7 Knowledge Base Metrics You Should Monitor
The importance of a knowledge base in customer support cannot be overstated. A study by IBM revealed that companies with a strong knowledge base are 3 times more likely to innovate and grow faster than those without.Effective customer support, therefore, starts with a robust knowledge base. So, it’s crucial for companies to create a well-organized and relevant knowledge base and periodically improve it.But how can you guarantee that your knowledge base remains relevant and contributes to exceptional outcomes for you and your team?In this blog, we will acquaint you with the essential knowledge base metrics to monitor to ensure your knowledge base reaches its full potential.These knowledge base key performance indicators (KPIs) will not only assist you in evaluating the efficacy of your content but also unveil critical insights into user behavior, areas that need enhancement, and chances to boost productivity. Knowledge base metrics you should be monitoringMonitoring knowledge base KPIs is essential to ensure your knowledge base’s usefulness and relevance. We recommend tracking the following knowledge management metrics to see how well your knowledge base is fulfilling its intended objectives.1. Engagement of users with the knowledge baseAccording to the Harvard Business Review, 81% of all clients attempt to take care of issues themselves before reaching out to live customer support. Monitoring the traffic of your knowledge base is an excellent method to assess the efficiency of your content over time.It is possible to gather and examine data like the following:Total number of unique visits.Questions asked.Time spent on a page.Times an article was shared.High user engagement indicates that users can easily access the knowledge base. The length of time spent on a page will tell you whether it effectively meets the readers’ requirements.A few-second skim followed by a bounce means the page didn’t have the necessary information. A longer linger indicates the content is being more thoroughly read, dependent on the length of the article.2. Most popular readsIdentifying the most-viewed articles provides insight into what your clients typically search for, enabling you to offer optimal support and information.Being aware of the most popular help topics at any given moment will assist you in making modifications to your product or service to eliminate common problems.Conversely, articles with minimal interaction may need refinement or updating to better address user needs.The most popular articles can serve as examples for optimizing other articles as far as length, topic, and complexity go.3. Knowledge base visits vs number of support tickets Examining the relationship between the traffic to your knowledge base and the number of customer support requests your team receives can help you comprehend the influence your knowledge base has on customers reaching out to your team.Expanding your client base without causing a corresponding rise in support requests is the dream, right?Well, a knowledge base can be the magic tool—direct customers toward its articles, and they’ll soon learn to seek answers before reaching out for help. However, it should never be the only form of help given.Ideally, an efficient knowledge base should cause a decrease in the number of support tickets over time. It may only fluctuate in response to specific events, like when you launch a new product.4. Search box activityHow often are users performing searches on the platform? What are some of the common terms they search for? Search analytics can be a valuable knowledge base metric for your support team.You can easily determine Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and develop improved articles, tutorials, and infographics to address these concerns.User search queries that yield no results can reveal deficiencies in your knowledge base. This information can be used to guide the improvement of your knowledge base in future updates.You can create new articles, modify document titles, and adjust keywords to make sure they are included in results whenever users search for relevant information.5. User feedback surveysAs users are the ones who can determine if the knowledge base meets their needs, their feedback plays a crucial role in assessing the efficiency of your knowledge base.While negative feedback can be discouraging, it can also serve as a useful guide for enhancing and fine-tuning your content. Embracing constructive criticism enables you to identify areas requiring change, ultimately improving the quality of your knowledge base.This is one of the important knowledge base KPIs in which positive feedback indicates that your knowledge base was a worthy investment and that it aligns well with business needs. Articles with the highest positive ratings can serve as a model for enhancing those with negative feedback.6. Last update datesIt is essential to frequently update your knowledge base to keep up with ongoing product, service, and process changes. Depending on your business, information may need frequent or just occasional updates, so you’ll need to decide at what age an article needs to be checked.By keeping track of the time since each article in the knowledge base was updated, you can guarantee that your information stays accurate and relevant.This metric allows you to sustain a dependable resource that not only caters to user needs but also cultivates their trust in your capacity to deliver outstanding service.7. Knowledge base articles usage in support repliesAccording to a report by Forrester, employees spend about 1.8 hours every day—9.3 hours per week, on average—searching and gathering information. A well-crafted knowledge base can reduce this time by providing instant access to information.How often knowledge base articles are used in customer support replies is a good metric for measuring how efficiently your knowledge base is complementing your customer support efforts.This metric highlights the relevance and clarity of the information available in the knowledge base, showing whether it is up-to-date, accurate, and easily accessible by support agents.A high level of knowledge base utilization in support responses suggests that agents regularly depend on and possess adequate trust in it.Over to youWe hope that by utilizing the knowledge base KPIs we have discussed, you will be better equipped to make data-driven decisions and refine your knowledge base management strategy.Monitor and fine-tune your knowledge base articles to guarantee a smooth customer experience and boost overall support effectiveness.Try out LIKE.TG, the best knowledge base software with inbuilt analytics. Contact our support team to schedule a 30-minute live demo to experience the best self-service tool for your support team and customers.Begin a 15-day free trial to discover how LIKE.TG’s features can be fashioned to meet your unique business needs.Related articlesThe following are other articles related to the topic:6 Reasons Why a Knowledge Base is Important in an Organization.7 Important Tips to Creating a Knowledge Base Effectively.10 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Creating a Knowledge Base.
7 Recruitment and Onboarding Tips to Ensure a New Employee is a Good Fit for Your Remote Team
As your business turns to remote work, you would also need to adjust your recruiting and onboarding processes. Traditional methods might no longer work in this new setup. Factors such as the lack of face-to-face interactions mean it will be harder for you to determine whether your new hire is a good fit for your company. According to Owl Lab, 80% of workers expect that they will be working from home in the coming months or years. It is highly possible that you might be recruiting and onboarding your new hires remotely as well. It is high time that you adopt new recruitment and onboarding strategies for remote employees. With that, here are some tips on how you can effectively recruit and onboard new employees for your remote teams. 1. Leverage technology to go digital Working remotely means moving away from the traditional pen-and-paper method and fully embracing the digital space. This would require you to digitize your documents, paperwork, and processes. A hiring manager needs the right tools to ensure everything you need remains accessible anytime and anywhere. With technology nowadays, you can easily do all your HR tasks virtually. Various tools and software can help you recruit and onboard new hires remotely. Some examples are different types of HR software, video conferencing tools, recruitment and onboarding applications, and e-signing tools. These software solutions also offer additional functions to help streamline your processes. For example, your HR software can automatically schedule onboarding orientations for your new hires and notify them for every step in the process. This way, you can focus on making sure your new hire is the right fit for the company, starting right from a successful onboarding. Kaylee CollinsHR Analyst of Osmose Utilities Services, Inc “Our hiring managers now have a reliable system that is easy to navigate. Our HR team can actively monitor the process, and assist if needed, but Onboard has helped them save so much valuable time and effort while increasing data accuracy. All of this has helped us improve compliance and gives us a powerful tool to achieve even more results in the future.” 2. Consider individualizing experience Something you need to consider when you recruit and onboard remote employees are their respective working conditions at their home offices. In the case of remote work, there are many factors affecting their productivity and efficiency that you cannot control. This can come in the form of a family member or pet demanding attention, an urgent household chore, and many more. Some of your new hires might not have the privilege of having a conducive environment to work in. To make sure that you give everyone equal footing, you should consider individualizing or personalizing your recruitment and onboarding experience. New hires feel valued by being able to choose the best and most optimal way to get to know your company and the culture within it. Personalization can come in the form of booking their own interview schedule during the application process. You can provide an asynchronous orientation on your remote onboarding process, allowing the new employees to take in new information at their own pace and time. This way, you can assess all your new hires fairly. 3. Make onboarding materials always accessible The benefits of going digital with your HR process is the opportunity of making important documents, files, and data more accessible to your employees. You can use this advantage to improve your virtual onboarding and the new hire experience. By using software, you can make onboarding programs and materials always available for your new employees. You can put them in a cloud-based storage system which your remote workers can access anytime and anywhere. This allows them to easily pull out any information they need in between tasks. After all, a one-time orientation might not be enough to cover everything they need to know about the company, its culture, and policies. By making essential onboarding materials accessible, they have something to go back to in cases they have questions about the processes or policies within the company. This guide was designed to help you navigate through those difficult tasks and help determine the right software for your organization, download our eBook now. Download now 4. Create a buddy system for your new hire Alone, your new hire might have trouble approaching the rest of your remote teams. They might even find it intimidating. But with someone at their side, the process can become a whole lot easier and seamless. By using a buddy system, you can provide a more focused onboarding process with your new hire. Their buddy will guide them throughout their adjustment period while also acting as their mentor. This way, your new employee will always know who to turn to whenever they have questions during the process right from their start dates. Their buddy can also act as a bridge that connects them to the rest of the team. They can introduce new hires with the members and explain the processes and dynamics within the team. 5. Schedule frequent check-ins Effective employee onboarding can sometimes take time. First day orientations are just the beginning of the journey. It will take some time for them to adjust fully and get to know the organization and their colleagues more. Just make sure to keep track of their progress along the way. This would require frequent check-ins to see how your new remote employees are acclimatizing to the organization. You can conduct a survey, asking how well they are adjusting and getting along with their colleagues. You can also ask feedback on their performance from their buddies or other team members. Doing so will let you know whether your new hire is a perfect fit to the company. Likewise, it helps you determine the strengths and weaknesses of your onboarding process. This way, you can improve and optimize your strategy along the way. 6. Provide opportunities to bond with the team One of the biggest questions when recruiting and onboarding new remote workers is how to make them feel welcomed to the team. After all, your new hire has little to no opportunities to interact with their colleagues personally. There are no team lunches or team building activities to get to know each other more. This can make it harder for them to connect with the rest of the team. Keep in mind that face-to-face interactions aren’t the end all be all for team bonding. There are numerous ideas for onboarding remote employees to make them feel connected with the rest of the team. For one, you can hold social events virtually. You can conduct simple team building activities online such as an introductory meeting where the new hire gets to interact with the rest of the team, weekly quiz or game nights, or just simple video chats where team members can catch up. This will make your new employee feel more welcomed and settled with the company, improving employee retention in the long run. 7. Keep communications line open According to a Mitel report, 15% of employees’ total work hours is wasted on inefficient communications. This can be in the form of unclear set of instructions or the lack of effective communication channels within the team. Keeping your communication line open is one of the most important remote onboarding tips out there. Fortunately, there are many ways for your remote workers to reach out to the team despite the distance. This includes emails, instant messaging apps, centralized dashboards, and SMS messaging. Your new hires will have a lot of questions during their first few days or weeks in the company. And sometimes, these questions aren’t found in your employee handbooks or manuals. So, you must make sure that they can get all the support they need to adjust to their new environment. The future of recruiting and onboarding Times are changing. Many believe that remote work is the future for almost all businesses worldwide. Your company must be ready to adapt to such changes if you want to remain relevant and competitive in the market. The challenge now is how to optimize and streamline your recruiting and onboarding processes for remote employees. You can start by leveraging technologies to help you migrate your usual processes into the digital space. And with these tips in mind, you can make sure that your new hires will fit perfectly with your organization despite the challenges of remote hiring and onboarding. About Author: This article is written by a marketing team member at LIKE.TG. LIKE.TG is a leading provider of proven HR solutions, including recruiting, onboarding, employee communications & engagement, and rewards & recognition. Our user-friendly software increases employee productivity, delivers time and cost savings, and minimizes compliance risk.
7 Simple HR Additions to Improve Employee Experience
HR is where you win and lose employee loyalty and engagement. People want to work for organizations that take their experience seriously and respond to their needs as employees. HR has grown in importance over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue to play an important role in company growth moving forward. To leverage all a human resources department has to offer, below are 7 simple HR additions you can make that will improve employee experience today. 1. Easy Payment By this point, most companies are already using easy payment methods like direct debit to make sure employees are paid on time and with little to no hassle. You should be able to deposit your employees' pay directly to their bank accounts without any intermediaries and associated fees. Companies that are still handing out physical cheques are way behind the times, and you are obligating your employee to make a special trip to the bank to cash it. Direct debit is also nice because it can be set up to happen automatically, which means neither payroll nor the employee has to worry about it. 2. Make Use of Journey Mapping An employee journey map depicts the numerous stages that an employee goes through during their employment with a company. It allows you to identify pain points and important moments when employee input and action are required to bridge the gap between the existing and intended states. In short, a journey map allows companies and employees to manage career trajectories in ways that make sense for both parties. Employee journey maps that work the best always start with clearly defined outcomes and strong communication and joint planning with the company. Even if you do annual employee engagement surveys, each employee is at a different stage in their career, and it's tough to know how personal experiences affect key employee experience outcomes such as engagement and motivation. Set up a journey map on the employee's first day and maintain it throughout the tenure of their employment. This way, there will always be something to work towards 3. Standardized Onboarding Many businesses lack a new employee orientation programme, let alone a good standardized onboarding experience, despite the fact that it is vital to employee success. According to the Harvard Business Review, 33% of new hires look for a new job during their first six months of employment, which can be attributed in part to the quality of the onboarding experience. The answer to this problem is to create a measurable programme with defined objectives that are tailored to specific employees. Your sales reps should have a different onboarding experience than customer service reps while still maintaining a degree of standardization focused on providing an introduction to company culture, key people, etcetera To learn even more about improving the employee experience and increasing your competitive advantage while providing a fast return on investment, download our ebook now. Download now 4. Actually, Use Employee Feedback Many companies use employee engagement and feedback surveys to figure out where their employees are at, but not all of them act on the information. At the end of the day, a lot of these procedures are just lip service. Employees may experience a loss of trust as a result of this. Employees are more inclined to express their thoughts and interact if they believe they are being heard, but they may refrain from providing feedback if they believe they will not be heard. Following a survey, employees should be informed about the action plan being developed, and a person, or perhaps even committee, assigned to implementing the changes. 5. Take Benefits Surveys Many employees would prefer additional perks to a raise, demonstrating the importance of delivering relevant employee benefits in your talent retention and recruiting efforts. Employee benefit surveys can help you figure out which benefits your employees value the most. They seek to understand the value placed on certain perks, how they compare to those offered by other employers, and any future benefits that employees would want to see. PTO, health insurance, parental leave, retirement, stock options, free lunches, and other benefits are examples. These simple conversations could mean the difference between losing and retaining a high performer. 6. Use Stay Interviews Exit interviews are beneficial, but they do not help you retain an employee who is ready to depart. Stay interviews are one-on-one meetings between a manager and an employee that allow businesses to understand what matters to their employees and anticipate retention concerns. They should be an open forum for employees to express themselves and gain insight into their experiences. The goal is to uncover their reasons for sticking with the company and then working toward goals that keep them motivated by analyzing what works and what doesn't. This method also improves internal talent pipelines and provides valuable insight into areas where the organization can improve. 7. Don't Forget About Manager Training Personal relationships, particularly those between employees and their supervisors, are one of the most important aspects of employee experience. When managers don't know how to encourage or interact with their employees, employees feel less connected to the company and its objectives, which is not only bad for productivity but could lead to the employee looking for another job. Managers should be instructed in essential skills such as time management, diplomacy, delegation, goal setting, and delivering feedback and praise. Conclusion Improving employee experience starts in your human resources department. This is where employees are first introduced to company culture, it is where employee experience is monitored, managed, and fostered, and HR professionals exert an outsized influence on how an employee perceives his or her employer. Building a great HR team and processes takes some groundwork, but once it is up and running, you should have a finely tuned employee satisfaction-generating machine that is attentive to employee needs and goes out of its way to ensure employee retention. Author Bio: This article is written by our marketing team at LIKE.TG. LIKE.TG is a leading provider of HR solutions, including recruiting, onboarding, employee engagement, and intranet software. Our aim is to help your company improve employee engagement, employee productivity, and to save you valuable time!
