Discover how to streamline your onboarding process to make a lasting impact on new hires. 

As digitalization has accelerated these past few years, it’s empowered companies to take charge of their onboarding process. And in this era of the Great Resignation, securing employee loyalty from day one has never been more important. 

But this mass employee exodus doesn’t mean they’re dropping out of the workforce altogether. It means they’re looking for new jobs. So companies need to be prepared for a period of mass onboarding.

But despite all of the digital advancements in business processes, so many companies are still following the old onboarding playbook, with time-consuming, manual paperwork and impersonal orientations. 

It’s time for organizations to use new employee onboarding tools to create deliberate strategies that set the new team member up for success and boost retention.

Why Is Employee Onboarding Important?

Before we dive into why onboarding is so important, let’s start with this question: What is onboarding?

Onboarding is the period of time when an applicant accepts a job offer through their first day on the job, and as they get up and running and into the groove of their new position.

Gallup’s onboarding research discovered that it can take up to 12 months for workers to really hit their stride.

Onboarding is much more than logistics and filling out the new-hire paperwork, like tax information and picking health insurance plans. It’s a journey of a new employee becoming integrated into the company, the culture, and their role.

So, why is onboarding so important? 

The employee experience begins the moment an offer of employment is accepted and extends until the person leaves the company.

Engaging an employee as soon as they sign on the dotted line is already leading to a greater chance that they’ll stay with the company longer. In other words: you don’t have a second to waste! 

Onboarding is a critical period of time for engaging and connecting with employees so they feel like part of the team from day one. And let’s face it, numbers don’t lie. 

• 40% of workers are thinking of jumping ship and heading to another company
• And 20% of new hires quit within the first 45 days
• Today’s cost per hire is about $4,700. The higher your company’s turnover, the more you’ll spend on recruiting and hiring
• Companies that have a deliberate, formal onboarding strategy can boost retention among new hires by 50% 

What Is Employee Onboarding Software?

Employee onboarding software is a technology that streamlines the onboarding process for new hires. Think of it as a digital on-ramp. 

It automates and manages all of the routine paperwork and forms that new hires have to fill out, and often has a dashboard that helps HR track each step of the process as new hires complete each task. It also helps ensure compliance with all of the employment rules and regulations companies need to stay on top of.

But the must-have onboarding tools for new employees can do much more than simply digitize paperwork. Some are bigger platforms that span the employee lifecycle, foster communication, track productivity, offer training capabilities, and have payroll and scheduling access. Just to name a few examples of what a more robust onboarding tool can do!

Benefits Of Implementing Employee Onboarding Tools

For many companies, keeping things as they’ve always been is an easy choice. Why change how you do things when they seem to work just fine? But onboarding is a pivotal moment in the employee lifecycle, a make or break moment, and often a time when an employee figures out if this is a company they want to stick with. 

Automated Workflows

All too often, administrative teams waste valuable time manually handling the onboarding process—printing paperwork, getting papers to the right people, filing, organizing, and then searching for paperwork. Onboarding software automates all of that. Paperwork becomes digital making it easy to send, sign, and store all documents in one centralized place. 

That also means that all company policies and procedures can be stored on the same system, making it easy for workers to access on their own, especially with a mobile-first software program. 

(To learn why this is important, read more about compliance down below.)

Boosts Employee Engagement

As the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. The employee experience begins the moment they accept a job offer. From that moment on, every encounter they have with the company sets the tone and how they feel about their employer. 

A digital onboarding program makes their first experiences with their new employer easy and seamless. And on more robust onboarding programs, there is a communication component so colleagues can say hello and welcome new employees to the team.  

Why is it so important to engage from that very first moment? 

Employees who have a good onboarding are 18 times more likely to feel connected and committed to their new company.

Ensures Compliance 

Most companies are required to follow any number of state and federal regulations related to employees. And it’s during the hiring process that companies really need to pay attention and make sure they’re following all of the various requirements.

For example, companies must inform new hires of their rights as employees, like paid time off. They must provide benefit options and information. They must acquire signed tax forms and paperwork that states a person has the legal right to work in the country. 

They must share legal and policy information with new hires, and sometimes even need to get a signature on those documents. An onboarding software program can centralize all of that information to ensure a company stays in compliance with the ever-expanding rules and regulations that involve its workforce. 

Eases The Onboarding Process 

Only 12% of people feel their company does a good job of onboarding.

Creating a smoother, easier process with HR onboarding tools simplifies the process and makes it less fractured and clunky. All of the necessary documents are in one place and workers can check them off their list as they go so they can focus on learning the ropes and meeting their new colleagues. Automating this process makes it easier for HR teams too, who are often onboarding more than one person at a time.

Supports the New Nature of Work

Work has gone through a rapid evolution over the past two years beginning with the COVID-19 pandemic that changed the nature of work practically overnight. 

• More people work remotely now than ever before, and there’s no sign that they’ll go back to the office full time. 
• Frontline workers quickly became recognized (finally!) as essential workers. Companies suddenly realized that they need all of the same digital tools and access to information that desk-based workers need.

Workers are used to conducting much of their personal and professional lives online, especially on their mobile devices. They’ll happily embrace a digital onboarding process.

Faster process for Faster Time to Productivity

The onboarding process is a lot faster when it’s done through a software program. New hires can complete paperwork online and often right on their mobile devices. This means the new employee can reach their full potential faster, and become a productive, value-generating member of the team sooner. 

Frees Up HR Capacity

Onboarding is only one of the many jobs that HR teams are responsible for. But it is a time-consuming, repetitive process. By moving onboarding procedures (like paperwork, training, etc.) onto a digital platform, HR teams have more time for other jobs (like benefits administration) and also for value-add responsibilities that can benefit the company, like employee recruiting, employee engagement strategies, and managing the employee lifecycle to boost retention. 

