Corporate Culture by App
Remote work has increased dramatically, especially for employees with college degrees and who consider themselves individual contributors, or who tend to work alone on projects and tasks. Even when these employees already spend a great deal of time working alone, their connection to coworkers and company culture diminishes even more when remote. In fact, Pew Research Center reports that 65% of those who are working remotely for the first time feel less connected to coworkers (Winkler, 2020), and this negatively affects engagement.
Seeking to engage workers has major payoffs. Gallup reports that engaged workplaces have 41% lower absenteeism, 40% fewer defects, and 21% higher productivity (Hickman & Robison, 2020). Although lack of interaction with coworkers is often cited as a problem with work-at-home jobs, Pew Research Center reports that about 80% of teleworkers say they still have some in-person interaction with coworkers. More than 50% say they interact with coworkers a lot. Therefore, apps can be an effective method to engage and support culture for both in-person and at-home employees. However, as stated by Hickman and Robison (2020), "Engagement is not an exercise in making employees feel happy -- it's a strategy for better business outcomes." Planning the apps that a company will use is serious business.
Companies realizing the increasing remote work trend have developed apps that operate through a company’s intranet in order to improve organizational culture. There are apps to boost moods and climate, and then there are others with a broader view of encouraging cultural values that are consistent with company mission. A simple search on 'company culture app' brings back an overwhelming list (for pages!).
Apps focused on culture can be classified as simply fun or those that seek to shape culture. The former tend to have single-focus capabilities. The latter usually have multiple capabilities, ranging from feedback, connections, pulse surveys, and events. Each is more than a simple game and companies should choose wisely since a series of failed attempts to generate fun, organization and feedback, or change can easily sideline the company's ability to use apps strategically.
Simply fun apps range focus on the individual's well-being and, in many cases, just plain fun. Employees can keep track of game scores, whether it be video game competitions or lunchtime ping pong (e.g., Leaderboard). Social apps keep track of birthdays (e.g., BirthdayBot) or pair employees who don't know each other for a lunch or coffee (e.g., Donut). Headspace is a meditation app that is focused on employee mental health and relaxation. By including these apps in the company intranet, the message appears to be that work can be more than the tasks at hand.
Whole company culture apps require a strategic top-down plan, reinforcing values and building what could be practices that reinforce culture in everyday activities. For example, Wellevue proposes to "break down silos" and "visualize culture" with its capabilities. Unlike the simply fun app category, these are meant to positively impact the individual in his or her job role. This can include giving props to a coworker (e.g., Assembly, Kudos). It also could be specifically targeted on tasks with rewards (e.g., Motivosity) and goal milestones (e.g., Peakon). These apps not only are trying to engage and build commitment, but have more of a task focus than others.
'Pulse' and 'nudge' are two terms you may hear often when investigating apps. 'Pulse surveys' are quick tests of how people are feeling about a project or task (e.g., Blink or Energage). For example, Humu gauges employee satisfaction with mini-surveys ('pulse surveys') and may nudge managers to correct issues. Feedback to the app questioning a decision then may prompt a nudge to the manager to be more transparent and explain decisions, according to the Wall Street Journal (Parker, Horowitz, & Minkin, 2020).
Topics
Culture, Engagement, Teams
Questions for Students
First, ask students what aspect of culture could never be replaced when working remotely. After they answer, then challenge them to come as close as possible replacing it in the situation where remote work was the only possible way to work.
Ask students to make a list of apps useful for student team projects, or to design an app for a team project.
Choose a company and find its values statement/mission statement. What apps would fit with this?
Sources
Parker, K., Horowitz, J., & Minkin, R. (Dec. 9, 2020). How the coronavirus outbreak has -- and hasn't -- changed the way Americans work. https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/12/09/how-the-coronavirus-outbreak-has-and-hasnt-changed-the-way-americans-work/#:~:text=On%20the%20downside%2C%2065%25%20of,only%2027%25%20feel%20this%20way.
Winkler, E. (Jan. 31, 2020). Laszlo Bock thinks machine learning can make work better. https://www.wsj.com/articles/laszlo-bock-thinks-machine-learning-can-make-work-better-11580492585
Hickman, A., & Robison, J. (Jan. 24, 2020). Is working remotely effective? Gallup says yes. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/283985/working-remotely-effective-gallup-research-says-yes.aspx