7 Step Recruitment Marketing Action Plan To Hire Candidates
In the hiring market, some challenges can arise at any moment. To overcome this challenge, the recruiter needs to have a recruitment marketing action plan. Great recruiters can hire candidates at the right time. These employees will have an impact on your organization. Hiring great job seekers takes time, and a working recruitment marketing strategy is a must to find the best candidates. The need for a recruitment marketing action plan is necessary because being a recruiter is quite hard to fill the job vacancies in this candidate-driven job market. These days candidates are aware and they control which company to choose and work for. With a lot of companies looking out for the same candidates, one needs to have the right recruitment plan in place. Building a rounded strategy is what every recruiter is looking for. This blog post will focus on how to build an effective recruitment marketing action plan. You will be able to use it in action immediately and begin attracting great candidates. #1. First, Define Your Goals The primary goal of any company is to build a team that is efficient and works toward the company culture. The overall goal of your recruitment marketing action plan is to hire the candidates, and for that, you need to follow the SMART approach. It goes like this: S: Specific M: Measurable A: Achievable R: Realistic T: Timely You need to define specific goals that are measured. Here are common recruitment marketing goals that include: Improve candidate engagement Improve employer brand awareness Get more candidates Get more career site visitors Increase in the referral rate And more. #2. Recognize The Candidate Persona A recruitment plan without knowing your ideal candidate audience is a sure shot recipe for disaster. One needs to understand the importance of the candidate persona. The candidate persona includes everything you are looking for in the candidates. Every company can have different requirements for specific candidates. As a recruiter, you need to stay in touch with all the necessary departments in your organization. You need to keep every team in the loop and ask them about the metrics they need in a candidate. It will keep you updated on the customer portrait and get some tips about it. Keep in mind what your team lacks and write down the insights. Does your team require a single player or a team player? Like you can narrow down your search and when you understand what you need. It would be easier to get rid of CVs that don't suit the company culture and the expectation of the job profile. To learn more about recruitment methods, download our ebook now. Download now #3. Have An Employer Brand A recruiter knows that they are in the market, and not only the company chooses the candidates, the candidates also select the right company. You should know why you are the best choice and what extra you can offer to the candidates. Here are some ways you can improve the employer brand: Nurture your culture: Sharing your company’s work culture with candidates is a sure-shot way to improve the employer brand. Embrace technology: The use of tools present at your career site is beneficial for candidates, it increases the speed of the hiring process. Take help of chatbots, CRMs, and HRMs. Treat candidates like your customers: Candidate experience is a vital factor during the recruitment process. Every candidate likes a seamless recruitment experience. The company needs to ensure every candidate gets a feedback email after the interview. #4. Use Tools To Cultivate The Talent Supply Candidates find job offers in both traditional and modern ways, the latter gets used more. The candidates with the desired skills are selective about which opportunities they are looking to pursue. Therefore, making it easier for the candidates is the right strategy to follow, do it on your social media channels and in which candidates can apply easily. Use shorter applications that are prefield and use text messaging to recruit. You can rely on AI-enhanced recruitment trends to make it faster and easier for the candidates to apply to your company and move ahead with the process. AI technologies help to automate manual and administrative tasks in the process enabling the recruiters to build the relationship and have a positive candidate experience. #5. Consider The Role Of Social Media Modern social media platforms play a vital role to communicate with audiences. Almost everyone uses the internet to stay connected with people. One should build the strategy around it. The next step is to choose the right platform for your social media recruitment strategy. It will help you to target potential candidates. Some of them are ideal, for example, if you need a developer, you can leverage Linkedin for this task. Linkedin will serve a better purpose to source out the passive candidate. There are plenty of job boards present that you can utilize for hiring candidates. You can use Facebook and Instagram to increase the brand awareness of your company. These two platforms are ideal for building your community by sharing content that is useful to the candidates. Another thing you can focus on is building a social media career page, this way you will ensure that the candidates stay up to date with the job posting in your company and they can apply directly from your company’s social media account. #6. Focus On Building The Internal Talent Pool Promoting employees internally helps the company to solve the conundrum to hire candidates at a rapid pace and fill the open positions. It’s the ideal way to meet the hiring demands while maintaining quality. Many recruiters believe that they need to hire people from different companies to improve the diversity and strengthen the company. Focus on your internal employees. The benefit is that you work with them every day, knowing them better. It’s a necessary point that one should include in their recruitment marketing action plan. Think of how you can improve the top talent pool. Here are some ways: Know employee goals early: After the candidate’s onboarding is completed, the manager needs to sit down with them and ask them about their future goals and career. Reward employees: It is ideal to ensure that you are offering opportunities to the employees that are tailored to their goals. Go with individual development programs for employees. Understand what your employee needs: Employees love to be asked what they need to improve their overall experience in the workplace. It is vital while building an internal talent pipeline. A recruiter can take the help of properly designed employee referral programs to maximize the internal talent pool. To learn more about recruitment methods, download our ebook now. Download now #7. Evaluate Recruitment Marketing Results The goals should be measurable in your recruitment marketing action plan. You need to implement your goals and see the results they are providing. Gather metrics that work for you and what does not work can improve your recruitment marketing plan. To have better results, you need to experiment. You shouldn’t proceed with the results. Therefore, HR teams must ensure they store and evaluate data and also track the recruitment marketing metrics. Otherwise, you will find yourself with wasted time and effort. Wrapping up Hiring is challenging, but a recruiter has to make a plan accordingly. There must be one plan that one should develop constantly. The best companies take leverage of the recruitment marketing action plan and work. They make changes where it’s necessary, and they know their target audience. 7. Ensure that employees enjoy working Successful students spend a huge portion of their day reading and learning from the best. Employees also spend countless hours in the workplace. Therefore, you need to ensure that the workplace is a fun and enjoyable place to be for everyone. When you create an environment where employees feel comfortable working, they will be motivated to do their best. This doesn’t mean that you have to spend thousands of dollars on installing luxurious items in the workplace. You can create a conducive environment in the workplace by allowing birthday celebrations, coffee breaks and encouraging your employees to have casual and friendly conversations instead of talking about work projects all the time. About Author: Ginni Agarwal is a Talent Acquisition Expert at Upright Human Capital with extensive experience in Tech and Non-tech hiring. She loves blogging, writing articles about Talent Acquisition, and Human resources. She has been associated with the Talent Industry for a while. She enjoys sharing her experience with others.
7 Strategies for Creating an Inclusive Environment for Employees
Today’s workforce is diverse. Any company seeking to maximize employee productivity and improve staff efficiency should foster an inclusive environment for employees. What does an inclusive work environment look like? Basically, it’s a workplace that values and respects employees’ individual differences. It also promotes equal opportunities and encourages collaboration among employees from diverse backgrounds. An inclusive environment makes employees feel recognized. They feel a sense of ownership, which can propel them to higher levels of productivity. Above all, inclusive work environments boost employee engagement. How can your organization attain an inclusive workplace? Here’s a look at seven strategies for creating an inclusive environment for employees. 1. Drive Leadership Commitment Creating an inclusive environment for employees in any organization starts with a commitment from its top leadership. As a leader, you should communicate the importance of diversity and inclusion to managers and other people in positions of power. Ensure that practical initiatives towards inclusivity are integrated into your firm’s overall strategy. The good news is that most leaders in organizations appreciate the benefits diversity and inclusion can bring to their organizations. Find out why embracing diverse work styles is your leadership superpower. A 2022 study by CIPD showed that 78% of senior management understands how an inclusive environment for employees can benefit their organizations. These findings align with the 2022 Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Survey by AON. It shows that senior leaders at 93% of companies involved in the study strongly supported and sponsored diversity and inclusion initiatives. By actively supporting and championing these initiatives, leaders set the tone for implementing diversity and inclusion in their companies. 2. Diversity Training and Education Implement comprehensive diversity training and educational programs for all employees. This strategy helps your organization raise awareness about unconscious biases and stereotypes. Choose a training program that’s focused on helping workers recognize implicit biases that affect decision-making and perpetuate inequalities. When you empower employees at all levels, they will make objective and fair decisions. This, in turn, gives better outcomes in recruitment, performance appraisals, and promotions. Diversity educational programs have more benefits. Here are some examples: - They equip employees with the necessary knowledge to foster inclusive behavior among themselves. - Training individuals on cultural competence and empathy helps them understand how their actions impact others. - It encourages respectful and inclusive interactions among employees. - Cultivating skills in active listening and effective communication helps employees remain objective. - It also helps employees avoid biases. To design effective educational programs to foster diversity and inclusion: Focus on the needs of the target group. Be practical and tailor the content to address the specific challenges of your organization. Use interactive delivery methods, including workshops, role-playing exercises, and group discussions. You could leverage a video CMS platform to provide an immersive and interactive learning experience for employees. 3. Adopt Inclusive Recruitment and Hiring Practices Your human resource department must adopt inclusive recruitment and hiring practices for both freelancers and employees. It’s actually beneficial to your company since you attract a diverse talent pool. For instance, when posting listings on job boards or your website, avoid biased descriptions. To create winning job listings, write descriptions that don’t discriminate against certain individuals, especially minority groups. Check out the infographic below for common hiring biases to avoid. Make deliberate efforts to reach out to underrepresented groups. This increases your chances of hiring qualified individuals from minority communities. You can easily achieve this by using diverse recruitment channels. Post your listings on job boards, social media, and educational or professional organizations that serve these individuals. Fortunately, you can also display your social media job posts or company environment on your website. For example, embed LinkedIn Company Feed on a website that contains content like job posts, company activities, employee engagement, and many more. It will help your potential employee to see your social activities directly on the website. Alternatively, consider blind hiring processes that allow anonymous resumes. These remove personal information and use skill-based assessments to establish the candidate’s abilities. This approach will help your organization avoid discrimination, at least at the initial stages of your recruitment process. When conducting face-to-face interviews, adopt a structured and diverse approach to picking successful candidates. For instance, constitute a diverse selection panel to help your organization minimize biases. This will ensure a comprehensive evaluation of the interviewees. 4. Promote Inclusive Policies and Practices Review your company policies and practices regularly to ensure they are inclusive and provide equal opportunities for all workers. Here are some steps you can take: - Examine your promotion process. - Adopt performance review best practices that help make your appraisal process fair and transparent. - Avoid prejudice and ensure fair pay for all employees. - Implement flexible work arrangements that support and improve work-life balance. - For example, most workers within child-bearing age are likely to work for firms that offer paid maternity and paternity leave. - This is understandable. While it’s a joy for the family, it comes with immense demands, especially for the new mothers. Therefore, it’s imperative for any good employer to support the new parents by offering paid time off. - Implement initiatives that prevent employees from carrying work home. Instead, encourage them to pursue their hobbies or further studies. Such initiatives contribute to job satisfaction. 5. Establish Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) ERGs are voluntary employee-led groups within organizations that bring together individuals with common backgrounds. ERGs can focus on various diversity dimensions such as ethnicity, disability, or race. What’s the importance of ERGs in fostering an inclusive environment for employees? - They allow individuals from diverse backgrounds to connect and contribute to a company’s goals. - They provide crucial support networks and a sense of belonging to members with similar backgrounds. - Members can use these avenues to advocate for policies that address specific challenges, such as racial, cultural, or gender-related issues. - Such groups create platforms for dialogue. Members get an opportunity to air their concerns and gain an audience from senior leadership. It’s imperative to align the mission of your ERGs/BRGs (business resource groups) with company and member developmental goals. Your ERG leaders can use the 4C assessment model to see how their groups’ missions fit in your company goals. The 4C model is the strategic framework used by most businesses when implementing ERGs. It focuses on four areas, as shown in the image below: Key areas of focus in this model are commerce, community, culture, and career. For instance, aligning your ERG objectives with company culture allows the members to fit in your organization and foster inclusivity. Setting professional goals and focusing A focus on career objectives allows members to grow their talent and become more valuable to your organization. Your BRGs should be more than mere social groups. Design them to impact your company and the group members positively. 6. Embrace Open Communication and Feedback Establish active communication channels to encourage employees to share their thoughts, concerns, and suggestions related to diversity and inclusion. Here are some things that can help. - Anonymous employee surveys and feedback mechanisms to share sensitive issues without victimization. - Open-door policies. - Town hall meetings. These can be held virtually via the various video conferencing tools in the market today. 7. Implement Employee Mentorship and Sponsorship Programs Employee mentorship and sponsorship programs play a pivotal role in the development and advancement of workers from underrepresented groups. Besides, such efforts contribute to your company’s talent development and eliminate disparities in career progression. You can execute this strategy by pairing employees with mentors or sponsors who can provide guidance, support, and opportunities for growth. For such programs to succeed: - Define their objectives clearly and highlight the desired outcomes, such as career development or increasing diversity in leadership positions. - Design a detailed program and structure. Consider specific elements like matching criteria, duration, expectations, and the resources required. - Conduct regular check-ins and provide support to mentors or sponsors. - Establish an evaluation and monitoring framework for such programs. Conclusion Employees are more committed and motivated to perform their duties in companies that embrace diversity and inclusion. Fortunately, your company can create an inclusive environment for employees. And the top leadership should drive such initiatives. Use the 7 strategies described above to create a workplace that’s friendly for all employees. No credit card needed Less than 5 min to set up
7 Techniques to Improve Your Knowledge Base Design
