Employee engagement should be a key goal for any business. Not because it is a buzz word, but because research shows us that the best way to gain competitive advantage, is recruiting and retaining capable, dedicated and ENGAGED employees. It is especially important in the “new normal” as we navigate through the difficult trading conditions and new working patterns created by the Covid-19 pandemic.
An employee app is a great tool to help engage with your employees. Here’s how:
Communication
Engaged employees are also employees that know what is going on. Information that is valuable, timely and easy to access is essential. Employees want to know what is happening in the business and be kept up to date. Communication brings a sense of security and confidence in the company.
The employee app is a way of communicating with your employees no matter where they are working. News can be targeted to specific employees or company-wide, and with in-app notifications, you can be assured they will see it. There is no need for emails, printed newsletters, or posters on a wall.
Feedback
Engaged employees are also employees that feel they have a voice. Employees are the number one asset of a business, in my opinion. Listening to employees and their feedback can give a company incredibly valuable information to base decisions on, such as: the next process improvement idea, the new product idea, a useful tip or input on the health of your employees. If you do not know how your employees are feeling, how will you know to improve their working life?
The employee app helps create an easy to use feedback channel giving your employees a voice to share their ideas, thoughts and feelings with the business. Employee feedback and being listened to promotes positive emotions. When employees are happy at work, they should be less inclined to consider looking for another company to work for. Redelinghuys et al., 2019 indicates that employees are most probably engaged with work when they flourish in the workplace.
Recognition
Engaged employees are also employees that are recognised for the hard work they do. Recognising your employees is a great way to boost morale and create an engaged workforce. Not only recognition from managers but also peer to peer recognition supports this. Unfortunately, someone may only get recognised when they achieve a significant milestone, such as being at a company for ten years, but within that time, there would have been multiple moments that individual deserved to be recognised. Research tells us that in the work context, employee emotions are critical in shaping employee behaviours and perception towards their work roles and organisations. The Affective Events Theory (AET) by Weiss and Cropanzano (1996) suggests that work events may provoke positive emotions and moods at the workplace resulting in positive outcomes like job satisfaction and job performance. An employee app is a great tool that allows peers and managers to recognise employees for their excellent work in a few simple steps. The ability to share it not only with the individual but also for others to see and celebrate is a great way to create engagement with your staff.
A new “pandemic” world
In the Covid-19 world there is a gap that an employee app can fill. With employees increasingly working in numerous, sporadic locations an app can create a “nucleus”, a channel for communication and feedback and in turn promotes a sense of belonging. One of the main benefits that has come from the Covid-19 pandemic has been the greater use of technology and people’s willingness to use it and embrace it. Employees who might have been more reluctant to use it in the past are now more willing to do so, helping to create a more agile and flexible work force. With companies needing to manage cash tightly, apps can be a cost-effective way to engage with employees.
uTrack Employee App
The uTrack employee app is used by companies around the world to help them better engage with their employees. The employee app is all you need to provide real-time information, local updates and business-wide news, it’s an open feedback loop for all your employees. The uTrack employee app provides instant connections, feedback and support, bringing your teams together. Employee recognition is extremely simple – just a few clicks and you can recognise employees that are doing an excellent job and can also help reinforce company culture and values. It facilitates and encourages a quick response from management to the concerns and comments employees raise on the app which in turn strengthens engagement.
Speak to us today about our employee app to help you create better engaged employees.
References
Research Paper and Authors referred to in this post can be found here: Journals.vgtu