Saves Money

Digitizing and automating any business process can save a company money, and onboarding is no different. It’s more efficient and saves time. It gets new hires up and running sooner and contributes to the company’s mission faster. And simply saving on all of that paper saves companies money (not to mention it’s more sustainable).

Better Training

Many new jobs require some sort of training for new hires, whether it’s for legal reasons (like workplace protocol training) or job-specific training. Companies have traditionally relied on inefficient training methods, like on-the-spot training if someone happens to be around to explain how to perform a certain task. But that prolongs the onboarding process and extends the period of time before an employee is fully productive. 

An onboarding tool creates a space for employers to offer training to new employees, whether it’s a handbook or a video. Employees will then also have that training information accessible on their mobile devices and can refer back to it as needed rather than relying on a coworker to help them out.

What Features Should You Look Out For?

Employee onboarding software is becoming a growing part of HR’s technology stack. But not all onboarding platforms are built the same. Here are a few of the features you should look for to get the most mileage from your onboarding tool.

Mobile-First 

80% of the world’s workforce is on the frontlines. They’re in hospitality, retail, manufacturing, construction, and healthcare. In fact, there are few industries that don’t rely on frontline workers in some capacity. Every onboarding platform should be a mobile-first solution. That means people can take care of all of their requirements right on their smartphone or other preferred mobile devices. 

And just an FYI: mobile onboarding is good for every worker, whether they’re at a desk or the frontlines. Today, more than half of global internet traffic is through mobile devices rather than any other type of technology. It’s how people prefer to connect and communicate.

Onboarding Portal

Some HR technology is general in scope. Make sure to find a platform that has a dedicated onboarding portal. Onboarding is a unique period in the employee lifecycle with very specific requirements and processes. Glassdoor found that companies with a strong onboarding process increased productivity by 70%. So why bother investing in software unless it gives you the best possible advantage?

Integration Tools

We all have different tools we like to use for different work needs. With the right onboarding software, you don’t have to drop what you’re familiar with. Rather, find software that can integrate with programs you already use.

Knowledge Transfer Management

During an employee’s time at your company (which averaged 4.3 years just before the pandemic) they collect institutional knowledge and have developed all sorts of methods to operate in the most effective and efficient ways. But when that employee leaves they risk taking all of the information with them. That wealth of information needs to be gathered and stored so new hires don’t need to start from scratch.

A solid onboarding software will have a document library where your company can keep training materials, employee-written handbooks, and even how-to videos for certain processes. Pass that knowledge down from one generation to the next. 

Pro tip: In addition to digital knowledge transfer, establish a mentorship program in your company and pair new employees with a senior member of your team to solidify institutional knowledge and forge connections.

Task Management

As you already know, there are a lot of moving parts to employee onboarding. And keeping track of which new employee has completed what form is half the battle. The main reason for digitizing the process is to make it easier. So make sure you find a software program with task management capabilities that can track and manage your onboarding to-do list for both you and your new hires. 

Templated Forms

Onboarding is a repetitive process, and there’s no need to reinvent the wheel for every new employee who walks through the door. Having digital templates for every piece of communication needed during onboarding, like offer letters, can save you time and money. But just because they’re templates doesn’t mean they’re stale and impersonal. These templates are easily customizable so each new hire receives a personalized onboarding package tailored just for them. 

Best Employee Onboarding Tools

There are a lot of options when it comes to tools for onboarding new employees. But some platforms are more robust and offer the features a company needs to reap the rewards of a strong onboarding process.

1. Beekeeper.io

Beekeeper is a mobile-first communication and productivity platform designed for the frontline workforce. While it’s an all-around operational solution with features to connect, engage, and empower frontline workers, Beekeeper includes an onboarding solution to bring new hires up to speed faster at less cost. It centralizes documents, eliminates paperwork, has customizable templates, and also gives employers a place to offer training all in one place for a seamless onboarding experience. With a commitment to helping companies maximize employee engagement, Beekeeper’s onboarding solution connects companies to their frontline workers from the moment they’re hired. 

2. Juno

Juno is an employee development platform that begins with onboarding. With a template library and customizable learning schedules, and analytics that tracks onboarding progress, Juno is designed to guide workers through onboarding and into their new roles. 

3. BambooHR

BambooHR is a people analytics platform with an onboarding component. It engages new hires with a personalized onboarding and a streamlined process that accelerates time to productivity. The company also knows the importance of workplace connections and the platform makes sure to connect people with their new teammates. (It also offers an offboarding feature to help companies gain valuable insights from outgoing employees and learn how to improve their operations.)

3. Intellihr

Intellihr is an HR software program that features an onboarding platform that includes welcome emails and streamlined workflows that ensure compliance. It also offers a check-in system and enables employee feedback to optimize the chances of success. Like Bamboohr, it also offers an offboarding feature so companies can gather feedback at the end of the employee lifecycle. 

4. Monday.com

Monday.com is work-management software that has a wider range of capabilities than other programs, including tools for CRM and marketing. While it’s a little less about the warm fuzzies of welcoming a new hire and more about the analytics, the onboarding portal has robust check-list and analytic tools to enable a swift, easy, and data-driven onboarding process. It integrates with other software programs, like Dropbox, to bring all relevant information into one place. 

5. Zenefits

Zenefits is a people operations HR tool with a focus on payroll and benefits. But it also includes well-rounded HR features, including a mobile-friendly onboarding system. Like Monday.com, the focus here is to streamline the process with strong integrations and an all-in-one platform where companies can make an offer, send acceptance letters, request background checks and new hires can access and sign documents from a computer or mobile device. It’s a nuts-and-bolts program that really focuses on the logistics of onboarding.

