Article

15 Best Features & Solutions for your Employee Engagement Software

Milton Herman

11 minute read

According to Salesforce data, employees who feel their voice is heard at work are 4.6 times (4.6x) more likely to feel empowered to perform at their best. There is a clear relationship between engaged employees and productivity that employers can’t afford to ignore. An employee engagement platform sets up employees for success starting at day one of onboarding. This article delves into the pivotal role of employee engagement tools and how LumApps optimizes these platforms, setting new standards for enhancing company culture, performance management, and overall workforce engagement.

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Connecting and empowering employees is more critical than ever. Employee engagement software offers the tools to build a thriving workplace. Let's explore the key features that make this possible.

What is Employee Engagement Software?

Employee engagement software is used by businesses to boost job satisfaction and employee retention. The goal of this type of product is to help workers feel they are an integral part of the mission and culture of the organization. As a result, they will be more effective and productive in their assigned roles.

In most cases, employee engagement solutions are administered by the company’s Human Resources (HR) department. This software is also called workforce engagement software.

Employee engagement software is more than just a platform; it's the digital foundation for a thriving workplace. It's a comprehensive suite of tools that facilitates meaningful connections, streamlines workflows, and cultivates a culture of appreciation.

Think of it as the central nervous system of your organization, connecting every employee to the information, resources, and people they need to succeed. It's the intranet of today, evolving beyond simple top-down communication into a dynamic, interactive hub.

Specifically, employee engagement software:

Connects: It bridges communication gaps, ensuring everyone stays informed and aligned through features like targeted news feeds, mobile access, interactive and open communication channels.
Empowers: It fosters collaboration and knowledge sharing, enabling teams to work together seamlessly through document sharing, project workspaces, and knowledge repositories.
Recognizes: It cultivates a positive culture by providing tools for employee recognition, feedback, and performance management, ensuring contributions are valued.
Personalizes: It adapts to individual needs and preferences, offering personalized dashboards, integrated tools, and AI-powered recommendations for an efficient and user-friendly experience.

In essence, employee engagement software transforms the digital workplace into a connected employee hub, where employees feel valued, informed, and empowered to do their best work. It's the future-ready intranet for businesses that want to stay ahead.

Benefits of Employee Engagement Software

— Better Communication

One of the main benefits of this type of software is that it increases communication between team members at work. It makes it easier and more convenient for internal communication to flow from managers and executives to employees and from employees to managers and executives. In other words, it’s designed to improve top-down and bottom-up communication.

Further, remote employees are able to work together effectively. They can collaborate despite different time zones and schedules.

— More Effective Onboarding

Employee engagement programs allow employee onboarding processes to be repeatable for each new hire. At the same time, certain aspects can be personalized for new employees. A thoughtful onboarding experience sets the tone for a new employee’s work relationships and their employee experience journey. If the process runs smoothly and the new hire settles in, it bodes well for a positive relationship over the long term.

— Lower Attrition Rates

Employee engagement software has a definite impact on attrition rates. It brings people together and makes it easy for them to communicate. A Gallup poll of more than 195,000 American workers revealed that 16% are “actively disengaged” and a further 51% described themselves as “just there.” Sixty-three percent of respondents said they were confident they would find a job that was “as good or better” than the position they currently held.

When workers don’t feel as though they are an important part of the organization (and that their contribution matters), employee morale suffers and it is much more likely that they will move on to other jobs.

— Higher Productivity Levels

Employee engagement programs centralize many functions that employees are required to complete as part of their work. Since the software streamlines these necessary tasks, they take less time. Employees can focus on their work instead of searching for tools and answers. The software allows managers to give employees feedback quickly; employees can focus on projects that drive results and change course when necessary.

