How to Choose an Employee Engagement Platform

September 6, 2023
Employee Wellness, Engagement, Tools

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Employee engagement is one of the most important aspects of any business. Happy and engaged employees have better productivity and will likely commit to the company for longer.

Using an employee engagement platform is the best way to improve this in your business.

But how do you know which employee engagement platform is right for your business? So many options are available, and it can be challenging to decide which is best.

That’s why we will discuss employee engagement platforms’ different features and benefits to help you choose the right one.

Read below to learn what to look for in an employee engagement platform, how to choose one, and more.

What Is an Employee Engagement Platform?

An employee engagement platform is an online space where all company members can interact with each other.

The main aim of these platforms is to build company relationships and culture to enhance performance, retention, happiness, and well-being.

They do this with various features and systems that involve employees much closer in the company’s mission. Additionally, it has features that help employees immerse themselves in the company more, increasing their engagement level.

Qualities To Look For in an Employee Engagement Platform

When selecting an employee engagement platform, there are many things to consider. There’s more than one way to engage an employee.

Before choosing an employee engagement platform, research the aspects that matter most to you. Doing this gives you a clearer sense of what you want.

To help you out, here are the qualities and functions you should look for in an employee engagement platform.

1. It Should Have a User-friendly Interface 😀

You should ensure that the software you choose will be easy to use and navigate.

A user-friendly interface includes:

- A great design – the layout must be simple, with minimal clutter on the screen. Also, buttons, fonts, and colors must have a consistent look; otherwise, it’ll look visually confusing.
- Solid navigation features – these include menus that are easy to navigate and a panel to find the section of the platform you want quickly.

Optimized design features for mobiles and tablets (a mobile app, for example).

Spacing between text and features – this reduces the platform’s visual clutter.

A search function – a good search function should include comprehensive suggestions and filters so you can find what you want/
Correct text size – if the text is too small, employees will find it hard to read.
Accessibility functions – it needs these for employees with disabilities. An example of an accessibility function is text-to-speech.

If it is over-complicated, doesn’t perform well, and doesn’t fulfill needs, your employees won’t be happy using it.

2. Survey

One way to learn more about your employees and your company is by conducting surveys (regular pulse surveys, for example).

Here is an example employee engagement survey in Australia.

Source: Mercer

It will help you know what’s going on and what measures you can take to improve the business’s current situation.

It will also help you understand how your employees perceive their working environment and culture. It’s beneficial to see if there are wider concerns from your workforce.

It can also be a helpful tool if you want help making a major decision in the company.

So, consider this function when choosing employee engagement software.

3. Measurement 📏

You won’t know what to improve in your company if you can’t measure the metrics. That’s why the platform should measure these metrics and use them as a benchmark for future measurement.

Metrics you may want to measure include:

Employee engagement metrics.
Employee performance (for an employee performance review).
Employee productivity.
Employee attendance.
Employee development.
And much more.

Doing this lets you know if your strategies effectively make improvements or changes in your company.

4. Segmentation

People are not all the same. That’s why segmentation should be a vital function of the software.

It will help you ask the best questions to your intended audience. You’ll then learn a lot from the feedback you’ll get from them.

You can customize segmentation based on teams, for example, or target team members working on specific projects.

Doing this means that you always ask relevant questions to relevant people.

5. People Analytics

To help employers make staff decisions, analytics should be in place.

Employers can use analytics to see their whole workforce (managers and employees), so they know who is performing well. They could then act accordingly based on what they see.

Don’t think of this as a tool to segment a workforce, but one that can bring all employees closer together. For example, if one person isn’t performing as well as others, focus on their development to bring them up to a better level.

Also, people analytics can help drive value for the business; Thomas Rasmussen states: “The idea is quite simple, the people analytics basically shows you what works in terms of driving value, in terms of reducing cost, in terms of improving customer outcomes but typically those findings are a bit high level, so it will show you where there is value.”

6. Goals 🥅

Goals are essential to achieve success. Remind everyone of them so they can strive to fulfill them.

If the platform has this function, people can set, monitor, finish, and evaluate goals for the whole company. Doing this improves accountability and alignment in your organization.

