Improving Company Culture and Workplace Productivity Through Employee Engagement Software

A commitment to company culture and workplace improvement is the difference between a good organization and a great one. 

Don’t just take it from us. It’s something we consistently hear over and over again from successful corporate leaders around the world. Like Marissa Mayer, who held leadership positions at companies including Google, Walmart and Yahoo!, who says: “It’s about getting the best people, retaining them, nurturing a creative environment and helping to find a way to innovate.” 

Or as Lara Hogan, founder of Wherewithall and former engineering director at Etsy, says: “Performance more often comes down to a cultural challenge, rather than simply a technical one.” 

Simon Sinek, author of the professional development bestseller Start with Why, succinctly points out, “Customers will never love a company until the employees love it first.”

Company culture plays a critical role in the success of any business in any industry. And as companies are grappling with how to create a positive work environment and improve organizational culture, they’re turning to employee engagement software as the solution.

The Impact of Company Culture

Definition of Company Culture 

Before we dive into why company culture matters so much and how to improve it using technology, let’s recap some of the basics. What exactly is company culture? In a nutshell, it’s the collective behaviors, values and beliefs that shape how employees interact with their work and each other. It’s not just about the company’s core values or mission statement (although those do matter), it’s about how employees actually experience the workplace day in and day out. 

And that means company culture is the foundation of a positive workplace, setting employees up for success. 

Impact of Company Culture on Business Success 

A positive corporate culture is directly tied to improved business outcomes. In fact, Forbes has called a company’s culture its “single most powerful advantage” because of how much culture contributes to overall success. 

For instance, according to Forbes, companies with strong cultures see a four-fold increase in revenue growth. On top of that, companies listed on Fortune’s annual 100 Best Companies to Work For list (a good indication of positive culture!) see higher average annual returns compared to companies not recognized for their culture – with returns as high as 495% instead of 170% (Russell 3000) and 156% (S&P 500). 

That’s because the elements that contribute to a good culture – like strong employee recognition, respectful communication and trust – also foster business success.  

Common Challenges in Cultivating a Strong Company Culture

Despite its importance, many companies struggle to cultivate the kind of organizational culture they aspire to. In fact, according to Gartner, 47% of HR professionals say they don’t know how to drive organizational change to build a desirable culture. 

Some of the most common cultural challenges include:

• Geographically dispersed teams or a mix of hybrid, in-person and remote employees
• A lack of employee engagement 
• Inconsistent communication, particularly around rewards and recognition efforts
• Misalignment between company values and employee behaviors 
• Resistance to change
• Insufficient support or buy-in from leadership

It’s not easy, but the good news is that the right HR technology and tools can help overcome many of the most pressing challenges to improve your company culture. 

The Role of Employee Engagement in Company Culture

Definition of Employee Engagement 

One of the most important elements impacting company culture is the level of employee engagement at work. What is employee engagement? Essentially, it is the emotional commitment that employees feel towards the organization and its goals. 

This is important because engaged employees are more motivated and committed, which in turn impacts performance and business outcomes.

Connection Between Employee Engagement and Company Culture  

Research suggests a strong relationship between employee engagement and company culture. 

On the one hand, employees who are more engaged at work are also more likely to appreciate the culture of their organization. According to Quantum Workplace, 89% of highly engaged employees say the culture at the workplace is positive, compared to only 29% of disengaged employees. 

Quantum Workplace research also found that employees who believe their organization’s culture is positive are nearly four times more likely to be engaged. 

It becomes a bit of a chicken-and-egg, where the lines between the two blur. Suffice it to say engagement matters for culture and culture influences engagement. 

And the bridge between the two? Employee engagement software.

Employee Engagement Software

What Is Employee Engagement Software? 

Employee engagement software, as the name suggests, is technology designed to improve the connection between employees and their workplace. 

Some of the major ways these platforms do so is by helping HR leaders and other managers recognize milestones, reward achievements, improve communication, facilitate peer-to-peer recognition, and nurture a sense of community. 