Examples of Employee Engagement Software Benefits

Employee engagement software transforms abstract concepts into tangible workplace improvements. Here's how:

Empowering Voices: Employee-Generated Content. Imagine a dynamic platform where employees share insights, successes, and innovative ideas. This fosters a sense of ownership and keeps everyone actively engaged with the company's narrative. It's not just about top-down communication; it's about building a collective voice.
Connecting People: The Power of an Employee Directory. Navigating a large organization can be challenging. A comprehensive employee directory streamlines this process, enabling individuals to quickly locate colleagues with specific skills or expertise. This fosters collaboration and breaks down departmental silos. It's about making connections effortless.
Building Community: Social Features for Interaction. Social features, such as likes and comments, transform the intranet from a static repository into a vibrant community hub. These interactions encourage relationship building and create a sense of belonging. It's about sparking conversations and fostering a collaborative spirit.
Staying Informed: Regular Feedback with Polls and Pulse Surveys. Understanding employee sentiment is crucial. Polls and pulse surveys provide a direct channel for gathering feedback, enabling organizations to address concerns and make informed decisions. This proactive approach ensures that employee voices are heard and valued. It's about continuous improvement.
Data-Driven Insights: Analytics for Engagement Metrics. Measuring engagement is essential for optimizing workplace strategies. Analytics and reportings provide valuable insights into employee behavior and platform usage, allowing organizations to track progress and identify areas for improvement. This data-driven approach ensures that engagement initiatives are effective and impactful. It's about making informed decisions.

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The Principles of Employee Engagement Softwares

‍Seamless Communication: Connecting Your Team

A connected employee hub begins with fluid communication. In today's distributed work environments, ensuring everyone stays informed and aligned is paramount. Effective employee engagement software addresses this need with robust communication features.

Imagine a workplace where vital updates reach every employee, regardless of their location. Intranet news and targeted announcements deliver critical information directly to the right people, eliminating information silos. Mobile accessibility ensures that these updates are available anytime, anywhere, keeping teams connected on the go.

Beyond broadcasting information, these tools facilitate two-way dialogue. Interactive communication channels encourage feedback and collaboration, fostering a sense of community. This isn't just about sending messages; it's about building a network where information flows freely, and employees feel heard.

A smarter intranet simplifies communication, making it efficient and effective. It's about more than just transmitting data; it's about creating a shared understanding and fostering a sense of belonging. With the right communication tools, your team stays aligned, informed, and connected.

Empowering Collaboration: Sharing Knowledge, Driving Innovation

Consider a project team, spread across multiple time zones, seamlessly collaborating on a critical proposal. With integrated document sharing, they co-edit in real-time, eliminating the delays of traditional email exchanges. Team workspaces provide a central hub for all project-related materials, ensuring everyone has access to the latest information. This isn't just about efficiency; it's about fostering a sense of shared ownership and collective achievement.

Beyond project-specific collaboration, imagine a company-wide knowledge repository, accessible to every employee. This isn't just a static database; it's a dynamic resource, constantly updated with best practices, expert insights, and innovative ideas. When a new employee needs to learn a complex process, they can quickly access a comprehensive guide. When a seasoned professional seeks to expand their expertise, they can explore a curated library of resources. This fosters a culture of continuous learning, where knowledge is shared freely and expertise is valued.

Furthermore, imagine integrated project management tools that visualize workflows, track progress, and facilitate communication. These tools empower teams to stay organized, meet deadlines, and achieve their goals. It's about providing the structure and clarity needed for effective collaboration.

In essence, empowering collaboration means breaking down barriers and creating a digital environment where ideas can flourish. It's about providing the tools and resources that enable teams to work together seamlessly, learn from each other, and drive innovation. This is how a connected employee hub transforms into a catalyst for growth and success.

Recognizing Success: Fostering a Culture of Appreciation

Consider the impact of a simple, yet powerful, peer-to-peer recognition feature. Imagine a colleague publicly acknowledging another's exceptional effort on a project, visible to the entire team. This not only celebrates individual achievement but also reinforces the values of collaboration and excellence. It's about creating a ripple effect of positivity, where recognition becomes an integral part of the daily workflow.

