The importance of employee engagement
Employee engagement is critical to business success. However the employee engagement challenge is complicated. Today’s workforce is diverse with each individual having a unique perspective and expectation regarding work and how they want to contribute to the organization.
There are clear examples of companies that have invested in very specific programs to cultivate a deep connection between employees and the company. But according to Gallup, only 13 percent of all employees worldwide today are engaged in their jobs1 — an alarming statistic when considering the potential ROI of increasing engagement. Organizations that do crack the engagement code have reported 22 percent greater productivity2. They also found companies with sustained employee engagement have demonstrated operating margins three times higher than those of companies with the lowest levels of engagement3
So what will be required to increase engagement across the workforce?
At the heart of engagement is communication and removing barriers to success. To create and sustain an engaged employee in today’s multigenerational workforce, the employer must have the right tools to streamline tasks, empower their employees and simplify communication. New HR software solutions are changing the landscape and organizations around the world are proactively leveraging these proven HCM technologies to successfully drive a new dimension in employee engagement.
3 ways HR software solutions drive employee engagement
Eliminating Administrative Manual Tasks
Today, many employees are burdened with outdated manual processes to handle HR processes and policies such as attendance, overtime, and leave. No employee wants to sign timecards manually. No employee wants to have to ask the supervisor how many days off he or she has available because the information is not accessible online.
Modern HR software solutions that provide a unified single platform, automate many of these tedious processes. All the relevant information and tasks can be managed in a single employee record. By unburdening both employees and managers from extra work, your teams can focus on adding value to the organization — for example, spearheading new initiatives (retail) or just having more time to focus on their work. When employees and managers feel they are adding value, engagement improves.
Empowering Employees with self-service
Many academic psychologists, including Frederic Herzberg, argue that workers respond positively when they are given more responsibility and authority in their daily tasks. People generally do well when they are empowered to make choices and decisions for themselves.
OnePoint’s HR software solutions provide employees with the ability to access their information and take care of workforce management tasks easily. The technology allows organizations to give employees autonomy while rules and workflows ensure conformity to the operational and policy needs of the enterprise. The employee can access the system from their device of choice with a wide range of self-service options, all safely governed by the rules and boundaries configured to match the organization’s policies and procedures. Some general self-service functionality include:
- Access to pay statements and accruals
- Request Leave and PTO
- Check schedules
- Adjust availability and preferences
- Communicate preferred shifts and availability
- Swap shifts
- Communicate with peers and managers
By empowering employees with more freedom and control, you can nurture an emotional connection to the organization that will foster loyalty and engagement.
Streamline communication
One of the keys to building employee engagement is recognizing that people consume information differently. Having the right tools to communicate effectively with employees and provide visibility to how their work contributes to the organization is a powerful motivator.
Employees want their work systems to function like the technology platforms and eCommerce sites they use everyday. Utilizing a single-database HR software solutions like OnePoint allows managers to deliver a consistent, predictable communication in various media to meets different communication preferences and expectations.
Being able to use email, text messages, on-screen alerts, voice mail, and even face-to-face communication should all play a role in keeping employees updated on important company information. Logging into one system to see dashboards, take care routine administrative tasks, company updates, and personal and company performance can help drive a new level of employee engagement in the workplace.
Citations:
1: Steve Crabtree, Worldwide, 13% of Employees Are Engaged at Work, Gallup (October 8, 2013), found athttp://www.gallup.com/poll/165269/worldwide-employees-engaged-work.aspx.
2: John Baldoni, Employee Engagement Does More than Boost Productivity, Harvard Business Review (July 2013), found at https://hbr.org/2013/07/employee-engagement-does-more/.
3: Towers Watson, CSAA Insurance Group: Driving Success Through Employee Engagement (2014), at 1.