7. Recognition

Employees like credit for their hard work. If they are accountable for their failures, they will want recognition for their successes.

Having a platform that can do that will be useful for you.

When you show your appreciation to them, it will do the following.

8. Adaptable 📱

When you choose a platform, consider your employees’ devices.

It would be more accessible if they could use the platform on different devices, such as:

Mobiles.
Tablets.
Personal computers.

Also, consider if it can adapt to your employees’ various needs and functions.

Additionally, having the features and functions of an employee engagement platform on their phones may make employees more productive and attentive to goals and tasks.

9. Reviews

Reviews are necessary for people to know what they are doing right and wrong.

To elevate the experience, the platform should allow everyone to give and receive reviews.

By doing this, employees can enhance trust and connection with their peers.

Also, it is one of the easiest ways for employees to receive continuous feedback. It is a constant reminder that there is always room for growth.

10. 1 on 1s

One-on-one meetings are essential to discuss tasks, goals, issues, and wins. It will also help build connections.

That’s why it would be helpful if the platform could facilitate discussions and allow you to document them easily.

A good employee engagement platform will allow you to set up a meeting with an employee by heading to their account. Also, they should be able to do the same for you.

11. Integrations with Other Business Software

Integration of business software works similarly to marketing integrations for customers. They both strive for a more seamless experience for the target audience.

Source: ScienceDirect

For business systems and tools, integrations can have multiple positive effects, including making employees less frustrated with the speed of systems, making them more productive, and allowing you to hand out more tasks.

Integrations with other software can include the following.

Project management tools.
Communication software.
HR management systems.
And more.

12. Security Features

While not one of the most exciting features of an employee engagement platform, it needs to have excellent security features for you to consider it for your business.

The primary security concern for a business regarding employee engagement platforms is employee data.

Employees may need to input personal data into an employee engagement platform when they sign up, including their contact details. Many employees know their data is vulnerable, so employee engagement software needs high-quality security features to keep data safe.

You must also check that the employee engagement platform adheres to relevant privacy laws like the Privacy Act; “The Privacy Act covers Australian Government and Norfolk Island administration employee records. This means the Australian Privacy Principles apply to the handling of any personal information in current and past employee records.”

13. Customization Features

While not essential, customizing your employee engagement platform can be helpful if you want to make it a cohesive part of your business.

For example, employees may engage more in the business if the tools and apps have the company’s branding and color scheme.

14. Rewards System 🏆

While feedback on employee engagement platforms can help employees improve, a good system should also have a function for offering rewards.

You can offer rewards for the following.

As well as using an employee engagement platform to message employees to grant rewards, you can use them to create competitions and challenges for employees to engage in; you can set the prize to what you want usually.

15. Features that Support Employee Well-being

Along with encouraging employees to be more productive and aligned with the company, focus on their well-being and mental health.

Thankfully, employee engagement platforms can help support employee well-being in the following ways.

They can offer employees access to wellness programs and other resources that focus on health (examples include physical health and nutrition resources).
They can provide mental health support with videos and other resources to help employees; for example, resources may focus on employee stress management.
They can offer access to meditation sessions and other resources focusing on relaxation.
They have communication functions so employees can talk to each other often. Doing this is especially helpful for remote employees.
Work hours tracking systems to help employees create a work-life balance.
Once employees set their well-being preferences, programs can create a personalized plan.

If you don’t already have well-being and mental health support at your business, consider looking for an employee engagement platform with built-in well-being features.

How to Select The Best Employee Engagement Platform for Your Business

Choosing the best possible employee engagement software option for your organization is crucial because it affects employees’ engagement and performance.

So, to assist you in your selection, check out the steps below.

1. Analyze Your Resources, Purpose, and Goals

Before choosing a platform, first analyze the things you should consider. Here are some examples:

Your purpose.
Your focus.
Your goals.
Your needs.
Your resources (like time or money).
Who will the platform affect more than others?

When you’re aware of those mentioned above, you can check options that will fit them.

2. Look for Qualities Based on Your Goals

The functions you need to look for depend on your goals. You should consider the following.