Tools for Onboarding: The Final Digital Frontier

These days it seems like every aspect of business operations has gone digital. But many organizations still rely on outdated, inefficient onboarding that only delays time to productivity for every new hire. 

It’s time to embrace tools for onboarding to streamline the process, reduce costs, and engage employees from the second they say yes.  

Want to cut your onboarding time in half? Learn how here. 

Fill out the form below to download our guide to crafting a successful onboarding strategy for hourly workers.

The post 6 Must-Have Tools For Onboarding Employees appeared first on Beekeeper.

As someone who has spent a considerable amount of time on both sides of the aisle, there’s one thing I know for sure.

Generally speaking, desk-based workers have way too much tech, while frontline workers don’t have nearly enough.

In my desk-based day job, I am flooded with workplace tools that would intimidate even the most diehard tech lover.

However, back in the day when I was slinging breakfast hash on the weekends, I was woefully lacking even the most basic technology in the workplace. At every restaurant I’ve ever worked at, bosses and co-workers had absolutely no reservations about blowing up my personal cell phone with text messages at all hours of the night.

They sent everything from last-minute schedule requests to announcements about new breakfast specials.

Why? Because there was no other way for us to communicate. . .

Or was there?

What Workplace Communication Is Really Like for Frontline Workers

When you’re an hourly worker, work doesn’t always stop when you’re off the clock. Schedules are haphazardly emailed to the team the night before. Imagine finding out at 11 P.M. that you have to open the restaurant at 5 A.M. the very next morning.

Desk workers enjoy endless options for workplace software that provides them with a clear bumper between their work life and their personal lives. However, many blue-collar workers are not afforded the same level of consideration when it comes to work/life balance.

This lack of an employee notification system leads to more stress, less time to organize your schedule around your job, and limited options for acquiring the information you need to do your job well.

So, if desk workers are so inundated with workplace tech that it’s actually hurting their overall productivity, and hourly workers are hurting for some kind of solution just to communicate with their manager and find out when they work, why aren’t companies building SaaS solutions for the blue-collar world? Shouldn’t there be business instant messaging software that fits the demands of frontline workers? 

What Does Business Instant Messaging Software Do?

Before we dive deeper into the benefits of enterprise instant messenger tools for frontline workers, let’s define the basics.

In a business context, instant messaging allows all employees to communicate in real time.

The main goals of using instant messaging in the workplace are to:

Unlike instant messaging for personal use, business instant messaging software fits into an internal communication strategy that encourages employees at all levels to contribute insight.

80% of the world’s workforce is made up of frontline workers. Why are these workers being ignored when it comes to workplace communication?

Enterprise Messaging Made for the Frontlines

When it comes to workplace tech, frontline workers are a historically underserved population — even though they’re highly influential in driving customer decisions.

According to a recent white paper from Google,

“73% of consumers say customer service drives their purchase decisions, and 65% find great customer service more influential than great advertising.”

Since frontline workers are clearly so valuable in driving consumer purchasing power, it’s shocking that they aren’t given the proper technology needed to communicate.

Another stat from Google’s white paper reveals,

53% of frontline workers use messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger up to six times a day for work-related reasons, but 68% of them said they’d stop if given approved instant messaging apps for corporate communication tools.

This data clearly shows that frontline workers need a way to communicate while they’re at work. When they aren’t provided with the appropriate technology to do so, they’re forced to turn to unsecure workarounds like WhatsApp for free instant messaging services.

But what should an enterprise messaging app for frontline workers look like?

Must-Haves for Frontline Business Instant Messaging Software

Frontline workers have different communication needs than their office-bound counterparts.

They need corporate business instant messaging software that is mobile, easy to use, and reliable. Bells and whistles aren’t as important as stability and dependability.

If you’re in the market for an enterprise instant messaging solution, here are a few must-have features.

Beekeeper’s instant messaging software for business is changing the way frontline employees communicate with each other. In non-desk industries, more and more companies are adopting instant messaging for business to consolidate internal communication and meet the needs of their workforce.

11 Benefits of Business Instant Messaging for Frontline Employees with Beekeeper

Instant messaging for business means more than just quick responses and streamlined communication. Enterprise instant messaging apps can be used for file sharing, company updates, and even employee recognition.

These are the top benefits of using a real-time enterprise messaging solution for your internal communication.

Real-Time Company Updates

Beekeeper uses a newsfeed so everyone in the company can easily keep up with company-wide accomplishments and other news.

Easy Login

Since many frontline workers don’t have access to a company email, it’s crucial that their enterprise messaging solutions provide a way for them to log in that is user-friendly. That’s why Beekeeper created QR code onboarding, so employers can onboard employees without an email address or even a password!

Standardize Training Procedures

With a mobile document library, frontline workers finally have access to training resources and documentation, right at their fingertips.

Better Collaboration

Perfect for the multi-tasker. Instant messenger corporate-designed apps allow for real-time, mobile collaboration between teams through group or one-on-one messaging.

Employee Bonding and Relationship Building

An enterprise instant messaging solution reinforces trust between management and frontline workers by providing transparency, prompting improvements in company culture.

Quick Responses

Instant messaging apps enterprise-wide allow management to respond quickly to employee questions and concerns. Similarly, one-on-one and group messaging lets coworkers collaborate and problem-solve together.

Organization

Enterprise instant messaging keeps all internal communications organized in one place.

Connecting Off-Site

With instant messaging apps corporate tech enables employees to initiate group messaging or one-on-one chats from anywhere, making shift changes in particular a convenient and easy process through shift app integrations like Gustaf.

Automatic Record Keeping

Instant messaging enterprise tools save chat history, keeping a chronological record of discussions in the messaging app so no communication gets lost.

Timely Notifications

With alerts and notifications, business instant messaging software ensures that employees never miss a memo, workshop, or group messaging thread.