A knowledge base is of no use unless individuals can locate the appropriate information, comprehend it, and apply it to their queries. The first impressions of 94% of website users are influenced by the website’s appearance.Undoubtedly, visuals greatly enhance the allure of a webpage or website. However, what role does design and visuals play in a knowledge base? In this blog, we will look at techniques to improve your knowledge base design and visuals. Tips to improve your knowledge base designAn effectively designed customer-facing knowledge base, utilizing self-service tools, can revolutionize a brand’s image. When designing a knowledge base website, visuals are an important aspect to consider.To find out more on best practices to improve your knowledge base, read this blog.Here are some visual design techniques to consider:1. Concentrate on the design aspectIn the realm of self-service tools, how can one define exceptional design? It ultimately boils down to the absence of friction. A design with minimal friction allows users to seamlessly benefit from a product.Consider the needs of your customers and choose a design that aligns with their requirements.Your customers desire quick answers, and it’s your responsibility to ensure they get them. To achieve this, you can:Incorporate a prominent knowledge domain search for users to instantly locate the information they need.Include links to your most popular articles on the homepage to prevent customers from navigating away immediately.By doing so, customers receive the answers they seek without sacrificing visual appeal.2. Your knowledge domain should be quick to loadOne factor that can deter your customers is the inability to view certain sections of an article.According to Go-Globe, 39% of individuals will cease engaging with a website if images wont load or take too much time to load. Ensuring a quick load time involves optimizing various elements such as:Using appropriate file formats: When it comes to images and other media, choose the right file format.Optimizing image size: Large image files can significantly slow download times. Resize and compress images to reduce their file size without compromising on quality.As users, we understand that each second spent waiting online can feel like an eternity. Therefore, confirm that your site loads as quickly as possible.3. Ensure your knowledge domain is device-compatibleYour knowledge base software must cater to users accessing it from various devices, such as smartphones and tablets.It is essential to enable your customers to self-serve from any location, and for this reason, ensuring your site displays accurately on different devices is crucial.A responsive knowledge base design provides an enhanced user experience regardless of whether a customer is using their laptop at home or browsing on their smartphone.Furthermore, search engines rank sites with responsive designs higher than those without them.4. Design to enhance readabilityWhen creating the appearance of your articles, it is essential to optimize them for readability, ensuring that users can easily comprehend your content.Large blocks of text may deter users, so it is crucial to utilize an appropriate font size and break up the text using bullet points, numbered lists, headings, and other formatting techniques.It is also essential to:Ensure that there is sufficient spacing between lines of text to prevent them from appearing too condensed.Refrain from using all capital letters in your articles, as it can be challenging for some individuals to read.Avoid underlining text within your content and reserve this formatting method for links.5. Ensure your knowledge center is interactiveIt is essential for your knowledge base articles to engage with your clients. An interactive self-service tool can significantly improve user experience and engagement by providing visually appealing and easy-to-navigate content.You can practice the following to make the self-help center more interactive:Use interactive elements such as quizzes or surveys to engage users and push them to interact with your articles. This can help reinforce learning and keep users interested in your content.Motivate users to share their opinions regarding your knowledge center content and use their suggestions to make improvements. This can assist you to identify areas where your content may need to be more interactive or visually appealing.6. Incorporate visuals in your self-service toolA picture holds the value of a thousand words, which is especially accurate in knowledge base software. Since individuals process visuals quicker than text, investing in this vital aspect of your design is advisable.Optimize your articles by incorporating visual components like images, videos, and screenshots to cater to various learning styles.To optimize the influence of your knowledge center, it is essential to incorporate relevant and captivating visuals that enhance your material.7. Ensure that your knowledge center is in line with your company’s brandYour website architecture needs to be designed with purpose, ensuring that the structure of your knowledge domain complements the information it contains.This involves maintaining visual consistency with other sections of your site and aligning the copy within the knowledge center with your overall site copy and brand tone.Elements such as UX design, tone of voice, grammar, and visuals should all represent your brand and feel intuitive to the customer.Possessing a comprehensive understanding of your intended audience will make this aspect of the process more manageable.Benefits of design in your knowledge base softwareWhat roles do designs play in a knowledge base?a. Designs embody your brand’s personaThe appearance of your knowledge base establishes your company’s identity.b. Improved design enhance the knowledge domain experienceBy providing better design representation, organization, and navigation within the knowledge base.c. Boost the authenticity of your messageEnsuring that your knowledge center aligns with your company’s branding guarantees that your customers recognize it as the official knowledge base.d. Transmit information more quicklyUndoubtedly, information presented in bullet points is easier to comprehend. However, when the same information is conveyed through images or videos, it is processed even more rapidly.e. Enhance the retention of informationPeople remember information better when it is presented visually rather than in text.f. Simplify complex informationDesigns can help break down complex ideas and concepts into more easily digestible formats. By simplifying complex information, designs can make the knowledge center more accessible and understandable to a wider audience.g. Designs are engaging and attention-grabbersThe design appeal of your knowledge center plays a crucial role in capturing the user’s interest.ConclusionOverall, the design of your knowledge base should be user-centric, visually appealing, and easy to navigate. By incorporating these knowledge base design techniques, you can design a knowledge domain that is informative, engaging, and effective.LIKE.TG provides the best help desk software with the best knowledge base design to enhance user-friendliness. Register for a free trial to explore its potential for your team.The LIKE.TG support team is constantly ready to assist with any inquiries.To see how LIKE.TG can be customized to suit your business requirements, kindly reach out to us to arrange a live demo.Related linksThe Importance of a Knowledge Base in an Organization7 Proven Best practices to improve your knowledge base7 Important Tips to Creating a Knowledge Base Effectively
7 tips for knowledge managers to increase self-service
Knowledge managers have an ongoing challenge: They want to encourage customers to self-serve and quickly find answers to their questions. They also want to minimize frustration if customers can’t quickly find an answer.Delivering great self-service is key to customer experience. It’s in everyone’s best interest if a customer doesn’t open a case (or incident). But where is the line between keeping your customer happy and causing undue delays? Balancing the increasing amount of product information against the rapid delivery of relevant content is a constant battle—at least for me as a LIKE.TG knowledge manager. Thinking about the role of self-service is one of the most important aspects of my job. These seven tips guide me in encouraging customers to self-help their way to success:1. Keep your content freshThe most tedious part of a knowledge manager’s job is keeping the knowledge base healthy by retiring or deleting old or unused content. Incorporate customer feedback in the comments into updates and revisions.Review all your content regularly for duplicates, views, attaches, reuse, updates, or improvements. Check if internal content can be made customer- or public-facing. Don’t forget to add customer context when creating articles, in both the title (great place for an error message) and the text.2. Tap hidden knowledgeThink of your knowledge base as an iceberg. The smallest part is above water and represents explicit or captured knowledge. The largest mass—the tacit knowledge stuck in people’s heads—is below water. Figure out a way to tap into and share that dormant knowledge.At LIKE.TG, we use Knowledge-Centered Service (KCS®) that enables agents to update knowledge base content as they resolve cases. That way, knowledge is immediately available to customers when they need it, not later. In Q122, we saw a 40% decrease in median time to relief for cases with a knowledge base attached compared to those without. 3. Use a powerful search engineWe use AI Search, introduced in the Now Platform® Rome release, to deliver the right content to customers at the right time and help avoid opening cases. By constantly learning, AI improves relevance. We’ve found that 89% of the time, a search automation request does not lead to a case submission. Delivery of relevant content means a better user experience and more satisfied customers.4. Channel your usersWhy do customers open cases? Because they can’t find information or aren't sure what they’re looking for. Point them in the direction you want them to go. What actions do you want them to take instead of opening a case? Would the knowledge base, product documentation, or an online community provide the right answer?Determine the behavior you want, and then use breadcrumbs to encourage customers to follow a certain path. Encourage visitors to self-serve resources so they’ll do it again.5. Add recommendationsIf a customer shows intent to open a case, keep the self-service options open. Content recommendations should be an integral part of the case submission process. We use machine learning to match categories to the case issue, find relevant content, filter by popularity (number of views or attachments), and then offer a piece of content as an option.Relevance is the key. If something is broken, the customer should be directed to a different place than if they want to learn about the product.6. Encourage customers to dish (with each other)Who doesn’t appreciate recommendations from someone facing the same challenges in their job? We host an online community that fosters active exchanges. The Now Support community has 37 million annual views. Of the 83% of questions in the community that received a reply, the reply was within the first six hours of the question’s posting.We take it a step further and host regular customer video meetings focused on popular topics. Our customers ask questions, and internal experts provide answers that we socialize in the community.7. Solicit ideasWe created an Innovation Portal that encourages customers to suggest product enhancements or features. We run it Reddit-style. Participants can socialize their suggestions and vote for the best ideas. We integrate the most popular requests into our product development process.Self-service contributes to customer successKnowledge management best practices are constantly changing. Technology is a critical tool in creating a great customer experience by allowing us to adapt quickly as interests shift. We’re always looking for ways to improve, such as building a Knowledge Management widget to show how content is performing in real time. This helps us stay on top of knowledge base trends and grow accordingly.At the end of the day, our efforts are centered on helping customers find the information they need to use the Now Platform efficiently and effectively. If we use technology to help them self-solve faster and create fewer cases, we can transform their frustration into delight. The sooner they’re on their way to a new task, the happier they are with ServiceNow.View the Now on Now snackable video series to explore the first three steps in any knowledge management journey: Governance Implementation Operationalization The KCS® methodology is a registered service mark of the Consortium for Service Innovation.
7 Tips on How to Build Team Cohesion
Working as a team is essential in any large or small business. You need your employees and colleagues to build trust, enjoy open and honest communication, and work together to achieve team goals. Without this, your business won’t be able to run properly and will have no chance of growing or improving. The secret to long-term success is largely about ensuring you're hiring the right people for the right job. However, this is not where building a successful business stops. You need to consider how that team works together. Sometimes, the perfect person for a position may not be the most experienced, or the one with the best qualifications. Instead, they might be the person who works better in a team. The Importance Of Team Cohesion In a nutshell, team cohesion is when a group of individuals works together for the common good. In a business context, this means completing projects or improving processes to boost the bottom line. In a perfect world, each team member will bring their individual skill set to the table, and those skill sets will work in harmony to reach the goal. Without a cohesive bond and working strategy within a company, the business will never operate as effectively or as efficiently as it could. Not only is this bad for your bottom line, but it’s also bad for your employees’ well-being. The figure for disengaged employees is usually around 70%, and that is not good for business. There are a lot of reasons for disengagement—stress in the workplace, bad fit for the job, low morale or motivation, poor management—but lack of team spirit is a big one. How To Build Team Cohesion Thankfully, there are plenty of things that you can do to improve this statistic in your business. It takes effort from both you as the leader and the team members themselves. However, if team leaders play an active role in building camaraderie and offering the right motivation, you can all improve team efficiency and still feel comfortable. 1. Define Your Company Values Even a startup or small business should have a mission statement and a set of company values. These are critical for steering your business in the direction you want to grow. And they will help you find the right people to build a successful team. With a fully established set of values, you can give your team a strong sense of what they are working towards. This immediately gives all team members a common thread that unites them. If you don’t already have a vision and mission statement, you can include your team in creating one or incorporate team collaboration software to improve your internal communication plan. This will help them build trust and give them an even greater sense of group cohesion. They become part of creating common goals and ways of thinking. 2. Establish The Rules All great teams need a clear set of rules to play by. If everyone knows the rules, then it makes it a lot easier to work together and feel comfortable. These rules should include exactly who is responsible for what element of a project or ongoing work. Clearly defined team goals are important too. This sets up clear expectations for commitments from each member of the team. It also gives everyone an understanding of their role within the group. It’s important to have accountability for everyone—from the leader of the team to the most junior staff member. Everyone will be able to see what they need to do and how that will impact what everyone else needs to do. Plus, you’re showing your team that you play an active role and are just as responsible if work is not completed on time. 3. Show Your Trust Trust is a critical part of teamwork and building camaraderie. If colleagues can’t trust each other to get work done on time or do not appreciate the work that each member does, they will not work well together. This all starts from the top. As the leader, you need to be sure that you are showing your team that you trust them and that they can trust you. Avoid micromanaging your team. Instead, build trust and create a culture of respect by showing that you believe in them and their abilities. 4. Establish Clear Lines Of Open & Honest Communication Open and honest communication is another critical element of working towards team goals. The solution to improving company communication is that each member needs to feel comfortable enough to ask questions, give input, and share any grievances that arise. Plus, they need to feel that their voices will be heard and acknowledged. When establishing your rules for teamwork, include a section on how the team should communicate. Try to be as transparent as possible so that no one feels like information is being hidden, or that someone is being excluded from any processes. Play an active role in ensuring communication is clear, and that there are no gray areas at any stage. This creates a feeling of group cohesion, as everyone has a strong sense of belonging and inclusion. 5. Ensure You Have Safe Practices This comes down to accountability and open and honest communication once again. To build a successful team, you need each member to feel safe in their role and in their interactions with each other. When this happens, you have a great team that communicates and takes responsibility. However, without safe practices for teamwork, people will not allow themselves to build trust in their teammates or you. It might seem obvious, but always try to criticize people in private, and praise efforts in public. 6. Learn About Each Other Team-building activities may seem like a boring cliché, but it’s important in building camaraderie and getting people to work well together. You don’t need to go out into the wild and spend a week doing an adventure boot camp. Team-building activities can be as simple as going for lunch together once a week so that you have some downtime together. This allows people to let their guards down and start talking to each other as friends, not as staff who need to always get a job done. 7. Celebrate Their Success Keeping your team motivated is a key ingredient to group cohesion. One of the best ways to do this is to celebrate their success in reaching those all-important team goals. Each time you finish a project, bring in donuts for the team and congratulate them all. At the end of the quarter or the year, celebrate your achievements in a way that suits your company. Whether this involves a shout-out on your company feed, a staff party, a group trip to a spa, or a shared experience everyone will enjoy, the aim is to ensure that every member of your team feels appreciated. If you celebrate their success together, it will give the team a sense of pride in their efforts, helping them to feel motivated to work harder together. You can also make a point of celebrating personal victories within your team. If someone has completed their studies, bought a house, or reached any other major milestone, use this as an opportunity to foster a strong sense of team spirit. To learn even more about managing remote teams and keeping employees working at home highly engaged, download our ebook now. Download now Taking The First Steps Towards Cohesion Building an engaged, motivated, and productive team isn't always easy, but it’s essential for any big or small business that wants to thrive in today’s marketplace. If you want to build a great team, it’s as easy as taking the first step. Play an active role in creating group cohesion and don't assume it will come naturally. It takes time, effort, and open and honest communication. Follow these seven tips to foster a spirit of togetherness that leads to a collaborative culture that breeds success. Author Bio: This article is written by our marketing team at LIKE.TG. LIKE.TG is a leading provider of HR solutions, including recruiting, onboarding, employee engagement, and intranet software. Our aim is to help your company improve employee engagement, employee productivity, and to save you valuable time!
