Metropolitan Water District
Sue Sims
External Affairs Manager
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Los Angeles
California
Internal Communications
Onboarding New Employees during the Pandemic
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Sue Sims
Debra Sass, Creative Design Manager
Andrew Au, Graphic Designer
Romeal Hogan, Chief Videographer
Being a water agency, our work never slowed during the pandemic. Maintaining safe and consistent drinking water was a priority that did not change, although the way we accomplished that was altered to protect employees and minimize risks. One area that did require a dramatic shift was the onboarding of new employees and their orientation to benefits like health, retirement and pension. We set out to create a “virtual” experience to replace the typical two days of in-person learning that would leave the participant with a feeling that they were welcomed, educated and ready to start their work at Metropolitan.
Our target audience were new employees, which numbered in the single digits to more than a dozen every few weeks or month during the pandemic. Some were at the start of their careers, others coming from other agencies, and so we had to address a wide range of knowledge.
The difference between the regular benefits orientation, which was a combination of PowerPoint decks narrated in person, to the final product of this reimagined orientation were drastic. In place of dozens of static slides, were eight animated videos, narrated professionally and visually engaging. Creation of subject-specific modules allowed the participant to view them at their own pace and reach out to HR staff with any questions or follow-up. They also created a lasting first impression or an organization that was innovative in its approach to employee communications. Even once we can return in-person, this approach will still be used.
Creation of this eight-piece video series involved an entire team of in-house writers and artists who worked closely together to design and execute an animation series – a first for the district. All of this coordination was accomplished while working remotely, beginning in March, when this was something very unfamiliar. Project costs for an outside vendor would have been upwards of $10,000 per video, allowing for a substantial cost-savings to the district. This type of communication vehicle is being considered now for future educational campaigns and the relationship between HR and our media services team is strengthened.
Metropolitan faced the challenge of revamping its onboarding process for new employees in a virtual setting by creating an in-house animation studio – a first for the organization – and designing a video series that was self-paced, engaging and welcoming.
https://youtu.be/Qnk4hVphS_8