Insights
It’s no secret that one of the critical factors that contributes to a business’s success is a positive company culture that enables employees to thrive. This leads to better business outcomes, higher employee retention and sustainable growth. One of the most important factors that influence company culture is the use of technology. Poorly implemented technology can harm productivity and frustrate employees, leading to increased employee churn and poor business outcomes. This blog will discuss how technology can help businesses retain employees and build a positive company culture.
The move to hybrid work stemmed from employees wanting more flexibility regarding location and working hours. The flexibility to work when and from where employees wish is only possible with technology that supports hybrid working. Regarding communication and collaboration, software such as Microsoft Teams allows employees to work effectively in their teams, regardless of their physical location. Similarly, technology significantly enables employees to securely access company files and systems while working from home. Finally, the advent of cloud technology was a significant catalyst for flexible working, as most Microsoft applications can be accessed on any device with an internet connection. Through enabling hybrid work, employees can achieve a better work-life balance, leading to happier employees and a positive company culture.
In order to increase employee retention and build a positive company culture, businesses must consider employee wellbeing and mental health. This emphasis on well-being should be included in all business aspects, and technology is no exception. Microsoft has made it easier to aid employees and employers in improving their well-being through Viva Insights. Viva Insights gives employees personal insights into their work flow, including opportunities to build better work habits and prioritise wellbeing. With Viva Insights, managers can also view privacy-protected insights on their teams to identify the impact of work patterns on wellbeing and business outcomes.
An employee is only as productive as their tools allow them to be. Without the right tools and technology, employees can quickly become frustrated and unable to do their best possible work, leading to lower employee satisfaction and increased employee turnover. The right tools differ from business to business; however, for hybrid working, this technology may include Windows 365 or Azure Virtual Desktop to enable a BYOD programme. In terms of software this may involve the use of a CRM such as Dynamics 365 to quickly and easily find information about their customers to deliver the best possible experience.
For a business to be successful and have a positive company culture, it is essential that teams work together and utilise each other’s strengths to achieve the best possible outcome. With employees working from different locations, technology is the only way to ensure effective and efficient communication and collaboration. Through the Microsoft 365 suite of products, employees are able to collaborate on documents in real-time. Similarly, Microsoft Teams constantly releases new updates that make it easier to communicate and collaborate with other employees within a business, including everything from shared plans and to-do lists to quick and easy polls within group chats.
In order to increase employee retention, businesses must engage their employees with the broader business and have open lines of communication with other departments. This is evidenced by the fact that highly engaged employees are 12 times less likely to leave their company than those who are not involved. Microsoft enables this connection through technologies such as Viva Engage. Viva Engage is an internal business social network designed to allow open and dynamic communication across departments to increase engagement and employee connection. Viva Engage also allows employees to gather ideas quickly and feedback from teams they may not interact with daily. For managers, Viva Engage is a place to keep all employees informed on what is happening within the wider business.
All businesses aim to create a positive work culture with happy and productive employees. Companies must align many factors to achieve this; effective technology is essential. If you want to learn more about how technology can help your business build a positive work culture and retain employees, contact us today.
Our expert team can discuss your requirements and how to improve your business culture through the technologies available.