Video Conferencing Access With Seamless Integrations

The evolution of Beekeeper 2.0 gives users access to out-of-the-box integrations that boost flexibility and allow streamlined digital workflows. With new integrations with Zapier, users can take advantage of Zoom and Hangouts video conferencing and screen sharing capabilities from within Beekeeper Chats.

5 Times Your Business Instant Messaging System Can Empower Your Frontline Employees

Are you not yet sold on the benefits of deploying enterprise messaging capabilities to your frontline workforce? Let’s take a look at everyday situations where frontline teams would be more empowered to do their best job with enterprise messaging apps and, ultimately, generate a positive impact on your business performance.

If 2020 has taught us anything, it is that the unthinkable can happen in the blink of an eye, and when it does, it is imperative to keep frontline workers up to speed on critical crisis-related information.

1.  When There’s a Crisis

While they may be tragic, let’s think about examples in which employees could benefit from access to real-time company updates and fast responses via enterprise instant messaging. Cases like:

These are very real situations, and in each one, there is a set of frontline employees that are in desperate need of quick communication from their employers on steps to proceed. This is why business instant messaging software access is a crucial component of any crisis communication plan – it gets the right message out at the right time to impacted frontline workers.

2.  When Customer Relationships Need Boosting

80% of the global workforce is made up of frontline employees who do not work at a desk. Frontline employees are essential to the success of your business because these employees are the face of your business to customers. What that means is your frontline’s ability to get rapid answers, and essential information can make or break customer relationships.

With access to an enterprise messaging system:

 And there are so many more examples.

With access to direct responses and information, employees can better collaborate with other team members to provide next-level service to customers, so they keep coming back.

3.  When Frontline Employee Engagement and Collaboration Is Low

Speaking of collaboration, employee engagement hit an all-time high of 35% but there’s still plenty of runway ahead, and some industries are struggling more than others. For example, only 25% of manufacturing employees are actively engaged, making it the least engaged sector.

Engaged frontline workers ignite a host of positive impacts on the company’s performance, such as remaining loyal to the company, increasing productivity, and improving customer service and care. But it’s difficult for an employee, particularly those that are customer-facing, to engage with their company if there isn’t a communication platform that fits their mobile-first needs.

With third-party enterprise messaging, frontline employees gain access to information that helps them do their jobs efficiently, while also opening up a communication channel that is most convenient for them when they’re on the go.

Here are a few features you can use on your enterprise messaging app to boost engagement and collaboration:

4.  When the Company’s Information and Privacy Is at Risk

Free instant messaging platforms like WhatsApp, iMessage, and Facebook Messenger may be common practice in our personal lives, but they have no place when it comes to business communication.

In particular, the usage of these applications can expose the company to less reliable privacy assurances and hurt employee productivity with disjointed business communications – which is why they should never be used.

Going back to our previous stat from the Google white paper, 53% of workers are using messaging apps like WhatsApp and Messenger, whether the company approved or not, and sometimes they use these apps up to six times a day.  

That’s six times a day that too many companies are allowing their information to be at risk because they haven’t provided their frontline employees with the appropriate tools (see also Staffbase alternative), like an enterprise messaging service, to get their work done. But, the good news is that it’s easy enough to fix.

Harvard Business Review suggests adopting tools your employees are already using is a best practice in implementing instant messaging for businesses. With Beekeeper’s enterprise messaging, you can ensure your company’s information is safe, secure, and scalable as your employee base grows.

5.  When Overall Communication Needs a Refresh

With the majority of employees being deskless, it’s no surprise organizations are looking at new, innovative ways to communicate with their frontlines. Industries ramping up their spending on technology for frontline employees are doing so to keep employees productive and boost their overall employee experience, while also doubling down on cost savings.

In our world of technology, everything is expected to be instantaneous – from locating important information while working directly with a customer to communicating with your team members when you need a shift covered. Companies need to be able to keep up with the communication needs of both their workforce and customers. At the same time, companies should be mindful of work/life balance for frontline workers, which is oftentimes ignored.

If you’re considering a communication refresh by implementing an enterprise messaging app for frontline workers, consider these best practice tips:

6.  BONUS: When You Want to Stay Ahead of the Game

Each of the first five situations is something all organizations will face at one time or another. They are also five situations that are preventable when you empower your frontline workforce with an enterprise messaging and communication system that works for them.

Tips for Choosing Enterprise Messaging Tools

Ready to take advantage of the benefits of implementing instant messaging for business software to your frontline workforce? Here are some next steps:

These are the top benefits of using a real-time enterprise messaging solution for your internal communication:

Establish Your Goals

If your goal for adopting an enterprise messaging tool is simply to improve communication, it might be time to get more specific. Some potential goals might be:

• Empower and give a voice to employees who aren’t being heard/appreciated
• Allow remote teams to check in with managers more regularly
• Give customer-facing employees a way to quickly relay feedback to supervisors

Research Your Options

Now that you’ve got goals, it will be easier to narrow down your choices and match them up with your specific needs.

Researching features is a start, but paying special attention to customer testimonials and case studies will give you a better idea of whether your business will be a good fit. 

Identify Your Champions

Before a company-wide rollout of your employee app, identify employees across all levels to test it out. This way, they can give feedback on their experience and you can adjust your strategy accordingly.

Pro tip: Make an action item checklist your champions need to complete when testing the app. For example, ask them to create a group message stream, try out screen sharing features, attempt to make schedule changes, etc.

Finally, remember that adoption and engagement do not stop at the launch but are part of an ongoing effort that requires everyone’s participation. 

Beekeeper’s Business Instant Messaging Software

A useful internal communication tool engages and seamlessly connects workers across locations, languages, and departments. Instant messaging for business solves issues of forgotten memos, muddled walkie-talkies, and tedious automated phone menus. 

