Engaging employees to evolve the digital workplace: who, how, when and why

In the swiftly changing landscape of the digital workplace, a significant transformation is underway. This shift is redefining how top organizations evolve their digital tools and platforms, placing a renewed focus on the employee experience as a foundational element rather than an afterthought. As businesses navigate digital transformation, the most effective digital workplaces are now recognized as those deeply rooted in continuous and comprehensive employee engagement. Employees are seen not merely as end-users but as indispensable partners, with their feedback, recognition and insights integral at every stage of the digital workplace lifecycle. Yet, too often, these essential practices are sidelined, peaking during product testing phases or ad-hoc surveys but then dwindling afterwards. 

The role of digital tools in enhancing engagement 
Digital tools are at the heart of the modern workplace, playing a critical role in how employees interact, collaborate and contribute. The effectiveness of these tools in supporting engagement, however, depends on how well they are aligned with the needs and expectations of the workforce. Tools that are intuitive, user-friendly and responsive to feedback are more likely to be embraced by employees, leading to higher levels of engagement. 

Moreover, the selection of digital tools should be guided by a clear understanding of the employee journey and lifecycle. Tools that support various stages of the employee experience – from onboarding to career development – can help create a seamless and supportive digital environment. For instance, platforms that facilitate continuous learning and development can enhance job satisfaction and retention, while tools that support collaboration and communication can strengthen company culture and improve overall engagement levels. 

Employee engagement in a digital workplace is about fostering a strong emotional and cognitive connection between employees and their work, especially in remote settings. Effective engagement goes beyond traditional surveys, incorporating real-time feedback tools and digital analytics to measure how employees interact with workplace technology. However, remote work presents unique challenges, such as feelings of isolation, digital fatigue and blurred work–life boundaries, which can undermine employee wellbeing and engagement, and lead to higher employee turnover.  

To address these, organizations must ensure digital tools are user-friendly, promote a sense of community, support individuals throughout the employee lifecycle, and recognize achievements through virtual platforms. By understanding these dynamics and implementing supportive strategies, companies can maintain high levels of engagement, ensuring that their digital transformation efforts are successful and sustainable, supporting both employee productivity and wellbeing. 

The shift from a top-down approach
Historically dominated by a top-down approach, digital workplaces have often been detached from the actual users – the employees. Decisions have primarily been driven by steering committees heavily influenced by senior leaders, with less consideration for the nuanced needs and challenges faced by the workforce. This model, while grounded in organizational vision, frequently overlooked the diverse employee segments, leading to digital environments misaligned with the daily needs and expectations of the workforce. As organizations strive to improve employee retention and job satisfaction, a shift is needed toward a more inclusive, bottom-up approach that recognizes the importance of employee feedback and sentiment in shaping the digital workplace.

In recent research from DWG, Engaging employees: Harnessing insights that shape the digital workplace, we explore best practices for shifting away from the top-down model when evolving a digital workplace experience. This research aims to tackle pressing questions about understanding the employee’s perspective and shaping an inclusive digital workplace that genuinely reflects the needs and aspirations of every employee. This article provides a summary of these practices and how to get started tackling these questions.

Who (do we ask for feedback)?
In the journey towards digital workplace evolution, a comprehensive and holistic approach to employee engagement is crucial. This engagement must unite all organizational levels, facilitating a feedback loop from leadership to the frontline, and back again. This strategy underscores the importance of a top-down vision for the digital employee experience, designed to unite diverse business units towards a common digital goal while ensuring that the voices of all employees are heard and valued. 

However, overarching narratives alone only set the path. The real substance of the digital employee experience is shaped through numerous ground-level conversations. Feedback can vary from seemingly minor site navigation elements like link labels to significant decisions about collaboration tools. Emphasizing a bottom-up approach, informed by UX and human-centred design, proves essential in creating a digital environment that resonates with employees while aligning with broader organizational goals. 

As organizations pivot towards an employee-centric digital experience, understanding and addressing the unique experiences, challenges and expectations of various employee segments and stakeholder groups becomes imperative. Each group – be it frontline workers, remote employees, or different business units – contributes distinctive insights to the digital conversation. Navigating these complex variances is fundamental to genuinely advancing the digital workplace, ensuring it remains inclusive, responsive and meticulously tailored to meet the diverse needs of every employee. 

How (do we ask for feedback)?
Building a continuously improving digital workplace relies heavily on consistent engagement and feedback from all levels within an organization. It starts with collecting insights to determine what is effective and what isn’t, which can significantly influence employee sentiment and engagement levels. This thorough approach involves creating user research, defining employee journeys, and setting up a comprehensive change management strategy. These steps highlight the need for varied feedback methods, recognizing the different ways various groups interact with technology. 

