Video drives home ethics violations at Sandia National Labs

Most organizations require employees to participate in annual ethics training. It has become such a rote activity that many employees simply click through the learning module without actually grasping the importance of the lessons. To ensure its employees understood the importance of ethical behavior, Sandia National Labs produced multiple videos that explored the company’s workplace values. The effectiveness of these videos has earned Sandia the top prize in the “Public Service Announcement Video” category of PR Daily’s Video & Visual Awards.

One video featured vignettes of actual scenarios involving Sandia employees (portrayed in the dramatizations by other employees). Employees were encouraged to discuss the scenarios presented and assess the failings of the employees in the videos, as well as the actions they would take if they faced a similar situation.

Developed by the Labs’ ethics officers, the ethics director and a video producer, the video took eight months to produce, after which it was shown at hundreds of live meetings conducted by the organization’s management team. They were also shared via email to managers and at departmental meetings.

To ensure awareness of the video, an intranet teaser was posted. It was referenced in a daily newsletter, and a message from the Labs’ director was distributed.

The team managed to ensure every employee saw it, for a total of 13,963 views. Meeting facilitators reported that the video helped spark positive discussions.

Congratulations to the team of Vince Gasparich, Ruth Frank, Jason Everett, Nancy Davis, Michelle Karler, the Creative Services department and Sandia National Labs’ ethics officers.