Why It’s Time To Invest In Employee Experience Solutions
If you haven’t heard yet, 2018 is officially “the year of the employee experience.”
The employee experience (EX) is the sum of all interactions employees have with their organization throughout their tenure, from the first contact as a candidate to their departure.
Technology is a critical factor in the employee experience, particularly when you consider how often employees interact with it each day. That’s why it should come as no surprise that forward-thinking companies are looking for employee experience solutions. You may not have heard the term before, but that’s because many organizations are still struggling to define what this means. And our employee experience solution, iOFFICE Hummingbird is the first of its kind, in a category all its own. Here’s a look at what employee experience solutions really are and why we’re willing to bet you’ll hear a lot more about them soon.
Employee Experience Solutions Have Multiple Touchpoints
Technology that is truly employee-centric recognizes that today’s employees are constantly on the move. They’re just as likely to be checking their smartphone between meetings as they are to be checking email on their laptop.
And they expect the technology they use in the workplace to mirror the apps they use at home. They expect to be able to log in once and have access to the same settings throughout the day, whether they are on their computer, on a tablet or kiosk or on their smartphone.
Hummingbird is designed with this mobility in mind, allowing employees to access the tools they need from multiple touchpoints.
Employee Experience Solutions Serve Multiple Functions
No one wants to remember a dozen different passwords to do the simple tasks they need to do throughout their day.
It should be easy to find a colleague, reserve a room, request service and receive visitors or mail, for instance.
And with the Hummingbird EX app, they can do all these things through one interface with a few clicks.
Employee Experience Solutions Integrate With Existing Technology
Considering the fact that more than 100 apps are introduced to the market every hour, organizations are understandably hesitant to add new technology in the workplace unless it’s clearly adding value. Instead, they’re looking for ways to make better use of the technology they already have, focusing on integrations and plug-ins rather than brand new solutions.
One of the biggest advantages of Hummingbird is its ability to retrieve data from multiple systems, whether it’s the iOFFICE IWMS or another workplace management system. Hummingbird can even pull data from employee directories, space management software and facility maintenance software, giving workplace leaders real-time insight into how the workforce is being used.
This gives them the information they need to provide more accurate forecasting, maximize space utilization and calibrate the workplace according to employees’ needs.
Employee Experience Solutions Are Secure
As the technology landscape evolves to include the Internet of Things, new solutions will fade in and out, but the need for greater information security will remain strong. Fifty-five percent of IT professionals said security was a top priority for them when deploying IoT initiatives, according to a recent survey by 451 Research. And 58 percent said security was their top concern when choosing vendors.
While Hummingbird puts greater functionality into the hands of employees, it does so while allowing the IT department to retain control. Apps can integrate directly with SAML/SSO solutions, allowing IT professionals to grant or revoke access using the same authentication control system in place for the iOFFICE integrated workplace management system (IWMS).
How Employee Experience Solutions Benefit Your Workplace
Technology is just one part of an employee’s overall experience, but it’s an important factor.
By giving employees greater access to the technology tools they need, employee experience solutions like iOFFICE Hummingbird empowers them. When employees feel in control within their environment, they are more productive, more engaged and generally more satisfied with their work. They are more likely to become advocates of your organization, which is good for recruitment and retention.
Empowering employees to do more for themselves also takes some of the burden off IT professionals, allowing them to focus on more important priorities rather than getting bogged down with tech requests.
The best employee experience solutions close the gap between workplace leaders and employees so employees can give feedback and leaders can respond in real time.
To learn more about how Hummingbird’s employee experience solutions benefit your workplace and makes your job easier, check out our latest guide, Using Technology in the Workplace to Elevate the Employee Experience.
