Employee engagement in a digital workforce
At no other point in history have businesses had as many opportunities to assess and improve their workforce’s effectiveness and efficiency. While not all businesses have embraced accessible tools and technology, top businesses have benefited from new technologies that measure productivity, sales, customer happiness, workflows, quality, and workplace interactions on a regular, if not real-time, basis. Additionally, the methods for synthesising and analysing this data have evolved quickly in recent years, with the widespread availability of statistical modelling, machine learning, and artificial intelligence applications (Burnett and Lisk, 2019).
It is well known that business models and contexts are rapidly being ravished by a wide array of exponentially evolving technologies and highly disruptive technologies that will, according to a recent McKinsey Global Institute report, literally “transform life, business and the global economy”. These include but are not limited to artificial machine intelligence, cognitive and quantum computing, as well as stellar advances in automation, robotics and, blockchain and the so-called internet of things. Social, mobile, analytics and cloud computing are already considered passé. These all ambiguously impact the future of work, the workplace context and the future digital workforce (Ludike and Einstein, 2018).
The
digital workforce has developed many competencies that may leverage at work. Digital
fluency goes beyond simply knowing how to use a few programs or apps.
Both digital natives and digital immigrants may
have the digital fluency necessary to manipulate data, represent information,
solve problems, and design products (Colbert, Yee
and George, 2016)
A
highly engaged workforce results in having satisfied, committed employees
to their work while decreasing employee turnover (Vance, 2006). As a result, establishing appropriate
practices and frameworks to foster employee engagement should be a primary
focus of an organisation (Vance, 2006).
Kompaso and Sridevi (2010) define a platform focusing on ten areas that helps in developing a highly engaged workforce, and those state as below.
- Well streamlined recruiting and onboarding process
- Top-down commitment from top leadership to the ground level workforce
- Effective communication
- Allowing right level of freedom to work
- Facilitation of required resources to get the job done
- Incentives
- Cooperate culture that promotes engagement
- Fair reconditions
- Effective feedback loop
- Training and development
Millennial Workforce
Millennial employees are the most significant
segment of the workforce in any country. A Millennial is defined as “anyone
born between 1981 and 1996.” By 2020, it is estimated that Millennials will
account for more than a third of the global workforce. Different
characteristics define the Millennial generation; for example, they value
personal attention and high regard for their talents and being collaborative
and technologically adept. Millennials have different expectations
than older, more mature workers, making it difficult for employers to
comprehend what truly motivates them (Sahni, 2021).
Three ways digital workplaces can improve
employee engagement
Hummerston (2021) states that three ways can help in improving employee engagement in a workplace.
Better Connectivity
Digital workplaces are an efficient way to ensure as possible they can be. They allow for sharing knowledge and experience from individuals and facilitate all this communication in one easy-to-reach place. Remote workers can access the digital workplace from anywhere; it makes managing collaboration from a central hub much easier.
Efficient collaboration
Having a digital workplace centralises knowledge and makes it easier for different departments to learn more and understand their colleagues’ work in those departments. Efficient collaboration facilitates a strong sense of engagement among teams and businesses as a whole. Digital workplaces also provide a means of sharing information and facilitating better relationships and work practices.
Improves
interaction
Digital workplaces are excellent tools for increasing employee engagement and interaction. With the introduction of methods like gamification, businesses can ensure that employees are more incentivised to interact with content and participate in group projects. From Zoom to Microsoft Teams, there are various ways to keep employees in the loop and maintain morale.
Video: 1.0 - Increasing Employee Engagement for Digitally Native Workforces
Video 1.0 explains a real-life example of Scandic Hotels, a hotel chain that deployed an employee engagement concept. Further, it explains how they have allowed employees to connect effortlessly, especially during the pandemic, learn new skills, and share much celebration. Further, it states that the organisations can adopt this concept and help businesses in post-covid challenges. (Increasing Employee Engagement for Digitally Native Workforces, 2020).
