Elevate your onboarding experience with content that connects

17/11/2025

In the latest episode of the CA3 Cup of tea series podcast, host Sarah Wardle sat down with Seenit Founder & CEO Emily Forbes to unpack the growing importance of authentic video storytelling, with a focus on onboarding and employee engagement.

With smaller teams, tighter budgets, and the rise of AI-generated content, Emily made one thing clear: authentic human voices are now non-negotiable.

Listen to the full episode here or read on for a summary of their conversation...

The trust crisis in content

In a world where audiences can spot “polished corporate” a mile away, trust and transparency are what truly cut through the noise. People don’t connect with perfection - they connect with honesty. Authenticity is what builds that connection. Job seekers want to see real people and real stories, not scripted soundbites or glossy showreels.

Storytelling plays a huge role here. A genuine narrative gives meaning and makes information relatable, memorable, and human. When leaders rely too heavily on a script, they often lose the very trust they’re trying to build. The most powerful content isn’t overproduced - it’s real, imperfect, and rooted in truth.

Beating the “Honeymoon Hangover” in onboarding

The onboarding phase is a golden moment - a time to sustain excitement, build confidence, and turn good first impressions into lasting engagement. But to do that, your content needs to connect. It should feel human, celebratory, and easy-to-digest, designed to support rather than overwhelm.

The most effective onboarding experiences follow a “drip, don’t dump” approach. Deliver content gradually, at key moments that matter most in the new hire journey. A welcome video on day one, a check-in at the end of week one, a team story in month one - it’s about timing and tone, not volume.

And it’s not one-size-fits-all. Personalise content by role, level, and location so every new joiner feels seen and valued. Celebrate the small stuff too - those everyday team moments and unscripted smiles matter just as much as your polished brand video.

Leadership visibility & employee advocacy

Authenticity starts at the top. When leaders are visible, approachable, and real, it sets the tone for the entire culture. Silent leadership, on the other hand, has zero impact. The key is to find each leader’s comfort zone - whether that’s a quick voice note, a handwritten update, or a candid video message. When it feels natural, it feels genuine.

And onboarding is the perfect moment to spark something bigger: employee advocacy. Invite new joiners to share their experiences early, to tell their stories in their own words. Empowering them to be part of the narrative not only builds trust, but it also turns engagement into belonging.

Turning authenticity into action

Choosing the right format for each platform and audience is critical. So once you have defined the storyline and message, you need to choose the right platform to reach the right people. Whether that’s LinkedIn posts with up to 45 second clips with strong captions, Instagram stories with simple tips and informal day-in-the-life videos, to longer-form mini documentary style films on YouTube or shorter ones on TikTok, this content needs to highly engage the relevant target audience. Eli Onboarding works with Seenit to encourage the creation of multiple employee generated videos to help reduce anxiety during preboarding and create a deeper sense of belonging to the organisation they are joining. On the Eli platform, short intro videos, team welcomes and hints and tips videos work well, such as content on ‘what to wear on your first day’.

Emily shared how one global organisation used “10 words or less” role videos to boost hiring. It led to 21 good fit qualified applications for one particular highly skilled tech role and a 200% increase in Instagram views. Proof that simplicity and humanity directly impact engagement. 

Measuring what matters

Success isn’t just about views. Key metrics include:

View-through rates: Are people watching to the end?

Click-through rates: Does it drive the next action?

Employee resharing: Are people proud enough to share it?

Engagement scores (e.g., via Eli Insights): Are new hires consuming what they need, when they need it?

First year attrition rates: Is this higher level of engagement leading to better retention?

Final thought

In a world overflowing with AI-made noise, the most powerful content is still human.
When employees and especially new hires see themselves represented in the story, connection, trust, and belonging naturally follow. Bringing these human stories into the preboarding and onboarding experience means new hires get to connect with your organisation and feel a sense of belonging before day one - meaning higher productivity, reduced reneges and attrition, and, ultimately, happier and more engaged employees. 