As remote work becomes the new norm, maintaining team connections is more important than ever. However, only 33% of US employees are engaged at work, while 16% are actively disengaged.
When your team members are not engaged, they may feel unhappy, lose motivation, and produce lower-quality work. This can negatively affect your company's success.
Developing relationships and measuring employee engagement requires effective, integrated tools. Take a closer look at employee engagement tools, how they can boost your team's experience, and which ones you may want to consider.
Employee engagement tools are software solutions that help increase organizational teamwork and employee involvement. They can be standalone applications or part of larger HR software systems. Both paid and free employee engagement software options are available, and many are SaaS tools delivered via the cloud.
The key difference between these tools and other company software is that they focus on areas vital to employee engagement, such as peer recognition, feedback and learning, and dedicated communication channels. Various features are available, from broad solutions to more specific programs like rewards or team-building. This allows leaders to customize tools according to the specific needs of their teams and encourage a culture of engagement.
Both remote employees and in-office teams are increasingly engaging with these tools, making them one of the most prominent employee engagement solutions. Reports show the market for digital engagement tools is growing at a rapid pace, making up nearly 15% of the HR market.
A good understanding of employee engagement tools is essential, but recognizing their benefits gives them their true value. Besides cultivating a dynamic workplace culture, these tools provide many benefits, including:
Considering these benefits, it's clear that investing in employee engagement tools is more than keeping up with the latest trends. Engaging your employees with digital tools is the key to a thriving business.
Today's digital workplace offers HR professionals and managers a wide range of tools for engaging employees. Leaders can cultivate a productive, engaged, and satisfied workforce by focusing on the categories below.
These engagement tools facilitate effective, inclusive communication that creates a strong company culture. Solutions range from chat tools and virtual meeting platforms to social intranets and company-wide message boards.
Gallup's Exceptional Workplace Award winners in 2022 had an average employee engagement of 70%. The secret to their success? They provided managers with the skills and tools they needed to have meaningful conversations with their teams, promoting understanding, collaboration, and alignment throughout the organization.
A striking statistic reveals that only one in four employees feel recognized for good work. With increased recognition, companies can improve work quality by 28% and reduce absenteeism by 31%, among other benefits. These tools help to establish a culture of recognition, whether peer-to-peer or company-wide.
Tools for managing knowledge and projects are vital for organizing, storing, and sharing company information. Often paired with a knowledge management framework, these solutions streamline the flow of information and tasks.
A proper knowledge management system promotes transparency and collaboration, enabling employees to access required resources and expertise. These tools are ideal for connecting departments and teams through project management and communication.
This category includes engagement tools that are essential for employee satisfaction and retention. They ease employee onboarding, provide opportunities for frequent check-ins and reviews, and allow for continuous learning and development.
Remember the BambooHR study that linked a positive onboarding experience with high job satisfaction? Despite that fact, only 12% of employees in a Gallup survey said their employers had an efficient onboarding process. This gap indicates how important engagement tools are to providing employees with a good start and continuing growth.
If you’re ready to step up your team’s engagement, many tools are available to help you. Apps and software are available in a range of categories, from communication to recognition. Here are some of our top choices:
1. Happeo
G2 Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Best for: Streamlining knowledge management and internal communications across all team sizes
Advanced intranet platform Happeo optimizes communication and knowledge sharing to encourage a collaborative and productive work environment, making it particularly valuable for engaging remote teams. Its cloud-based nature enables seamless access and collaboration from anywhere, while features such as advanced search functionality, content creation tools, and analytics enhance engagement and productivity.
Happeo also simplifies team collaboration and communication across distributed teams by making it easier to find and search for people, schedule meetings, and establish connections among team members.
Key features:
2. Workvivo
G2 Rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars
Best for: Increasing employee engagement and connectivity through a social experience
With Workvivo, employees can benefit from the functionality of an intranet, communication, and employee engagement tool. This app has an added benefit of a social experience that nurtures team relationships.
Key features:
3. Guru
G2 Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars
Best for: Enhancing team collaboration and knowledge sharing through AI-powered features
Guru simplifies sharing information across your organization with its all-in-one platform. AI-powered features adapt over time to team usage, improving functionality and cultivating a connected, engaged workforce.
Key features:
4. Slack
G2 Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Best for: Seamless integration of other tools into existing communications
Slack enables teams to communicate and stay connected on one platform, regardless of location. By offering a variety of integrations, the familiar tool can also ease the adoption of other new employee engagement solutions.
Key features:
5. Blink
G2 Rating: 4.6 out of 5
Best for: A mobile-first employee engagement tool with integrated communications and advanced security features
Blink, a mobile-first employee app and portal, boosts communication and productivity. The customizable activity feed, team calendars, messaging functionality, and unified search all contribute to employee engagement.
