With all the advancements in technology, managers and business owners seem to be taking note. Far too many believe that traditional methods like emails, meetings, phone calls, or bulletin boards get the job done. But it’s not enough.
Many employees don’t understand why they can’t access company information right at their fingertips. It’s how they literally do everything else. After all, 77% of Americans own a smartphone and they spend, on average, four hours a day on them.
That’s where an employee app comes in. It’s the home run, the knockout, the golden ticket when it comes to increasing your employee’s productivity, morale, engagement, and retention.
But, wait! What’s an employee app, you may ask?
An employee app is a modern and mobile solution that enables employees to receive information in real-time that’s personalized and relevant to their job role, no matter where they are. It’s as simple as opening up the app or opening up a push notification. An employee app keeps everyone on the same page, increases communication and engagement, and allows employees to execute their job more efficiently.
While you mull over the benefits of an employee app to your business, here are five reasons why you shouldn’t just think about it but should act on it.
Many employees are on-the-go
In the world, 2.7 billion workers or 80%, aren’t sitting behind a desk five days a week. They work out in the field, drive trucks, wait tables, manage hospital floors, operate a crane, maintain cash registers, and deliver groceries. They are constantly on the move.
Many of these remote workers don’t have access to a company email, let alone a computer. But the one thing they all have – a smartphone.
“It’s just especially difficult to reach people who aren’t sitting in front of a computer,” said Carey Peterson, the Director of Internal Communications at Sutter Health. “So, we really needed to reach employees where they’re at – and that’s their smartphones.”
An employee app, like Connecteam, a world-leading management solution, allows you to engage your employees like never before, reflect your company culture, streamline information flow, and solidify your employer branding.
Not just for the younger generation
It’s not a secret that Millennials and Generation Z are glued to their phones. And that extends to their workplace too. In fact, 59% said that state-of-the-art technology is a must when it comes to choosing a place to work.
“When a young employee finds that an organization doesn’t communicate the way they’re accustomed to, they can more easily become disengaged and end up leaving,” said Elaine Branding, Senior Vice President of Internal Communications at FleishmanHillard. “Generally, Millennials don’t plan on staying at a place for a long time if they’re not happy. So, don’t stay up-to-date with current communications practices at your own peril. The world will move on, and your employees may, too.”
But guess what? It’s not just the young crowd that is scrolling through their phones on a daily basis. 85% of Gen-Xers and 67 percent of Baby Boomers own smartphones too!
Considering that every single one of your employees has a mobile phone, implementing an employee app into the daily work grind just makes sense.
Everyone is on the same page
Whether it’s good news or bad news, a new policy change, introducing a new team member, or celebrating a birthday, all your employees need to know. From different departments, locations, teams, etc. But it’s not so easy to do that if you’re stuck using traditional methods of communication, like email.
An employee app allows you to segment communication per your needs so you can be sure everyone who needs to know, is in the know. Connecteam’s employee app allows you to create channels and groups so information reaches the right people. Additionally, you can monitor, in real-time, who opened and read your message and for those who didn’t, you can send a push notification as a reminder to do so.
Avoid information overflow
Your employee’s time is valuable. They don’t have time to scroll through hundreds of emails, picking what they think might be important but more often than not, things fall through the cracks. Their inbox is literally overflowing.
Collaborative tools, such as Slack, or less formal communication tools, like WhatsApp, are found to be anti-productive because they lead to too many interruptions. All the need-to-know information is drowned out by chit-chat like “Who wants to order a burger from the restaurant down the street?”
And once you are interrupted by all the noise, it actually takes 25 minutes just to get back on track.
The answer isn’t less communication, but better communication. An employee app doesn’t add more noise, instead, it compiles the information into a single place that is filled with relevant and streamlined information.
Build a better, more personal, relationship with employees
An employee app is designed to allow managers to build a personal, valuable relationship with their employees. Whether it’s a one-on-one private conversation, submitting an idea to the suggestion box, sharing a survey, answering a live poll, or liking and commenting on a post shared with a fun GIF, you can treat your employees like the individual they are.
However, be sure to find a healthy balance so your employees don’t’ feel like they’re tied to their job 24/7 through constant notifications. An employee app allows your employees to choose when and how they access company information. The power, the choice, lies with them.
In short, it is common, business sense to be where your employees are – on their smartphone.