2.1 Goals: Build and Manage Teams, Increase Employee Engagement and Alignment

Surveys – to measure employee perception, performance, and engagement. It also helps discover barriers to alignment.
Performance tools – to make employees connect and align with the company’s culture and objectives.
Intelligence tools – understanding and connecting engagement, performance, and success. It also helps mitigate risk and turnover.

2.2 Goal: Decrease Turnover 💸

Survey Analytics – lets you know how to act on retention opportunities and roadblocks.
Intelligence Tools – identifies issues to prevent turnover.

Performance Management – allows leaders to communicate, assist, and recognize their employees.

2.3 Goal: Top Talent Identification and Development

Survey – this allows you to learn about employee experience and gather information to promote growth.
Performance insight – lets you see who is lacking or excelling in performance.
Performance tools – helps you provide opportunities and develop talent.

3. Check Your Options

You should then conduct in-depth research about the tools available. Consider this.

4. Make Your Choice

Make a shortlist of 2-3 platforms that may fit your company.

Then talk to their representatives, try their demos, and see if their culture fits yours. After this, choose the one you like best.

You should also involve employees in the process by getting their thoughts on the demos.

Benefits of Employee Engagement Software

Employee engagement platforms have many advantages for your business.

Here are the most important ones.

1. Enhanced Alignment

It’s crucial that employees align with employers and company goals; this can happen through employee engagement software.

It has many functions that help with communication, setting goals, and tracking progress.

This way, employees will feel more in sync with the company and want to be a part of the overall goal.

2. Better Company Culture

An employee engagement platform is a great way to promote and enhance company culture.

Do this by asking for feedback from your staff and implementing them to make a better working environment for everyone.

3. Drives Engagement and Productivity

Employee engagement is critical because it enhances customer experience, Productivity, sales, and more.

So, to drive engagement and productivity, use the platform to provide your employees reviews, coaching, recognition, and rewards.

In this way, they will have more motivation to work.

4. Helps With Strategic People Decisions

It would be easier to help the staff if the managers and employers could see who needs training and who’s performing well.

Using the software’s different functions, leaders make better decisions about employee performance.

You can also use the platform to provide recognition and incentives to the top performers in the organization.

5. Reveals Obstacles and Opportunities

An employee engagement platform has various tools to provide insights for the organization.

Through conducting surveys, the company will know what they are doing right and what they can improve.

Employees can also provide feedback that will help uncover opportunities for profitability and growth in the company. When everyone is working together, the business will be more successful.

Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing an Employee Engagement Platform

Although we detailed how you should choose an employee engagement platform, there are still mistakes that you can easily make during the process.

Here is what you should avoid when selecting an employee engagement platform.

Not Defining Your Organization’s Objectives

Source: officevibe

Before committing to an employee engagement platform choice, you must know what the company wants.

If it helps, list all the features you want in the platform. Not doing this may result in you making the wrong choice and wasting money.

Not Considering the Employees in the Decision-Making Process

Source: au.yougov.com

By evidence-based, it means that employees and employers need a proper basis for making a decision before it happens; this includes choosing employee engagement solutions.

If you don’t consider employees or involve them in the decision-making process, they may not be happy with the platform you choose. Therefore, you must consider what they want, including time management features, wellness systems, and more.

Their suggestions may provide actionable insight that helps you make the right decision.

Choosing a Platform That’s Too Small for the Company 🤏

Scaling your business is an essential consideration, whether your business is currently growing or not. If you buy an employee engagement platform that can only add your current number of employees, you may have to replace it if you hire new people.

Therefore, you must determine the company’s growth trajectory and purchase a platform that matches that growth (also work out your average employee lifecycle).

Final Thoughts on Choosing the Best Employee Engagement Platform for Your Business

In choosing the right platform, you must consider your needs and what you are looking for.

You must also focus on a platform to improve employee engagement and align them more with the company; this is the most crucial focus. Therefore, consider asking them what they want from an employee engagement platform and use that to help you make a final decision.

We hope this helped you determine which features are important to you and helped you choose the right software for your company.

Do you have questions about employee engagement? You can find much information in our other articles on Tommy.