There is no doubt that the pandemic has accelerated digital transformation around the globe. But while we hear a lot about the fact that new technologies are making business operations smoother and the customer experience more efficient and attractive, it is often overlooked that new technologies improve the employee experience. The HR departments even consider the digital transformation crucial for the employee experience. Here are some ways in which digital transformation and new technologies can offer companies more support on a human level and improve the employee experience.
When new employees come to the company, they have to learn a lot. The induction phase is a tricky time. According to a Gallup study, “Only 12 percent of the workforce think that their company does a good job training new employees”. And according to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), employee turnover in the first 18 months of employment can be up to 50 percent. According to the Gallup study, one reason for this high fluctuation is a poor onboarding process, which impairs the development of an emotional bond between new employees and the company. New training methods that use digital technologies such as augmented Reality could help here. For example, Augmented Reality is used to create immersive learning environments that enable teaching with all senses. An example of this is a training situation,
Even if virtual reality (VR) is mainly used for fun outside of the working world, VR is also gaining increasing popularity in the corporate world. There are innumerable uses for VR. Safety training is just one of them. For example, it is difficult to use traditional safety training in the workplace to teach employees how to react to extreme situations such as armed robbery. This is where VR comes in. For example, Verizon retail employees have undergone VR training to prepare for just such an extreme situation. According to this, 95 percent of branch managers understood the factors that they would have to consider in the event of a real break-in better than with conventional forms of training.
Gamification is becoming increasingly important for companies when it comes to recruiting candidates from Generation Y. In a survey by TalentLMS , 78 percent of employees said they would like to work for a company whose recruiting practices include gamification. Many companies have jumped on this bandwagon. Eurowings, for example, started a recruiting campaign in which every job advertisement was converted into a Tinder profile, and job seekers could either swipe left or right. The Marriott hotel chain has developed a Facebook game to attract new talent. PwC has introduced a fully gamified hiring experience with Multiply Next. Google and IBM are running hackathons to bring their new employees up to speed.
A gamified hiring process is not just about playful activities but also about giving applicants an impression of their future job. Based on real scenarios, gamification is used in recruiting to see how potential candidates would react to realistic requirements in the workplace. Whether they fail or succeed, they will get a complete picture of how the company works and what is required. Without even realizing it, they receive their onboarding training before accepting the offer.
According to a survey conducted by Censuswide on Achievers, 19 percent of respondents said that executives would not be interested in their feedback – the third leading reason for lack of employee engagement. According to Gartner companies that offer continuous feedback options for employees increase performance by 12 percent. Many companies believe that they listen carefully to their workforce and conduct annual employee surveys. This is a start, but it is not enough in our fast-moving times.
The HR department must regularly collect feedback from employees and support managers in responding to it promptly. Asking the workforce for their opinion every day by email is not a sensible solution. Tools like heart rate surveys and intelligent HR chatbots are better suited here. A chatbot that works around the clock can supplement surveys on the workforce’s satisfaction with real-time dialogues and offer employees a personal conversation that gives them the feeling that they are not alone. The results are converted into information and recommendations that connect employees and managers and thus enable prompt action. Over time, the AI behind the chatbot captures the nuances of the feedback and can make personalized recommendations that take into account the specific needs of each employee.
Regardless of how long the employees have been with a company, they are often still faced with understanding the additional services available. Personalized information modules, chatbots, and voice-activated search functions are just some of how navigation through multi-part service offers can be made easy (and even pleasant!) For the workforce. Some companies create libraries with explanatory videos for their workforce and post them on their social media channels. In contrast, others set up voice-controlled virtual assistants to answer employees’ questions about health and company services. At the same time, new, lean platforms are introduced, which simplify the administration of social benefits on the part of the HR department,
Technology is the new bridge between people – the way we connect. There’s a reason social media is such a big part of how we all relate to one another: it just feels good when someone else publicly acknowledges what you’ve achieved. With today’s digital recognition platforms, companies can harness the power of social recognition to communicate to their employees daily that their efforts are being noticed and appreciated. These platforms automate and streamline the entire recognition and reward process for employees at all levels and provide a platform for company-wide visibility.
Employees can easily send and receive social or points-based recognition, Link company values with recognitions and sign digital anniversary cards, to name just a few examples. It is also important to remember that personal recognition is often not possible in times of home office or hybrid work. The same is true when the workforce is spread across many different locations. If employees and supervisors cannot meet in person, the technology allows for a digital pat on the back. When the workforce is spread across many different locations. If employees and supervisors cannot meet in person, the technology allows for a digital pat on the back. When the workforce is spread across many different locations. If employees and supervisors cannot meet in person, the technology allows for a digital pat on the back.
In the early days of digital transformation, there was widespread fear that more technology would lead to a colder, less personal atmosphere. Instead, it has been found that digital channels make the workplace a warmer environment and improve the employee experience.
Also Read: Immersive VR And AR Technology Will Prevail In Education And Training