7 Tips on How to Manage Remote Workers
Remote work is already a haven for employees and freelancers. As a manager, you’ll also see the flexibility of working from home and outsourcing their business to anywhere from one to a large group of remote workers. So, when you have a remote team of workers, you must manage them in ways that make production consistent and effective, without being afflicted with missed deadlines and miscommunication. Here’s our guide to manage remote workers, with seven ways to effectively manage your remote workforce, with the tools to manage remote employees, so that your business can still thrive on these terms. 1. Encourage Company Culture “Working remotely doesn’t mean that there can’t be any company culture,” says Joseph Rouse, an HR at Paperfellows and Australianhelp. “Your workplace culture should have values, at the very least. Having company pride in how you do business and how you communicate allow you to have a good experience with your remote workers. And with that said, your workers should value those same values, and stay in touch with their community as often as possible.” Of course, when remote team members are working across time zones, employees feel isolated easily, and company culture becomes a difficult thing to encourage. But with regular team meetings via video conferencing, you’ll find you can easily build trust and employee engagement with your remote workforce. 2. Give Workers The Right Tools To get production going, your workers need the right tools to do the work: access to files, tasks, information, etc. So, make sure that they have access, and that they’re up to date on news, updates, and deadlines, so that they can all get work done at a decent pace. You will need to make sure your employees have access to all the software needed to do their work—word processing software, team scheduling and productivity software, and conference call software, especially important for making remote workers feel part of the rest of the team. If this software is free, you mainly only need to provide a download and installation guide for your remote team members. But if the software has a paid license or needs a company login, be aware that your remote workforce may find it more difficult to set this up than people working in-house, especially if they cannot easily get in contact with the IT department, or do not have access to the company IP address and portal. 3. Utilize Video Chat One of the best tools to manage remote employees, for managing remote workers training or otherwise, there are other ways to communicate with your workers, rather than just texting them. Communication via video chat is a fantastic way to break out of the monotony of standard team meetings, and helps people working from home feel like they are part of the rest of the team during team meetings. If you are sure to schedule your conference call well in advance, paying attention to your remote workforce’s varying time zones, chat services like Skype, Google Hangouts, and Zoom allow you to communicate with your workforce whenever you’d like. And if connectivity should fail, you ought to fix it right away. Or if your employees experience downtime, see if you can help cover the cost for better Internet or more bandwidth for them, or work with them to see where they can take calls without any issues. 4. Communicate And Set Goals It’s imperative to communicate clearly with your employees. Do not leave a thing to chance. Enquire and query with your employees to get the discussion going. Also, allow your workers to ask you their requests and queries of their own. In addition, make sure that you’re stating your expectations to them as clearly as possible. Have goals and timelines that you want to see get accomplished, and hold people accountable for the work that they’re doing. As above, accountability and measuring productivity are easier when you have the tools and software in place to aid them. But you should agree with your employees whether they are getting paid by the hour, for example, or another way of measuring it. And you should check in with your remote workforce now and then, especially in the middle of a larger project, to see how things are coming along, what stage your employees are at, and see if this corroborates with the goal. This communication will help build trust. 5. Longer One-On-Ones This is something found in any managing remote employees book. One of the most important tools to manage remote employees, as you allow more communication into the workflow, when you manage remote workers, make sure you have time to have one-on-ones with anyone who needs it. You can update your availability for your “open-door policy” on services like Skype, Slack, etc., so that your employees will know when you’re available and when you’re not. And, when you do have one-on-one time with your employees, give them a full hour every week to discuss anything that needs to be discussed. Here are some good questions to ask, when doing these one-on-ones: What’s your favorite part about working remotely? How would you describe your daily routine for when you work? Do you believe that you are making a difference in our team? Why do you or don’t you believe this? Are the tools that you use functioning effectively for you? If not, how can our software and equipment be improved? You visit the office a certain number of times a year. Is the visit amount extortionate, inadequate, or perfect? How can I better support you on this remote venture? 6. Respect Your Workers “When it comes to how to manage remote employees successfully, a lot of companies take them for granted,” says Xavier Samuels, a project manager at Bigassignments and Boomessays. But one of his best tips for managing remote workers is, “In fact, it can be hard to keep remote workers, if you work them too hard, or don’t express your appreciation for them. So, if you’re lucky enough to find remote workers who do their job well all the time, then it’s fair to treat them with respect and pay them fairly for their work. Like regular employees, remote workers appreciate the positive feedback.” Throughout the contract, if you communicate effectively with people working remotely, like using instant messaging for shorter, more casual messages, and respect your remote employees’ time zones when you do, but stick to sending longer messages and briefs through email, people working remotely will look forward to working with you in the future. 7. Get Together In-Person At Least Annually What is there to dislike about a face to face team meeting every once in a while? Whether you host a luncheon or a managing remote employees seminar, it’s fun to see your workers in person rather than through video conferencing, and connect with them on a social level. Employees feel more connected. As you have these social outings annually (if not a few times a year), you can all talk about the company or team’s future together. When it comes to how to manage remote employees successfully, this is imperative. It will build employee engagement and trust among all team members, not just the group who works from home. Conclusion By following these simple steps, you’ll create a remote team that not only works with you, but is also appreciative of what you have to offer them. About author: Molly Crockett is a marketing and business expert for Ukwritings and Essayroo. She gives managers tips on how to better optimize their business practices. She’s also a writing teacher at Academized, where she teaches young people how to develop their writing and research skills.
7 Ways Technology Can Drive Higher Employee Engagement
Leading people isn’t a piece of cake, but it becomes another battle if they lack morale. As the business world pace to leverage technology in order to get things done, business owners have also realized the impact of technology on employee engagement! Welcome to our blog and we hope you find actionable insights on how technology can power employee engagement in your organization. Technology today has become the center of focus when it comes to getting things done effectively. You will find many studies today that focus on the impact of technology on employee engagement. If you want to make use of technology in your organization, you must also think of the people who will use it. Employee engagement merely refers to the level of commitment and enthusiasm an employee feels towards their job in an organization. The way your employees feel about their jobs and responsibilities influences the overall performance of your organization. Highly engaged workers will drive themselves to accomplish tasks without supervision or monitoring. There will also be a high level of collaboration, job satisfaction, and productivity. A Gallup report indicates that a highly engaged workforce can increase profitability by 21%. On the other hand, disengaged employees will take more time to accomplish tasks, there will be a high turnover, the company will spend more on recruiting, and lastly, poor customer experience. Also, according to the latest stats published by Gallup, only 36% of employees are engaged in workplaces, and over 50% are totally disengaged. Certainly, employee engagement statistics indicate that organizations need to look for novel strategies to drive engagement. Now let’s dive into the most prominent ways technology can increase employee engagement. The 7 Ways Modern Technology Can Drive Higher Employee Engagement Does Your Work Style Align With Your Zodiac Sign? Take our workplace Zodiac quiz to find out! ♉♊♌♍♐ Start the Quiz! hbspt.cta.load(549864, '492bccaa-9525-47dc-bc17-031d3b6ddfc8', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); 1.The Right Digital Tools Simplify Tasks Most jobs today involve repetitive tasks and multitasking. Although employees may already be used to executing their tasks, providing the right digital tools can improve effectiveness, productivity, and overall engagement. Fortunately enough, many employees are willing to adopt these technologies for their own good. You ought to know that there is a range of AI-powered tools or business automation software that can enhance employee engagement. For example, project management tools offer autonomy in how employees allocate and spend their time. Also, task management platforms ensure proper communication between members and can help accomplish tasks within the required period of time. Today, digital tools have also made remote work possible as managers can communicate with their employees anytime and anywhere. 70% of HR professionals stress that employees perform faster if they are allowed to use their mobile phones instead of computers. Most especially millennials. If you want to introduce any digital tool in your organization, make sure that it’s easy to use and effective. If it’s necessary to first offer training to your workforce, then do it. Many organizations have embraced modern tools to enable clear-goal setting, acquisition, and utilization of data. Some of the commonest workplace digital tools you can consider include Asana, Huler, Slack, and QuizBreaker among others. 2. Gamification enhances Learning Experiences Gamification is a technique that gained popularity a few years ago and it’s amazing how several business players have welcomed this technique to amplify workplace experiences. The concept of gamification earns applause from the fact that it can make job processes more like playing a game. A TalentLMS survey confirmed that about 80% of corporates and students stress that they would be more productive if their working environment felt more like playing a game. On the other hand, gamification makes training more enjoyable. It rises from the fact that human beings are naturally competitive. A study by TalentLMS in 2019 found that 33% of employees prefer to have game-like effects in their training platforms. That’s because traditional training methods seem boring and don’t offer the same amount of satisfaction. Studies also show that organizations that use gamification can maximize their sales, enhances employee social networks, and optimize employee engagement at the same time. So, if you are willing to leverage technology during employee training, simply know that you’re making an ideal move. With mobile learning and gamification, you can make a significant difference in terms of employee engagement. 3. Performance Management Software & Goal Setting Communication is key to boosting employee engagement whether between departments or with managers. However, face-to-face communication may not always be the answer. Modern technology has enabled organizations to streamline employee tasks and performance effectively. The same tools have also allowed HR professionals to update employee information, assess employee performance, and set smart goals. A range of performance management tools can be used to access and manage data during decision-making. The utilization of performance management software does not only help in acquiring data for goal setting, but it can also empower managers. After all, goal setting is the key to business success in the long run. 4. Collaboration Tools for Remote Working Collaboration in the past meant being in the same room and working together to accomplish a task. Not anymore! The business world has greatly diversified to the extent that many companies have realized the benefits of outsourcing and remote working. Today there is a range of software and tools that teams can use to collaborate timely regardless of the time and location. Effective collaboration in a workplace is vital if you want to get things done properly. As per McKinsey, 80% of modern businesses utilize social collaboration tools to enhance business processes. The use of collaboration tools can improve project management, strengthen team relationships, prevent time wastage, and encourage feedback. With all this, employees can stay engaged and aligned with the company’s goals. With the right collaboration tools in place, your workforce can work remotely, in-house, or adopt a hybrid work culture and still perform excellently. Also, you can foster greater collaboration using social media and Google Drive. 5. Technology Facilitates Work-Life Balance When employees are invested and happy with their jobs, their level of engagement increases. However, you will find that many employees today lack purpose, and are totally disengaged from their jobs. This may be triggered by a personal problem, workplace issues, or lack of motivation. With the use of AI (artificial intelligence) and collaboration tools, employees can become highly engaged since these technologies simplify tasks. Technology today allows efficiency, increases flexibility, and allows employees to work within the allocated time. Many employees get stressed when they are asked to work overtime or on days they prefer to get quality rest. So with the help of project management tools, collaboration software, and gamification during training, all this can improve a workforce’s work-life balance. 6. Digital Reward System If employees used to only work for their paychecks traditionally, not anymore. Employees today want to feel like you value their efforts and they expect you to recognize them or offer rewards in real-time. Also, post the pandemic, many organizations have employees that work remotely. So how do you ensure inclusivity? Virtual rewards are gaining popularity as they can be personalized and suitable for all types of employees whether in-house or remote workers. For any organization, you will find that many of your employees subscribe to streaming platforms or services. A digital reward system in place that includes gift cards, online movie/music subscriptions, or virtual courses can help keep your employees highly engaged. 7. Eliminates Biasness Diversification is everywhere and you will find that many organizations employ people from all walks of life. These people will have different opinions about the same matter, different work capabilities, and certainly different opinions about the work culture. With this, you might find that you’re constantly witnessing cases of discrimination, favoritism, and other ethical issues. It is true that any engaged employee can feel a sudden dip in motivation when discrimination becomes a workplace virtue. To improve your workplace environment, technology might be the answer in some cases. For example, in case some employees claim to overwork or to handle more responsibilities than others, performance management tools can be an ideal solution. It’s because these tools centralize information, and tasks and allow access to all authorized personnel. In this way, you will be able to track performance, get accurate feedback, and reward employees accordingly. To encapsulate, technology advancement is still influencing the business sphere in many ways. If you’re only leveraging technologies to improve customer experiences, it’s high time you utilize the same for employee engagement in your organization. A high employee engagement will ensure better employee productivity, minimized resource wastage, and steady business growth. More so, your employees will stay engaged which will improve employee retention. Try Workmates Interactive Demo Click trough it yourself withinteractive demo. Try It Now About Author: This article is written by our marketing team at LIKE.TG. LIKE.TG is dedicated to providing powerful solutions for your HR teams and creating an exceptional employee experience. Our aim is to help your company improve employee engagement, onboarding, and to save you valuable time!
