Only around 1 in 5 employees report their training videos as being very effective.
This is according to our latest research report, The Science of Great Video for Training. To make it happen, we surveyed 3,820 employees around the world—from team members to decision-makers to L&D professionals themselves—asking them about their L&D programs.
The results were clear: corporate training videos aren’t working. People aren’t engaged. They’re not paying full attention. And in many cases, they’re just finding ways to skip through the content.
The good news? It’s not a lost cause. Our research, combined with insights from learning scientists, L&D filmmakers, and content experts, uncovered exactly what makes a training video effective. When done right, video can be the most powerful tool for learning. It can help people retain information, develop new skills, and stay engaged from start to finish.
In this article, we’ll walk through the key findings from our report, The Science of Great Video for Training, and what they mean for the future of L&D. We’ll break down the most common mistakes in corporate training videos, share expert-backed strategies for making them better, and explore how new tools—like AI-powered video creation—are making high-quality training videos more accessible than ever.
Let’s dive in.
The current state of training videos: Why employees aren’t engaged
For years, corporate training relied heavily on slides, long PDFs, and in-person seminars. That model isn’t sustainable anymore. Employees are busier than ever and want learning content that is quick, engaging, and accessible on-demand.
- More companies are ditching text-heavy content and embracing video-based training.
- Employees prefer video because it’s easier to consume and retains their attention longer.
- Remote and hybrid workforces make video a necessity. Teams are often spread across different time zones and locations, and video allows for consistent, scalable learning experiences.
That said, most training videos aren’t working.. The numbers tell the story. Four in five employees admit they don’t give training videos their full attention. Some try to stay focused, but 22% say they aren’t engaged at all. Others watch passively, and only one in five employees find these videos truly effective.
Our survey revealed that instead of absorbing the material, many employees find ways to get through training as quickly as possible. They mute videos, let them play in the background, or multitask. Some rely on AI tools to get answers, while others speed through at double speed or skip straight to the quiz.
As a result, most training videos check a box, but they don’t actually train.
It’s not just employees who think training videos aren’t working; 86% of L&D professionals admit that even they don’t fully focus on training.
And it doesn’t stop there. C-suite executives also confess to skipping through training videos when they are required to complete them. When even senior leaders struggle to stay engaged, it’s clear that something needs to change.
Why do people disengage from training videos?
Employees are not avoiding training because they don’t want to learn. They are disengaging because the videos themselves aren’t designed with attention and retention in mind.
- Too long: Nearly half of employees (49%) say training videos drag on for too long.
- Too slow: About 34% say slow pacing makes it hard to stay focused.
- Low production quality: 31% find corporate training videos dull, outdated, or visually unappealing.
- Lack of relevance: Employees struggle to see how the training applies to their specific roles.
- No emotional engagement: Without good storytelling or creativity, videos feel impersonal and forgettable.
Training is supposed to help employees gain new skills, but many videos fail to make an impact. Instead of being engaging and informative, they feel like a chore.
Generational differences in training engagement
Younger employees are the hardest to reach with traditional training videos. In the survey, 30% of Gen Z respondents admitted they don’t focus at all during training. Millennials also struggle to stay engaged.
This shift in engagement makes sense. Younger generations have grown up with fast, high-quality digital content. They expect short, engaging videos that get to the point quickly. Many corporate training videos haven’t evolved to meet those expectations.
What makes a great training video?
If most corporate training videos aren’t working, what does an effective one look like? The research is clear: great training videos don’t just deliver information, they are designed to engage the brain, hold attention, and improve retention.
We spoke to experts in neuroscience, learning design, and filmmaking about this, and all emphasized the same principles. To create training videos that people actually watch and learn from, organizations need to rethink how they structure content, tell stories, and present information.
1. Training videos should work with the brain, not against it
The human brain isn’t built to sit through long, dense training sessions. It thrives on novelty, challenge, and interaction. If a video feels predictable or overwhelming, attention drifts elsewhere.
Lauren Waldman, learning scientist and cognitive expert, explains:
- Boring content gets ignored: The brain naturally disengages when it encounters repetitive or uninspiring material. To keep engagement high, videos need varied visuals, dynamic pacing, and interactive moments.
- Cognitive overload is a real problem: Corporate training videos often try to pack too much information into a single session. This makes it difficult for employees to absorb and retain knowledge. “If you overwhelm the brain, it will reject the information,” says Waldman. Breaking content into digestible chunks is essential for retention.
- Attention spans are shrinking: Employees are used to short, engaging content from social media. If corporate training videos feel slow or stretched out, people will zone out or skip ahead.
- Memory retention requires repetition: A one-time video won’t make the information stick. “People need multiple opportunities to practice and retrieve information,” says Waldman. Training should be reinforced through spaced repetition, quizzes, and hands-on application.
By designing training that works with the brain’s natural learning process, organizations can improve knowledge retention and engagement.
2. Storytelling and emotion are key to engagement
Facts alone don’t make training memorable. People connect with stories. The best training videos engage emotions, create curiosity, and make the content feel relevant to the viewer.
Austin Welch, learning filmmaker and instructional designer, highlights the importance of storytelling in training videos:
- The best training videos tell a story: A clear narrative—whether it’s a workplace scenario, a problem-solving journey, or a real-life example—keeps people engaged.
- Emotion = engagement: “Emotion drives behavior,” says Welch. “If you want people to act on what they learn, they need to feel something.” Training videos that include humor, empathy, or excitement are far more effective than dry presentations.
- People need to see themselves in the content: Employees engage more when they feel the video applies to them. Welch recommends using diverse representation, workplace-relevant scenarios, and personal storytelling to make training content feel relatable.
