Tag Archives: Technology at work

Finally an App to gauge Employee Morale

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morale.meWe’ve heard for several years now that employee morale is at an all-time low due to cut backs, cramming more work on our existing employees and employees are all like “I just want to be heard. This place sucketh.”

Unfortunately, we’ve been thinking that a $5.00 gift card was the answer to all of our problems (How’s that working for ya?). Let’s face it, giving your employees a gift card to Target or KFC isn’t the end all to your dilemma. We are insane to think that if we keep doing the same thing over and over one day it is bound to work. It’s not – it’s just not.

Smart folks are consistently looking for the best ways to solve problems especially in the way of technology. I love keeping these alerts on my radar so I can share them with you when I come across them.

One of my online connections Joel Cheesman, who I met a few years back at the Talentnet Conference in our fine city of Chicago, announced this past March a new tool for helping HR (among other managers) gauge employee morale by his new mobile app morale.me. Joel has been in the Recruiting/HR space for a zillion years and knows the ins and outs. He understands that this has been a real issue with getting crucial feedback and his new app is genius.

hangout with joel cheesman

In fact, I hit Joel up on Facebook and asked  if he would join me in a Google+ hangout to discuss employee engagement,  morale and his new app morale.me.

Here is the recording from the Hangout, in case you missed it (and I’m pretty sure you did).

I can’t wait to hear how this app explodes into our workplaces and changes our levels of engagement. After all, who doesn’t want to be heard and to know that somebody gives a crap about how they are feeling at work?

Now, hop on over to morale.me and check em out.

Social Media at work; The new smoke break

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Hey guys! I’m on vacation and trying to unplug (YEAH RIGHT) from the Webs this whole week. I thought I’d share a few previous posts for your enjoyment. Here’s a good one from my blogger friend Buzz Rooney. She is a fantastic writer and HR pro and this post is exceptional. Enjoy!

Photo Credit: Jamacians.com

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I recently overheard someone compare employees using social media sites to taking breaks for smoking at work.

As someone who has spent HR time in production and manufacturing environments, I am all-too-familiar with the battle employers face over smoke-break abuse. I remember when our company installed a card-reader on the smoking area door so employees had to swipe to get back in the building. We pulled the records to find one employee was visiting the smoking area an average 17 times daily for 7 – 10 minutes each time. That’s almost 3 hours per day of smoke breaks — while ON the clock!!! Unbelievable … And of course, we addressed that issue with that employee. But that’s not the point of this post.

The point is, after overhearing that comparison, I wondered: Is Social Media (SoMe) use at work the NEW Smoke Break (SBs)?

Yeah, it kind of is.

  • Like SBs, SoMe can create division. Employees connecting with some co-workers and not others may lead to hurt feelings, gossip and the appearance of impropriety or favoritism. Your workforce may divide into SoMe cliques, just like with Smokers and Non-Smokers. However, there’s also a lot of learning going on through SoMe that can help people be better at their jobs. Blog articles, free webinars and online networking groups are great things for employees to participate in.
  • Like SBs, SoMe can be a distraction and hindrance to productivity. Employees spending 5 – 10 minutes per hour perusing Facebook and Twitter can add up. The time away from the actual work area is more limited with SoMe because employees can check sites without leaving their desk. This makes multi-tasking easier — but it also makes it easier to goof off undetected and make errors.

Knowing this, I still say employers should allow Social Media use by employees. Just like Smokers are given a designated area and generally allowed extra breaks, Social Media users should also get consideration. Neither habit is going anywhere – so employers have to manage it.

Here are a few things to remember:

  • Forbidding and blocking SoMe sites is not a management strategy. It is estimated 60% of cell phone users have smart phones. If sites are blocked, employees can just use their phone or tablet instead. Instead, leave sites open — but protect your network with good antivirus software and firewalls. Another option is to provide wifi and open computer stations in your employee lounge so employees can take SoMe breaks.
  • Have a Social Media usage policy. Yes, another policy. When text message, Facebook and Twitter conversations are being used as evidence in workplace disputes, you need to have guidelines for employees’ online behavior. The policy cannot forbid and should not discourage SoMe use – but it should definitely remind and encourage employees to be mindful about what they post and to guard their online reputation. And it should let employees know that online behavior in violation of the company’s standards of conduct or policy on harassment, bullying, etc may be grounds for disciplinary action.
  • Address abuses directly. When an employee is spending too much work time on SoMe sites — even if it is for their betterment — you should counsel them about it. Work with the employee to better manage their time.

Social media is here to stay, whether your organization has embraced it or not. Until the company decides its own strategy, there should be a way to ensure employees can use it — without abuse, overuse or misuse.

