6 Apr 2021
Engaging with technology for a positive outcome
A growing awareness of the value of employee engagement and well-being in developing and retaining staff was given a boost last year when the pandemic forced the separation of employer and employee. Over a year on and HR teams remain focused on supporting employees in any way they can to ensure they remain engaged and motivated, whilst isolated.
The pandemic created changes to the workplace that no one could have anticipated and led to challenges that few had experienced. The move away from the office environment has lasted for many more months than was originally expected and myriad programmes for employee well being are available. What is different now is that technology is at the forefront, underpinning employee engagement activities.
Many employees become engaged at an emotional level and feel an instinctive commitment to their employer. This emotion drives behaviour and engaged employees often exhibit elevated levels of enthusiasm for and dedication to both their job role and employer. There can be little doubt that engaged employees can produce beneficial outcomes for themselves and those around them. Initiatives taken to ensure the well-being of teams can be met with a positive response simply because the individual feels valued and not alone.
Providing employees with all the tools needed to perform their role and deploying technologies that enhance the work experience should be a priority for any organisation. The idea is not to disengage the employee from others during this period of remote working, but to minimise the time required to complete routine and time consuming tasks. Administrative work is a necessary part of any job, regardless of how specialised it is. However, employees bogged down by admin might start to forget what they love about their job. With tools that minimise the routine an employee is free to pursue activities that create engagement with others, supporting the work-life balance, thereby ensuring a holistic approach to HR that for many is a way forward out of the pandemic.
Global HCM software provider, Frontier Software recommends the introduction of employee self service (ESS), a software tool that empowers employees by delivering access to their personal information 24/7.
Deployment options include browser based and mobile apps, thus ensuring employees with flexible work arrangements can access data as and when it is most convenient for them, enhancing the employee experience and interaction with technology.
ESS offers may benefits that lead to engaged employees, for example:
- Increased employee autonomy
- Increased employee input into decision making
- Provides a driver for learning, performance appraisal and career planning
The power of ESS is that it aids the processes underpinning employee engagement. When coupled with the potential cost savings and efficiencies, ESS offers organisations a practical and effective tool to facilitate engagement and, as already stated, engaged workers produce better outcomes. There has never been a better time to consider the benefits of software that makes life simpler and, for many organisations, adding this flexible, efficient tool to the HR tool kit is one of those benefits.
Article originally published on Public Sector Focus April 2021.