Beekeeper cleans up and organizes company communications while retaining the simple and collaborative nature of texting we all know and love. This is why it is the best business instant messaging software available, and you can start your 14-day free trial today.

Need help navigating the frontline worker technology landscape? Download our 2022 Trends Report below.

Most Frequently Asked Questions

The post Business Instant Messaging Software Transforms and Empowers on the Frontline appeared first on Beekeeper.

Want to know what enterprise social networking software looks like in practice? Download a free demo of Beekeeper and get an introduction to the platform.

We’ll be looking at what enterprise social networking means and how it benefits a large workforce. Along the way, we’ll explore some of the potential pitfalls of ESN and what to look for when choosing the right platform.

What Is Enterprise Social Networking Software?

Let’s start with the basic definition of enterprise social networking (ESN) software.

Enterprise social networking software is a tool or set of tools that help employees in large organizations stay connected.

Unlike public-facing networks like Lindkedin, Facebook and Twitter. ESN provides a private connection for employees within an organization.

ESN allows large numbers of employees and multiple teams to communicate in one place. That requires ESN to be multi-functional and incorporate:

• Direct messaging
• Company and team-wide announcements
• Project management features
• Notifications and status updates
• Topic threads
• Comment/feedback functions  

The main goals of enterprise social networking software are: 

• Maximize productivity
• Improve communication 
• Promote collaboration

What Kind of Companies Benefit From Enterprise Social Networking Software?

All enterprise-level companies would benefit from ESN software, right?

That may be true, but there are some instances where ESN software is essential, including companies that: 

1. Have employees spread across different locations
2. Employ frontline or remote workers
3. Have gone through a merger

For companies that are spread across different locations, it can be difficult to maintain a sense of company culture when employees are not based in one office. The same can be said for frontline or remote workers, who are often on the go.

ESN software helps maintain a sense of company culture and encourages cross-team collaboration independent of location. 

Companies that have gone through a merger likely have to reconcile the legacy of different company cultures and styles of communication. ESN software can make the process more smooth by offering a centralized platform where all employees collaborate.

3 Benefits of Enterprise Social Networking Software

One misconception about social networking software is that they are not “real” tools for work and offer more opportunity for distraction than productivity.

That couldn’t be further from the truth. In many ways, ESN software outperforms traditional tools like email in improving workplace communication. 

Here’s how:

1. Make the Most of Workforce Expertise

In one of the most convincing  enterprise social networking case studies, Harvard Business Review set out to find the performance value of social tools for work.

They split employees at a financial services into two groups: one that used a social platform and one that didn’t. 

Employees who used the social platform were 31% more likely to seek out and find colleagues with expertise that helped them meet job goals. And those employees were 88% more likely to identify who could put them in touch with the right experts.

While this study was done on a small sample size, the results are promising. ESN software makes it easier for employees to connect with colleagues so that solving problems draws from a wider net of expertise.

2. Build a Culture of Collaboration

In the workplace, collaboration involves working together towards a common purpose. Building a culture of collaboration means giving employees the tools to communicate openly and form meaningful connections over time.

ESN software with real-time communication capabilities fosters a collaborative work environment that:

• Prioritizes ownership and accountability
• Encourages cross-team communication
• Promotes transparency by knowledge sharing

When ESN software gives employees more access to the knowledge and skill sets of their colleagues, they can collaborate to solve problems faster. 

3. Connect Remote and Frontline Teams

For companies that employ frontline workers, collaboration can be a challenge, as employees who work on-site are physically distant from corporate HQ. As a result, frontline employees can have less opportunities to give and receive feedback.

By centralizing collaboration using ESN software, teams can work together regardless of where they’re located. Frontline workers can communicate more often with managers to give status updates and feedback. Managers can check in with their team and use feedback to improve work conditions and operations. 

Pro tip: Look for ESN tools designed for your industry. Beekeeper, for example, is a mobile app with ESN capabilities designed specifically with frontline workers in mind.

Enterprise Social Networking Software Vs. Social Internet and Intranets

There are distinctions between ESN software, the social internet and intranets, and anyone considering the best platform for their digital workspace needs to be aware of what those are.

Let’s start with the one most of us are more familiar with: the social internet. 

Social internet networks enable the general public to share information and communicate with one another. Think: Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

 An intranet restricts access to employees within an organization. When intranets were first being developed, they were web-based platforms used for communicating in a top-down manner. Nowadays, intranets are private networks that usually have social features like sharing and commenting on posts.

For large organizations, ESN software is becoming more common and replacing traditional intranets. That’s because ESN software puts more emphasis on collaboration than top-down communication and includes more features that allow for team messaging and project management.

Problems and Challenges in Enterprise Social Networks (And How to Overcome Them)

Companies often seek out ESN because there is some kind of communication gap or problem within their organization. Maybe they have a distributed workforce that has a hard time staying connected. Or, maybe communication via email has caused one too many oversights and mistakes.

Although implementing ESN software has its benefits, it isn’t without pitfalls either. Here are three to look out for:

1. Not Looking at the Big Picture

Using ESN software exclusively as a communication tool can mean that you’re missing out on other ways it can fit into your operations strategy.

ESN tools are often equipped to allow for task management, document sharing, and gathering feedback. It can be a centralized platform that brings together all aspects of collaboration, not just sending messages.

This requires a shift in thinking from the “social” aspect of ESN software to its business value. Employees will get the most out of ESN software when it’s integrated into their workflow.

2. Choosing the Wrong Tools

Earlier we talked about the difference between ESN software and social platforms for the general public. Many companies use platforms that blur the line between both. But using social platforms as business communication tools isn’t a good idea and here’s why:

• Lack of guaranteed data privacy
• Communication and information silos 

Take WhatsApp, for example. WhatsApp is a popular communication tool that’s simply not built for business use. It doesn’t provide an adequate level of data protection, limits the number of users for each group, and doesn’t organize communication threads.