7 Ways to Create a Positive and Safe Work Environment
It is a basic human need to be in a healthy, safe, and comfortable environment. People spend a decent amount of their time at work, sometimes more than they spend at their own homes, so having a workplace that is positive and safe is important to keep employees healthy, engaged, and productive. This is not only good for your employees, but it’s also good for your company. Unhappy employees cost U.S. companies an estimated $550 billion annually. Here are some ways you can create a better workplace atmosphere. 1. Provide proper onboarding and training Not providing new hires with a proper onboarding experience can have an immediate effect on their morale, confidence, productivity, and the way they view your business. First impressions are important when meeting new people, and they are just as important for new employees when entering a workplace. Here are some strategies you can use to improve the onboarding process. Make sure your new hires are properly introduced to their team and to the company's culture. Provide them with ongoing, individualized training with adequate time to learn and practice their skills. Set expectations and goals specifically for your new hire’s role, with clearly defined success metrics and milestones, and communicate with them about opportunities for growth. Make sure their workspace and technology is functioning, clean, and ready for them to get started. If you are onboarding for a remote team, these onboarding tips can help make the process run smoothly. 2. Be committed as a leader As a leader, you set the tone for the workplace. People want to be proud of not only where they work but also who they work for. Being committed to your team and to their personal and professional development can have a huge effect on your team's wellbeing, increasing productivity and reducing employee turnover. To learn even more about improving the employee experience and increasing your competitive advantage while providing a fast return on investment, download our ebook now. Download now 3. Develop a safe environment Working in an unsafe environment can have a huge impact on employees' mental and physical wellbeing. It can cause them to have increased levels of stress inside and outside of work, lowered productivity and engagement, increased chances of workplace errors or accidents, and increased absenteeism and turnover. Here are some signs and behaviors that may be present in an unsafe work environment. Sexual Harassment Sexual harassment can take the form of repeatedly asking for dates after the person has said no, sexually explicit talk, unwanted physical touch, aggressive staring or leering, and even requests for sexual favors. This study found that up to 38% of women experience sexual harassment in the workplace. Make sure you keep up with sexual harassment training requirements based on your state to help prevent and deal with these situations as they arise. Racial Harassment Racial harassment may be difficult to identify in the workplace. It can take the form of mocking a fellow team member's accent, using racial slurs or generalizations and telling derogatory jokes. If someone on your team is experiencing this type of treatment, they may be hesitant to bring it up for fear of it affecting their reputation, job security, or even their personal safety. Incorporating an anonymous system for whistleblowing can be a useful tool for your team to bring up concerns so these issues can be dealt with immediately to prevent legal repercussions. Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity Harassment Sexual orientation or gender identity harassment involves offensive, derogatory, or demeaning comments based on a team member’s sexual orientation or gender identity, including a team member’s transgender status. Team members refusing to use the correct pronouns for their fellow team members or using a name that was assigned at birth and they no longer use are included as harassment and should not be tolerated. Personal Harassment Personal harassment is a type of harassment that is not part of a protected class, like gender, religion, or race. It is a type of bullying that can most likely be found in toxic work environments. Here are some ways it can be presented: Verbal harassment includes gossip, mockery, offensive jokes, or insults. Intimidation tactics in the form of threats, invasion of privacy, social exclusion, and spying. Work-related practices like giving wrongful blame, sabotaging or interfering with projects, or stealing and taking credit for ideas. Rationalizing or defending bullying, making excuses for acting inappropriately, and blaming the victim for being mistreated. Personal harassment is often psychological or verbal and not physical, making it harder for others to notice or to act. It is important to listen to team members bringing up concerns on how they or a fellow team member are being treated and to learn tips on how to manage and resolve conflict in the workplace. Disability harassment is when a team member is treated poorly or unfairly in the workplace due to a physical or mental disability. This can include team members using slurs, making inappropriate comments or jokes, and excluding them from work-related functions. In a study by the EEOC, 32.2% of workplace discrimination cases filed in 2018 were for disability harassment, which is only a tenth of a percent behind sexual harassment cases. 4. Hold everyone accountable It is important that your team knows what is expected of them with their performance and behavior. Without clearly set boundaries and objectives, you can’t expect them to give the results you need. Newly hired employees should be given a grace period, but after that time ends, they should be held fully accountable for their performance. Your team should all be treated as equals and given an equal amount of work. If you notice an employee not meeting expectations in their competency or behavior, try not to shift their workload onto a better-performing employee. This can put your top performers at an increased risk of burnout, while the underperforming employees’ growth will remain stagnant. 5. Let everyone have a voice Checking in with your team regularly is important to gather feedback and see where things might need some tweaking in your company. Both one-on-one and group meetings can be useful tools in keeping communication going. Act on the feedback you get and keep your team involved in the process, and when an idea is utilized let the whole team know who came up with the idea. When members of your team have ideas that are not utilized, open up a conversation with the team member and let them know that you value their input and walk them through why their idea was not chosen, but still encourage them to share their ideas next time. 6. Trust your team As a leader, your leadership style greatly affects your workplace environment. Leaders who micromanage create a hostile, unsafe work environment that lowers morale, increases stress, reduces productivity, and leads to poor employee retention. As a leader, you should provide support and guidance, and create a healthy space for your team to freely think act, and perform their best without fear of their actions being perceived as the wrong move. Your team was chosen for a reason, so let them show you what they are capable of and offer guidance when it is truly needed. Your team works hard. It is important to show your appreciation and say thank you for a job well done in a fair and equal way by avoiding these mistakes when recognizing your team. This will help keep your team motivated and productive, boost their morale, and provide them with a sense of security. Author Bio: This article is written by our marketing team at LIKE.TG. LIKE.TG is a leading provider of HR solutions, including recruiting, onboarding, employee engagement, and intranet software. Our aim is to help your company improve employee engagement, employee productivity, and to save you valuable time!
7 Ways to Improve Work Performance and Succeed in Your Career
Your job plays a vital role in your life. It helps you understand your strengths and weaknesses, so you should be grateful for how you support yourself and do your job well. Even though you are talented, productive, and good at your profession, how will you advance in it if you don't put effort into bettering yourself? Despite your level of productivity or skill, there is always room for improvement. The first step to becoming a better version of yourself is to constantly look for ways to improve your skill set and seek opportunities to learn something new, and include new strategies in your performance management process. As a result, you are not only able to do your job better, but you can also advance your career.Given the importance of ongoing and continuous self-improvement, we've put together a list of 7 ways to improve work performance and succeed in your career. Tips on improving work performance Before breaking down our useful productivity tips, which hopefully will help you improve your work performance and succeed in your career, you must prepare yourself. That means that sometimes we do not see where we might lack and that requires strength and acceptance. Once you reflect and find gaps where you can improve yourself to better complete tasks in the future, you start from there. Hopefully, our list of tips will help you realize those gaps. Clear Communication in the Workplace The secret to improving your effectiveness at work is communication. Do not hesitate to ask for clarification if you are unsure of your responsibilities. The best company executives are naturally curious and seek out creative solutions to problems. So why not ask for a second explanation for whatever you might find yourself not understanding? A plus would be implementing performance management software in the process; managers and employees would benefit from it a lot. Setting clear and effective communication within the workplace is very important not only when you might have something to ask, but this is important setting boundaries, setting clear expectations, and being at ease with yourself at the end of the day. Communication is the key solution to everything. While it may be tempting to check up on the latest news and speak with coworkers, doing so too frequently can damage your ability to perform well at work. Take an interest in your team members' life because building relationships with them at work is crucial; nevertheless, avoid drama or gossip. It can not only affect your focus and productivity, but it can also change how other people perceive you. Avoiding such things will increase your productivity since your main focus is on your tasks. To learn more about Perform by LIKE.TG, download one pager now Download now Set priorities and avoid multitasking Lack of productivity is one of the main factors affecting performance at work. You won't advance in your profession very far if you can't learn how to manage your work hours and know your skill sets on this matter. It's simpler than ever to become distracted at work and waste time thanks to the internet and social media. Take frequent, brief pauses to avoid being distracted, or use programs to block websites that frequently divert your attention. Even though they are essential, we frequently put off our least favorite tasks until the last minute. Get the most important jobs finished first so they don't consume your thoughts. If you finish the first task, you can move on to another or take a break. Prioritizing critical or high-value tasks first shows your supervisor and coworkers that you can be counted on to move goals forward, even if the task is one you don't particularly enjoy. Set a particular time for meetings and emails A significant portion of lost productivity at work can be attributed to our inboxes. It can be tempting to check in frequently and read emails as soon as they arrive, sometimes even more than once, before we have a chance to respond or take action. Establish regular times throughout the day to check your email to minimize this and recover part of this lost time. You might want to discuss this with your employer first, but if everyone on the team gets used to it, they'll quickly realize its benefits and give it a shot. The same goes for meetings, sometimes a 30-minute sync ends up being more than an hour sync. The best way to avoid this is to keep one-on-one meetings with the manager. This way employees to whom the topic does not concern can be free to go. Know your work limits It's crucial to be aware of your energy levels as well as the fact that everyone has a certain amount of work they can handle. If you start to feel tired or distracted, or if you start to put things off, you're probably getting close to your personal limit. By identifying your emotions and taking a break, you can prevent burnout. If a task is difficult or you're exhausted, change to something less hard for a bit. Return to the first work and push through after your mind has had time to clear. Take full responsibility for your duties If you’re a leader setting objectives and committing to yourself is one thing when it comes to your career. However, teams are considerably more likely to succeed if members openly promise to one another in a public setting. To evaluate employee performance, many businesses have implemented performance management systems. Your team will be able to see your targets or goals and how you are doing in relation to them thanks to this kind of software, which will help you keep accountable. Additionally, you'll be able to track their development so you can encourage them and hold them responsible for achieving their objectives. To avoid any concern, consider regular anonymous feedback via Incognito for the Slack app. This way you will be up to date and see if there is something pending in the workflow. Be practical and realistic Realizing that no one is perfect is one of the elements to working productively and effectively. Everybody has "off days" where they are less focused, lack confidence, or do less well than usual. You're less likely to see any drops in productivity if you approach this with reality. Additionally, you'll be more understanding of people who are struggling or not giving it their all, which will improve team spirit and relationships. Network with professionals We frequently consider ways to increase our effectiveness within our teams or organizations, but you can also focus on personal development within a larger network. Make use of the chance to establish connections with individuals working for other organizations, in industries both comparable and different, online and offline. Knowing the right people is always beneficial, and you never know where you'll meet your next buddy, business partner, or employee. About Author: This article is written by a marketing team member at LIKE.TG. LIKE.TG is a leading provider of proven HR solutions, including recruiting, onboarding, employee communications & engagement, and rewards & recognition. Our user-friendly software increases employee productivity, delivers time and cost savings, and minimizes compliance risk.
8 Benefits of a More Integrated Employee Communication
The dynamics of the modern workplace demand more integrated communication. There is a lot of information to pass around in an organization. Managers need to communicate to employees about new policies, instructions, upcoming changes, and much more. On the other hand, employees need to communicate with each other when collaborating in completing tasks. How well such information passes across significantly affects how successful an organization will be. You see, there can’t be any progress if people in an organization don’t work on the same page. And, only integrated communication can be able to bring everyone together. Besides that, here are 8 benefits an organization stands to gain with more coordinated employee communication. Enhances innovation and knowledge sharing Employees tend to withhold their ideas in a place where they feel they might be ridiculed or downplayed. On the other hand, an organization that encourages good communication manages to put confidence in the employees. As a result, they share ideas on projects, brainstorm on solutions to come up with killer end products. When employees pull together skills and knowledge, it results in a highly innovative team. In addition, this sharing of knowledge and expertise results in employees learning new things, which enhances their skills. This can also be beneficial especially when onboarding new employees. The need for training is reduced significantly. Innovation is critical for the success of your company. When the employees working in the organization are proactive in suggesting newer initiatives it will have a dramatic effect on the outcome of your business endeavors. Not only will the efficiency be improved you will find that the work quality has also taken an upturn. All this also provides a larger customer base. Innovation is critical for every definition of internal communication within an organization. However, keep in mind that innovation doesn’t come from the top down. Many times it is the ground staff working on the shop floor that comes up with some of the more groundbreaking ideas. You just need to provide an opportunity to them to make their voice heard. By using a good reliable strategy you are going to get the internal communication channels into place. These will in turn allow the employees to contribute their ideas to the long-term benefit of the organization and develop company culture. When quality feedback channels are available to the employees you will discover that the members of staff are more willing to offer their suggestions for improving the work environment. Once these employees begin to drive the change and make it their own, the employer is sure to benefit from an uplift in the engagement level. Reduces turnover and builds teamwork Integrated employee communication ensures that the company goals and objectives are communicated clearly. Employees know how their roles align with these goals. This gives them a sense of belonging and pride knowing that their work is important in realizing the bigger picture. Their loyalty and commitment to the organization are heightened, which reduces employee turnover. In addition, when employees understand each other’s roles, it eliminates unnecessary competition. Every employee is focused on optimizing his or her role as well as working together in harmony, which enhances teamwork. Christopher BaggottChief Executive Officerator of Medlinks Cost Containment, Inc. and Medlinks Staffing, LLC. “Our staff has praised the increased communications level Workmates delivers. We use it to communicate important project matters and give staff specific ‘kudos’ or even recognize their birthdays. More importantly, we use Workmates to clarify important project details that needed rapid dissemination among the entire team.” Increases productivity Employee productivity can be directly linked to employee satisfaction. When there is proper communication, employees feel free to express their concerns and ideas. When employers address these concerns, employees feel heard and valued. Consequently, it boosts their motivation and morale and hence productivity. In such a case, employers don’t have to worry about their employees’ productivity regardless of where they are working. However, working in workspaces that are designed to enhance productivity would only complement employee satisfaction with the employer. If a business is located in Denver, for instance, employers can look for coworking spaces in Denver, and further enable employees to work in optimal productivity. Everybody is aware of the fact that the employees have to feel engaged if you are to get the best out of them. But, how can this be achieved? Even though engaging appears to be similar to communicating, actually there is a big difference between the two. Many times there is a one-way info stream happening where the leaders are delivering organizational info using communication tools and there are not communication platforms for the employees. But, what any internal communication design can deliver is a crucial two-way dialogue taking place between the leader and the employees. One of the key elements of better practices in internal communication is this reciprocating flow of information and it should never be ignored. For driving employee engagement to business success, different leaders have to show that they value employee feedback and the ensuing discussion. Similarly, the employees are going to need evidence about their voices being heard. After ensuring this, you can get a workforce that is highly engaged and is aware that their voice matters. When you are thinking about improving internal communication you will discover that active engagement of the employees will have a tremendous effect on the productivity and attitude of the employees. Helps in positive adoption to change They say change is the only constant thing. However, a sudden change in an organization can be disruptive and cause a sink in performance. On the other hand, employees accept change quickly and respond positively when it is communicated in a timely manner. The good thing is that integrated communication fosters open communication between managers and employees. In such an environment, managers choose to involve employees in everything rather than waiting for the last minute to drop the bomb. This especially eliminates rumors that can cause panic and anxiety in the workforce. Fastens delivery time Integrated employee communication fosters a timely and clear communication of instructions and expectations. Ideally, the successful completion of tasks depends on how well instructions are communicated. If employees have to go back and forth seeking clarifications, it eats into precious time that can otherwise be utilized constructively. Additionally, when expectations aren’t clearly communicated, employees tend to rely on their knowledge. This can have negative effects on the final product or even cause delays in deliveries. Employees can get better at internal communication by taking the online job training courses that specialize in business and management. Enhances employer brand image One would think that employees have nothing more to ask for in a place where they are compensated well. Surprisingly, a big percentage of employees would rather choose a workplace where integrated communication is fostered than a place with competitive perks. The modern worker is fixated on working for an ideal employer. If you are to attract top talents, you must embrace the efforts to improve your employer image which is possible by using social media platforms. Moreover, open employee communication is one way to get there. Employee retention One of the more significant benefits of using effective employee communication is that it has a positive effect on employee retention. Employee retention has quickly become a major challenge for employers. The majority of the employers admit that they are finding it hard to retain key members of their staff. Apart from that, you will find that the costs involved in replacing the highly-trained member of the staff are close to 200% of their annual salary. This indicates the economic benefit of retaining the existing employees. For achieving this, effective internal communication is your answer. Many experts have indicated that what increases employee retention level to as high as 40% is the use of effective communication. In the end, the employees that do not feel engaged or involved in the company proceedings are likely to be disconnected. Different kinds of internal communication have to be prioritized. But, making sure that the employees are well-informed must be on top of your list of priorities. When you have a solid internal communication guide in place, you can move on to ensure that various employees working at different levels of a company feel that they are also in the know. Your aim must be to make your employees feel as if they are insiders who know as much about things as the employer and other top-level decision-makers in the organization. Builds leadership Keep in mind that all members of senior management are not natural communicators. They may be good are analyzing a spreadsheet or developing a strategy, but this does not necessarily mean that they can easily disseminate information from the employees in a resonating fashion. A leader that is no good at communication is more likely to cause harm to a project than do any good. It is one of the more common internal communications errors made. For driving engagement, the leaders have to show that they value the team members’ feedback and discussion. Any internal communication strategies can put effective channels into a place that will facilitate the necessary interaction. The employees must see that the members of senior management are involved, active, engaged, and approachable. When you open a two-way dialogue which could be through a meeting, emails, or through a good internal communication app, you are making the leaders more accessible to everybody. This is particularly true while conducting communication during a crisis. A sense of direction and a strong voice coming from the team leader can make a massive difference between swim and sink. Final words Gone are the days when communication in the workplace involved employers talking and employees listening. Such a practice today can see employees abandoning their roles or working unmotivated. You can imagine how bad that can be to an organization. That’s why there is no other way around it, employers must embrace integrated employee communication if they are to achieve a successful workplace. About Author: This article is written by a marketing team member at LIKE.TG. LIKE.TG is a leading provider of proven HR solutions, including recruiting, onboarding, employee communications & engagement, and rewards & recognition. Our user-friendly software increases employee productivity, delivers time and cost savings, and minimizes compliance risk.
