In organisational culture, employee voices play a pivotal role, ensuring everyone contributes to shaping a diverse, inclusive workplace that empowers individuals to thrive.
Choosing the right employee voice platform is essential for allowing everyone to contribute to the goal of a thriving workplace. As you embark on this journey, understanding the key factors to amplify your organisation’s voice, making it heard loud and clear, is paramount. Join us as we explore the 8 important considerations HR leaders should keep in mind when selecting an employee voice platform.
1. Defining your objectives
First things first; before diving into the world of employee voice platforms, it’s essential to clearly define your objectives. Understanding what you want to achieve with an employee voice platform is crucial for making the right choice. For instance, have you considered the following objectives:
- Improving employee engagement
- Enhancing communication
- Fostering a culture of feedback
- Identifying areas for improvement
- Driving organisational change
Clearly defining your objectives will serve as a guiding light throughout the evaluation process and help you choose a platform that aligns with your organisation’s specific goals and aspirations.
2. Feedback and functionality
You wouldn’t hire a new employee without checking they were a good fit. Similarly, you shouldn’t invest in an employee voice platform that can’t amplify employee voice within your organisation.
Before investing, scrutinise the features that allow employee voices to be heard through feedback. Think about:
Confidential feedback: Confidential feedback Prioritise platforms that offer a secure space for open and honest employee feedback.
Tailored surveys: Look for platforms like Hive that provide flexibility in survey design, allowing you to customise questions to suit your organisational needs.
Employee recognition: Choose an EVP that goes beyond surveys, actively linking outcomes to actions and initiatives across the organisation.
Always-on listening and messenger service: Opt for platforms that enable constant engagement and real-time communication, fostering a responsive and agile workplace.
Analytics and insights: Seek user-friendly insights and analytics that resonate with leaders, managers, and employees, including comprehensive data visualisation tools, closing the feedback loop, harnessing comparative data, measuring progress over time, and ensuring accessible insights for informed decision-making.
Real-time data: By choosing a platform which will integrate with your existing HRIS, you can maximise the value of your data, streamline processes, and gain a comprehensive view of employee feedback.
People Science experts: Collaborate with platforms that have People Science experts to delve deeper into survey findings, offering actionable recommendations to enhance areas that require attention.
Remember, these features are just the tip of the iceberg. Your organisation’s specific needs may require additional functionalities. So, take the time to evaluate each platform’s features and functionalities carefully.
Make sure they align with your objectives and support your unique requirements. By choosing an employee voice platform with the right features and functionalities, you’ll create an environment that fosters open communication, drives employee engagement, and paves the way for positive organisational change.
3. Security and privacy
Like with most technology platforms in the modern day, security and privacy is essential in a safe and secure experience. And there should be no exception when it comes to your employee voice.
Ensuring security and privacy is crucial to maintain confidentiality, protect sensitive data, comply with regulations, foster trust, and safeguard your organisation’s reputation. It creates a safe and secure space for employees to provide feedback, leading to more meaningful engagement and driving positive organisational change.
When choosing an employee voice platform, ensuring the security and privacy of your data is crucial.
Ask if the provider had accreditations such as:
- ISO 27001
- Cyber Essentials
- Cyber Essentials Plus
- SOC Reports
By choosing a secure platform, you can trust that sensitive employee data is protected, confidentiality is maintained, and compliance requirements are met. This fosters trust and confidence among employees in sharing feedback, leading to more meaningful engagement with the platform.
4. Usability and accessibility
Make sure your employee voice platform is a breeze for everyone to use – whether they’re tech wizards or just getting the hang of it, stationed in the office or out in the field, and even if English isn’t their first language. Every single employee’s take is golden, and you want to make sure each of them can chip in their two cents.
Now, let’s break it down:
User-friendly: Your platform needs to have an interface that’s friendly and easy to get the hang of. Nobody should need a tech degree or a manual to figure it out. A clean, organised setup makes it easier for user adoption.
No head-scratching: Look for a platform that practically holds your hand as you give feedback or explore its features. Crystal-clear instructions, a logical flow, and features that just make sense—those are the signs of an intuitive design.
On-the-go friendliness: In today’s world, we’re all about our phones. So, make sure the platform plays nice with mobiles. That way, employees can share their thoughts from anywhere, be it the office, home, or the local coffee shop. Do they throw in SMS links for surveys? That’s a game-changer for those who aren’t glued to a desk.
Languages that speak to everyone: Check if the platform is multilingual and can translate the responses you collect. A diverse workforce deserves a platform that speaks their language—literally. Supporting multiple languages ensures everyone can comfortably use the platform, making communication a breeze.
Welcoming everyone in: Think about all your people when picking a platform. Every voice counts, so make sure you cater to those with different needs. Ask if they follow the WCAG 2.1 guidelines, ensuring the platform is a welcoming space for everyone—whether they’re dealing with visual or hearing impairments, limited movement, or other challenges.
By putting user-friendliness and accessibility front and centre, you’re building an inclusive space. It’s where everyone, from the tech-savvy to the tech-curious, can navigate, share their thoughts, and be a part of the employee voice crew. And you know what that does? Boosts engagement, gets everyone in on the action, and makes being a part of the employee voice initiative a downright good experience.