And yet, many workers continue to use social platforms like WhatsApp for work purposes. A recent study found that 53% of global frontline workers use messaging apps up to six times daily and 16% said HR wasn’t even aware of such usage.

In many cases, workers resort to these tools because their workplace doesn’t provide them any alternative. But electing platforms designed specifically for enterprise-level collaboration  is well worth it if companies want to maintain secure, transparent and productive communication. 

3. Overlooking Integrations

The ESN software you choose might not have all the features you need. It might become one of several communication tools available to employees.

But asking employees to switch between different communication tools might not be the most effective solution. Not only does it make collaboration less easily accessible, it can also cause more confusion and miscommunication.

The solution? Choose ESN software that can become a centralized communication platform with integrations.

Integrations allow you to merge different applications with your main platform to give it a customized set of capabilities. On Beekeeper, for example, the Marketplace allows frontline organizations to choose applications that suit their needs. That includes Beekeeper’s own apps for shift schedules, forms, and document libraries, as well as popular outside apps like Slack.

Creating a centralized platform for all communication needs, including enterprise social networking, makes it more accessible and less confusing for employees.

Enterprise Social Networking Software Comparison

With all the options currently available for ESN software, it can be challenging to choose the right one for your business. You might be considering factors like:

• Main gaps and needs in your current communication strategy
• Non-negotiable must-haves like multilingual capabilities or accessibility without email
• Real-life examples of similar companies who have used that tool successfully

To get your search started, here is an enterprise social networking software comparison between some of the most popular platforms:

Clarizen

Clarizen has options for organizations of different sizes, including Clarizen One, which is designed for large enterprises. Some of its most notable features include:

• Enterprise-grade security
• Configurable workflow automation
• End-to-end dashboards
• Mobile optimization

Who it’s best for: Clarizen is a good option for large organizations that employ project managers, IT departments, and professional services employees.

Flock

With Flock, teams can create “channels” that organize projects and discussions to help avoid information overwhelm. Its features include: 

• Built-in video conferencing and screen sharing 
• File sharing 
• End-to-end project management
• Popular tool integrations

Who it’s best for: Flock is best suited for companies that employ desk-based teams in areas like sales, marketing, engineering, and human resources. 

Beekeeper

As a mobile-first employee communication platform designed for frontline employees, Beekeeper has powerful ESN capabilities. Its features include:

• Banking-standard security
• Robust integrations marketplace
• Centralized content sharing and planning
• Data analytics, polls and surveys 

Who it’s best for: Companies that employ frontline workers will find that Beekeeper solves their specific operational challenges and drives employee engagement.

The Value of Enterprise Social Networking Software

A recent study on enterprise social networks found that “while both the perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment of enterprise social networks impact employees’ intentions for continuous participation, the utilitarian value significantly outpaces its hedonic value.”

In other words, using enterprise social networks is enjoyable for employees. That enjoyment makes them want to keep using ESN. But the practical value of ESN is greater than the value of employee enjoyment.

When done right, enterprise social networks are an important asset to an organization because they allow employees to communicate and collaborate in one, centralized platform.

Want to dip your toes into ESN software? Download a free demo of Beekeeper. You’ll receive an account to explore free of charge or obligation.

The post How to Harness the Power of Enterprise Social Networking Software in the Workplace appeared first on Beekeeper.

Managing a frontline workforce comes with its own set of challenges. Learn more about what trends will shape the future of frontline work in our Trends Report.

In 2020, many enterprises were in crisis mode, trying to maintain business continuity while ensuring the health and safety of their workers. As businesses continue to navigate the new normal, goals will shift towards boosting efficiency and increasing output while recovering from the impact of the pandemic.

Here are the five trends that will shape how enterprises rethink their strategies for 2021.  

1. Current Business Trends: Building Flexibility into the Business Model

Remote work became the new normal for many employees during the pandemic. But even as businesses reopen and social distancing orders are lifted, it’s unlikely that we’ll see all employees return to the office. One-third of companies anticipate that at least half of their workforce will continue working remotely post-pandemic.

The shift towards remote work is one of the current business trends that has prompted companies to become more flexible. 

72% say that they offer flexible hours and scheduling and nearly half say that they’ve implemented flexible policies around how work is done.

While there may have been a stigma around remote work that it hampers productivity, the pandemic has shown the opposite to be true. 94% of the 800 employers Mercer surveyed said that productivity stayed the same or increased over the course of the pandemic. Now that employers have experienced how successful remote workers can be, more flexible work policies will likely become the norm.

What about frontline workers, who do not and will not work in an office or from home? Mercer’s Lauren Mason says that “focusing only on remote working potentially disenfranchises this critical segment of a workforce.” 

Companies that employ frontline workers will have to become more flexible in their work policies, too. Frontline workers have been traditionally underserved when it comes to digital communication. During the pandemic, frontline industries have had to find digital tools to keep their employees informed. To maintain frontline worker safety, updating the company bulletin board just isn’t an option anymore.

In 2021, we won’t just see more companies offer flexible work-from-home policies for office-bound employees. We’ll also see frontline industries lean into digital tools in order to offer a more flexible way of accessing information to their employees. 

2. Organizational Trends: Cross-Collaboration & Partnerships

Most enterprises have had to adjust their business model significantly to adapt to the pandemic. That adjustment is proving to be a permanent change across all industries. 76% of leaders are saying that current business models will be unrecognizable in the next 5 years. 

As 2020 nears an end, business leaders have a chance to reflect on what makes an organization resilient. 94% of Fortune 1000 companies say they experienced supply chain disruptions during the pandemic. Of those companies, the most resilient ones have changed their business models to include more collaborative partnerships to minimize supply chain disruption.

