s where funny safety videos come in.

Safety and compliance aren’t the most interesting part of onboarding and training. Often, HR managers hand out a safety handbook and go through a quick presentation so new hires will know the company’s safety guidelines.

But this can be problematic. Employees rarely ever retain information disseminated in this way, and injuries and accidents can often happen as a result. This not only hurts the individual, but it can also damage workplace morale and become a serious liability issue.

Funny safety videos are the solution to your compliance-related difficulties. Here’s how:

1. Engagement

Very rarely do employees get excited about health and safety information. They may feel like it doesn’t apply to them or simply tune out impulsively out of disinterest or boredom. This is where humor plays a role. Funny safety videos boost engagement with the material, further leading to the retention of the necessary information.

Several studies have shown that being presented information in a humorous way can help memory and recollection. This is likely because humor activates the release of dopamine, otherwise known as the “feel good” hormone. Neuroscience studies have shown that dopamine is highly linked to long-term memory. So the happier you are when learning information, the more likely you are to remember it.

For example, the Pew Research Center found that retention of current affairs and news issues was higher when presented on humorous news shows like The Daily Show or The Colbert Report as opposed to traditional newspapers or network stations.

Think also of advertisements. You are more likely to remember a funny ad than one that presents you only with information. Which brand do you think you will choose when you go to the store? You will subconsciously choose the brand that made you laugh—because it is the brand that makes you feel good. In this way, humor can subconsciously increase retention and influence application of info. Funny safety videos can then further embed the material in your employees’ minds, so they have it sitting in the back of their head if an unsafe situation arises.

2. Relationship Building

Dopamine that is released with laughter is also linked to relationship-building and bonding. Laughter is one of the oldest forms of communication, and it is a key element in establishing social bonds.

Laughter is contagious. Catching on to one another’s laughter instinctively creates a casual network. This network can then transfer to other parts of the professional relationship. In this way, humor can build a sense of community, which is crucial for a collaborative work environment.

Funny safety videos, then, can actually improve peer networking within your building. If you are presenting these funny safety videos to new hires, they can then go to lunch together and laugh about the jokes that were presented in the video. If you’re presenting these videos to high-level executives, humor will make them feel more comfortable watching safety videos with their peers.

3. Branding

Funny safety videos can show employees the mission and values of your company. Incorporating humor into “mundane” safety videos demonstrates that you promote a fun and happy atmosphere. Your training reflects that you are an exciting company to work for!

In fact, training videos are the first impression of a company’s culture. If you want to promote a specific working environment, this sort of atmosphere should also be reflected in the types of training you offer. The best way to do that is with funny safety videos that show the humor and fun of your company culture!

So what kind of funny safety videos do you want?

Remember that humor is not universal. What you find funny may not be funny to your coworkers. In this way, it’s important to ensure that workplace humor is neutral. Avoid sarcasm or inappropriate humor that could offend. Don’t go off-topic, and don’t go into politics or religion.

One way to engage your managers with funny safety videos is to poke fun at your company’s processes. Does everyone go to karaoke on Thursday nights? Joke about it when reminding them of safety practices they need to do on Friday mornings. This is something that will bond your team while ensuring they understand the safety knowledge.

Furthermore, you don’t want the entire video to be humorous. Although funny safety videos have a lot of benefits, they won’t do any good if important information isn’t presented correctly. In this way, you should sprinkle in humor between instruction and repetition. Often a great way to add in humor and learning is through goofy repetition of the same phrase in various ways. Repetition can be funny and can also improve key points’ retention.

Funny safety videos are a great way to improve the engagement and retention of crucial compliance info while also developing an interconnected and fun company culture. Visit eLeaP’s compliance training courses to see some great examples of funny safety videos.