Key features:
6. Haiilo
G2 Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars
Best for: Improving engagement and productivity through seamless multichannel communications
The Haiilo employee communications platform enhances team communication, employee morale, and overall productivity. This tool promotes a collaborative and connected working environment, effectively uniting the entire workforce.
Key features:
7. Guusto
G2 Rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars
Best for: Cultivating an inclusive culture through recognition programs with societal impact
The comprehensive recognition programs from Guusto, a leading employee recognition platform, motivate employees to perform at their best. By combining transparency and scalability, Guusto boosts engagement while contributing to social good — the company donates one day of clean water for every gift sent.
Key features:
8. Bonusly
G2 Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars
Best for: Enriching company culture through an integrated recognition and rewards platform
Bonusly enhances company culture and engagement through a user-friendly recognition and rewards program. The tool promotes peer-to-peer recognition, leading to a positive and motivating workplace.
Key features:
9. Kudos
G2 Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars
Best for: Boosting engagement and performance via peer-to-peer recognition and value alignment
Through peer-to-peer recognition and value alignment, Kudos maximizes performance and enhances company culture. The program encourages open communication, reduces turnover, and improves workplace culture.
Key features:
10. AwardCo
G2 Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars
Best for: Dynamic and diverse recognition program with a vast range of reward options
The goal of AwardCo is to build a vibrant workplace culture through impactful recognition. This platform offers various management tools for recognition programs, collaborating with Amazon Business to offer a wide range of rewards.
Key features:
11. Leapsome
G2 Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars
Best for: Implementing a continuous cycle of performance management, personalized learning, and employee engagement programs
The Leapsome platform is designed for businesses aiming to improve their people management strategies, build teams, and scale their workforce. Performance management and personalized learning are integral parts of Leapsome's model for employee engagement.
Key features:
12. WorkTango
G2 Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Best for: A holistic approach to employee experience, integrating recognition, surveys, and goal-setting
Employee engagement and inspiration are at the heart of WorkTango's employee experience platform. This tool encourages team members to reach goals, and it recognizes, rewards, and gives feedback in real time to engaged employees.
Key Features:
13.Officevibe
G2 Rating: 4.3 out of 5
Best for: Enhancing the employee experience through performance management and feedback
Officevibe focuses on performance management and feedback to improve the overall employee experience. Its features enable leaders to gain actionable insights and build a culture of trust and engagement in their teams.
Key Features:
14. Lattice
G2 Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars
Best for: Streamlined performance management and goal-setting
Lattice offers a unified platform for various HR functions, enabling strategic, data-driven decisions to cultivate winning cultures. This tool assists managers with setting and tracking team goals, measuring employee engagement and satisfaction, as well as identifying areas for improvement.
Key features:
15. CultureAmp
G2 Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars
Best for: Data-driven improvement of engagement, retention, and performance
The Culture Amp platform collects and interprets employee feedback to enhance workplace culture, offering a suite of features and tailored surveys to help businesses create effective people strategies. Personalized employee dashboards motivate team members to achieve their full potential.
Key features:
While employee engagement tools can greatly enhance workplace dynamics, businesses must overcome challenges when adopting these technologies. To maximize employee engagement tools, consider the following factors:
To put new tools into practice, keep in mind your employees' needs and work habits, plan carefully, and communicate clearly. The effort is certainly worth it, as small businesses that readily adopt new technologies can see a 120% increase in average revenue.
Employee engagement refers to the emotional commitment employees have toward their organization and its goals — their sense of purpose, passion, and dedication. In addition to being highly productive, engaged employees are more likely to stay at a company for a long time.
The terms “engagement” and “job satisfaction” are often used interchangeably, but research shows that they have distinct differences. Job satisfaction focuses on contentment, but engagement involves focus, intensity, enthusiasm, and going above and beyond.
What are the key features to look for in an employee engagement tool?
When selecting the right employee engagement tool for your company, consider the following essential features:
Focusing on these features will allow you to choose an employee engagement tool that fits your team members and company culture.
Is Happeo useful for increasing employee engagement?
Absolutely! Happeo is a powerful all-in-one platform offering a comprehensive set of features designed to enhance employee engagement. Happeo empowers organizations to create more connected and engaged workforces by improving communication and knowledge sharing.
With our easy integration capabilities and robust analytics, Happeo helps companies improve employee engagement, identify areas of strength, and drive continuous improvement.
Engaging your team at all levels requires investing in the right employee engagement tools. Learn how a user-friendly, integrated tool like Happeo can transform your organization. Check out this video or request a demo to witness firsthand how Happeo can revolutionize your employee engagement.