One example is Tractor Supply Co., which partnered with the delivery service company Roadie back in early April to offer same-day delivery to its 1,863 locations. They also announced that they would be hiring to fill more than 5,000 full and part-time roles with a pay raise for hourly team members.

While partnerships between different companies and even industries have been key to minimizing disruption, internal collaboration is one of the organizational trends that will carry over into 2021.

Online collaboration tools have become indispensable for frontline workers during COVID-19, allowing companies to relay critical health and safety protocols. Moving forward, one of the trends management leaders will likely embrace is integrating these tools into more aspects of a company’s internal communication strategy.

3. Current Trends in Management: More Safety Training and Protections for Frontline Workers

While COVID-19 has put employee safety at the forefront of company priorities, the percentage of workers who are satisfied with the safety conditions at their workplace has decreased. 

65% of U.S. workers report being satisfied, down from 74% a year ago. One of the groups least satisfied with workplace safety are lower-income workers, who are more likely to hold blue-collar jobs.

While many white-collar workers will be shifting to remote work in 2021, blue-collar workers will still be continuing to work outside the home and have a higher chance of being exposed to health and safety risks. Companies that employ blue-collar and frontline workers will have to introduce new tools and strategies to boost employee safety and satisfaction.

Strengthening mobile communication is a big part of the equation when it comes to improving workplace safety for frontline workers. Having an effective mobile communication platform means that:

• Employees get instant access to information, including up-to-date safety protocol
• Workers can report unsafe work conditions and give feedback on how workplace safety can be improved
• Training new hires during the onboarding process can be done virtually, minimizing unnecessary exposure
• Companies can create courses on workplace safety training to give workers more skills in dealing with potential risks

Empowering frontline workers through digital enablement is one of the current trends in enterprise management. One industry where this transformation is changing workplace safety is food manufacturing and distribution. Wholesaler Bix Produce has been using Beekeeper to train their employees on the proper protocols for safety precautions like entering the building, using masks, and applying sanitizer.

4. Management Trends: A Holistic Approach to Experience Improvement

We often hear about improving the customer experience and the employee experience as two separate initiatives. But in 2021, we’ll see more companies embrace a holistic approach to improving the overall experience for users, customers, and employees.

During COVID-19, safety became the number one priority for both the customers and employees. Most companies that deliver goods or service to customers had to significantly change the customer experience to maintain social distancing guidelines in physical spaces.

The pandemic has not only changed the customer and employee experience but made it clear just how interconnected the two are. A successful customer experience requires a successful employee experience and vice versa. While social distancing policies may ease in 2021, we’ll likely see companies take a more holistic approach to improving the overall experience, from onboarding a new hire to delivering value for a repeat customer.

Improving the employee experience is already one of the top priorities for business leaders in 2020. A HR sentiment survey from Future Workplace found that half of the leaders they surveyed said that employee experience ranked as their number one initiative. 

In 2021, one of the management trends we’ll see is the effort to improve the employee experience to increase workplace productivity.

5. Trends Management Leaders Will Focus On: Digital Transformation

It’s safe to say that COVID-19 disrupted daily operations for enterprise-level businesses. But how did enterprise leaders respond to those disruptions? What issues stood out as the most critical? That’s what venture capital firm NEA sought to answer when they analyzed Q1 transcripts from 60 enterprises across a variety of verticals.

The list of common themes might not be surprising, but it does give us insight into where enterprises might be heading in 2021:

It’s clear that enterprise leaders are prioritizing digital transformation in the form of collaboration, communication, and engagement in order to move towards a hybrid workforce.

During the pandemic, business continuity has depended on how well enterprises can use digital tools to connect their employees. While companies may have adopted new tools as a form of crisis communication, there’s no doubt that a centralized, digital platform can offer long-term benefits. 

The pandemic has pushed digital collaboration from the nice-to-have to the must-have category. Companies that may have used collaboration software as a temporary fix may need to integrate it into their internal communication strategy.

Download our Frontline Trends Report below for more insight on the fundamental changes that are transforming frontline work.

The post 5 Enterprise Trends that Will Change How We Do Business in 2021 appeared first on Beekeeper.

Learn how to connect with your entire workforce with our ultimate internal communications toolkit.

What Is Communication and Why It Is Important?

Business communication is at the core of everything we do in the workplace. It’s how we interact with colleagues and customers to meet business objectives.

Before digging into the details, let’s review the essentials: What is communication and why it is important?

What Is Communication?

The Business Dictionary defines communication as:

“Two-way process of reaching mutual understanding, in which participants not only exchange (encode-decode) information, news, ideas, and feelings but also create and share meaning. In general, communication is a means of connecting people or places.”

It defines communication in business as:

“The sharing of information between people within an enterprise that is performed for the commercial benefit of the organization. In addition, business communication can also refer to how a company shares information to promote its product or services to potential consumers.”

In the workplace, communication exchanges include:

• Face-to-face interactions
• Written communications, like memos and posters
• Digital channels, like email and instant message
• Business communication apps, like Beekeeper

What Is The Communication Process in Business?

So, what is the communication process in business? Here are the eight common steps for any communication exchange.

1.     Sender: The sender is the individual that sends a message, initiating the process of communication.

2.     Message: The message is the information generated by the sender to the receiver.

3.     Encoding: The stage of encoding is selecting the symbols or words within the message. The intended message can be either verbal, written, or non-verbal (i.e., body language).

4.     Channel: The channel, or medium, is how you will distribute the encoded message. If the message is written, will it be delivered on paper or through digital verticals?

