Article: Revisiting automated rewards and recognition during the global pandemic

Benefits & Rewards

Revisiting automated rewards and recognition during the global pandemic

With the help of digitalization, companies can effectively keep their remote workers in the loop and timely appreciate them for their efforts.
Revisiting automated rewards and recognition during the global pandemic

The influence of COVID-19 on the business sector has confirmed a simple fact: automation and digitalization are here to stay. 

Thanks to the pandemic, the modern workplace has undergone a profound shift, with remote working being the new normal. And along with this shift comes numerous challenges. 

Yet, as business leaders, we need to adopt agile automation methods to overcome the challenges and enhance employee productivity no matter how grave the situation is. 

Hence, innovation and digitization is an appropriate approach in this disturbing time. With the help of digitalization, companies can effectively keep their remote workers in the loop and timely appreciate them for their efforts. 

Automation and its impact on Employee Engagement

According to Gallup, 85% of employees are disengaged at work. And due to this, companies have encountered $7 trillion in lost productivity. 

A majority of remote employees work for the required time, yet they can’t give their best. This is because they get drained by having no real work-life balance or boundaries. Also, the lack of timely recognition lowers engagement levels and makes them feel more disconnected than ever. 

Automating repetitive tasks and appreciating employees with digital rewards and recognition (R&R) platforms is the need of the hour. Automation results in improved employee retention, satisfaction, and engagement in the company. 

Here is how automation can benefit your current engagement strategy.

Automation improves Employee Satisfaction.

By adopting automation techniques, companies can streamline tasks, eliminate bottlenecks, decrease the chances of human errors, and allow their employees some breathing time. 

This is why most companies are now aiming towards workflow automation and collaboration tools to help their remote workers manage their work and communicate efficiently. 

Millennials and Gen Z employees don’t like working with outdated technologies, and they want equal and fair appreciation. Employee retention is crucial in such difficult times. But, automation and digital recognition platforms can indeed retain your employees with improved job satisfaction. 

Automation improves Employee Productivity.

It is a common misconception that AI and automation will replace people. The truth is, automation helps in reducing the overall workload of employees and gives them extra time to work on complex and creative tasks. 

With our deep integration with HRMS tools like Zoho, Freshteam, Oracle HCM, PeopleStrong, and many more, Vantage Circle aids in automating the HR processes. It allows seamless data-syncing experience to manage HR functions, resulting in increased employee productivity. 

Automation during this pandemic is not an option but a basic need for all companies to retain their staff and enhance employee engagement. In 2021 and beyond, companies investing in automation and digital rewards and recognition will have a competitive advantage. This is what the future of work will look like. 

Rewards and Recognition post COVID-19

With the rise of remote working and the need for automation, we must embrace digital rewards and recognition systems in the workplace. Now or in the future, workplaces will struggle to retain their top workers if they lack appreciation.

In my opinion, work from home and the pandemic allowed employees to shine and align their behaviors with company values.

Employee engagement has become tougher due to limited face-to-face interactions. This is a significant HR challenge while working from home. Nevertheless, this is a prime factor for realizing the importance of rewards and recognition in the remote style of working. 

Many companies are planning to make changes in their benefits and recognition programs. I feel there is no “one size fits all” concept in rewards and recognition. Different employees value different benefits. Where rewards have tangible value, recognition holds emotional values. 

We at Vantage Circle believe that providing flexible reward options to your remote staff keeps them engaged and satisfied.

One can do this through meaningful appreciation with the help of digital R&R platforms like our very own Vantage Rewards. It is a one-stop solution to enhance employee engagement for remote workers by offering them appreciation and recognition on the go. 

Just because of COVID-19 and remote working, companies must not become complacent in showing appreciation towards their employees’ hard work. Thus, adopting an agile employee benefits platform is a cost-effective and straightforward way. 

Digital Rewards and Recognition trends to follow 

Talent appreciation drives employee engagement, and it is crucial during this unrest of COVID-19. And, if it is done digitally, nothing better than that. 

Employees of today want fast and instant recognition. Thus, implementing an agile R&R platform is the need of the hour. 

Constructive use of technology has made it easier to reward and recognize their workforce in an easier, faster, and more timely manner, making the whole process smoother to operate.

That’s where having a rewards and recognition platform integrated within your company comes into the picture.

  • Recognition delayed is recognition denied. The modern workplace is fast, frantic, and changing constantly. Thus, implementing an automated digital R&R solution for remote employees gives a sense of purpose towards their work.
  • With Vantage Circle’s deep integration, you can benefit from pairing various third-party tools and systems. Deep integration with Microsoft teams enables users to recognize and reward employees within teams and access other functionalities. 
  • Carrying out rewards and recognition programs has never been easier, especially with configurable workflows. Vantage Circle’s solutions encourage peer recognition, employee nomination for awards, spot-awards, etc. It also enables social media visibility and appreciation. 
  • Vantage Circle manages employee rewards with the SOLI framework. These frameworks ensure fair and equal recognition of employees. SOLI framework is beyond the currency conversion rates and instead depends on the country’s standard of living. 
  • Another feature of Vantage Circle is a multi-layered analytics dashboard. This enables real-time data and deep insights into employee trends and behavior for fair and equal recognition. With effective and on-time communication, you can easily reckon your engagement levels in the company. 
  • An agile R&R platform’s success depends on whether it is available on multiple platforms, i.e., mobile apps and multiple operating systems like iOS, Android, etc.

In conclusion

Overall, automation and digital R&R solutions can do wonders if executed well. It is cost-effective, instant, and transparent. 

Vantage Circle has served many clients across countries by providing them the best employee benefits to choose from. Thus, we believe automation is the future of work. Also, we all are dealing with the challenges of remote work and economic slowdown due to the pandemic. In such a scenario, implementing a digital rewards and recognition platform for remote workers is the need of the hour. 

 

Know more about automation tech at People Matters TechHR India 2021. Click here to learn more. 

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Topics: Benefits & Rewards, Rewards & Recognition Technology, #GuestArticle, #TechHRIN

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