8 Benefits of AI in Customer Service
With customers’ rising expectations, companies constantly seek innovative ways to enhance their customer service experience. To solve customer service issues, the only secret is integrating AI in customer service practices, which will greatly solve the problems immediately.Every help desk fights for increased customer satisfaction and profit margin. According to a recent study, firms using AI in customer service achieve a 3.5 times greater increase in customer satisfaction rates. This tells you how AI customer support is vital.In this article, we will explore the benefits of enriching customer service with AI development. Let’s now shed light on how AI is beneficial. What is AI in customer service?Artificial intelligence is the ability of machines to acquire and apply knowledge and skills. Similarly, it is the simulation of human skills and expertise by computer systems.AI in customer service is an AI integrated into customer service to simulate agents’ productivity to help solve customer issues, create stunning customer interaction, and improving customer experience.Benefits of AI in customer supportAI plays a crucial role in customer service. Let’s check out these benefits to explore more.Enhanced efficiencyAI has the ability to quickly summarize customer conversations. This feature allows customer support agents to save valuable time, which can be redirected toward resolving more complex issues.For businesses, this translates into improved overall efficiency, faster response times, and, consequently, enhanced customer satisfaction.Improved quality of customer communicationsAI has the capability to provide professional, error-free responses by using advanced rephrasing and grammar-check features. This improves the quality of communication with customers and ensures that the brand’s voice and tone remain consistent across all channels.This can greatly enhance the customer’s perception of the product, thus increasing trust and loyalty.Real-time language translationWith the inclusion of multilingual support, AI allows customer support agents to respond to customers in their native language without having to leave their current workflow.This feature benefits global businesses, as it helps overcome language barriers, thus providing a more personalized and inclusive AI customer experience.Better readability of knowledge-base articlesAI can automatically summarize knowledge-base articles, presenting customers with concise summaries that improve readability. This significantly enhances user experience, as customers can quickly grasp the key points without having to read through lengthy articles.Additionally, it reduces the number of follow-up queries, as customers are more likely to find the information they are looking for in a more digestible format.Improved organic traffic through SEOAI in customer support can generate SEO-friendly titles and meta descriptions for knowledge-base articles, which can improve search engine results. Consequently, this leads to an increase in organic traffic, as more users are likely to find and click on the articles.This not only improves the visibility of the content but also leads to higher customer engagement and conversions.24/7 availabilityAI never needs a break or a day off, which means it can provide 24/7 customer support. This means customers can get help anytime they need it, including weekends, holidays, and after hours. This helps in reducing customer service wait times and makes things easier for human support staff.Cost-effectiveAI can handle large volumes of customer inquiries without getting overwhelmed. This can help businesses save money, as they won’t need to hire extra staff to handle increased demand.For example, a Norwegian bank’s AI agent does the work of 31 full-time employees, increasing the bank’s capacity to help customers by 175% without needing to hire additional staff.Boost customer loyaltyAI-powered customer service can work alongside human customer service representatives to provide a seamless customer service experience.By automating routine tasks and handing off more complex issues to human staff, AI saves customers’ time and improves their overall experience with the company. This can lead to increased customer loyalty.What are the challenges of AI for customer service?While AI offers numerous benefits for customer service, it’s not without its challenges:Complexity of implementation: Implementing AI-powered customer service solutions can be complex and require substantial investment in technology, infrastructure, and talent. Businesses may face challenges in integrating AI systems with existing processes, systems, and databases.Data privacy and security concerns: AI requires vast amounts of data to train algorithms and make precise predictions. However, this raises concerns about data privacy, security, and compliance with regulations. Businesses must ensure that customer data is handled and secured in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.Lack of human touch: While AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants can provide instant responses and support, they may lack the empathy, intuition, and emotional intelligence of human agents. This can lead to client frustration or dissatisfaction, particularly in situations that require emotional connection.Data dependence and bias: The effectiveness of AI relies heavily on the quality and quantity of data it’s trained on. Biased data can lead to biased AI responses, potentially encouraging stereotypes or unfair treatment.Implementation and training costs: Setting up and maintaining an AI-powered customer service system can involve significant upfront costs for technology, data management, and ongoing training for both AI systems and human agents.Examples of AI-powered customer service for businessesNumerous AI applications are currently available for businesses to enhance their operations.Here are some examples:Chatbots: Many businesses deploy AI-powered chatbots on their websites, mobile apps, or messaging platforms to provide instant support and handle basic customer inquiries. Chatbots use natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning algorithms to understand and respond to client questions in real time.Virtual assistants: Virtual assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant help users with tasks, deliver information, and execute actions via voice commands. Businesses can integrate virtual assistants into their customer service channels to offer personalized assistance and support.Automated ticket routing: AI algorithms analyze incoming support tickets and automatically route them to the most appropriate agent or team for resolution based on factors such as urgency, complexity, and agent availability. This streamlines ticket management and ensures timely responses to customer inquiries.Sentiment analysis: AI algorithms analyze customer interactions, such as chat transcripts and social media mentions, to gauge sentiment and identify instances of dissatisfaction or frustration. This enables businesses to address issues promptly, preventing negative experiences from escalating.Voice recognition and natural language processing (NLP): AI technologies enable voice recognition and natural language understanding, allowing customers to interact with customer service systems using voice commands or natural language inputs. This improves accessibility and convenience for clients and enhances the overall user experience.Unlock efficiency and satisfaction with AI in customer serviceNow that you know how beneficial AI in customer service is, try our integrated help desk software, LIKE.TG, embedded with the latest AI help desk management features to aid your company and enhance its customer success.You can enable your agents to swiftly obtain precise, customized replies sourced from our vast knowledge base by simply pressing a button to inquire our AI copilot.You can also start a free trial to learn about the vast features it is embedded with. Additionally, you can request a demo to have a live experience with our agents. In any case, if you have any additional inquiries, reach out to our LIKE.TG support team.
8 Best Practices for Your Small Business Onboarding Process
Onboarding is the process when a new employee integrates into a new company's culture. Typically, the onboarding process begins when companies offer candidates a job and they decide to accept it. Usually, HR managers should introduce new candidates to all the necessary behaviors, skills, and knowledge they'll need. One thing is typical for all kinds of companies. Onboarding is the process that ensures new hires are ready for whatever comes at them. Successful onboarding is essential, especially for small businesses, because their limited resources don't let them repeat the hiring process frequently. While onboarding is a formal process, there are many ways to make onboarding creative and successful. Some employees decide whether to stay with the company within the first six months. When entering a small business, new hires need more personalized attention. Their first impression will determine how the working relationship grows. If an employee has a good experience, eventually, it will bring a better outcome for the business. In this article, we'll walk you through the best practices for employee onboarding that you can adapt to your company. This article gives several tips for the small business onboarding process to help create the best first experience for employees and an incredible journey. 1. Be clear about your expectation of new hires It's frustrating for new employees to spend their first day of work filling out many paper pages. But it's entirely possible to make this process more acceptable. Paperwork is the most tiresome and frustrating aspect of the onboarding process. Sending digital paperwork a few days before their start date is a great option. You can also get their attention with your social content, job announcements, and other creative ways. The faster you finish off paperwork, the quicker you can focus on the engagement side of onboarding. It speeds up your time to hire impressively. In this case, an epic first impression with your new hires is guaranteed. This way, you will let them know any other necessary information they'll need before starting to work, such as directions, building access codes, the time the working day begins, their manager's contact information, and more. An automated SMS messaging system can significantly optimize this for you. Doing steps like this before day one will help to reduce stress for you and your employees. 2. Create an epic welcome with the whole team Make your employees feel welcome from the first day. It would help if you created a warm and inviting environment from the very beginning to help relieve the tension and bring all employees together. Share the news on socials as part of your social media strategy and branding. Help new team members quickly adapt to the company's culture. Introducing them to their supervisors and colleagues is essential and should be a first-day priority. Your employees should present themselves in a fun and interactive way to get to know your teammates. Having a welcome party, with some refreshments, is a great idea. Maybe your team decided to add each other on professional networking platforms like LinkedIn. No matter which path you take to integrate your new employees, it's an important step to make them feel welcomed. The first steps are essential if your new employee wants to add productivity to your team. 3. Help the new hire by introducing them to the staff If you want that your new hires feel like a part of the team, then you should tell them about their new company structure and departments. Particularly in small businesses, most departments are also multidisciplinary and collaborative, which can be helpful during the training process. If you’re working online, use tools when the meeting is held remotely so that your new employees can meet your team successfully. If you want your current employees to help with the training process, not only should they help new members to gain knowledge, but you also help them get to know their colleagues personally. It helps you manage your new hire's learning experience, as you can send them to the best employees. If you have employees who are great at doing different tasks, this will help your new employee figure out the best way to handle those tasks. Connecting with the team leader is essential before day one. Usually, an employee's main point of contact is the direct manager. But they should collaborate with other members to access the right tools and equipment. Not just the HR department, other employees and teams, and departments should also be involved in the onboarding process. These teams have a powerful impact on a new hire's engagement. 4. Know the new employee's needs and expectations First-days are pretty challenging for new hires. Sympathize them and imagine yourself as a new employee. Plan the onboarding process by considering these questions. What challenges have your company recently faced? What have you achieved, what kind of goals, and what steps should you take to complete them? Provide them a particular training room with encouraging sentiments and company documentation they can scan. This can help them get used to before being completely trained and doing everyday tasks. Moreover, consider getting IoT solutions to keep employee data safe on different software such as task management, communication, etc. 5. Reinforce the company's mission and values to new teammates Before applying, your new hire probably researched the company's mission and values. In that case, there is a great chance that your company's culture played a huge role when they decided to join the team. In software development companies, for instance, employees look for challenging and meaningful work-time among dedicated and motivated coworkers in an aspiring work culture. It's a pivotal time to reinforce those ideas and show those values in action. The onboarding period is when your new employees will develop an opinion of your company. You need to determine things such as communication channels, training template, etc. For example, you can use a vanity phone number to keep in touch with employees and support them whenever needed. You already know that the first stages are vital to reinforce those ideas and show your values in real life. Make sure they form a great impression of your values and vision. Show them that you value their decision to work for your organization. Give employees a more meaningful introduction to the workplace culture and share your team's values. Probably you already have a great workplace culture. In that case, you need to share those values with new candidates during the onboarding process. 6. Analyze the new employee's specific job description and responsibilities It's a mistake to think new employees fully understand their new role. Confusion during the first phase of small business onboarding can lead to undesirable surprises or expectations. Take time to introduce their role description, duties, and expectations. This will help guarantee they understand and can get any questions about their concerns. All this information can also be loaded into your onboarding platform so your employees can smoothly access their job details. In addition, you can use email marketing, social media, and other communication methods to keep employees engaged. A clear and concise access point is vital and will make your employees' work more efficient. 7. Introduce new employees to your policies and give them a professional development plan Policies and procedures may be tedious, but knowing them will help new hires to ensure their success and avoid failure. Integrating this step from the beginning to help relieve them into the role they'll play in your company. Introducing procedures also helps reinforce your value as an employer because you can add the necessary information. We wean benefits, paid time off, and other bonuses your company provides. Having reachable short-term business goals within a specific time frame sets your new hires up for long-term success. It would be best if you discussed professional development more than once a year on your employee's anniversary. If you give your employees the right development plan, you help them ease into the workplace placidly. This plan will help avoid work-induced burnout or stress and encourage employee loyalty and productivity. 8. Consider it as an ongoing process The first stages are essential for the onboarding process, but it doesn't stop after that. Onboarding is not a one-time process. If your goal is your employees' success over time requires clear objectives and succession planning in your B2B processes. Even a great professional has a great mentor and support team to help them to succeed. The best onboarding process takes the experience to the employee's first anniversary. Teams who focus energy on ensuring employees are happy and heard, and have development opportunities, then there is an excellent chance that the employees won't leave your company. How to onboard with LIKE.TG LIKE.TG has created a tool to automate new hires’ onboarding experiences as a leading developer of HR software. Onboard gives you all the tools to create great and productive onboarding experiences. Everyone involved in the onboarding process, from new hires to hiring managers, gets all the information they need at precisely the right time. Onboard lets you create a detailed employee profile that allows employees to share their experiences and interests. Not only can you have employee profiles for new hires but also customizable portals. These portals and landing pages give new hires all the information they need. LIKE.TG’s mission is to make onboard greater. Therefore, HR managers can help new hires start a career path smoothly with Onboard. Employees should spend their first day shouldn't waiting for meetings or going through paperwork by themselves. Onboard gives a solution for that problem too. With HR cloud, onboarding is excellent, fast, and accessible. Conclusion Even if your small business grows, don't underestimate the importance of the onboarding process. First, help them feel welcome and create a warm atmosphere. Avoid giving them too much paperwork during the first days. Share the main factors of your company's values with them. Introduce new hires' company goals and how new employees can help achieve them. Don't overwhelm your new employees with tasks; guide them and give them a professional development plan. These tips help you create a company that feels organized and welcoming. Every company's onboarding program is unique. Therefore you should develop the best strategy for your team. Concentrate on what makes you and your business special and mix that into the tips discussed in this article. About the Author: This article is written by a marketing team member at LIKE.TG. LIKE.TG is a leading provider of proven HR solutions, including recruiting, onboarding, employee communications & engagement, and rewards & recognition. Our user-friendly software increases employee productivity, delivers time and cost savings, and minimizes compliance risk
