In 2022, the spotlight is firmly on employee engagement. Finally, it seems companies have turned their attention to this crucial element of business operations.
And they’re not only reviewing their employee engagement strategies. With the introduction of hybrid working, existing channels and platforms are also coming into question. Is the intranet having the impact we need? Are remote workers reading those crucial emails? Is anyone acting on the information we send out? And how can we tell?
In the new business climate, traditional channels simply aren’t having the impact that’s needed. And this is where the modern employee engagement platform comes to the rescue…
Employee engagement platforms
The pandemic has prompted many changes in our working lives, from remote working and virtual meetings to improved awareness of mental health issues. However, one of the key trends to emerge is the adoption of the employee engagement platform. Also referred to as an employee engagement app, it acts as a super-channel, bringing together employees from every sector of the company. Rather than simply relying on email, video chats, or news channels, a digital employee engagement platform combines everything into one ready-to-use solution.
However, before you invest time and money into implementing an employee engagement platform, you must be sure you’ve chosen the best one for your needs. We’ve drawn up the seven key questions that will help you assess whether it’s the right platform for you.
#1 Does it reach every employee?
You need an employee engagement platform that connects every single employee
Your employee engagement platform needs to communicate seamlessly across the organisation. It needs to reach every worker, even those hard-to-reach employees who traditionally fall outside the net. With the rise of hybrid working, connecting with your employees is more important than ever. Your employee engagement activities need to be seen by everyone, regardless of location.
Employee engagement platforms have the power to reach across boundaries of distance, technology and emotional resistance. They connect effortlessly with desk-based and customer-facing workers, those on the front line, at home or on the road.
What to look for…
Your chosen platform should work seamlessly across all technology and operating systems.
It shouldn’t matter whether your employees are working on IOS, Android or Safari. Or whether they’re on smartphones, laptops, tablets or the office PC. The best employee engagement platforms will allow your employee to choose their favourite means of communication. Only then will all the barriers be broken down.
#2 Does it offer company branding?
Employee engagement advocacy platforms help to reinforce your brand image
There’s a lot of information out there. And it can be hard to work out the official version of a story. That’s why it’s essential that your employees can immediately recognise authorised company content. An employee engagement platform will allow you to reinforce your official branding for maximum transparency.
Delivering absolute clarity is one of the key employee engagement best practices. Your employees need to be able to trust in the communications they receive.
What to look for…
You can reinforce the company identity with your brand colours or take the brand experience all the way with a fully customised platform. Either way, you’ll be delivering on the clarity promise. Look for an employee engagement platform that offers a dedicated company news channel that is both branded and personalised.
#3 Does it work in real-time?
The right digital employee engagement platform will provide instant updates
We now expect, and demand, immediacy in our communications. Every employee engagement model now includes proactive messaging, with the capabilities to deliver in the moment. High-priority communications have become a part of our daily employee engagement activities, and we need to make sure there is a platform in place that instantly delivers.
When exploring how to improve employee engagement, you need to be aware of how times have changed. Today’s employees expect instant, in-the-moment messaging that reaches them wherever they are.
What to look for…
Your employee engagement platform needs to offer real-time communication. Look for the capabilities to provide push notifications and instant messaging. You’re looking for more than just instant messaging across the entire company too. The best platforms will allow you to target your information to specific groups and departments.
#4 Does it give employees a voice?
Employee engagement platforms provide a valuable two-way feedback channel
It’s vital to give employees a chance to be heard. Especially now that our workers are no longer together in one office with the opportunity to speak up. Employee engagement theory dictates that communication needs to be a two-way street. Your channels should both
deliver and receive information, and they need to do so in a freely-flowing process that encourages interaction.
All too often, employee communications are a one-way street, with commands being issued from above. How to engage employees with your messaging? If you want them to truly connect, you need to give them a chance to comment and discuss.
What to look for…
You should be looking for a digital employee engagement platform that both invites opinions and acknowledges feedback. It should provide an opportunity to ask questions, leave comments, discuss ideas and collaborate with colleagues. Essentially, it should give an employee voice. The best platforms have these capabilities built-in and ready to go, providing various social tools and feedback forums.
#5 Does it have the personal touch?
Look for employee engagement platforms that provide personalised, tailored content
Everyone’s different. Not just in terms of the way they work, but also in the software they like to use, and how they want to be communicated with. That’s why employee engagement platforms are so effective. They don’t operate on the traditional one-size-fits-all approach to internal communication.
We now understand that what works for one employee, won’t necessarily deliver for another. So, a personalised approach is what’s needed. When exploring how to increase employee engagement, you’ll find that personalisation has an immediate and impressive impact.
What to look for…
Look for employee engagement advocacy platforms that give you the option to tailor content to your audiences. You want to be able to adapt newsfeeds and homepages to suit your viewers’ needs. You want to be able to create user groups and filter appropriate content through to them. Employee engagement and motivation are highly dependent on a personalised, bespoke experience.
#6 Does it measure engagement?
Your employee engagement platform needs to actively monitor engagement and impact
Companies are finally latching on to the idea that employee engagement is a metric that should be monitored and measured. Employee engagement statistics show time after time that careful monitoring is a key part of any successful strategy. You need to know that your messages have been received. You also need to track whether they’re been understood, and acted upon.
By tracking engagement levels and resulting activity, you’ll find you have a better understanding of your success, or the lack of it. And once you know where you stand, you can adjust your approach until you reach the levels of engagement you’re looking for.
What to look for…
Today’s employee engagement platforms offer integrated monitoring and reporting tools that make life easy. Look for platforms that allow you to download reports and logs for external analysis and company reports. You can also schedule a regular employee engagement survey, using the built-in programmes. Your aim is to gather a constant stream of feedback that informs your ongoing strategy.
The rise of the employee engagement platform
The last few years have seen dramatic shifts to the working environment, and the world of business has changed beyond recognition. That’s why it has never been more important to focus on employee engagement. Employee engagement platforms have emerged as the solution to this increased need for immediacy and effectiveness. With its ability to break down barriers, deliver in the moment, and track success, it’s no wonder that the employee engagement platform has become the new champion of 2022.
