Engagement or Connection?

Why is a Connected Workplace Better than a non connected one?

We all have been seeing the term “connected” workplace screening up a lot more in many business articles. To end this curiosity, let’s do some digging and learn more about ‘connected workplace’. One can’t find a single definition for it. You may realize that “connected” may precisely be a more accurate term than engagement. When we talk about employee engagement, we usually talk about employees being engaged towards their work or their position or the company as a whole. In short, the employee is engaged with rather something.

Connected on the other hand comes across as employees are engaged with many aspects at the same time. They are connected to their work, their position, their company, and also with their co-workers. Hence “connected” can also be called as the internet of things (IoT) for workplaces. Lets know more about the three things that could create a connected workplace. They could also be called ‘the 3 Ts of a connected workforce –i.e tasks, tech, and team’.

1)Tasks

Firstly and fore mostly, a worker needs to be connected to the work he does. It happens everywhere. But the plan here is that the employees overall enjoy their work and job responsibilities and feel that their job is well connected with the growth, contributing to the organization.

2)Technology

Today’s technology solutions permit employees to use technology advancement to make their work and tasks easier.
Technology can minimize steps in a process. It supplies information and useful data that otherwise would be unavailable and that to in real-time. Technology is also useful as a communication tool to maintain the flow of information going smoothly.

3)Team

Employees need to be connected with their manager, seniors and colleagues to get the work done. Obviously, this can happen directly via face-to-face and one-on-ones meetings, although employees can also make connections with co workers using technology.

3 Ways that can aid Organizations to Create a More Connected Workplace

Have a look. Creating a connected workplace denotes giving human resources and department managers the tools to flourish. We can declare that HR and management leaders need to be “connected” to pull this off. But one has to accept that to create engagement or connection, HR and management have to work together.

Listed below are three key actions which the HR and management can imply to engage employees and create a connected workplace.

a) Job design

Organizations will have to start designing jobs that are pleasantly appealing to candidates and employees. This means HR and hiring managers will have to review various job descriptions and discuss hiring requirements in the recruiting plan and policy meetings.

b) Job tools

There are many types of job aids and tools, what is important here is correct technology. Employees do not want to work for companies that offer an outdated technology experience thus Organizations will have to supply employees with the required tools to be successful.

c) Job conversations

This one needs the most attention. The word conversation stands for a “talk between two or more people where news and ideas are exchanged.” We carry out conversations all the time, especially during business meetings. But conversation is also about listening and all members being involved.

How Better Conversations can be created…

In many organizations, recruitment challenges have taken the HR and hiring managers a run for their money because conversations can be out looked as “easy”, but the tough fact is that a quality conversation is hard.

• Conversations need to involve required people: How many times do we attend a meeting where the right people aren’t in attendance? It happens many a times when the organization has remote employees.
• Conversations need people to be present at the right time, place and environment. Logistics states that wrong time or place can ruin a conversation; again the right technology for everyone to participate is important.
• Conversations need to have motive. For teamwork to be successful, everyone must be on the same level in terms of understanding the motive and the goal.
• Connected workplaces are not likely to happen naturally. The organization needs to be dedicated in having conversations. And loyal to training of managers and employees on how to have good conversations.

And to end with, companies require being committed in creating a workplace where conversations are encouraged. There have been a lot of discussions about employee engagement in recent times. However, perhaps instead of focusing only on employee engagement, it would be better if organizations focused on creating “connections” around the workplace using the tools like– high-quality work design, first-rate technology, and informative training and development in building those connections.

And then u can see the engagement grow!

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