Using technology to create an out of this world employee experience [infographic]

The workplace has drastically changed over the last decade. 

More companies are implementing flexible work schedules, introducing remote work, and implementing benefits and perks that fit the needs of their employees.

Still, these measures can still leave your employees feeling disconnected and uncertain about their future. 

It’s HR’s responsibility to create amazing employee experiences that make employees feel connected and engaged. You can do that by implementing solutions that are enriching, efficient, embracing, and empathetic.

Not only are employees with higher levels of engagement less likely to leave their employers, but they also perform at a higher level and can help your company stand out from your competitors. 

Before you can make any HR shifts or improvements, it’s important for you to understand your employees as well as the environments and events that affect their overall experience.

The question looming over all of our heads is, do our employees like working at our company? 

While I hope the answer to that question is yes. Sadly, that’s not always the case — and that fact can be hard to swallow.

While flexible schedules and having the ability to work from home are great, it’s important to understand what else we can be doing to create better employee experiences.

That is where technology comes into play. Here’s a look at how a digital tools can help improve the employee experience at your company.

Communication guidelines

Whether your office is entirely remote, partially remote, or everyone on your team is in one office, developing communication guidelines is essential. 

Not only will your employees feel like they’re informed, but you will have also established best practices. A great example of this is Basecamp, who published its guide to internal communication outlining how, where, why, and when its team communicates.

In today’s workplace, there is often the mentality you need to respond ASAP — blurring the line between work and personal life. Oftentimes, having a philosophy of never really turning off can leave your employees feeling stressed and overworked.

Utilizing the right tools

Utilizing the right tools for communication makes it easier for your company to actually communicate. Not only will it help ensure everyone on the team is on the same page, but it can also transform how your organization performs.

The days of your team communicating over email or by the water cooler are gone. Here’s a look at just some of the communication tools your company can adapt:

Slack is an instant messaging tool that helps your employees stay connected by sending quick notes, updates, or documents when a face to face meeting isn’t necessary. 

While Basecamp is a project management tool, it is also a platform that combines your company’s communication and project work all in one place. Basecamp's dedicated Company HQ gives your company one place to post important announcements to make sure everyone in the company is informed.

Both of those apps make it extremely easy to send quick updates or even company wide announcements.

It’s also important for your team to know when a conversation should be face to face. If you have a team that’s fully or even partially remote, video conferencing apps like Zoom are vital. 

Using technology to improve your employee onboarding

SocialChorus found that 28% of new employees will quit within their first 90 days.

Having an effective onboarding can be a key factor in how successful your new team members will be. It also plays a huge role in whether or not an employee decides to stay at your company.

With that in mind, many HR departments are streamlining their onboarding process by implementing all-in-one HR platforms that not only streamline hiring and employee management, but also simplify payroll and give employees more control over their benefits.

Using a platform like Zenefits for onboarding makes it easy for companies and new hires to complete the necessary paperwork before their first day — allowing the new hire and the company to jumpstart their new relationship.

Another onboarding tool we utilize at IMPACT is Trello. It’s a visual project management platform that uses a kanban board, allowing you to digitize your to do list.

With a lot of moving parts, Trello allows us to prioritize and organize all of the information and meetings that will help our new hires quickly get up to speed regarding their new role and our company culture.

Company culture

Having a strong culture can directly impact your employee’s experience. 

Not only will it help your employees have a better understanding of what’s expected of them, but it helps you create an environment where your employees are connected, feel empowered, and are recognized for their hard work.

Culture isn’t just about shared values, management practices, and benefits.

It’s also about helping your employees stay connected to one another. Especially if your team is remote.

Using technology within your company culture allows you to encourage peer-to-peer recognition, achieve collaborative working, and strengthen personal relationships.

When it comes to tools, there are a lot of really great Slack integrations that you can implement to help your team build connections.  

Donut is a great tool for getting to know your team members better, and it’s extremely easy for your employees to opt in and out! 

Once a month, Donut will automatically pair four random IMPACTers together for a virtual coffee chat, lunch, or even happy hour.

There’s no agenda, it’s a place where employees can catch up and get to know each other. Since the platform is integrated with Slack, it’s extremely easy to set up and manage.

All your employees have to do is join the dedicated Slack Channel and they will be automatically added to the next round of “donut” chats. 

An easy way to implement peer-to-peer recognition is by utilizing Slack’s Workflow Builder. Using the Workflow Builder tool, our team was able to create an action to an existing slack channel that allowed the team to recognize and shout out other team members without even leaving Slack. 

Another way that you can help strengthen personal relationships between team members can be as simple as creating public Slack channels around shared interests.

Some channels you might want to create can be focused around parenting, sports, health and fitness, pets, and even dedicated channels for states or regions where you have multiple remote employees. 

According to SHRM, relationships with coworkers was identified as the top driver of employee engagement. Helping your employees develop strong relationships can actually have an effect on company loyalty and their productivity.

Don’t underestimate the power of communication and how it can keep your team aligned.

To learn more about employee experience and how technology plays a role in improving employee engagement, check out the infographic below.