Insights

What to Look For in an Employee Engagement Tool

By Stacy Litteral, Managing Director, BPM Link

On-site. Remote. Hybrid. The workplace landscape is constantly changing, and functional teams need a solution that can keep up. We are here to help you sort through the hundreds of options on the market and minimize burnout by highlighting the top features you should look for when selecting an effective employee engagement software.

Transparent Feedback From Team Members – Without the Pressure

This component is mission-critical when deciding which platform you’re going to use moving forward – because when a person feels heard, that person feels engaged. Many platforms offer one of three methods when it comes to creating this connection:

  1. A safe space for employees to provide valuable critiques and get a sincere response from higher-ups
  2. An anonymous messaging system for team members to sound off and let out their frustrations
  3. Surveys that lead individuals to give better scores out of fear of repercussion or that deliver hard-to-decipher quantitative results

Throughout our tenure, we have found that option No. 1 yields the greatest results. The open-ended nature allows an individual to get their full thoughts out so they can soften the blow of negative critiques, and this feedback helps administrators take direct action, whether that’s one-off solutions or an organization-wide shift. The lack of anonymity also allows for those in authority roles to respond on a one-on-one basis to ensure issues are resolved.

The Ability, for All Sides, to Set One-On-One Meetings

From routine conversations to spontaneous meet-ups, 1:1 sessions go a long way toward making employees feel heard. Just knowing that they can set up sessions at any time is enough to empower an employee and let them know they are valued. The transparent feedback feature mentioned above is excellent, but its greatest power is unlocked when it is paired with a scheduling mechanism.

Realistic Goals, Clear Expectations and Accountable Tracking

One of the greatest strengths of a solid employee engagement platform is its ability to provide a space for the individual to review their own personalized goals. What steps must be taken along the way to achieve these goals How do these steps push this person toward company-aligned missions, along with their own unique milestones How far away from – or close to – hitting their goals are they

Providing these details in a clear, yet creative manner helps to “gamify” progress, and can help keep team members inspired every day and in the long run.

High-Level Project Views and Progress Tracking for Higher-Ups

Employee-engagement software should be employee-focused – but that doesn’t mean administrators and project managers can’t also gain some great insights along the way. By tracking individual goals and project progress, supervisors should be able to accurately identify any areas that need more support or deserve more praise.

Strategic Reinforcement of Organization Values

It should be possible to customize this platform to fit the unique culture, vision and direction of the organization that adopts it. One way to accomplish this is by comfortably presenting users with the company’s core goals and values as a reminder of why they are there. This reinforcement of core behaviors does not need to be front and center at all times; subtle cues along the way can help keep everyone inspired.

It Has to Be Easy and Pleasant to Use

The key to getting employees to use an application in any meaningful manner is a great user experience – not fear of punishment or strict orders. A bulky login system, too many moving pieces and a confusing layout are just some of the surest ways to ensure a platform doesn’t get used, no matter how hard management tries to push it. The system has to feel welcoming, rewarding and low pressure. This seamless integration into daily work life is the best way to ensure a team gets the most out of any platform it chooses.

Introducing BPM Link: Our Answer to an Everchanging Workplace Landscape

As an intuitive, web-based employee engagement software, BPM Link is designed to connect individual team members’ work to the strategic direction of the organization through self-appraisals, public recognitions, guided one-on-ones and more. Employees know that their voices are being heard and feel a greater connection to the company, while administrators gain invaluable project progress data and real-time employee insights.


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