I
am working at a leading private bank in Sri Lanka
& given below are some of the instances of how my organisation
success the challenges of Post-Covid by enabling digital platforms
with employee engagement.
Example:
01 - Recruiting and selection process
Recruitment and selection is a lengthy and time-consuming process for both the applicant and the organisation before the pandemic due to physical documentation, face-to-face interviews. However, presently, all the interviews are being conducted through Microsoft teams’ software, and other digital platforms like Google documents and Google cloud have simplified our work more than before.
Example:
02 - Communication Platform
Digitised platforms enable next-generation
workforces to connect successfully across the organisational tiers. These
platforms will include quarterly organisational updates, an internal social
media platform for workers to express themselves, enabling the utilisation of
the bank’s public messaging portal, artificial intelligence-powered
chatbots to give on-demand support, and ongoing email communications.
Example:
03 - Training and Development
Training and development play a crucial part in the organisational echo system, ensuring that the employees have the right skills in a continuously changing technology-based domain. My bank has enabled V- learning (Video Learning) platforms to do self-learning where bank HR will be assigned courses for the individual staff depending on their staff grades and job role. Further, training sessions conduct through the “Microsoft teams” platform.
References
Burnett, J. R. and Lisk, T. C. (2019) ‘The Future of
Employee Engagement: Real-Time Monitoring and Digital Tools for Engaging a
Workforce’, International Studies of Management & Organization,
49(1), pp. 108–119. doi: 10.1080/00208825.2019.1565097.
Colbert, A., Yee, N. and
George, D. (2016) ‘FROM THE EDITORS THE DIGITAL WORKFORCE AND THE WORKPLACE OF
THE FUTURE’, Academy of management jurnal, 59(3), pp. 731–739. doi:
10.5465/amj.2016.4003.
Hummerston, J. (2021) Three
Ways Digital Workplaces Can Improve Employee Engagement - Engage for Success.
Available at:
https://engageforsuccess.org/flexible-remote-working/three-ways-digital-workplaces-can-improve-employee-engagement/
(Accessed: 18 November 2021).
Increasing Employee
Engagement for Digitally Native Workforces - YouTube (2020). Institute for Management Development IMD. Available
at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmF6N2TKEss&ab_channel=InstituteforManagementDevelopmentIMD
(Accessed: 18 November 2021).
Ludike, J. and Einstein,
A. (2018) ‘Digital Employee Experience Engagement Paradox: Futureproofing
Retention Practice The human spirit must prevail over technology’, Psychology
of Retention . doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-98920-4_3.
Vance, R. J. (2006) Employee
Engagement and Commitment A guide to understanding, measuring and increasing
engagement in your organization, SHRM FOUNDATION’S EFFECTIVE PRACTICE
GUIDELINES. Available at: www.shrm.org/foundation. (Accessed: 19 November
2021).
Yes Nirmika also, While technology alone will not be able to solve the challenge of how to better engage your staff and get the greatest results, it can assist in key ways. Information sharing, creativity, creative collaboration, open interaction, and flexibility: technology's role in employee engagement is virtually endless, and it will almost certainly continue to improve and expand.
ReplyDeleteHi Isuru, Yes. More focus on people-first culture, work-life harmony, redefining “human” HR, gender equality, women empowerment, & women safety in the workplace gives career growth and workplace wellness opportunities to improve employee engagement (Dutta, 2021).
DeleteAgree with you Nirmika. Furthermore, Most of the firms in Sri Lanka have incorporated innovative tactics and approaches to keep their employees engaged (Iddagoda, 2020). Unlike the firms in other countries, most of the Sri Lankan business organizations have yet to implement innovative technological aspects for maintaining employee engagement (Kuruppuge & Gregar, 2017).
ReplyDeleteHi Gihan, Yes. Recent research suggests that the design of people’s jobs is one of the most significant factors influencing engagement levels & jobs that offer such experiences as variety, challenge, and end-to-end responsibility to facilitate high levels of engagement (Shantz et al., 2013). Thus, organizations should be cautious in designing the job task of each employee. “Job design” is identified as a crucial factor in work engagement and Innovative Work Behavior (Spiegelaere et al., 2015).
