18 Mar 2021 | by Maisie Tomlinson

Until now, most companies have relied on clunky intranets as a hub for employee engagement, acting as a resource and communication platform. However, bespoke employee apps can be a great way to communicate and collaborate with team members, wherever they are in the world, and can be tailored to each company’s specific needs. It’s time to discuss the benefits they hold for employee engagement.

Recognition

Depending on whether you choose to use a pre-made application such as Microsoft Yammer or to start completely from scratch with your employee app, you have the ability to choose elements best-suited to your workplace. For example, including a feature that allows employees to give ‘shout-outs’ and celebrate each other’s successes is a sure-fire way of increasing employee engagement and morale.

A total 39% of surveyed employees believe that people in their own organisation don’t collaborate enough. (Queens University)

Staying connected

A bit like Facebook or Twitter, an app offers a place for employees to chat and discuss workplace matters outside of Microsoft Teams. Group chats can get cluttered and discussions easily swept away by other work conversation – that’s why implementing an app that promotes and accommodates discussion will encourage more conversation to happen throughout the business.

A huge 74% of employees feel that they are missing out on company information and news. (Gallup)

On the go

With the office getting a shake-up and makeshift desks becoming all the rage, COVID-19 has changed the future of how and where we work by forcing us, in most cases, to operate completely virtually. Even before this, with Gen-Z and Millennials entering and dominating the workforce, new ideas and new methods of working have seen virtual become a more prominent feature in the office. Having a platform for this where everything and everyone is in one place, a hub, is perfect for the modern employee who is always on the go.

A total 41% of Millennials said they prefer to communicate electronically rather than face-to-face or over the telephone at work. (PwC)

Freeing up the inbox

These days, our inboxes are all filling up rapidly. Whether it be queries, briefings, catch ups or spam, it’s hard to find your way through the clutter. An employee app can make opening up your emails a lot less stressful by providing a place that is easy to navigate, chat within, and can include all the information you need in one place. All the conversations, queries and even the odd meme can take place away from your inbox and make playing catch-up a little easier.

Investment in digital communications solutions such as employee apps can be a great way to help boost employee engagement, while keeping everyone connected in a more personal and frustration-free manner than your intranet. An app creates the perfect platform for communication throughout the company, sharing company news and putting forward any feedback or views they have. With this being the next step in an increasingly modernised workplace, and with all those benefits, why wouldn’t you want one!?

Maisie Tomlinson

By Maisie Tomlinson

Marketing Co-ordinatorMore articles by Maisie Tomlinson