8 Easy Tips to Deliver Personalized Customer Service (2024)
Consider a world where every customer feels like your best friend. They fondly remember their interactions with your brand, talk about your brand to anyone who will listen, and keep coming back to you. This is the power of personalized customer service.As customers’ expectations are constantly evolving, today, a simple “thank you for your business” doesn’t cut it anymore. Customers want experiences that feel genuine and cater to their unique needs.This blog dives into the art of personalized customer service, exploring how companies can build deeper connections with clients, get more personal, boost loyalty, and ultimately watch their business grow. What is personalized customer service?Personalized customer service involves understanding individual customer needs and preferences and using them to tailor customer service interactions and offerings. It involves anticipating customers’ needs and providing relevant support solutions.Take, for instance, a scenario where a customer calls in with a question, and the support agent instantly recognizes their name, purchase history, and any past interactions.The agent can then customize the conversation to include their specific needs, offering tailored solutions that address their concerns.This is the essence of personalized customer service. It’s about moving beyond generic interactions and using customer data and technology to create a truly customized experience.Personalized customer service makes customers feel valued. This enhances customer satisfaction and improves brand loyalty.How can you deliver personalized customer service?Businesses need to go beyond plain greetings and basic customer service. Customers now expect businesses to care for them and provide more value through personalized customer service. Below are some excellent tips to personalize your customer service.Personalize customer interactions from the startFrom the minute a client reaches out, make the interaction as personal as possible. You should add a human touch to the communication at the first contact. You can do it in the following ways:Greet them like a friend: Be friendly and welcoming. Use unique customer service phrases in your greetings to relax the customers.Make them feel recognized: Address customers by their names. This shows them that you acknowledge them; hence, they feel valued.Add a human touch: The interaction should be natural. Avoid phrases that make the interaction seem too formal. Adding this human touch builds trust.Always be there when your clients need youCustomers expect fast customer service that is accessible 24/7. Be proactive by anticipating their needs and offering solutions even before problems arise. Create FAQs or a customer self-service portal where they can quickly find solutions.Exceed customer expectations by going the extra mileThere is always more you can do when it comes to personalized customer service. Customers have a certain level of expectation of your brand.Research by Salesforce suggests that 73% of customers expect personalized customer service.What if you could offer something to enhance your personalized customer service? You can always go the extra mile by doing the following:Send handwritten customer thank-you notesSend customized holiday greetingsOffer personalized discounts and recommendationsEmail them birthday wishesThese small gestures show that you care, building customer loyalty.Build deep connections with your customersShow your customers that you value them by building strong relationships with them. Develop a habit of empathy in customer service and acknowledge your clients’ concerns or frustrations.This creates a deep connection and strengthens customer relationships.You should also deliver on the promises that your brand makes. Ensure the quality of products and services, and always be transparent with your customers.When you nurture trust, customers feel you value them. This improves your personalized customer service and builds stronger customer relationships.Train your staff to be friendly with customersIt is crucial to treat your customers with love and respect. Friendly customer interactions are the heart of personalized service.Empower your team to create positive interactions through the following:Invest in empathy training: Equip your staff to understand customer perspectives and respond with empathy. This fosters a sense of connection and builds trust.Active listening skills: Train your staff to actively listen to customer concerns and requests. This shows that they genuinely care about the customers’ needs.Encourage proactive communication: Train your staff to anticipate customer needs and offer proactive assistance.Have multiple support channels to assist customersImprove your personalized customer service by providing support through many channels instead of one. Different customers use different methods of communication.Consider their preferences when you interact with them. You can offer support via the following options:PhoneEmailSocial mediaLive chat supportLeverage technology in your customer serviceTechnology can be a powerful tool to help offer personalized customer service. As businesses grow, they can adopt tools to personalize their brands.Some of these tools include:Help desk ticketing systems: This automates repetitive customer service tasks such as assigning and categorizing tickets. It gives clients more flexibility when working with tickets.Customer portals: This is a custom website designed specifically to cater to customers. It provides self-help options and relevant information.Artificial intelligence: AI can be used to gather customer insights such as customer intent and sentiments in conversations. These assist agents in providing personalized customer service.Contact management systems: This feature, in most help desk software, manages customer data effectively. It organizes contact information as well.Using these tools, you can move beyond plain customer service and create a personalized experience to help you grow your business.Collect and use customer feedback to understand their preferences betterAsk customers what they feel about your products and services. Listen keenly to their feedback and use it to customize your offerings.Collect and use customer sentiment insights to tailor customer service and improve your brand.You can use data to offer personalized customer service in the following ways:Predict needs: By analyzing past behavior, you can anticipate customer needs and proactively provide solutions before problems arise.Recommend offerings: Suggest products or services that align with a customer’s unique interests and buying habits.Tailor communication: Personalize email greetings, phone introductions, and support interactions based on customer data.Why is customer service personalization important?Customers expect special treatment from companies. They prefer companies that will go the extra mile to satisfy them.They also want to know that the business cares about them.The following are reasons why it is essential to personalize your services.It makes the customer experience more delightfulKnowing customers’ preferences and past issues beforehand increases the efficiency of support agents, as they resolve problems quickly.This improves overall customer service experience and satisfaction.When you tailor your brand offerings to suit your customers’ needs, you create a sense of trust and elevate the customer experience. Customers feel more valued and record higher satisfaction.Focusing on individual needs creates a positive experience that makes customers happy and satisfied and improves your personalized customer service offerings.Enhanced customer loyalty and trust by fostering genuine connectionsPersonalized customer service involves remembering customers’ preferences and using them in each interaction. This gives them a sense of being valued and lays a foundation for genuine customer engagement in the future.Personalized customer service fosters loyalty and keeps customers coming back for more. This happens when you offer what they like and prefer.Catering to their needs builds trust and a sense of value, increasing your customer base and reducing customer churn.Get more personal with your customers to build trust and strengthen the bond between your brand and them. As a result, this creates memorable and positive experiences that encourage customers to return.Allows you to understand your customers betterPersonalized customer service goes beyond simply gathering information about customer preferences.When you personalize service, you create a space where customers feel comfortable expressing themselves. They’re more likely to share their needs and preferences. This will let you understand them better.This open communication fosters trust and loyalty, creating a more positive customer experience.Makes you stand out from your competitorsNot all brands offer personalized customer service. It’s one thing to provide products and services.Still, offering products and services that customers prefer and want is another thing. Personalizing your brand is an excellent way to stand out from your competitors.Businesses flexible enough to accommodate each client’s needs are more likely to thrive. You can do this by offering price plans to cater to different customers.This sets you apart from others in your industry and puts you ahead of the game.Increased revenue as customers pay extra for personalized customer serviceResearch by SproutSocial shows that customers increase their spending by up to 57 % when they feel a company values them.This means you will earn more from customers who pay extra for customer service personalization. Happy customers also tend to stick with subscriptions for extended periods, thus earning you more revenue.Another way that personalized customer service increases your revenue is through referrals. Personalized customer service turns customers into delighted advocates of your brand. They will recommend your brand to friends who will be your new customers.Helps you to provide solutions to customer issues fasterWhen your customer service representatives have a deeper understanding of your customers, they can anticipate their needs and solve support problems more efficiently.This personalized approach leads to faster resolutions, reducing frustration and making customers happy.Personalized customer service examplesSeveral companies provide personalized service. Google, Microsoft, and Netflix are three good examples. Let’s take a look at each of them in detail.GoogleGoogle uses cookies to enhance its personalized customer service by storing customer data from past searches. By learning about user history, Google provides intelligent suggestions to its users.It recommends pages based on users’ preferences. It also personalizes user experience and provides proactive support. It shows common searches in a given topic or location, making it easier to find information and solutions.MicrosoftCortana is a Microsoft tool that offers personalized help. It learns users’ habits and preferences and allows them to perform tasks they prefer.It also anticipates users’ needs and offers proactive help suggestions where necessary. This personalized approach saves users lots of time.NetflixNetflix looks at what you watch, what you like, and the ratings you give. They use special computer programs or algorithms to do this.Netflix then suggests movies and TV shows based on your preferences. This way, you can find the content you enjoy.Improve your personalized customer service with LIKE.TGPutting your customers at the centre of your customer service offerings is a key strategy to business success. Adding a human touch to your customer service is a good way to grow your business.LIKE.TG has several comprehensive features that can help you offer personalized customer service. The following are some:Multi-channel support: Customers can interact through the channels they prefer. These channels include calls, email, and social media. This provides a consistent and personalized experience for communication across the platform.Self-service options: LIKE.TG has tutorials and how-to guides to help clients find what they need. There are also detailed FAQs to provide relevant information for customers.Multilingual support: It helps you offer customer service in the language your customers prefer through a multilingual help desk. This makes your business accessible to everyone and meets the needs of many different clients.Customer profiles and portals: The platform allows you to design your support portal to match your brand. You can add your logo and the color themes you prefer. It also lets you change the login fields and other settings according to your preferences.Build customer loyalty with personalized customer serviceA personalized customer service approach builds unshakeable customer loyalty and gives you repeat customers who will also refer you to their networks.Offering personalized customer service is also a great way to show your customers you value them, and it goes a long way to winning their loyalty. What more would a business want?Contact us to set up a live demo and learn how LIKE.TG can help you personalize customer service. Try the free trial today to experience our customer service tool or contact LIKE.TG support for further assistance.Ready to provide personalized customer service and elevate your customer experience? I hope this article empowers you with valuable tips on how to personalize customer service.Let us know if you have any additional ideas in the comments section below.
8 Essential Qualities of an HR Specialist
It’s quite difficult for a human resource manager to perform their duties effectively to a business if they don’t have a clear understanding of the qualities that successful human resource managers should have. Human resource managers greatly determine the success or failure of a business with its recruiting strategy. They are responsible for interviewing candidates, hiring and encouraging staff to ensure that they are always performing at their peak. If they make the wrong hiring decisions or fail to motivate employees, the business will ultimately fail. If you are a human resources manager, here are eight essential qualities that you need to have to succeed. Let’s get started! 1. Knowledge and experience in human resource To become a successful HR manager, you need to have a strong educational foundation and a clear understanding of the functions of a human resource manager. Apart from having the educational qualifications, you have to do your research on dissertation practices to know the latest trends and ethics in your profession. This requires discipline and dedication. With knowledge and experience, you’ll easily handle HR tasks and challenges that arise in your organization. 2. Excellent presentation skills A person with excellent presentation and management skills can easily grab their audience’s attention, keep them engaged and share their message effectively and positively. Effective presenters are usually engaging and lively. Strong communication skills are essential to a human resource specialist because they need to train new employees and ensure that important information has been passed to all levels of management within the organization. 3. Ability to work on manage tasks On a normal workday, a human resource manager has to deal with a wide variety of issues ranging from employee complaints, recruitment, and onboarding to work-life balance. Human resource managers have to solve hundreds of problems in a day to ensure that the organization achieves its objectives easily and quickly. Since employee and business needs are always shifting, it’s the work of a human resource specialist to ensure that these needs are being fulfilled so that everything runs smoothly. The ability to manage tasks effectively, improve problem-solving skills, and stay on top of things in the workplace is the mark of a high achiever. 4. Dealing with gray There are a lot of issues that HR professionals deal with and end up in the gray area. This includes cases of discrimination, or harassment to name a few. You’ll be required to make informed decisions all the time based on the facts that you have. Remember, you are dealing with human beings; not machines. Therefore, you need to know when you should share confidential information or seek help from experts, other human resources professionals, or lawyers for effective conflict management. 5. Ethics The HR department tends to be the conscious of most organizations. You need to have a strong sense of ethics when following the policies of the organization and keeping confidential information. To do your job effectively, you need to earn the trust of your managers and employers. Honesty and discretion are essential to any human resource manager who wants to be successful. 6. Excellent communication skills One of the skills that a good HR manager needs to have is the ability to communicate with both employees and employers. Both oral and written communication skills have to be concise, clear, and effective to all employees at different levels. Effective oral communication also includes negotiation. In an organization, conflicts are bound to arise. Between management and coworkers or two employees. Good human resource managers will help in resolving conflicts through effective communication and finding a middle ground. 7. Ability to lead Human resource specialists and not business partners but leaders in an organization. You need to know what the organization is doing and how the current policies affect employees in the workplace. Being a leader revolves around having a clear direction of where you are going, listening to others actively, ensuring that people who need help get it, and resolving problems effectively. Remember, all employees in the organization look up to you. Therefore, it’s of utmost importance that you develop your leadership skills. 8. Motivator In most instances, a highly productive and performing workforce is usually a motivated one. You need to know what motivates your employees and what doesn’t. Motivation does not revolve around offering incentives alone. It’s all about creating sustainability to improve the quality of work and strengthen employees’ belief in the cause of the organization. Managers or supervisors need to be motivated first so that they can motivate the workers under them. Motivating your employees is not a one-time thing. You need to do it as much as you can to boost productivity, performance, and self-esteem. Conclusion As a human resource manager, you’ll have to deal with problems that arise with management and employees every day. You need to develop all the qualities that we’ve discussed here to ensure that the organization achieves its objectives and mission. Author Bio: Aziz Nicleson is a journalist and essay writer with 4 years’ experience working in London magazine “Shop&buy”, dissertation help service, and Easy Essay. He is a professional mini-tennis player and he has written a novel “His heart”.
