By
Liz Mackenzie, Technical manager at Forbidden Technologies explains how
video-streaming technology can help HR get its message across
What
is video streaming?
Video
streaming digitises and compresses traditional video to allow it to be sent
across the internet. Users access these videos through a website or via an
e-mail. Recipients do not need to save and download large files before viewing.
Why
is it relevant to HR?
Video
streaming can deliver the HR message in the most cost-effective and highly
visual way to staff desktops across the organisation. Time and budget
constraints mean senior management is often unable to communicate directly with
all staff. With video streaming, the chief executive can be delivered direct to
every employee’s desktop. This is particularly useful for multi-site and
multinational organisations where face-to-face meetings are logistically
difficult. It can be used to introduce new board members, HR policies or
strategies and product lines. With a video e-mail, you can also track who has
watched the video and when – great for ensuring full awareness of new HR
issues.
Many
organisations currently use corporate video to outline company vision or to
provide internal training, and streaming allows every employee access to these
presentations online.
What
are the technical issues – can anyone run it at their desk?
The
beauty of video streaming is that there are very few technical issues involved.
No additional investment in IT hardware is required. If the video is compressed
and streamed using the most effective technology, it can be watched by
recipients on a corporate broadband network, by remote workers dialling up from
home via a 56K modem, or even by staff on the road, accessing the content by
mobile phone or personal digital assistant (PDA).
Can
you give any examples?
We
recently worked with global financial services organisation, Misys, to
introduce a new departmental chief executive to all staff within days of the
appointment, setting out his ambitions for the company and saying ‘hi’.
When
Pierre Danon, chief executive of BT Retail, set out his vision for customer
relationship management, his presentation was videoed, compressed, and streamed
to employees, as well as being uploaded to the website for external viewing.
Forbidden
Technologies also used its own solution to communicate its financial results to
the company and its 2,000-plus shareholders.
Where
can I find out more?
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Forbidden
Technologies provides products and services that enable organisations to deliver
corporate messages by video.
