Company culture is the distinct characteristics unique to a particular organization. A lot has been written about its growing importance in recent years as millennial workers demand to work in a culture that matches their values. The HR team may not be in charge of creating the culture, but they are key players in creating an environment that matches the culture. With COVID-19 challenges in effect and many work forces still working partly or fully from home, company culture is more important than ever. What is tricky is how to keep culture alive with a remote workforce.
What is culture technology?
According to Nate Randall, founder and president of Ursa Major Consulting as well as host of the Illuminate HR Podcast, “Culture is ultimately about human experience, and culture technology is about connecting people and experiences in meaningful ways, regardless of location.” Culture technology is a way to take the administrative burden off of the HR team, while connecting employees to the programs that the company has always provided such as rewards, well being and fitness. This is accomplished through one-stop online platforms that allow employees to connect to each other and their manager, receive recognition and rewards and improve their well being. For businesses, this approach is a potential way to provide positive reinforcement and perks and guidance that can improve employee loyalty and productivity. It can also increase the communication and teamwork needed to get projects done well and in a timely manner. Culture technology is being used to ensure that human connection and company culture stay connected while we work remotely.
How to choose a culture technology platform
There are several programs available to help businesses access culture technology. Businesses may want to consider the following factors before moving forward:
1. Does it create a good experience for everyone?
Anytime a business introduces something new, it will take time for employees to adjust. The best way to drive acceptance is to make it a good experience for everyone. Ensure the platform meets the needs of employees, managers and the HR team and that it is accessible both on a PC and mobile devices.
2. Is the program flexible enough to meet your needs?
While a culture tech program may be designed to meet the most common needs of an organization, you want to find a program that is flexible enough to adapt to your specific needs and provide guidance to increase employee morale and ultimately grow sales.
3. Does it provide analytics?
These days, businesses rely heavily on data. Culture tech should provide useful analytics for HR and the leadership team. The data can then be used to budget smarter and make well informed decisions in real time.
These are unusual times for businesses. We don’t know which changes will become permanent and part of our “new normal” and which things will go back to the way they were before the pandemic. Either way, technology is here to stay and will play a growing role in how businesses operate.
Partnering with Makai HR
If you are looking for other ways to ease your administrative burdens, consider partnering with a PEO for your HR needs. When you partner with Makai HR you can get on with the business you are trying to grow while we take care of your employee needs from payroll to taxes, health insurance/benefits and worker’s compensation. You also gain peace of mind that you are in compliance with all of Hawaii’s employer laws (if you’ve ever looked you know that the list is very long). When choosing a PEO to partner with, there are many things to consider including cost, services and technology solutions.
With the cost of doing business in Hawaii at record highs, we know how important it is to keep labor costs in line with revenue. Our plans are priced competitively and include value-added services like time-in/time-out systems. Our three tiers of PEO service plans are tailored to the size of your business and specific needs. We offer a 100% paperless solution which means that your employees can manage their needs through a computer, tablet or phone. We can truly improve your employees work benefits while freeing you up to run your business.
What are you waiting for? Companies that partner with a PEO benefit from 7-9% faster growth, 10-14% lower employee turnover; and they are 50% less likely to go out of business. Contact us today to get started!