Now more than ever, employee engagement is essential to any company or organization. However, it can be challenging to engage your employees, if they’re expected to come to work, put the hours in, and then repeat the cycle.
So, how can you optimize your workplace for better employee engagement? With tech, of course!
With so many people using technology these days, now it’s already seeping into the “corporate” arena. As a result, technology is becoming key to better employee engagement.
In this article, we’ll show you 5 ways to effectively incorporate technology to promote employee engagement in your company or organization:
- Encourage Appropriate Setups
“First and foremost, your employees should be able to work comfortably in their work environment,” says Jessica Wyatt, a business writer at Last minute writing and Draft Beyond. “That means having them use the right devices and tech, so that there’s more prepared for, say, an upcoming meeting or a project. This step allows for more productivity, and less distractions.”
2. Personal Devices Are In!
You heard right!
Nowadays, many companies are being lenient with their employees using their own devices at work, rather than having to rely on company-owned devices. Since more and more people have things like smartphones on their person all the time (if not 24/7), companies can now take advantage of that by allowing their employees to use their personal devices for work purposes. This is what you call BYOD (Bring Your Own Device).
While some people might think that letting employees bring their own devices is counterproductivity, when establishing certain boundaries and reminding employees of company policies, BYOD can actually increase employee engagement through autonomy – letting employees work the way they’d like, when they want to.
3. Collaboration Is A Must!
Teamwork has been around for a long time in a business setting. However, with technology, you can take teamwork (or, as it’s referred to nowadays, collaborations) to another level!
The key ingredient to successful collaborations is inclusive. In other words, everyone on the team wants to be and feel like they’re a part of the team. Technology can be useful in this area, especially in the following scenarios:
- The traditional route has always led to employees being (and feeling) isolated in their workspaces or offices. But with things like virtual meetings, employees can not only see each other, but also engage with each other on projects, memos, etc.
- Suppose that one person is at the office, while his or her partner is working from home. Thanks to technology, these two can work together virtually, and no work will be put on hold if one person isn’t at the office. OR,
- If one person is working from home, and another person is working while traveling, technology makes it easier for both parties to collaborate and get work done.
As for the technologies themselves, there are now collaborative software suites that allow people to pitch in their ideas, solutions, input, etc. no matter where they’re located.
4. Gamification
Employees love to receive fun stuff, and make work fun in general.
Take, for example, employee training. New employees want to be more comfortable starting a new job at a company. So, why not make their first experience fun and inviting for them? That’s where gamification comes in! Why not provide new employees with practical activities that they can complete every day, so that they’ll eventually learn the ropes, and be the best that they can be in their works? eLearning courses are a great way to not only teach new employees, but also have them earn rewards for completing activities.
Since people have a natural desire to compete against others, gamification is a great way to stir up some motivation. Just keep in mind: Gamifying in your company should be effective, and create positive experiences for your employees.
5. Keep Mission In Mind
“Even when tech is involved in the company sphere, you still can’t forget about company mission,” says Arthur Bright, a project manager at Research papers UK and Writinity. “The mission should be communicated every so often, so that your employees won’t forget about it. One way to do this is to use technology to illustrate company mission. For example, create a short video describing the mission, and encourage employees to share what that mission means to them, as if they were doing testimonials.”
BONUS: Be Real And Have Fun
Besides the 5 tips that we showed you, there are two other things to consider when it comes to employee engagement: humanity and fun.
Being human is to be a person. Period. There has to be times when you take off the work hat and know your employees as regular people. The good news is, with technology, engaging with employees outside of the workplace is easier. Take, for example, Zoom meetings. Turn those corporate Zoom meetings into casual meetups and hangouts on Zoom. Get to know your employees as if they were long-time friends that you would hang out with on your days off.
Also, don’t be afraid to schedule fun with your team. Again, have virtual hangouts with your employees every so often, so that people can get to know each other. And yes, people still do happy hours every once in a while.
By bringing the humanity and fun into your company or organization, these benefits will soon follow:
- Strong relationships with your employees
- The ability to see other people’s perspectives, challenges, etc.
- More empathy towards others
- Better collaborations, AND
- A stronger sense of community
Conclusion
Technology has – and will continue – to create a positive environment for the company as a whole. As you look into these 5 methods (along with the bonus tip), technology will work with your company in the following ways:
- Healthy and (still) professional work environments
- Better uses of technology with BYOD
- Better collaborative efforts
- Gamified interactions and activities
- Better focus on company mission, AND
- More humanity in the workspace
We hope that this article has taught you about the impact of technology in the workspace. As you keep these tips in mind, your company or organization will soon see higher emotional engagement, increased flexibility at work, and more autonomy for employees. Give technology a shot today!
Alex Dubinski is a writer and editor at Lucky Assignments London and Gum Essays. As an online marketing strategist, he has a five-year experience of working in marketing industry. He has a great passion for reading and writing, enjoys good food, and loves to travel.