2021 Baker's Best - 57

TOP EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT SERVICE PROVIDERS
in all office spaces so that employees can meet with
hybrid teams from anywhere. " As we take on a hybrid
model workforce, we're planning to leverage technology
as much as we can to keep teams connected since not all
employees will be in the office at the same time, " says
Chief People Officer Gianna Driver.
The company is also relying on technology with employee
recognition capabilities to create meaningful one-on-one
engagements between employees while offering a visible
platform for managers and leaders to congratulate team
members on their accomplishments.
" To ensure employees who choose to work remotely
aren't at a disadvantage of communication compared to
employees who come into the office, we're implementing
internal management tools to keep everyone feeling
connected and informed, " explains Driver. " For example,
we use an employee engagement platform called Lattice
which allows us to celebrate and praise people in ways
that would have been challenging pre-COVID. "
Epicor has also embraced the value of a recognition
program, implementing a Staff Appreciation and
Recognition (STAR) program based on its core values
of teamwork, excellence, service, passion, innovation,
and integrity. The program allows for peer-to-peer
recognition through e-cards as well as top-down
recognition through quarterly global award winners,
Grooms says.
" During this pandemic climate and as we look toward a
more permanent remote work future, it's key to ensure
employees feel appreciated for the work they're doing, "
says Jeff Cates, CEO of Achievers. " We can no longer
stop by someone's desk and give them a high five or take
them out to lunch for a job well done, and this has likely
resulted in 40% of workers feeling under-appreciated
for their contributions during the pandemic. Instead,
these traditions must now be emulated via tools and
technology, so it's important for employers to provide
a variety of methods that allow for easy recognition
online. "
The future of work changed seemingly overnight. In a
moment of severe disruption, well-being became a core
focus for most organizations, with flexibility, health, and
work-life balance emerging as key parts of the employee
experience. According to Qualtrics' research, employers
were generally successful at supporting their employees'
holistic wellness; 67% of employees rated their wellbeing
favorably, including 87% of VP-level executives and 60%
of individual contributors.
Now that employees have felt this level of support from
their organizations, they will be unwilling to give it up
anytime soon. " Employees very quickly saw how agile
and flexible their employers could be when situations like
a global pandemic forced their hand. The expectation
is for that agility and flexibility to continue, " says Jeff
Gelinas, president of recognition and engagement at
Engage2Excel.
As the restrictions of pandemic lessen, organizations
will need to consider what parts of their employee
engagement strategies they will carry with them into
the future. According to Mark Royal, senior director
and engagement specialist at Korn Ferry, flexibility will
remain a dominant theme, as employees expect a hybrid
model that allows them to alternate between remote
and in-office work.
" Employees like that remote work allows them to focus
on individual tasks and have more control over their
schedules, but too much alone time can be isolating, " he
explains. " Being with co-workers provides personal and
work-related support, facilitates communication, and can
spark new ideas, so a bit of both is good. Right now, the
focus is on keeping employees safe as they return, but in
the long-term, flexibility will be here to stay. The difficult
part for employers is how to operationalize the flexibility
to determine who comes in and when. "
Furthermore, Gelinas says that the emphasis on wellbeing
and personalization will have implications for the
way HR leaders view employees' entire talent lifecycles.
Rather than treating the career experience like a series of
disjointed HR functions, leaders will need to view it more
holistically, delivering a personalized, seamless career
journey.
" HR often has a way of bucketing HR functions, but
the reality is that it's one continuous experience for an
individual, and employees expect a seamless experience
that makes it easy to do their work, connect with their
colleagues, and balance work and life. Digital fatigue and
burnout are real concerns for employees, and as a result,
many HR departments are looking at all their systems
and embarking on digital transformation initiatives, " he
explains.
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