ILMA Compoundings - April 2019 - 16

INDUSTRY RUNDOWN

Improving Employee
Engagement
the web and even view online tutorials on YouTube via their
smartphones, but therein lies the problem. All that information
is being shared across several different apps, some of which are
not secure, and that is not an efficient way to operate.
Internal communications apps on the market today
include Beekeeper, Slack and ConnectStream, to name a
few. The important things you want to keep in mind when
choosing an app are:
* Needs and wants: Have a good understanding of both
what your company needs and what your employees
want. Some apps focus strictly on communication,
while others are project management tools. If you are
looking for a project management tool, but your employees are asking for better communication, consider
an app that does both.
According to a 2017 Gallup report, manufacturing workers are the least engaged among all occupations, with
three-quarters of employees disengaged. That's a problem, given that engaged employees are more productive, cost-effective, innovative, loyal and more likely to
recommend employment to their peers. Safety is of particular importance in manufacturing, and there again,
Gallup reports that firms with higher engagement levels
reported 70 percent fewer safety-related incidents.
Why might manufacturing suffer from disengagement?
Some believe it is because plant floor workers and field
service workers often don't have access to the tools needed
to stay in touch. Where office workers are tethered to a desk
and have easy access to traditional communication tools
such as email and phone calls, deskless workers are at a loss.
One way to solve this problem is by implementing an
internal communications app, which provides a secure
way for all employees and contractors to talk, share and
communicate with each other via desktop or mobile device.
Information can be easily distributed throughout the company, to specific groups or shared peer to peer.
You might be thinking that an app is not necessary, as
employees can easily call one another, access spec sheets on

APRIL 2019

| COMPOUNDINGS | ILMA.ORG

* Ease of use: Choosing an app that is difficult to use is
not going to do anything for employee engagement beyond prompting employees to complain to one another
how awful the app is. The only thing you're accomplishing is uniting your workforce around a common enemy.
* Ease of implementation: Choose an app that is easy
to configure and roll out to the entire company. If you
have existing systems, make sure the app allows for integration. Consider whether you will be able to get the
support you want when you need it.
* Real cost: An inexpensive app that is difficult to use
costs far more in the long run than a more expensive
but intuitive app. Also consider whether your employees will use their own devices or if you will need to
supply them.
Should you decide to implement a communications app,
try testing a few solutions with small groups who will rely
on them the most. Encourage feedback, document what
works and what doesn't, and be sure to note whether the app
was intuitive or if it generated a lot of questions. This
is also your opportunity to test-drive the company's support
capabilities.

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ILMA Compoundings - April 2019

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