How Toronto Businesses Are Using Video to Create More Meaningful Workplaces

In boardrooms, breakout rooms, and coffee shops across Toronto, a quiet shift is happening.

It’s not just about growth, strategy, or margins—though those matter. It’s about meaning.

People aren’t looking for jobs where they punch in and zone out. They want to feel connected to what they do, and to the people they do it with. They want to understand the “why” behind the work.

This isn’t just a generational trend—it’s something employers of all sizes are noticing. According to a 2023 McKinsey & Company study, 70% of employees said their sense of purpose is largely defined by their work. And those with a strong sense of purpose report better well-being and are four times more likely to stay with their company long-term .

In response, Toronto businesses are starting to ask a new kind of question: How do we make work feel more meaningful for our teams?

And increasingly, the answer involves video.

Work Has Changed—and So Has the Way We Communicate

Most companies are still adjusting to a workplace that’s no longer one-size-fits-all. In Toronto especially, teams often span multiple locations, time zones, and generations—with wildly different communication preferences.

We’re emailing more than ever. Meeting more than ever. And somehow still missing each other.

According to Gartner, nearly 47% of workers say they’re unclear about key aspects of their company’s strategy or goals, even after company-wide updates.

This isn’t a volume problem—it’s a clarity and tone problem.

Video helps solve both.

Why Video Works (and Why It’s Not Just a “Nice-to-Have”)

Unlike an email or a slide deck, video captures tone, intent, and emotion. It lets leaders speak directly—human to human—not just position to position.

This is especially powerful in moments of change, recognition, or onboarding. Research from Forrester shows that employees are 75% more likely to watch a video than read a document or email.

More importantly, they retain more of what they see and hear—up to 95%, compared to just 10% when reading text [source: Insivia].

That makes video one of the most cost-effective and emotionally intelligent communication tools available to businesses right now—especially in talent-driven industries like health, wellness, medical, and tech.

How Toronto Businesses Are Putting It to Work

This doesn’t mean your company needs high-budget production every time you want to talk to your team. Some of the most effective internal videos we’ve seen are simple, personal, and direct:

• A founder sharing the story behind the company’s mission

• A team lead giving a sincere thank-you after a tough quarter

• A short video that helps new hires feel welcomed and oriented on day one

• A message that explains the “why” behind a new strategy or shift

These videos give people something static formats can’t: presence.

When someone feels spoken to, not just at, it shifts the dynamic. It turns instruction into invitation. It invites participation. And it builds trust—an essential ingredient in any meaningful workplace.

Culture Is a Competitive Advantage (Especially in a City Like Toronto)

Toronto’s workforce is diverse, educated, and mobile. The best people have options—and increasingly, they’re choosing workplaces that align with their values and make them feel seen.

According to a LinkedIn Global Talent Trends report, employees who feel their organization cares about their well-being are 3.2x more likely to be happy at work and 3.7x more likely to recommend their company as a great place to work.

That kind of reputation isn’t built by perks alone. It’s built through clear, human communication—day in, day out.

Video supports that. Not by replacing real relationships, but by reinforcing them. By making leadership visible. By making culture tangible. And by making people feel like they’re part of something they can be proud of.

Final Word

If you're leading a business in Toronto today, you're likely facing your share of strategic challenges. But culture isn’t one of the problems to solve later. It's part of the solution now.

Creating a workplace where people find meaning in what they do starts with how you communicate—and how intentionally you do it.

Video isn’t about adding more noise. It’s about making sure the right message actually gets through—and stays with people.

Because at the end of the day, people don’t just want to be told what to do.

They want to know why it matters.