This post was originally posted at TheBuzzOnHR.com and a big THANKS to Buzz for allowing me to share it with you all. 

About the Author:

Buzz Rooney is a practicing HR Professional with over 10 years experience in the production, manufacturing and retail industries.  She currently works for a large retail franchise in North Carolina. Buzz also consults in the areas of management coaching, process improvement, resume writing, and HR compliance.

Buzz has a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Studies with a focus in Organizational Communication and Leadership as well as a Master’s Degree in Human Resources Management. Buzz is a devoted single mom with two young children. When not working, she enjoys mindlessly watching television, spending time with friends and family, reading, eating and sleeping. You can read more of her writings, connect and contact her through her website The Buzz on HR.

It’s not Social Media that’s killing productivity at Work

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I don’t know about you but I’m personally sick of hearing all the hype associated with the loss of productivity debate as it regards to Social Media and whether to allow it or not in the workplace. The reality is that your employees are already using Social Media at work even if they’re hiding under their desks with their smartphones to do it.

How about we try and think creatively as to how to incorporate it and use it to our advantage and business initiates? Sound like a plan?

Last month I presented at SHRM’s Work-Flex conference here in Chicago and my session was titled “Gaining a Competitive Edge in a High Tech World” and you can download that presentation on my SlideShare, if you feel the need.

In the presentation I made mention of the fact that it’s not Social Media that’s killing productivity at work, it’s other things such as email. It was noted that we’re spending 2.5 hours a day sorting, reading, and deleting emails that is just one of our productivity killers. I wish instead, someone would just kill email. I despise it. I mean, I really hate it. It’s such a time-waster and buzz-kill.

Incorporating the use of technology at work is a no-brainer and should instead be looked at as “keeping up with the times.” We’ve dealt with technology at work for years now with fax machines, even email and the use of computers and as we all know technology rolls in and out at the speed of light. By the time you buy that brand new HD TV and get it plugged in at home, the newer model is already on the shelf. That’s just a fact.

Social is changing how we do business, not only how we communicate.

So what are the real time wasters and productivity killers at work? Take a look at this Infographic:

What do you think about this? Do you have anything else that you’ve noticed that’s killing productivity that you’d like to add?

Thanks to the good folks at Compliance and Safety for the fun Infographic.

Photo Credit (TOP) SawPedia

Help! My Employees are playing GAMES at Work

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I recently wrote about Using Games, Sims and Virtual Worlds at Work that gave some pretty stiff stats on how many of your employees are playing games on their smartphones and computers at work.

With that being said, why not incorporate games into product development, employee engagement, and utilize technology to drive it home?

Here’s a little video I put together that gives a few great examples of using GAMES to create comraidere and engagement in the workplace.

What has your experience been when incorporating these types of EE tools at work? I’d love to know.

For more information on these companies: Wizard Studios and Go Game Office

Photo Credit: Above and Beyond KM

Using Games, Sims and Virtual Worlds – at Work #IHRIMConf

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As you all may know, I’m in Chicago blogging and taking part in the IHRIM HR Technology Conference. I just finished sitting in on an incredible session with CEO Scott Randall, of BrandGames, who is taking gamification to a whole new level. The title of the session was “Games, Sims, and Virtual Worlds – Engaging the next generation workforce.” Using gamification to drive engagement in the workplace. I’ll all about this.

Randall began by telling us all something that we already knew and that being that we are all overworked, over-messaged, and under-engaged at work. We are overwhelmed. Utilizing technology at work is critical if we are to evolve – especially with the techies who grew up on games. “These kids that grew up on SIMS and other games are our current workforce who are expecting to use technology EVERY DAY at work” says Randall. “And we need to be changing with technology in order to keep them engaged and keep our communication methods going forward in a technological world.”

A few stats on gaming:

  • 135 million consumers play at least one hour of video games a month, vs. 56 million in 2008.
  • 75% of US tablet owners play games on their devices, 57% of smart phone owners also play games.
  • 3 billion hours of game play a week are going on, with $60 billion in game sales

Where is this game play happening? – 40% are playing games at work. (Saatchi Gaming Study)

Here is my video interview with Randall after his session:

Randall makes a valid point. If our employees are already participating in games at work, why aren’t we using this same strategy to train and engage our employees?

It is predicted that during 2012 20% of Global 2000 organizations will deploy a gamified application. By 2014 the number will rise to 70%. Those are outrageous stats, IMHO.

Understanding how to apply game mechanics is critical to increase engagement with customers and employees and to motivate positive behavioral changes – and is critical to our success.

Check out BrandGames and find out how you can incorporate gaming into your engagement and training initiatives.

Photo Credit: Gigaom.com