You’ve likely heard the axiom, “In God we trust, all others must provide data.” Yet many of our Employee Experience clients struggle to do that. Concerns about over-surveying and employee bias, not knowing how to measure what matters, antiquated tools, and over-reliance on old-school metrics stifle the internal communicators’ ability to strategically drive the business and adequately engage their employees.
But there are new communications tools and platforms to help companies get over these hurdles and make next-level data available to communicators. These new tools enable business leaders to make better informed decisions regarding their employees, maximize the use of internal communications resources, and elevate their role as advisors to strategically drive business outcomes.
How are clients gathering data that elicits insights to accelerate performance? And what tools should you budget for in 2019 to advance your strategy and secure a seat at the table for communications?
Below are three common challenges communicators face, and three tools that help you problem-solve through deep insights:
For companies looking to better connect their people to strategy and build leaders
Many major companies are using CorpU, an online tool to create digital experiences that quickly align employees to a new strategy or initiative. The platform helps connect the dots between strategy, business outcomes, and line of sight for employees on their role in driving success.
For companies concerned about retention
Edelman’s own Workforce Listening tool is unique in its ability to gauge employee sentiment without the need to conduct a survey. Many of our clients tell us that their workforces suffer from survey fatigue or that they have concerns that employees may be biased in their responses.
Via this one-of-a-kind tool, communicators gain guidance on opportunities as far-reaching as digital talent acquisition, the importance of organizational purpose, sentiment around transformation, raw opinions on business transformations such as mergers and new leaders, and the volatility of the workforce when it comes to flight risk.
For companies seeking to build teams and recognize employees
Whether you work at a growing organization seeking to keep the culture that makes you you, or simply looking to add new always-on recognition capabilities to your communications ecosystem, Bonfyre is helping companies “put company culture in the hands of those most capable of shaping it.” The platform ignites employee-driven digital communities and provides back-end reporting that gives communicators and HR leaders deep insights into the values, behaviors, and organizational capabilities that are driving employees, as well as adding to overall business success.
Josephine Tanner is a senior account executive, Employee Experience, Chicago.
Liz Swiker is a vice president, Employee Experience, Washington.