Compliance training is rarely anyone’s favorite part of the workday, but it does not have to feel like a box-checking exercise. When used intentionally, short training videos can make required topics more engaging, more memorable, and easier to apply on the job. Here are a few simple ways trainers and instructors can use video more effectively in compliance-focused classes.
1. Open With a Short Scenario Clip
Start your session with a brief, real-world scenario that shows why the topic matters. For example, opening a lockout/tagout session with a short clip that shows how an unexpected equipment startup can lead to serious injuries helps set the tone before diving into the regulation itself.
2. Break Up Long Lectures
If your session runs longer than 30–45 minutes, attention will drop. Use short videos as natural “reset points” to re-engage learners and vary the pace of instruction. Topics like hazard communication or bloodborne pathogens are well-suited to being broken into short segments rather than covered in one long lecture.
3. Use Video as a Discussion Starter
Instead of treating video as passive content, pause after a clip and ask a few targeted questions. After a forklift safety or ladder safety video, for example, ask learners to point out the hazards they noticed and how those same risks show up in your own facility.
4. Reinforce Key Compliance Concepts
Some topics benefit from being seen as well as heard. Visual examples of safe vs. unsafe behavior can reinforce policies and procedures more clearly than slides alone. This is especially helpful for topics like PPE, machine guarding, or fire extinguisher use, where correct technique really matters.
5. Support Different Learning Styles
Not everyone learns best by reading policies or listening to a lecture. Mixing video with facilitated discussion and hands-on activities helps reach visual and auditory learners more effectively. Pairing a safety video with a short, in-person demonstration is a simple way to deepen understanding.
6. Assign Short Clips as Pre-Work or Follow-Up
Pre-work videos can help learners arrive with baseline knowledge, and follow-up clips can reinforce key points after the session. For instance, showing a short winter safety or heat stress video before seasonal safety training can make your live session more focused and practical.
7. Create Consistency Across Sessions and Locations
Using the same core video content helps ensure learners receive consistent messaging, even when training is delivered by different instructors or across multiple sites. This can be particularly helpful for standardized topics like bloodborne pathogens, workplace violence prevention, or general safety orientation.
Final thought:
Videos work best when they are part of a larger training strategy, not a replacement for good facilitation. When paired with discussion, practical examples, and clear expectations, video-based content can make compliance training more engaging and more effective for learners.
If you’re looking to expand the mix of topics and formats available in your training program, it can be helpful to have a flexible library of ready-to-use courses on hand so you can quickly plug the right content into your classes as needs come up. Learn more about how to subscribe to our library here.