Beyond spontaneous recognition, imagine a structured feedback system that encourages regular communication between managers and employees. This isn't about annual reviews; it's about ongoing dialogue, providing timely and constructive feedback. Regular pulse surveys, designed to capture employee sentiment on specific topics, provide valuable insights into the overall workplace experience. This allows organizations to proactively address concerns and make data-driven decisions.

Furthermore, envision a system where performance tracking and goal-setting are transparent and collaborative. Employees can clearly see their progress, track their achievements, and align their goals with the organization's objectives. This provides a sense of purpose and empowers individuals to take ownership of their professional development. It's about creating a culture of continuous improvement, where feedback is valued and growth is encouraged.

By integrating recognition and feedback into the core of the employee experience, organizations can cultivate a culture of appreciation that fosters loyalty, engagement, and high performance. It's about building a workplace where every employee feels valued, motivated, and empowered to contribute their best work.

Tailored Experiences: Integrating Tools, Personalizing Workflows

A truly smart intranet understands that one size does not fit all. Consider the power of seamless integration: imagine a sales team accessing real-time customer data directly within their employee hub, or a marketing team collaborating on campaign assets without leaving their project workspace. This isn't just about convenience; it's about eliminating friction and streamlining workflows, allowing employees to focus on their core responsibilities.

Personalized dashboards transform the digital workplace into a tailored experience. Imagine an employee logging in to find a curated feed of relevant news, upcoming tasks, and personalized recommendations. This isn't just about displaying information; it's about anticipating needs and delivering a proactive, user-centric experience.

AI-powered search (with inclusion of LLM, NLP and Machine Learning features) and seamless intranet integrations elevate this personalization even further. Picture a search function that not only understands keywords but also anticipates intent, delivering relevant results and suggesting related content. This isn't just about finding information; it's about empowering employees to discover new insights and connections.

Furthermore, consider the benefits of personalized content recommendations. Imagine employees receiving suggestions for training materials, knowledge base articles, or collaboration opportunities based on their role, interests, and past activity. This isn't just about providing access to resources; it's about fostering continuous learning and professional development.

By integrating tools and personalizing workflows, organizations can create a digital workplace that is both efficient and engaging. It's about empowering employees with the information and resources they need, presented in a way that is intuitive, relevant, and personalized. This is how a connected employee hub becomes a catalyst for productivity and innovation.

15 Must-Have Employee Engagement Software Features

1. Newscenter

The Newscenter provides employees with a personalized newsfeed full of relevant information. It includes items such as company updates, internal news (employee anniversaries, retirements, new baby announcements, etc.) and external industry news. This is where employees come to read blog posts and check out social media activity.

Another benefit of the Newscenter is it provides a common thread for in-house and remote employees. Remote workers have access to the same information as those in-house, along with personalized information relevant to them. This information sharing creates a sense of camaraderie among employees.

2. Engaging Content

For digital workers (and the general population) text-only content is a bit bland. It’s much less likely to catch the interest of someone who is browsing or scrolling and even less likely to be liked and shared with others.

Take that same content and add an image, videos or graphics. And the interest factor increases. The reader has more context to focus on. Additionally, “read more” elements can be added to provide more information on the topic. This type of content is much more engaging.

3. Likes and Comments Feature

Intranet posts written by employees can be formal or informal. Either way, they are an opportunity for employees to learn about each other, their company and industry insights or challenges.

Employees can provide real-time feedback by quickly liking a post, or they can start a conversation by asking a question or making a comment. This leads to other employees (and the original poster) responding which increases the number of valuable conversations that take place in the workplace.

4. Communities of Practice

Communities of Practice are online communities focused on specific disciplines. Experts can share their knowledge and experience with their colleagues. Communities of Practice also give employees a place to ask questions and get help from subject matter experts. They can enlist help from inside the company without having to take the time to find an outside expert and vet their credentials. This in-house expertise was always available, but the communities feature makes it accessible like never before. These experts can share their knowledge through videos, blog posts, reports, and other documents.

