Onboarding & training

How to make HR onboarding videos for new hires

By Explaino Team · Updated October 11, 2026 · 6 min read

Quick answer

To make HR onboarding videos, split week one into short topics (welcome, policies, benefits, tools, first tasks), record the tool walkthroughs on screen, use a consistent voice and brand, and publish them in your HR portal with a written version. Keep each video under five minutes and review them whenever a policy or tool changes.

Watch: Recording an HR tool walkthrough for new hires

Video walkthrough coming soon

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Step by step

1
List what new hires ask in week one
Ask HR and team leads for the top questions: payroll, leave, expenses, IT setup, security rules and key internal tools.
2
Group topics into short videos
One topic per video: 'How to submit an expense', 'How to request leave', 'How to set up your laptop and VPN'.
3
Record tool walkthroughs on screen
For every internal tool, record the exact clicks on a test account and explain why each step matters.
4
Use one voice and one brand kit
A consistent voice, intro and colors make the series feel official. An AI voice keeps it consistent even when different people record.
5
Add captions and translations
Captions help in open offices and for accessibility. Translate the series for distributed teams.
6
Publish with a written version
Put each video in the HR portal or LMS next to the written steps, and track completion.

What to cover in week one

Most HR onboarding programs cover the same core topics. Video works best for anything that involves a tool or a process.

Welcome and culture (a short message from leadership)
Policies: leave, expenses, security and code of conduct
Benefits enrollment walkthrough
IT setup and key internal tools
Who to ask for what

Keeping HR videos current

HR content goes out of date quietly: a benefits provider changes, an expense tool is replaced. Assign an owner to each video and re-record only the section that changed. With Explaino, the written guide updates from the same recording, so both versions stay in sync.

Record it once. Explaino does the rest.

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Frequently asked questions

What is an HR explainer video?

A short video that explains a policy, benefit or process to employees, often used in onboarding. Screen-recorded walkthroughs work best for anything done in a tool.

How do I make HR videos accessible?

Add captions, keep text large, provide a written version, and translate for employees who work in other languages.

Can I check that new hires watched and understood?

Use your LMS for completion tracking, and add a short quiz. Explaino can generate a quiz from the same project.

How to make HR onboarding videos for new hires

Watch: Recording an HR tool walkthrough for new hires

Step by step

List what new hires ask in week one

Group topics into short videos

Record tool walkthroughs on screen

Use one voice and one brand kit

Add captions and translations

Publish with a written version