DeleteWell said Nirmika. Digital business innovations have fundamentally altered the role and perspective of the employee. In the age of automation, many think of the changes ahead in negative terms. But in many many ways, employees are more empowered than ever before (Brian Anderson,2019).
ReplyDeleteHi Upeksha, Agreed. Also, Masson (2009) suggested that leaders should effectively communicate to employees toward their career growth to trust that development processes are fair and equitable. Supervisors should be transparent and help employees identify their developmental needs and enhance their skills during tough times. Further, In the present COVID‐19 pandemic, employee engagement has become one of the utmost prominent primacies in organisations due to imposing lockdown. Organisations nowadays are constantly developing innovative and effective means to engage the employees during this challenging time. Organisations are emerging many engagement activities like virtual learning and development, online team building activities and webinars meetings (Chanana, 2021).
DeleteYoung workers, are less concerned about staying with one or a few employers as their attitudes and values differ from older generations, which can challenge talent management and create skills shortages (Eisner, 2005). For the younger generations, variety in the job and work-life balance are more important, which must be considered as different age groups have their priorities.
ReplyDeleteEisner, S.P. 2005. Managing generation Y. SAM advanced management journal. 70(4), p4.
Hi Ravi, Thank you for the comment. While agreeing with the comments above, there is a growing need to improve working conditions so that the reduction of the management structure can maintain or even exceed its performance (Delanoeije, 2020). This concern has given rise to the scientific literature as New Ways of Working (NWW) (Hendrickx, 2018). An increasing number of organisations have been looking to implement NWW’s in search of a readjustment of their management practices to stay competitive in the market, reduce operating costs and increase productivity (Blok et al., 2012).
DeleteYes Nirmika. The workplace today is always connected and instantly accessible. There are unprecedented ways in which communication and collaboration among worker is taking place. Digital workplace breaks down the communication barrier thus leading to a complete transformation of employee experience. It fosters efficiency, innovation and growth (D’Alessandro, 2008).
ReplyDeleteHi Dileep, Agreed. Further, today the technology, people, and the overall work environment have moved on, meaning that today’s organizations need to be flexible (Johnson, 2004). Further, Lloyd Morgan (2004) found that numerous cultural traits are critical for increasing engagement levels, particularly having a culture of innovation, having good internal communication and having a reputation of integrity.
DeleteVery informative blog, Further to your points,The Digital workplace breaks down the communication barrier, thus leading to a complete transformation of employee experience. It encourages efficiency, innovation and growth. (Herrera, Chan, Ligault, & Mohammed, 2012)
ReplyDeleteHi Surangi.Agree with you. Further, Due to the current working climate influenced by the global pandemic, remote working is being practiced and there is a need for instant communication between employees. Therefore, internal communication goes digital with instant digital communication methods like emails, instant chats and social media and even there are tendency for using employee apps and employee engagement software (Polovin, 2021). The approach of one-size-fits-all has not outdated since there should be personalisation in the communication use by companies. Therefore, there is a need of having flexible and adaptable employee engagement models considering the trend for personalised employee communication (Terry, 2021). This will include personalised messages, personalised strategies, and even personalised communication methods (Terry, 2021).
DeleteHi Nirmika, Well explained, due to the pandemic situation it is important to continue the process of employee engagement to drive towards to achieve the goal of the organization (Colbert, Yee and George, 2016). However when it comes to the digital platform there are some other simple facts that also be used for continuation as such real time appreciation, hosting virtual activities, provide toolkits to every employees considering the safety of the loved once, schedule more audio and video calls to build the relationship is also used in order to keep the momentum (Sahni, 2021).
ReplyDeleteHi Deshani, Thank you for your comment. Further, the digital workplace is a challenge that needs to be well managed. For example, Burch et al. (2015) study highlight the disconnect employees feel when roles and responsibilities associated with their job change or evolve due to introducing new technology and systems to the organisation.
Delete