These elements are often addressed manually on an ad hoc basis but employee engagement tools reduce the administrative burden of recognition and engagement – multiply the impact of those efforts for measurable results.

Key Features of Employee Engagement Software

Let’s dig more into the specific features of employee engagement software like Inspirus Connects that make it such a valuable tool for nurturing a positive company culture.

User-Friendly Interface

A platform that’s intuitive and easy to use increases the chances that employees will actually use it regularly. Look for software that mimics the feel of social media platforms, with feeds and posts – something already familiar to the majority of employees.

Personalized Employee Experiences

A critical part of effective employee engagement is making sure it’s tailored to each employee and your technology should support this goal, supporting how you individualize recognition. 

Flexible Recognition and Celebration Options 

Recognition works when it resonates. That means celebrating and rewarding employees in the ways that matter most to them. Your software solution should offer flexibility in how, when and who delivers recognition – whether that’s publicly, privately or among peers. Plus, options like points-based reward programs and awards for every budget level mean that every achievement, big or small, can be appropriately celebrated. 

Company-Wide Communication

Communication is the bedrock of engagement and, especially for dispersed workforces, company-wide communication is key. Streamlined communication tools within the platform help all employees feel included in a company’s culture. 

Employee Insights and Surveys

The only way to truly improve the workplace is by knowing what’s working and what can be tweaked – which requires collecting and analyzing employee feedback. Tools like the pre-built surveys offered in partnership between Inspirus and The Happiness Index make it easy to take stock of employee sentiment and engagement levels.

Additional Interactive Features That Drive Engagement

Other elements that can further drive engagement include:

• Gamification elements: A healthy dose of competition can do wonders for engagement levels – team-building activities and challenges that award points for desired behaviors or achievements can be very motivating! 
• Social and collaboration tools: With social feeds to collaborative spaces, engagement software can also help improve a sense of community and teamwork.
• Customized experiences: From language settings to personalized dashboards, choose software that allows the employee to interact with the tool in ways that best suit their preferences and needs. 

How Employee Engagement Software Improves Company Culture

These features are all important but you may still be wondering what they actually do to improve workplace culture. Here are just some of the ways an employee experience platform improves the culture for the entire company.  

Enhanced Communication 

Employee engagement software improves communication across all levels of the organization, fostering a more connected workforce.

• An engagement platform encourages open and transparent communication, aligned with the company’s core values.
• It ensures that new employees are quickly integrated and brought into the company’s mission.   
• It improves motivation and productivity by keeping everyone on the same page.

Real-Time Feedback and Recognition 

When you recognize employees, it has to be timely to be effective. Late feedback simply isn’t as genuine.

• An engagement platform enables real-time feedback, reinforcing positive and desirable behaviors which can help motivate employees. 
• It improves workplace culture by creating an environment where employees feel valued and appreciated.
• It encourages consistent recognition that strengthens connections. 

Data-Driven Insights  

Data collected and analyzed by engagement tools provides valuable insights that can be used to better inform management decisions. 

• Employee engagement data can be used to identify areas for improvement. 
• It can help align company initiatives with core values and the overall mission. 
• It supports targeted team-building and other activities that improve the overall employee experience. 

Employee Development and Training

Employee engagement software isn’t just about engagement in the moment – it also improves employee retention and long-term satisfaction. 

• It can highlight areas where professional development is needed that align with both company and employee goals. 
• It can help provide more tailored training and learning programs that motivate employees to reach their full potential. 
• It can help create a culture of continuous learning for everyone. 

Invest in Employee Engagement Software to Improve Company Culture

Investing in employee engagement software is a powerful way to improve your company culture, align the workforce with your core values and drive overall business success. 

Ready to transform your culture? Download the HR Leader’s Guide to Employee Engagement and get strategies for using technology to create a more thriving, productive work environment.