While 51% of HR leaders label the HR technology experience provided by their organization as “great,†only 33% of employees agree with them, finds research from Thomsons Online Benefits.
Realizing the merits of remote working, organizations are now planning to have most or at least part of their workforce working virtually, even after the a complete reopening of the economy. But are these companies also preparing for such a transition strategically?
The latest Thomsons Online Benefits Report reveals that one of the most significant factors that enables a smooth and seamless transition to the work-from-home or work-from-anywhere model – technology – is missing.
A more worrying fact is that HR leaders are unaware of it. As per the report, while 51% of HR leaders believe that the HR technology experience their organization provides is “great,†only 33% of employees agree with them.
For the report, 542 HR leaders and 2,000 global employees were surveyed to reveal a disconnect when it comes to views on enterprise technology. Only 39% feel that this technology offers a consumer-grade experience comparable to platforms such as Spotify and Netflix.
Lack of Awareness or Acceptance Among HR Leaders
The report exposes how HR leaders are turning a blind eye to the absence of great technology experience for their employees. This, even after 81% said that a globally consistent employee experience is a “high priority,†and 56% said that this was their number one priority.
Employees, on the other hand, only seek basic technology that works well, according to the report. For example, 39% are looking specifically for mobile access to HR systems.
The better the experience, the higher the employee satisfaction, as is indicated by the finding that those who can access their benefits on a mobile device are more satisfied (54%) than those who rely on paper forms (32%).
There is a clearly established link between employees’ technology experience and engagement. So where do HR leaders need to focus to improve this tech experience?
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Why Technology Is So Critical as Employees Work From Home
Chris Bruce, co-founder and MD, Thomsons Online Benefits, says, “The current crisis has accelerated two significant shifts. Firstly, people are becoming less tolerant of bad tech experiences. When they’re interacting with intuitive technologies every day to watch movies, shop and keep fit, anything less than this is actively disengaging – and it’s shocking that HR leaders are still not taking this seriously.â€
Absence of team collaboration through meetings
Teams are now entirely distributed as against a few months ago when they could meet daily. This dispersed workforce has to work doubly hard to ensure that they can achieve the goals together. Without that support in the form of technology, most teams whose work is interlinked will not be able to meet their targets. The fact that it can lead to further disengagement or frustration with existing systems is an additional challenge.
Tools such as Hibob in Microsoft Teams are designed to create engaging and collaborative experiences for employees. There are many such tools. Apart from utilizing them, there are more solutions for companies who want to also assess the experience and work towards improving it. For example, Rizing’s Employee Experience Insights would allow companies to collect sophisticated findings as employees engage with SAP® SuccessFactors® solutions using Qualtrics® experience data – employees’ beliefs, intentions, and perceptions.
Inability to experience company culture
Employees can no longer walk to their HR team members for help and receive immediate support. The same applies to any help they might need from their IT teams too. They can no longer experience what it means to be part of an organization and its culture.
That is why there is a higher need for technology platforms such as Workday Help, a chatbot-powered application for HR knowledge and case management that responds to frequently asked questions by employees. Similarly, Workday Journeys, which is designed to create personalized workflows that guide people through transitions and critical moments, will also help. These tools, of course, are useful for companies that use the Workday platform.
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Centralized HR Technology Wins Over Disparate Tools
Commenting on the report, Josh Bersin, global HR industry analyst, said, “It’s essential that employers put their people at the heart of technology decisions and don’t just throw a lot of disparate tools at the problem. The pandemic has magnified the requirement for centralized HR and benefits systems. These are now critical employee services. The next year presents an opportunity for HR leaders to embrace these to create an integrated, engaging and productive employee experience.â€
The challenges in providing a positive tech experience are many. Making a business case for advanced tech can be a challenge for HR leaders. They also need to be able to listen to what employees really want instead of implementing what they think is essential. With eye-opening data like this now available, will HR leaders take the necessary action to onboard essential technology for employees?