It’s undeniable that in today’s fast-paced business landscape, strong company culture is more critical than ever before. Although a good working environment can have a real impact on profits and revenue, it is often overlooked by many organizations.
Thankfully, businesses can leverage various tools to strengthen their team’s ethos using technology for company culture. Whether your employees work in a traditional office setup, remotely, or in a hybrid model, technology can significantly enhance your culture-building efforts.
With that in mind, let’s look at how you can use technology to build a more robust company culture. But before we dive in, let’s define the workplace culture.
Characteristics of a Strong Company Culture
There are various definitions of a strong company culture. But despite the different variations, they seem to share the following characteristics:
- A strong sense of belonging. A 2020 study found that there is strong correlation between a sense of belonging and job satisfaction. However, only 43% of Asia-Pacific employees feel like they belong in the workplace. An inclusive work culture, where every member feels valued and welcomed, can unlock more potential than a traditional workplace environment.
- Clear vision. Understanding your goals and business principles is the first step in establishing a solid company culture. When an organization has a clear vision and set of values, it is simpler to find and hire individuals who will be a good match and contribute to the company’s success.
- Training and development. A commitment to the continuous training and professional growth of staff members is among the most essential elements of a healthy company culture. According to research by IBM, providing workers with career guidance and opportunities for progress led to higher levels of employee engagement and a decreased likelihood that those workers would seek employment elsewhere.
- Open communication and two-way feedback. Finally, open communication between management and employees helps build a culture based on trust and honesty. Likewise, establishing clear feedback channels means that workers are more comfortable asking and providing constructive feedback regularly.
4 Ways Technology Can Help Build a Strong Workplace Culture
In the harried and competitive world of business that exists today, where productivity is key, technology has emerged as a game-changer in building and developing a robust workplace culture.
Modern organizations that aim to achieve optimal productivity levels can leverage technology to their advantage. Businesses can also create a more engaging work environment while improving communication and collaboration among team members, regardless of their physical location.
With technology, organizations can promote a positive company culture that aligns with their values and mission, resulting in a more satisfied and motivated workforce.
1. Improving Mental Health with Apps
Organizations have recognized the importance of supporting the mental wellbeing of their employees. This was mainly seen during Covid, which resulted in the wider adoption of mental health apps. And, while mental health apps have pros and cons, it’s easy to see their broad appeal.
By integrating a mental health app into their operations, businesses can provide their employees with a platform that supports their mental wellbeing by building a company culture of support, openness, and acceptance towards mental health concerns.
An example of how technology for company culture can support employee wellbeing is the MindFi App. This app features group therapy, one-on-one therapy bookings with local providers via chat and video, and a Wellbeing Dashboard that offers detailed insights for HR managers.
Employees can also combine MindFi App with Fitbit to track their physical and holistic wellbeing, which they can access at their convenience, whether in the office or working remotely. By leveraging such apps, companies can create a culture that prioritizes employee mental health, leading to increased engagement and overall success.
2. Enhancing Team Communication
HR managers can also use technology in a forward-thinking way by opening communication channels to convey the company’s vision, solicit input from staff, and encourage participation in strategic projects. Slack, Microsoft’s Live, and Facebook’s own Workplace make it simple to facilitate real-time communication on a massive scale.
In the long run, this encourages an environment of open communication and cooperation, which positively affects the culture of the business.
3. Rewarding and Recognizing Employees
In a modern company, recognition and rewards are crucial for fostering employee engagement and driving a strong company culture.
With the rise of remote work, virtual celebrations can be an excellent way to recognize employees’ accomplishments. Using video conferencing software, companies can host virtual parties or celebrations to honor employees who have achieved milestones or completed significant projects.
At the same time, social recognition platforms like Bonusly or Kazoo can be used to create a culture of appreciation and recognition in the workplace. These platforms allow employees to give points or tokens to their colleagues as a way of recognizing their hard work or achievements.
4. Providing Greater Flexibility
With the help of modern technology, working from home or on the road is much more feasible. If employees can’t be at the physical office during regular business hours, they could “clock in” remotely at a time that works better for them. Project management software, such as Asana or Trello, can be used to delegate tasks, set deadlines, and monitor progress.
Moreover, flexible work policies no longer have to be at the expense of performance, as 74% of workers in APAC believed that flexible work schedules improved productivity for both themselves and their colleagues.
Staff can be hired from all over the world, enabling communication, collaboration, and engagement between employees who work in different locations and at different times; this subsequently fosters a sense of belonging despite being geographically dispersed.
Summing Up
In short, technology for company culture can be a powerful tool in cultivating a strong workplace culture that drives productivity and success. A culture fostering a sense of belonging among employees leads to unprecedented levels of creativity, innovation, and efficiency.
Have you been thinking of ways to positively implement technology in your company? Schedule a chat with a MindFi representative to explore the opportunities!
