Technology is the key to a great employee experience

In India, the future of work is marked by three main trends – hybrid work models, flexible and outcome-based work options, and ensuring employee mental health. Driving these trends are massive economic shifts that are redistributing power, wealth, competition and opportunity, reshaping the way we work. As a result, employee expectations have changed – they are seeking flexibility and empathy from the companies they work for, and they are willing to be paid less for it. In 2022, the ADP Institute found that 82% of Indian employees said they would find another job if their employer insisted that employees return to the office full-time. As many as 73% even expressed willingness to take a pay cut to allow for flexibility in the workplace.

As India emerges from two years of uncertainty, what employees want and the flexibility they want is fast becoming a key driver of workforce policy. Employers in India want their employees back to the office, but are also beginning to understand the urgent need for a great employee experience and creating meaningful purpose within the organization. This may be why the hybrid model is gaining popularity – a report by NASSCOM and BCG found that 70% of businesses in India already operate using this model. In fact, the future of work is here, and employers are looking to adjust at shrewd speed to create the right employee experience — one that makes the people who make up the company feel connected, supported and included.

According to NASSCOM, organizations in India largely believe that the technology of the future of work will play a key role in organizational resilience given the changing nature of work – a whopping 92% of them believe. These technologies enable them to address two key challenges: productivity and collaboration.

Facilitate cross-team collaboration

Today, teamwork no longer relies on face-to-face interaction. Formal learning and institutional knowledge are no longer delivered in stuffy conference rooms, but shared via internal help desks, Slack, and Zoom.

Collaboration is often one of the core challenges of hybrid models. With some employees and others in the office working remotely, collaboration and communication can be daunting. In a digital-first workplace, companies need to change their mindsets and behaviors to simplify the way they handle work. But that’s only part of the puzzle.

For a hybrid model to be successful, organizations need to have systems, processes and tools that enable everyone around the world to have the same experience. Since the pandemic changed the way we work, Indian organizations have seen the benefits of the right collaboration tools. In 2022, providing employees with the latest technology is a top priority for organizations focused on user productivity. On the other hand, too much technique can lead to technique fatigue. So, how do organizations strike the right balance?

Businesses need the right tools, systems and automation to enable employees to connect, collaborate and co-create in real time. To provide the best experience and service, customer-facing employees need to be able to engage subject matter experts quickly and easily. Collaborative employees also need tools for analysis and large-scale brainstorming. That’s why businesses need a unified solution with built-in workflow automation and tracking tools. This allows all employees, whether they are in the office or working remotely, to see who is in charge, who are the stakeholders, and the status of any project. Such a solution would allow the entire team to track progress, make data-driven decisions and focus on more important tasks.

Productivity in the Distributed Workplace

In a hybrid work model, it’s easy to lose critical information in emails or chats, or get stuck in a Google Doc somewhere in the cloud. When all communication is virtual, the sheer volume of online activity between teams can cause some employees to miss important information on time or at all.

Every employee at some point is faced with the task of traveling between departments to solve their problems—whether it’s HR, IT, or finance. Having a unified help desk with automated chatbots ensures employees find answers to the most common queries in an extensive knowledge base. It reduces the time it takes to resolve issues and employees don’t have to contact multiple departments to get answers to their questions.

Businesses therefore need to democratize access to institutional knowledge, as it is a key driver of productivity and beneficial to business. Organizations that invest in productivity tools say they see a 5x ROI within a year. But investing in too many tools for different functions can be counterproductive. Employees only need a single central location for answers, or a unified help desk with self-service capabilities.

Now more than ever, technology can make or break the employee experience and the ongoing health of any business—whether they face challenges or fluctuations. To adapt and set direction for future success, teams need simpler, smarter approaches to employee support. This includes workflow management tools that free them up to solve more difficult problems, the clear view they need to work on information, and a unified solution for effective collaboration. By prioritizing a simplified approach that prioritizes data and insight, businesses can ensure teams have the tools and environment they need to drive innovation and growth that differentiates them.

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