5. Communities of Interest

Communities of Interest are used to encourage employees to network and bond through their personal interests. Employees are encouraged to share their interests through texts, photos, links, and videos. These communities of interest are a good way for remote workers to establish a connection with their co-workers.

Employees can post questions and share answers as a way to engage with each other. These social communities are a less formal way for everyone in the company to interact and feel comfortable at work.

6. Onboarding Center

The onboarding center introduces new hires to their company and role. If new employee onboarding experiences are well received, they are more likely to feel engaged with the organization and their colleagues. Research conducted by Glassdoor found that companies with an effective onboarding process improved their new hire retention by 82%. Productivity was improved by 70%. The onboarding center should lead new hires through steps to become acclimatized in the new environment. It should also provide clear instructions for filling out necessary HR forms, digital paperwork, completing profiles, downloading apps, etc.

7. Employee Surveys

Surveys play an important role for measuring and improving employee engagement. If employees are not asked to provide feedback – positive, constructive or neutral – how can anything be improved? The status quo will remain the same and problems will persist.

Employees may be hesitant about approaching their managers directly about the concerning aspects of their work. Anonymous employee surveys are much more likely to increase feedback collection and identify areas where the company can improve.

8. Analytics

Analytics are a key part of measuring employee engagement. Success metrics include employee logins, session time, post and comment frequency, most visited pages, etc. whether your employees are logging into the software at all, first of all.

This data helps determine how employees are interacting with the platform. And which types of content they are most interested in. The latter is helpful when determining the best ways to engage with employees.

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9. Employee Recognition Center

The employee recognition center is the place to acknowledge the contributions of employees or teams who have stood out in some manner. Use this social feature of the intranet to announce awards, promotions, transfers, and retirements.

Managers and employees can post shout-outs to team members who perform well and excel as team players. They can let the entire company know about a stand-out employee. This form of positive encouragement helps employees strive for excellence and stay committed to each other.

10. Mobile

According to a forecast from the International Data Corporation (IDC), the number of mobile workers in the United States is predicted to jump from 78.5 million in 2020 to 93.5 million by 2024. Since these frontline and deskless workers are on the go, they need a different way to stay connected with their colleagues. Many of them don’t even use a corporate email address, or a company laptop to access the company intranet.

A mobile app allows workers to access the intranet information and features from anywhere. Deskless workers can stay updated, share feedback and contribute to the company dialogue.

11. Notifications

Employee engagement software can be used to send push notifications when the entire staff needs to be informed of something right away. This is an important feature since it can be used to send out changes to schedules due to COVID-19 or instructions to follow during emergencies.

The employee engagement app can also track who has read a particular communication and who has not seen it. This is vital for key policy changes or safety notifications.

12. Chat

A chat feature allows for seamless interaction and conversations. Team members can post questions about projects. Fellow team members can weigh in with quick responses instead of waiting for email replies.

Chat is also more convenient than trying to reach someone by phone. The person looking for information can post their question and move on to other tasks while they wait. In group chats or channels, another team member may have the answer they need.

13. HR Portal

The HR portal is a keystone feature of employee engagement software. Employees want a HR portal and homepage to access forms and policies, find contact information, get answers to FAQs, and check out the internal job board. News updates from the HR team and dates for open enrolment also interest new and tenured employees.

14. Goal Setting

Many businesses are looking to engage and motivate their employees through software. To accomplish this, managers must clearly define their expectations. Goal setting involves making a specific plan to achieve the stated goal. Employees work as a team and with managers to create an action plan to reach their objective. As employees meet or exceed stated goals, they should be recognized and/or rewarded.

15. Performance Management

This employee engagement tool includes talent assessment, as well as coaching and employee feedback. Depending on the platform, it may include performance management. Managers will meet with their team members to discuss how the employee is handling their work and if they have any questions or concerns they wish to discuss privately. Part of the discussion involves the manager going over elements where the employee is doing well and where the employee is facing challenges. The coaching session includes actionable tips and suggestions to help the employee.

