7 Best Technology Practices to Create Stronger Employee Connections

In-person connections are much harder to make since the COVID-19 pandemic sent the world into a virtual tailspin. Even with remote work, it’s still imperative to create a united workforce to achieve productivity, collaboration, and communication. Technology and the way in which it is used is vital to connecting with employees.

Worldwide tech spending is forecasted by Gartner to reach $4.4 trillion in 2022, reflecting a 4% increase over 2021. According to John-David Lovelock research vice president at Gartner, agrees, saying, “CIOs anticipate having the financial and organizational ability to invest in key technologies throughout this year and next.” On their pursuit of digital transformation, organizations must leave room in their technology budget for internal solutions that will connect their workplace regardless of geographic disparities.

Connecting with the Digital Workspace

The digital workplace is a secure, centralized hub of apps and networks that employees use to do their jobs remotely on any device so long as it’s connected to the internet. According to Gartner, “The digital workplace enables new, more effective ways of working; raises employee engagement and agility; and exploits consumer-oriented styles and technologies.”

The benefits of the digital workspace can be summaries with the 3 C’s:

• Connectivity – Employees are just a click away from corporate information and their teammates, regardless of geographic location
• Communication – Digital communication means faster transactions and timestamped receipts, leading to quicker results and fewer mistakes respectively
• Collaboration – With augmented connectivity and communication, collaboration can happen more organically

Failing to create a centralized digital workspace for remote employees can cause many problems including:

• Inefficiency in home offices
• Lack of mobility
• Limited access to apps and other software programs
• Security breaches including bugs and viruses
• Missed project deadlines
• Slower project implementation
• Lost revenue opportunities
• Being surpassed by the competition

The digital workspace is defining the success or failures of many organizations today. For remote or hybrid companies primarily, digital workspaces are the only way employees can connect with their companies. Beyond that, it’s necessary for leadership to evaluate how they are leveraging technology to forge connections with and amongst employees.

7 Best Technology Practices to Create Stronger Employee Connections

Once a secure digital workplace has been established, enterprises can pursue several practices to further unite their dispersed workforce. The following technology practices can be attributed to improved employee connectivity and engagement:

Employee Meetups After Working Hours

Finding time to casually connect during working hours isn’t realistic or productive. Organizing after-hours events like happy hours, trivia nights, or hackathons gives employees a great opportunity to enjoy their colleagues’ company, share different sides of their personalities, and form authentic bonds.

Employee Training and Education Programs

Educational environments are fertile ground for collaboration. Training programs are a great way for employees to team up and learn a new skill. Employees win by adding to their professional capabilities, employers win by upskilling their workforce, and everyone wins with more connections.

Technology-Based Workgroups

Employees are encouraged to engage as they share information and communicate during various touch points of projects. Digital workgroups allow you to see the progress of assignments and provide feedback to teammates.

Employee Communication Software

Giving team members a platform to communicate 1-on-1, formulate group chats, and address the entire organization creates a powerful sense of employee comradery. Creating different channels within the communication software like “Appreciation,” “Food for Thought,” and “Funny Memes” helps organize the conversations and encourage banter.

Performance Management Tools

Performance tracking tools like factoHR, zimyo and bambooHR are a great way for employees and managers to unite. Employees can set goals for themselves, and managers can set priorities and monitor KPIs.

Digital HR Platforms

Transparency is a hallmark of great relationships, even in the workplace. Having an accessible repository of company information including policies, job openings, and benefits details will make employees feel more connected to their organizations.

Camera-on Meetings

Having cameras turned on for meetings, specifically 1-on-1 meetings, will help team members and managers form deeper connections. Video meetings improve engagement and humanize the digital experience more than audio calls.

Bridging the Gap with Technology

In a time where in-person connections are limited, it can be easy to feel isolated. In the professional world, 16% of companies globally are fully remote and about 62% of workers aged 22 to 65 claim to work remotely at least occasionally. Finding a way to keep teams connected in this increasingly virtual world is critical. Technology is the bridge that connects us all.

Architecting a high-performing, secure digital workspace removes any barriers in the way of employees doing their jobs remotely. The digital workspace is critical to helping employees feel connected to their company. Finding creative ways to use technology can help forge human-to-human connections no matter the physical distance between them. While we may be seeing less of our colleagues these days, we can still come together, virtually.

Apexon is experienced in guiding enterprises through the complexities of digital transformation and leveraging the power of the Salesforce platform to help employees feel more connected. The workplace of the future requires smarter thinking. Let us help you get there. Click here to learn more or get in touch directly using the form below.