8 Onboarding Strategies You Should Include in Your Hiring Process
Isn’t it fascinating how quickly the HR strategies for hiring keep evolving? One of the most important segments post-hiring is onboarding which is very crucial. However, it's often neglected and underappreciated. An efficient onboarding process can either set new employees on the route to success in your firm or the other way around. If you are involved in the business process as an HR or a small business owner, you will realize how vital the onboarding process is. The way you strategize the onboarding would Plant the first impressions in the minds of the newbies. Now that organizations are investing more than ever before in attracting and retaining top talent, what else can they do but help their workers reach their full potential? Onboarding Strategies You Can Include Several components go into an effective onboarding process. The most fundamental of these requirements is understanding the differences between onboarding, orientation, and training. Contrary to popular belief, these two concepts are not synonyms. Onboarding doesn't end with orientation and training; it's a necessary but not sufficient step. Onboarding entails a lot more. It's a method of acclimating a new employee to the company's culture and guaranteeing a smooth transition to a valued and loyal employee. Here are a few things you can do to help make it happen. 1. The Importance of Learning and Development Prioritize L&D as a key component of the onboarding process. Onboarding is all about enabling new hires to perform at their highest level after joining a company. It's a waste of their time if they take weeks or even months to become comfortable with your organization, learn to use self-service tools, and execute regular activities. As per the 7shifts restaurant hiring guide, “The purpose of the onboarding process is to teach new hires how to do their jobs successfully, and to catch them up on the company's culture and procedures.” For this reason, learning and development (L&D) are so important for a successful onboarding process. Short one-on-one sessions with a line manager and pre-recorded movies on business values and ethics may all go a long way toward easing the transition for new employees. It provides a great step if you are looking to grow your business. 2. Have a Pre-Onboarding Process in Place An onboarding program is a norm starting from the first day and lasting roughly 90 days. New employees may find this procedure overwhelming since it entails a lot of paperwork, an abundance of information, and a lack of clarity. Moving a few steps to the pre-onboarding stage will simplify this procedure. Information such as the employee handbook and a business culture brochure might be shared during this pre-onboarding phase. Paperwork like tax information and direct deposit data can be completed to save time later. A face-to-face meeting or phone conversation might be organized to see whether the new hires have any additional questions or concerns. It's a great way to stay in touch with new hires and show them that you're concerned about their well-being. 3. An Organized Strategy Reduces Anxiety Starting a new job may be nerve-wracking for everyone. A difficult circumstance is made worse by companies that don't have a strategy for when they'll show up. A lack of preparation indicates to the new employee that the organization doesn't appreciate them enough to anticipate their arrival. You can prepare some stuff like presentation templates, or a speech for the first day. This will take down your stress level of onboarding. For example, Percolate's content marketing platform has an excellent onboarding procedure that follows a well-defined schedule. There is also a delightful welcome packet waiting for them when they arrive on their first day at work and they even create content about the new hirings. There has been nothing but praise from those who have gone through this process. The program's details have been meticulously planned, and its base has stayed unchanged since its inception. 4. Schedule Meetings for Your New Starter with All of the Necessary Stakeholders from Around the Organization Having the meetings scheduled and prepared before they begin guarantees that they may begin forming relationships and imbibing crucial components of your company's culture as soon as feasible once they begin meeting. A good practice is organizing live streaming events and choosing an internal mentor to assist in the integration of new employees. 5. Engage Supervisors in the Onboarding Process Hiring managers may overlook important aspects of the onboarding process since it involves many people from different parts of the firm. This difficulty is exacerbated by the fact that a recruiting manager's daily schedule includes more than just onboarding. Creating onboarding checklists that clearly outline each step needed to enhance the onboarding process is a great idea. HR managers can set up emails with the internal marketing team to keep hiring managers informed and motivated. Using an email client is a great way to manage email accounts on your desktop. Google, for example, provides managers with just-in-time onboarding procedures to make the process go more smoothly. To maintain a sense of immediacy and urgency, the company releases this list only 24 hours before the arrival of the new hires. It's important to get to know the new employee, assign them a friend, develop a social network by setting up social media management tools, and set up regular check-ins to get a sense of how they're doing at the company. 6. Focus On Building Relationships Rather Than Just Filling Out Forms It was more common for workers to learn about their new employer and coworkers in casual settings than informal information sessions before COVID-19. Organic possibilities for engagement are difficult to come by in the hybrid work period. Thus, this dynamic isn't as strong as it once was. For many new employees, even a simple question via project management tools like Microsoft Teams or Slack might be perceived as an invasion of privacy by their coworkers. Focusing on connections rather than processes can significantly impact staff morale and relationships in the initial few days. Regardless of where the team members are located, in a hybrid setting, this is the perfect opportunity to introduce them to their coworkers, learn about their backgrounds, and establish personal connections to begin developing the trust that is so crucial to effective team collaboration. As new employees, they get a sense of who they'll be working with and whom they can turn to when they have a question. Welcome gatherings and coffee dates should be part of any remote ramp-up strategy to avoid isolation in the early stages. It's also a good moment to introduce new hires to affinity groups and appoint mentors. 7. Make a 365-day Commitment The first day of onboarding is just the beginning of the process. Without a doubt, making the first day memorable is essential. On the other hand, great organizational integration requires a lot more time. Commitment, contentment, and involvement correlate with an organization's ability to be understood. Employers can benefit from regular check-ins with supervisors at various time intervals. 8. Make a List of Checklists Human resources specialists must support and understand the new employee and their managers. Onboarding necessitates a clear understanding of each individual's responsibilities. Before sending them emails it is important to verify their email, for which you may use the email finder. A checklist and supporting tools help new hires navigate the onboarding process and ensure that all new hires have a similar onboarding experience. In a well-executed onboarding process, new hires have a shorter learning curve, increased communication, and an increase in their productivity and motivation. Final Words An onboarding program for new workers is essential since it gives them a head start and helps them adapt to their new workplace. Acclimation extends beyond simply pointing out where the restrooms are or where the recruit may heat their lunch. The employer and employee might discuss how the new hire can contribute to the company's goals while doing their job duties. Explaining what the organization expects of new employees helps them succeed and creates trust! AboutAuthor: Ayush is a content writer at RankHandy and he likes to write about SEO, digital marketing, and social media. He enjoys sharing his experience with like-minded professionals and aims to provide high-quality content.
8 Simple Steps For Awesome Remote Onboarding
It can be tough to onboard new employees, particularly if they’re remote. They can't just pop into the office for a meeting, and you can't always quickly bring them up to speed on all the company's goings-on. But with a little effort, you can make the process smooth for both the employee and your team. Several tools and technologies can help make the onboarding process easier for you and your new employee. For example, video conferencing software like Skype or Zoom can be used for virtual training and tours. And there are many online tools, such as Google Drive, that can be used for collaboration and sharing documents. In addition to taking advantage of these tools, you can make the onboarding process smoother and more efficient with the following guide, designed to help you get started. 1. Have a remote work policy If you're going to be onboarding remote employees regularly, it's important to have a remote work policy in place. This should outline your expectations for how employees will conduct themselves while working remotely and what you expect from them regarding communication and collaboration. Having a clear policy will help make the onboarding process smoother and ensure everyone is on the same page from the start. And it starts in the hiring process: In your application, ask candidates what aspects of remote work appeal to them. Ask them to describe their preferred working style, communication style, and technical skills. If a candidate responds that they do not enjoy the isolation of remote work, you may want to move on. 2. Send equipment and a welcome package beforehand Few things will frustrate both you and your new employee more than having them spend the first few working days ironing out technical difficulties. So, ahead of time, order all necessary hardware they’ll need and have it delivered to their home. Here are some items to consider, depending on the requirements of the position: Laptop or desktop computer Monitor Keyboard and mouse Headset or earphones Webcam Printer/scanner External hard drive or USB drives Phone or VOIP equipment Charging accessories and power strips When it comes to software, if what employees need isn’t cloud-based, ensure it's pre-installed on their device. Include passwords, usernames, and any other security information needed so remote hires can easily get up and running. Suppose you are working on many different online marketing tools. In that case, putting together a list of recommended tools for your new employee may be helpful. Or if you’re working with a project management tool, ensure that their accounts are already set up in advance, and they’ll have access from day one. Additionally, making remote employees feel welcome can help embed them into your organization and feel like they’re part of the team. One idea is to send a welcome package with things like: Welcome letter from the CEO or team leader Company swag such as T-shirts, mugs, notebooks, or pens Employee handbook Snack box with an assortment of treats and snacks to enjoy while working Tech accessories like USB flash drive, ergonomic mouse pads, or laptop stands Gift cards for coffee or online retailers Virtual event pass to an upcoming online workshop or team-building event Desk plant to brighten up their home office space 3. Be prepared with virtual onboarding materials Gather all your onboarding materials and make digital copies as part of your remote onboarding program. You may also want to mail them a physical copy along with their welcome package. Here’s a list of things you’ll want to include: For all employees: Mission, vision, and values Organizational charts Employee directories Communication procedures (how and when to use email, video calls, and chat) Tutorials for commonly used tools Security standards Templates for standard documents (presentations, email invitations, sales follow-up emails, etc.) For marketing: Lead qualification criteria Content style guide Blog and SEO best practices For sales: CRM contact information standards How to order business cards Travel and expense procedures For software developers: How to set up a development environment Codebase Development processes Architecture standards You can help employees track their progress by making videos of everything that they need to learn in modules. Or you can set up a video call so that they’re able to ask questions on anything they don’t understand and managers can easily answer them on the spot. Creating these learning modules might be a bit difficult, but you can contract a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) to create learning modules for any job position. 4. Leverage existing technology and tools Use video conferencing or online team meetings to ensure a smooth transition. Companies onboarding remote employees can greatly benefit from leveraging technology and platforms such as Zoom for virtual meetings, Slack for communication, Asana for project management, LIKE.TG for HR software, and Microsoft Teams for collaboration and document sharing. For example, you can use Microsoft Teams to welcome your new team member, outline their responsibilities, and offer support. And some apps, such as Donut, allow employees to chat with a company representative through the internet. Onboarded employees can also receive useful information about company resources, such as knowledge bases, training software portals, and cheat sheets 5. Let new hires know what to expect Working from home can be a brand new experience to most. Ensure everyone understands what's expected of them during the remote onboarding process. What information do they need? Whom will they be meeting with? What tools do they need to be successful? You can avoid confusion and frustration later on by getting everyone on the same page from the start. This is also a good time to set expectations for communication. Will you use email, Slack, video conferencing, or a combination of all three? Let your new employee know how you prefer to communicate and the best way to reach you. 6. Set up a dedicated onboarding space If possible, set up a dedicated space for their remote onboarding process. This gives them a place to go where they can find all the information they need in one spot. It can be as simple as a folder in your company's shared drive or an intranet page with links to all the relevant documents. Having a dedicated space also makes it easy for you to keep track of your new employee's progress. You can quickly see what they've read and what still needs to be covered. As your business grows, it might be a good idea to consider tools to help during this process. LIKE.TG’s employee Onboard platform can help to automate a lot of the repetitive tasks that build up as you get the hang of remote onboarding. Download Our Free New Employee Orientation Checklist! Download Now 7. Use self-onboarding checklists Self-onboarding checklists are an effective tool for streamlining the onboarding process of remote employees, ensuring they complete all necessary steps. These checklists should include tasks like setting up company email accounts, completing required paperwork, reviewing company policies and procedures, and accessing necessary software and tools. Additionally, the checklist can guide new hires through introductory training modules, schedule their first team meetings, and prompt them to set up virtual meet-and-greets with key team members. 8. Introduce them to the team members One of the challenges of remote work is feeling like you're part of the team. So take some time to introduce your new employee to everyone on the team, even if it's just through a quick email or video call. If possible, set up regular virtual coffee chats or happy hours so they can get to know their colleagues in a more informal setting. You can also give them the company’s organization chart so that they do not have a hard time trying to remember who is who. 9. Give them a virtual tour If your company has a physical office, give your new employee a virtual tour so they can see where their team members work and what the space looks like. If you don't have an office, you can still give them a tour of your company's website, intranet, or social media channels. Make them feel like they're part of the team by showing them around and introducing them to everyone they'll be working with, even if it's just virtually. Always make an effort to have your camera on to create a warm face to face feeling when giving the tour. Click Trough an Onboarding Process Click through our interactive demo to see how LIKE.TG makes onboarding easy. Try It Now 10. Assign a buddy One way to help your new employee feel welcome is to assign them a buddy. This should be someone who's been with the company for a while and knows the ropes. They can answer your new employee's questions and help them feel comfortable in their new role. A workplace mentor can provide initial guidance and help eliminate the anxiety many new remote employees experience. Moreover, use video coffee chats and other ice-breaker activities to break the ice. 11. Provide training and resources As part of the onboarding program, provide your new employee with all the training sessions and resources they need to be successful in their role. An onboarding training session should entail a thorough introduction to the company culture, key policies, and job-specific skills, along with interactive elements like Q&A sessions, practical exercises, and opportunities to meet and engage with team members and key department leads. The goal is to set them up for success by providing everything they need to hit the ground running and make sure you’re both on the same page once their onboarding plan is complete. 12. Encourage communication and feedback Working remotely makes it easy to feel like you're out of sight and out of mind. To avoid this, schedule regular check-ins with your new employee. This gives you a chance to see how they're doing, answer any questions they may have, and give feedback on their progress. You should also be open to getting feedback from your employees. This helps you figure out problems and come up with solutions. Feedback will show you places where your new employees have problems. There are different ways in which you can collect feedback from your new employees. You can use surveys, meetings, or performance tracking software. Check-ins also allow your new employee to bring up any concerns or issues they may be having. By addressing these early on, you can help them feel more comfortable in their role and prevent any potential problems down the road. You can also ask them to turn on their video during conference meetings to make them settle in properly so you become aware of their onboarding experience. Since employees are not able to meet face to face, online meetings and daily communication are essential in team building and creating healthy remote team relationships. 13. Give them room to grow Finally, remember that your new employee is still learning and growing into their role. They may make some mistakes along the way, but that's okay. What's important is that you give them the space to learn and grow.Encourage them to ask questions, try new things, and take risks. This will help them become even more successful in their role and feel like they're truly part of the team. “As soon as we saw LIKE.TG’s Onboard demo, we knew this was the perfect solution for us. We loved that it was extremely simple and powerful out of the box, but that we could customize it with advanced capabilities to make it work in our company setting.” Elisa Garn Vice President, HR and Talent Christopherson Business Travel Learn More About Author: This article is written by our marketing team at LIKE.TG. LIKE.TG is dedicated to providing powerful solutions for your HR teams and creating an exceptional employee experience. Our aim is to help your company improve employee engagement, onboarding, and to save you valuable time!
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