Nowadays, fostering a culture of engagement is not just beneficial, it’s essential for success. LumApps is at the leading edge of this mission, with innovative solutions designed to transform the way companies engage with their team members.

Employee Engagement Tools: the Bottom Line

Employee engagement tools are no longer a luxury but a necessity in the modern workplace. They bridge gaps between team members, create a vibrant company culture, and drive high engagement. These platforms are game-changers, enabling organizations to measure employee sentiment, efficiently gather employee feedback, and effectively implement employee engagement strategies. By integrating features like engagement surveys, analytics, and a mobile app, these tools offer a comprehensive solution to improve the employee experience and productivity.

The LumApps Revolution: A Comprehensive Engagement Platform

LumApps stands out thanks to a comprehensive engagement platform that caters to the multifaceted needs of IT specialists, HR managers, and team leaders. It's not just about deploying an engagement app; it’s about embracing a holistic engagement strategy that encompasses measured engagement, performance management, and leverages engagement metrics to promote a culture of inclusivity and recognition.

Strategic Features for Unparalleled Engagement

Enhanced Performance Management: LumApps offers more than traditional performance reviews thanks to continuous feedback loops and performance analytics to facilitate real-time improvement and recognition that align with modern workforce management practices.
Advanced Engagement Metrics: LumApps goes beyond surface-level metrics, offering deep insights into engagement levels, the employee net promoter score (ENPS), and turnover rates, allowing companies to effectively tailor their engagement strategies.
Intuitive Mobile App: LumApps understands the importance of accessibility. The mobile staff engagement app ensures that remote and deskless workers remain connected and engaged, irrespective of their location.
Employee Feedback Tools: Thanks to intuitive engagement survey tools, LumApps enables organizations to seamlessly gather and analyze feedback, turning insights into actionable engagement strategies.
Cultivating Company Culture: With tools designed to highlight and reinforce company values, LumApps plays a critical role in nurturing a positive and inclusive company culture, essential for high engagement and staff retention.

LumApps: Beyond Software, a Strategy for Success

LumApps doesn’t just offer engagement software; it provides a blueprint for success with regard to employee engagement. Its sophisticated platform means organizations can implement a comprehensive engagement strategy, ensuring employees feel valued, heard, and connected. Whether it’s through enhancing internal communications, providing platforms for recognition, or facilitating meaningful feedback, LumApps empowers companies to create a work environment where team members thrive.

How Engagement Impacts the Modern Workforce

Engagement tools are pivotal in shaping the future of work. High engagement correlates with increased productivity, reduced turnover rates, and a more harmonious workplace. LumApps takes this a step further by integrating employee engagement platforms into the very fabric of an organization's culture, ensuring every team member, from frontline workers to executives, is aligned with the company’s vision and values.

Driving Engagement Through Innovation

Engagement Surveys & Feedback: By leveraging engagement survey tools, LumApps enables organizations to keep a pulse on employee sentiment, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and responsiveness.
Workforce Engagement Analytics: By using advanced analytics, companies can track and measure engagement in real-time, identifying trends and areas for improvement.
A Platform for Recognition: Recognizing employee contributions is made easier with LumApps, so achievements are celebrated, encouraging an appreciative culture where morale is high.
Seamless Communication: The platform ensures that communication flows effortlessly across all levels of the organization, improving transparency and trust among team members.

Conclusion: LumApps, Shaping the Future of Employee & Staff Engagement

In conclusion, LumApps isn’t just an employee engagement tool; it's a strategic partner in driving organizational success. By integrating key features such as engagement metrics, mobile accessibility, and comprehensive feedback tools, LumApps is redefining how companies engage with their employees. In an era where the workforce’s engagement directly correlates with organizational success, LumApps stands out as the best employee engagement solution in the market, offering a path to high engagement, enhanced performance management, and a vibrant company culture.

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15 Best Features & Solutions for your Employee Engagement Software