Enhancing Employee Engagement With Integrated Workflows
Boost team engagement with integrated rewards. Enhance productivity and connectivity effortlessly!
Disconnected SaaS and tech platforms can strain budgets and hinder remote work collaboration. Learn from Cory Gaines, chief product officer of Blackhawk Network, how integrating rewards into digital workflows boosts team productivity and connection.
In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, where remote work has become the norm and technology platforms and software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions are abundant, a new challenge has emerged for business leaders and IT decision-makers. The rise of disconnected SaaS solutions has increased employee complexity and significantly strained corporate budgets. As work flexibility accelerated by the pandemic continues to reshape how we collaborate, bridging the gap between disconnected teams and tools has become a top priority.
The Challenges of Digital Transformation and Technology Integration
In recent years, global IT spending has accounted for trillions of dollars; according to Zylo, even SMBs with 500 employees or fewer have an average of nearly 200 SaaS subscriptions. And those figures are only expected to climb as new AI tools and emerging technologies offer shiny new advancements, bells, and whistles intended to enhance business workflows and operations. It’s easy to see how spending on new technology can overwhelm corporate budgets.
Also, integrating and ensuring the seamless functionality of various technologies and SaaS solutions within an organization poses a multifaceted challenge. The intricate nature of modern tech ecosystems often leads to compatibility issues, data silos, and interoperability complexities. Coordinating different software, platforms, and tools harmoniously demands meticulous planning and robust integration strategies.
Additionally, providing employees with effective training to leverage these tools optimally compounds the challenge. The rapid pace of technological advancements means that employees must constantly adapt to new tools, requiring ongoing training efforts. The synergy between technological alignment and employee proficiency ultimately determines an organization’s ability to harness the full potential of its digital infrastructure.
See More: People-first Approach to Digital Transformation
Remote Work and Employee Dissatisfaction
The shift to remote work has been a double-edged sword. On one hand, it has provided employees with newfound flexibility, allowing them to work from various locations and adapt their schedules to suit personal needs. On the other hand, the disconnected nature of remote work has made it challenging for teams to stay connected, share insights, and maintain a sense of unity. Video conferencing and messaging platforms have attempted to address this issue. Still, organizations need to take it a step further by integrating employee engagement initiatives directly into these digital workflows that employees rely on to remain productive and engaged.
Other employment trends also play into the picture: according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, job openings have decreased steadily over the last few months. While mass layoffs continue to make headlines (there were 1.8 million recorded in March alone1), employees who remain with their organizations feel pressured to backfill their former colleagues’ work and responsibilities, amplifying burnout and causing people to seek new employment opportunities.
Research found that despite the cooling job market, nearly three-quarters of employed respondents are seeking new employment today.
Recognizing the importance of fostering engagement and retention within the remote workforce, business leaders are now presented with a unique opportunity. By embedding rewards directly into the digital tools and platforms that employees use daily, companies can enhance both productivity and connectivity.
See More: Extroverts: Here’s How to Survive Remote Work
Integrating Rewards Into Existing Technologies Can Streamline and Boost Engagement
Examples of this innovative embedded rewards approach can be seen on employee engagement platforms like Microsoft Teams and SaaS applications like Qualtrics. In the case of Microsoft Teams, its Rewards integration allows Teams users to quickly deliver digital rewards within the Teams application— allowing teams to reward, recognize, and incentivize their colleagues right within the workforce collaboration suite that they already rely upon for work each day. Whether rewarding an entire team for a shared achievement discussed during an all-hands meet-up or recognizing an individual for a particularly successful meeting or presentation, it now makes rewarding employees and colleagues simple within the Teams app — without additional technology or time spent sourcing rewards.
Through an integrated approach like this, employees stay closely plugged into the software and technology their employers have invested in, they can earn recognition for their valuable contributions in the same place, and leaders can minimize friction between tech tools. This can lead to a more robust connection among team members and a streamlined approach to utilizing their existing tech platforms and SaaS solutions – versus adding another tech solution for employee engagement. The good news is employees are hungry for this type of integration: Our research found that 81% of respondents would be interested in using a recognition platform that empowers them to send and receive recognition to anyone in their company, and 77% want to be recognized by their colleagues.
The era of disconnected SaaS solutions and remote work challenges demands a fresh perspective from business leaders and IT decision makers. One solution is integrating rewards directly into the existing digital workflows that employees rely on to maintain productivity and connect. As we navigate this evolving landscape, companies that embrace this innovative strategy stand to drive employee engagement, foster a more connected workforce, and maximize the use of existing technology investments.
How can integrating rewards boost collaboration and productivity? Let us know on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn. We’d love to hear from you!
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