For many years now, we’ve all been picturing the future of work like something out of a Ridley Scott movie. But it turns out that tomorrow is already here and it’s all about more than just robots completing tasks.
Recent events have led to major changes not only in our personal lives but also in the workplace. There’s a renewed focus on a very important factor that has somehow not been very front and center until now: people.
This new people-centric approach has led companies to analyze just how happy employees are at work and what leads to their well-being. It turns out, employee engagement is a must-have: 78% of engaged employees feel that work is a benefit at a psychological level.
While there are infinite well-being initiatives that organizations have been working on and put into place (e.g., smartwatches, counseling, yoga, etc.), there is a lot that can be gained by having a finger on the pulse of sentiment and analyzing the employee experience itself.
This can include creating a work environment where employees can be heard and have a voice, where there are personalized programs to support them based on interests and needs, where career growth is not only enabled but encouraged.
Let’s take a look at how technology can enable companies to drive employee engagement and wellbeing..
Open Doors for Employee Engagement and Wellbeing with Learning & Development
Employees want doors to open instead of close on them. Presenting an employee experience that includes growth and professional opportunities can engage employees and give them a say as to how they can evolve their careers.
By creating a learning and development plan that contributes to employee upskilling, you’re giving your workforce a vote of confidence and a path to much more than their current role.
Tied into the learning and development plan is an internal talent marketplace, where employees can take everything they learned and see what other roles or projects are out there for them in the organization as well as how and where their professional career path can grow.
Such was the case with L’Oréal, where 50 percent of their employees expressed they wanted more visibility into career opportunities within the organization. With the help of Avature, they managed to launch an internal mobility platform across 70 countries and now 75 percent of positions posted are filled by L’Oréal employees.
But it’s more than just internal opportunities: it’s about making it more accessible for the entire workforce to reach them. The most engaging programs offer opportunities not just to the top performers but to all employees, enriching their experience and delivering value and benefit to the organization.
Remember: if the door won’t budge, they’ll look for a place where it’s wide open.
Start Conversations that Drive Engagement
To better engage with your employees, it’s important to go one step further than sending a company newsletter. Actively listening to better understand how they feel about their job and your organization, their expectations and what they think is missing, and then acting effectively on these points is what will make or break the overall employee experience.
Surveys are a powerful tool that give your workforce a voice and say in the organization. And this employee feedback is incredibly valuable to identify opportunities for improvement.
Effective performance management is another important touchpoint in the quest for employee engagement and wellbeing and allows for lasting employee and company development, recognizing achievements and driving growth.
It shouldn’t be just a tick-box exercise for every once-in-a-while, but an ongoing and enriching process through which employees can establish career goals and project their professional path moving forward.
These conversations can lead to the creation of the learning and development plan mentioned above. As well as recognizing their achievements, these also show that the company truly cares about employee growth and development.
We know that sharing is caring. So what better way to boost employee engagement and wellbeing than by implementing a hub where they can share everything from promotions to pictures of their pets and even their favorite hobbies or movies.
Not only does this employee engagement hub let the workforce share professional goals but it also promotes the social element that may sometimes be lacking, therefore driving belonging. As a company, you can also leverage this tool to communicate new company-wide initiatives that may be of interest to employees and their well-being.
As you can see, it’s all about lending an ear, having conversations and acting on these in a meaningful way. Active listening + effective action = satisfied employees.
To Conclude…
Both in work and life in general, there’s a new path beginning to take form, defined by a people-centric approach. Offering your employees a rewarding career, where growth and learning opportunities are always available, allows for a more driven and engaged workforce.
Companies need to start working on employee engagement if they want to improve overall well-being, achieving retention and less turnover. With the help of tech, companies and their employees can achieve a state of well-being that’ll allow for all of that. An engaged workforce is a happy workforce, and a happy workforce, well…stays.