The goal isn’t to make training videos overly dramatic. It’s about making the content human. A well-told story holds attention longer than a list of bullet points ever will.
3. Length and pacing matter more than ever
Employees have limited time, and attention spans are shorter than they used to be. If a training video feels too long or too slow, people tune out.
Austin Welch emphasizes that pacing is just as important as content:
- Most people prefer videos under 15 minutes: The ideal training video is short, structured, and to the point. Welch notes that many corporate training videos stretch far beyond what people are willing to sit through.
- Shorter, structured content works best: Training should be divided into clear, digestible sections so that employees can pause and come back without losing track.
- The right pace and editing style keep engagement high: “When the brain can predict exactly what’s coming next, it disengages,” says Welch. A slow-moving, monotone presentation loses viewers quickly. Fast cuts, varied visuals, and different content delivery styles (like animations, text overlays, and real-life examples) keep attention high.
If employees speed up a video to stay focused, it’s a sign that the pacing is off.
4. Production quality is non-negotiable
Employees are used to high-quality digital content, and they expect the same from training materials. If a video looks outdated or poorly produced, engagement drops instantly.
Welch, who has created hundreds of training videos for organizations, stresses that bad production can ruin otherwise good content:
- Employees expect professional-looking video content: Training videos should feel modern, polished, and well-structured. If they look like they were filmed a decade ago, employees will disregard them.
- Good audio quality is essential: “Poor audio is the quickest way to lose credibility,” says Welch. Clear voiceovers, balanced sound levels, and well-mixed background music make a huge difference.
- Seamless editing improves engagement: Bad pacing, awkward cuts, and unnecessary pauses make a video feel slow, which causes employees to disengage. High-quality editing ensures a smooth, engaging experience.
High production value doesn’t mean training videos need blockbuster budgets. Small improvements—better lighting, crisp sound, and engaging visuals—make a big difference.
What the future of training videos looks like
The way employees learn at work is changing fast. Traditional, text-heavy courses are being replaced with short, engaging, and highly visual video content. Companies are realizing that employees don’t just prefer video-based training—it’s becoming an expectation.
From AI-powered video creation to social media-inspired formats, the future of training is moving toward content that is faster to create, easier to watch, and more effective at delivering information.
The rise of AI-powered training videos
One of the biggest game-changers in corporate training is AI video creation. AI-powered tools are removing the biggest barriers to video production, making it faster and more affordable for companies to create high-quality training content.
- AI tools allow companies to scale video production without needing expensive cameras, editing software, or professional presenters.
- AI-powered subtitles, voiceovers, and translations make training accessible for a global workforce.
- AI avatars can now create personalized, presenter-led videos without the need for live recordings.
Waldman sees AI as a major unlock for companies:
“AI is making it easier than ever to produce training videos that are both high-quality and cost-effective. More companies will shift to AI-driven video creation because it removes a lot of the friction in the production process.”
Imagine being able to generate a professional training video in minutes, complete with subtitles, voiceovers, and custom branding. AI is making that a reality.
Social media-inspired training content
The way people consume content has changed. Employees spend hours every week watching short, engaging videos on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. In fact, our research revealed that 83% of employees turn to social media to learn new skills or gain job-related knowledge. And out of those, 62% do so every day.
Training videos need to take inspiration from these platforms to stay engaging.
- Concise messaging: Get to the point quickly. Employees don’t have time for long, drawn-out explanations.
- Dynamic editing: Use quick cuts, animated text, and engaging visuals to hold attention.
- Conversational tone: Training videos should feel relaxed, natural, and human—not like a scripted lecture.
- Frequent scene changes: Keeping visuals moving prevents monotony and keeps the brain engaged.
- Interactive elements: Quizzes, challenges, and on-screen prompts encourage participation instead of passive watching.
Welch sees social media as the blueprint for better training videos:
“We know what keeps people engaged—fast pacing, high energy, and compelling storytelling. Training videos should borrow from what’s already working on social media.”
How VEED helps you create professional training videos that work
Creating high-quality training videos doesn’t have to be complicated. VEED makes it easy for teams to produce professional, engaging content that employees actually want to watch.
With AI-powered tools, intuitive editing features, and built-in collaboration, VEED helps L&D teams create training videos quickly, without needing advanced technical skills or expensive production setups.
- Auto-subtitles & translations make training accessible in any language. Employees can learn in their preferred language without extra effort from L&D teams.
- Instant AI voiceovers eliminate the need for manual recordings. Simply type the script, and AI generates natural-sounding narration in seconds.
- AI Avatars allow teams to create personalized presenter-led videos without requiring someone to appear on camera.
- Easy editing tools make it possible to create professional-looking training videos with minimal effort. Drag-and-drop functionality, templates, and pre-set animations ensure a polished final product.
But what makes VEED really stand out is the fact that it’s built for seamless collaboration. L&D teams can work together to script, edit, and finalize training videos in one platform. Whether updating content, localizing videos for global teams, or making quick edits, everything is designed to be simple and efficient.
By removing the complexity from video production, VEED allows teams to focus on what matters most: creating training content that is clear, engaging, and effective.
Read more about how VEED can help you level up your training videos.
Conclusion
L&D is evolving, and training videos need to keep up. Employees expect engaging, high-quality, and concise content that fits their workflow.
New tools, especially AI-powered video platforms like VEED, make it easier than ever to create professional training videos at scale. From automatic subtitles to AI voiceovers and avatars, these tools help teams deliver content faster, more efficiently, and in a way that actually resonates with learners.
By embracing video-first, AI-powered, and highly engaging training formats, companies can transform their approach to employee development—creating content that is not just required but genuinely valuable.
Want to learn more? Read our full report on the science of great video for training.