Exploring diverse methods to facilitate feedback is vital. This may include:

• Steering committees: High-level groups that ensure strategic alignment between digital workplace initiatives and organizational goals. 
• Employee advisory boards: Groups of employees representing different departments or demographics who provide ongoing feedback. 
• Surveys: Regularly conducted employee engagement surveys to measure engagement levels, job satisfaction and the effectiveness of digital tools. 
• User testing: Involving employees in testing new tools and platforms before a full rollout. 
• Pilots/soft go-lives: Initial rollouts to small groups to gather feedback and make adjustments before a broader launch. 
• Analytics: Using data to understand how employees are interacting with digital tools and identifying areas for improvement. 
• User research: In-depth studies of employee needs and challenges, often through interviews, focus groups and observational research.

Employing these mechanisms empowers organizations to make informed decisions. This approach leads to the optimization of workflows and the creation of a digital workplace that seamlessly blends strategic goals with employee needs and expectations. 

However, the art of employee engagement does not end here. It’s not just about how to gather feedback but also about when to solicit it. Recognizing the right moments to seek feedback ensures that insights gained are not only heard but are also timely, relevant and actionable. 

When (do we ask for feedback)?
In the evolution of digital workplaces, seamlessly integrating employee engagement into various operational aspects is key. This embedded engagement approach enables organizations to garner timely, pertinent and actionable feedback, significantly enhancing the digital workplace roadmap for new capabilities and improved employee experiences. It’s not just about obtaining feedback; it’s about the strategic integration of this feedback into every operational facet, ensuring that the digital workplace remains both functional and continually attuned to employees’ evolving needs and expectations. 

Governance in the digital workplace, an indispensable yet often neglected aspect, stands out as a strategic enabler for consistent employee engagement. Governance emerges not just as a structural framework but also as a guiding force determining ‘how’ and ‘when’ employee engagement is integrated into the organizational fabric. A robust governance framework is not just a set of static rules; it’s an evolving system playing a pivotal role in shaping the user experience within the digital ecosystem. This framework dictates how and when employees are engaged in sculpting the digital environment they interact with daily. It’s imperative to tackle key questions within the governance framework to ensure a holistic and effective employee engagement strategy. Questions include: 

• Which employees should be engaged? Identifying the right employee segments and understanding their unique needs. 
• When should employees be engaged? Timing engagement to coincide with key stages in the digital workplace lifecycle. 
• How should employees be engaged? Choosing the most effective methods for each group. 
• What is the feedback mechanism? Ensuring that feedback is captured accurately and actioned appropriately. 
• Who is responsible for employee engagement? Assigning ownership of engagement processes within the organization. 
• What are the metrics for success? Defining how success is measured in terms of engagement and its impact on digital transformation. 
• How is employee engagement aligned with broader organizational goals? Ensuring that engagement supports the overall strategy. 
• How will engagement evolve? Continuously improving the approach to engagement as the organization and its workforce evolve.

Answering these questions and integrating employee engagement into digital workplace governance is a strategic imperative. It fosters among employees a pervasive sense of ownership and investment in the digital tools and processes of the workplace. 

Why (do we ask for feedback)?
In the dynamic world of the digital workplace, meaningful employee engagement stands as a cornerstone. It creates an inclusive environment, driving innovation and adaptability. When employees are actively heard and their feedback leads to real change, it not only elevates their morale but also arms organizations with crucial insights for enhancing digital frameworks. Yet, the path to effective engagement in the digital realm is fraught with challenges, including the complexity of involving a diverse workforce and the potential for feedback fatigue. 

To overcome these obstacles, organizations must critically assess their governance models and current engagement mechanisms. A shift towards a more democratic governance structure and the adoption of interactive, real-time feedback tools can substantially uplift the engagement ecosystem. Identifying and bridging engagement gaps lays a robust foundation for future improvements, ensuring that investments extend beyond mere technology, enriching the organization’s most precious asset – its people. 

Conclusion
In conclusion, the evolution of the digital workplace is intrinsically linked to the level of employee engagement it fosters. By moving away from a top-down approach and embracing a more inclusive, employee-centric model, organizations can create digital environments that are not only functional but also deeply resonant with the needs and aspirations of their workforce. For organizations to maintain high levels of employee engagement, it is essential to develop a sustainable engagement strategy that evolves with the organization and its workforce. This strategy should be built on a foundation of ongoing employee input, regular assessment of engagement levels, and a commitment to adapting to changing needs and expectations. Through continuous feedback, recognition and the strategic use of digital tools, companies can enhance job satisfaction, improve retention, and build a more engaged and motivated workforce.

As organizations continue to navigate the challenges and opportunities of digital transformation, it is crucial to keep the employee experience at the forefront of these efforts. By integrating employee feedback into every stage of the digital workplace lifecycle, companies can ensure that their digital environments are not only cutting-edge but also truly supportive of the people who use them every day. In this way, the digital workplace becomes more than just a set of tools – it becomes a vibrant, dynamic ecosystem where employees feel valued, engaged and empowered to succeed. 

Get access to the full report and 120+ other best practice digital workplace reports 

DWG members have access to this full report, which forms part of DWG’s best practice Research Library of 120+ reports covering key areas such as strategy and governance, AI readiness, ESG, user experience and change management for intranets and digital workplaces. 

Browse our most recent reports and excerpts, and find out what’s coming up. Contact us to learn how to gain access to this library via DWG Membership. 

Categorised in: Employee experience