5. Scalability
When choosing an employee voice platform, think scalability, especially if you’re expanding or expect to. Scalability is about how well the platform can handle more users and increased feedback volumes as your organisation grows. Choose wisely to avoid the headache of switching platforms soon after adopting one.
Look for a platform that smoothly accommodates your expanding needs. As your organisation grows, more feedback will flow in. Ask providers if they can efficiently process and analyse feedback for a larger employee base. Also, check how easy and costly it is to add new users—go for a platform with hassle-free onboarding and flexible pricing based on user count. Plan for growth and manage user access efficiently.
6. Customer support and training
Tired of chatbots that don’t have answers to complex or new problems? Want to speak to a real human? Of course you do. Onboarding, training and ongoing support are extremely important when it comes to choosing an employee voice platform. You want to make sure that you have all the help and support you need during the implementation process and beyond.
Here’s why it really matters:
Smooth implementation: Choose a platform with excellent customer support and clear documentation for a stress-free implementation.
Training resources: Opt for a platform with diverse training resources—videos, webinars, online courses—to empower your team and enhance onboarding.
Responsive customer service: Look for a provider with responsive customer service via email, live chat, or phone, ensuring quick and reliable support for any issues or concerns. Check the support team’s location for potential impact on response time and language compatibility. Refer to service level agreements (SLAs) for specific performance, availability, and responsiveness targets.
Ongoing support: Select a provider committed to ongoing support, continuous platform improvement, and regular updates. Look for support retainers to access on-demand assistance for unplanned needs. A dedicated single point of contact enhances the ongoing relationship and optimises platform utilisation as your organisation evolves.
Customer communities: Customer communities build connections, facilitate knowledge sharing, and offer a platform for meaningful business-customer engagement. Leveraging these communities enables companies to gain insights, drive innovation, enhance customer experiences, and build a loyal customer base.
Having great customer support and training resources is like having a trusty safety net. It gives you the confidence to navigate any challenges, fully utilise the platform, and create a positive experience for your team. So, look for a provider that values your success and offers comprehensive support materials, friendly customer service, and a commitment to continuous improvement. With their support, you can confidently drive positive change within your organisation using your employee voice platform
7. Pricing
When it comes to pricing an employee voice platform, it’s not just about the numbers – it’s about getting real value for your investment. Every platform has its unique pricing style, so taking a close look at the structure, features, long-term costs, and overall value is crucial.
Check out these considerations:
Pricing structure: Whether it’s user-based, feature-tiered, or subscription-based, understand how the platform charges. Clear insights into the pricing structure will help align it with your organisation’s needs.
Features and benefits: Evaluate what the platform offers against its price. Make sure it provides the essential features you need. Sometimes, the cheapest option may not be the most cost-effective if it lacks crucial features and top-notch customer support.
Long-term cost implications: Think ahead. Consider scalability, potential future features, and any cost changes as your organisation grows. Ensure the platform can handle your growth without unexpected expenses.
Value for money: Look beyond the price tag. Assess the overall value the platform brings. How can it impact employee engagement, communication, and organisational performance? If it aligns with your goals, it might be a smart investment, even if it seems pricier initially.
Don’t shy away from talking to platform providers. Get a clear picture of their pricing models and discuss any specific needs. By understanding the pricing intricacies, you can make an informed decision that suits your budget and provides the best value for your organisation. Don’t just go for the cheapest option, look at what returns you should expect to get back from using the platform. Just take a look at Hives, ROI calculator, showing exactly what you can save when using Hive.
8. Reviews and recommendations
Implementing an employee voice platform is a substantial investment—financially, in time, adoption, and training. To make an informed decision, tap into the experiences of other organisations that have already implemented the platforms you’re considering.
Research and read reviews from organisations that have firsthand experience with the employee voice platform you’re eyeing. Independent reviews on sites like G2 provide insights into usability, functionality, customer support, and overall impact on communication and engagement. Learning from others’ experiences helps align the platform with your organisation’s needs.
Evaluate the reputation and experience of the platform provider. Look for client testimonials, case studies, and industry recognition. Social connections, especially on platforms like LinkedIn, can offer authentic insights from HR contacts within your network.
Consider awards and industry recognition as indicators of a provider’s expertise and commitment. A reputable provider with extensive experience is more likely to understand your organisation’s needs and offer reliable support throughout and beyond the implementation process.
By researching reviews, recommendations, and the provider’s reputation, you gain valuable insights to make a well-informed decision. This diligence ensures you choose a platform well-regarded by other organisations and backed by a reputable provider.
Ready to look for your employee voice platform?
Feel equipped to start your search for the perfect employee voice platform for your organisation? Hopefully, with these considerations, you’ll be able to navigate the options confidently, align the platform with your unique needs, and empower your workforce to share their voices and contribute to a thriving workplace culture. Book a demo with Hive today to find out how we can help your organisation.
Still feel like you need further reading? Take a look through our Buyers Guide to Employee Voice Platforms, where you can take a deeper dive into what to look for, key features to consider, and valuable insights to help you make an informed decision for your organisation’s employee engagement needs.
