Workplaces that work for employees

Marc Gingras at WorkForce Software argues that employers must give employees what they really want in order to optimise the bottom line

Ping pong tables. Fully stocked beer fridges. Even slides instead of staircases. For years, business leaders have introduced all manner of workplace perks to attract new talent and nurture a positive working environment. 

But though these fun benefits are well-intentioned, they’re often low on the list of what employees really want.

Extensive training, flexible scheduling, on-the-job recognition, technological support: these are all hallmarks of a genuinely great employee experience (EX). But creating a great EX is, in fact, a hugely neglected practice.

Studies show gaps of as much as 44% between the level of rewarding policies and practices that employers claim to implement—and the real-life experiences that their employees report.

As we exit the pandemic and face long-term hybrid working, a mind-shift is in order. Company goals are easier to achieve when employees are supported in a collaborative, tech-enabled working environment.

By creating dynamic experiences, powered by communications delivered when and where people work, you enable your workforce to align their personal goals with your company’s objectives.

So, let’s highlight some simple digital investments that employers can introduce to create an outstanding EX—and enjoy transformative business benefits.

Consider deskless workers

Our first tip is to consider both desked and deskless workers. When we think of a workforce, many of us picture white-collar office employees sitting at computers. But deskless workers—the shop assistants, factory staff, and long-haul drivers of a company—comprise around 80% of the global workforce.

These are the employees who manually kept the world running even throughout multiple lockdowns. Yet even now, less than half of all organisations have any sort of technology solutions in place to support their deskless workers, allocating them just 1% of their annual software spend.

Much of this disparity results from a lack of understanding from leaders of the needs of their deskless workforce. But for modern workers, particularly millennials and generation Z who use technology in almost every aspect of their daily lives, on-the-job tech is no longer a nice-to-have—it’s a necessity.

In fact, over three-quarters of job candidates say the technology and digital support offered by an employer will ultimately influence whether or not they even decide to join.

It’s time, then, to discover just what your deskless workers need to do their job properly and feel happier at work. And this too can be accomplished through powerful workplace tech.

Listen to your employees

Our second suggestion is that you should listen to your employees with in-the-moment check-ins. Instead of relying on assumptions, we must ask employees what they’re truly looking for. This is the easiest and the most effective way of improving any relationship.

Gathering company-wide feedback may seem an overwhelming task, and face-to-face reviews can make it tough for workers to be truly honest about their experiences. But workplace management software allows us to carry out ‘active listening’ with in-the-moment mobile check-ins.

In other words, we can instantly roll out occupational surveys and polls to each workers’ laptop or smartphone, uncover the pain points that keep them from delivering their best, and then strategise solutions through open dialogue and communication.

For example, once an hourly shift worker completes a first-time job, you can ping in-the-moment questions to their phone, like:

• Did you have everything you needed to complete the job successfully?
• Were the training materials relevant and useful?
• What could improve your experience for next time?

Over time, your software will begin to analyse this data and offer up otherwise concealed insights, such as a build-up of overtime that could be contributing to performance issues. These individual data points are particularly important—as each employee’s ideal experience will look slightly different.

Flexible scheduling

Finally we suggest that you cater to individuals with always-accessible flexible scheduling. As we’ve seen with the global ‘Great Resignation’, money is no longer the primary motivator for much of the world’s workforce.

A 2021 Microsoft survey found that 41% of the global workforce is considering leaving their current employer, with workers seeking more meaning, purpose, flexibility, and opportunities to develop and grow.

Deskless workers specifically want more power over their shift schedules. This too can be enabled through greater implementation of technology—management software can engage employees by giving them access to control their availability, plan time off, accept or deny shift schedules, and much more.

Workers who feel valued and respected in this way are more likely to remain engaged throughout the employee cycle, whether during recruitment, training, on-the-job, or beyond. And this doesn’t just impact your employee retention—it boosts your bottom line, too.

Gallup research reveals that companies with engaged employees perform far better than those with a disengaged workforce, enjoying:

• 41% lower absenteeism
• 10% higher customer ratings
• 17% higher productivity
• 20% higher sales
• 21% higher profitability

As a result, strong employee engagement through technology is perhaps 2022’s biggest factor for business success. By investing in your workforce, you’re investing in your bottom line, creating a happier, more effective workplace for both your workers and your organisation.

Marc Gingras is SVP of Employee Experience Strategy at WorkForce Software

Main image courtesy of iStockPhoto.com