5.     Receiver: The sender’s message reaches the intended receiver.

6.     Decoding:  The stage of decoding is where the receiver converts and interprets the message.

7.     Feedback: Once the message has reached the receiver and the receiver has decoded its contents, the receiver can reply. This is the feedback loop that signals to the sender that their message was received and understood.

8.     Noise: Noise is any interference with the message that could interrupt the successful communication exchange between the sender and receiver.

What Are The 6 Types of Communication Problems Effective Business Communication Can Solve?

Every business grapples with communication challenges. In fact, some of the largest organizations in the world, like Nike, Starbucks, and Wells Fargo, have suffered significant business communication failures that we should all learn from.

Let’s look at what are the 6 types of communication problems effective business communication can help solve.

1. Failing to Empower Employees With Information

Employee empowerment is a critical workplace practice that many businesses still lack.

When companies don’t empower their workforce with the information they need to do their jobs effectively, their workforce suffers from:

• Decreasing morale and motivation
• Low job performance and quality of work
• Unhappiness in the workplace, which leads to high turnover

A recent Harvard Business Review report found:

• 87% of respondents thought their business would be more successful when frontline employees are empowered to make decisions
• 72% saw an increase in productivity by empowering frontline workers

2. Using A Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up Communication Structure

Traditional top-down communication can occasionally hit roadblocks, especially when the message isn’t communicated through the right channel.

For example, a frontline worker in an automotive factory that doesn’t have a company email address missed the CEO’s company-wide email discussing performance progress. The progress that employees helped achieve.

Additionally, top-down communication puts the responsibility solely on the supervisor to communicate critical information. This could result in information not being relayed to the frontline employees of the company. 

3. Neglecting Established Feedback Channels

Everyone wants to have their voice heard, right? Which is why it’s imperative for businesses to give employees the opportunity to speak up.

When employees feel empowered to provide suggestions, they feel valued.

Also, businesses that neglect to seek out feedback from their employees miss the mark to better understand where they can improve.

4. Not Striking The Right Communication Balance

You may have heard of office employees complaining about information overload. This is usually because some groups have too many communication channels, and it can be a lot to keep up with.

Other cohorts like frontline employees oftentimes don’t have access to enough information. 

These employees are sometimes not included in important updates or rely on static communication channels, like break room bulletin boards and posters.

Selecting a centralized communication channel that meets the needs of your entire workforce is key. 

5. Forgetting About Inclusivity

Did you know that 90% of organizations struggle with language barriers in their day-to-day work?

Globalization has made the world smaller (in a good way), and with it, companies are building multicultural workforces that communicate in various languages.

But when it comes to company communications and information, businesses have typically gone one of two ways:

1. Hiring translators and individually translating messages, which takes time and money
2. Leaving out employees who speak a different language altogether

Neither of these approaches is sustainable for the long-term health of the business. Many companies that want to reach all their employees all the time are using business communication apps equipped with inline translations.

6. Using The Wrong Tool

With all the communication tools at our fingertips, it’s difficult to know which one is best. In our experience, companies that don’t account for all of their employee groups often adopt the wrong tools.

For example, static company intranets may be useful for office employees, but they’re hard to engage with on the mobile devices most frontline employees use. A deep reliance on company email for business communication leaves out employees who don’t have an assigned email address.

The Importance of Communication Through Business Communication Apps

The importance of communication through the right channel should be at the forefront of every company executive’s mind.

For the frontline, mobile business communication apps are often the most effective way to reach their teams.

A recent CareerBuilder survey found:

• 80% of workers keep a smartphone in view throughout the workday
• 2 out of 3 workers acknowledge that they use it at least several times throughout the day

5 Benefits of Mobile Business Communication Apps

In addition to solving common business challenges, mobile communication apps also deliver real business benefits. Here are just a few.

1. Boost Employee Engagement and Retention

According to a long-running Gallup poll on employee engagement, only 35% of employees feel engaged in their job.

Building relationships with your team through business communication apps can significantly impact employee engagement because it’s visible and accessible to everyone, no matter where they work. 

When your staff feels more consistently connected and included employee engagement increases. This creates a positive ripple effect throughout the company.

Employee satisfaction affects your core business areas that impact success such as:

• Morale
• Retention
• Productivity
• The bottom line

The best way to motivate your team and keep employees engaged is to embrace improving your business’s communication side.

2. Real-Time Messaging with Data Security

Some messages are time-sensitive and need to reach every employee quickly. In industries with a majority of frontline workers, that creates an internal communications hurdle. 

With a mobile employee app, your business communication is front and center with real-time information for your entire staff.

For example, in a retail environment, a frontline team can message a purchasing manager when certain items need to be reordered. The purchasing manager receives the message on their mobile device, communicates with the storage warehouse, and can quickly place the order.

Digitizing the exchange of information means that decisions can be made faster because direct collaboration saves time.

3. Build an Energized and Cohesive Team

The right business communication tools not only create a dialogue between the C-Suite and their staff, it also facilitates peer-to-peer communication.

Creating a lateral network unifies an otherwise disconnected workforce. A unified workforce means a more efficient, productive team.

Fairmont, Raffles, and Swissôtel have 50,000 employees across 120 properties worldwide. With Beekeeper as their business communication tool, they’ve connected a dispersed mobile workforce to management and to one another.

Having consistent, real-time communication has created camaraderie and built strong teams who are all working towards the same goal. Employees can create posts and ‘like’ or comment on a colleague’s post throughout their shift to:

• Stay updated on important information
• Communicate with each other
• Be better informed about any workplace events, changes, and activities

4. Give Frontline Workers a Voice with an Employee Feedback Tool

Providing employees with an ongoing opportunity to share their experiences and thoughts on the workplace is vital for successful business communication.

A two-way dialogue, rather than solely top-down communication, goes a long way in strengthening employee engagement by building trust.

With a team app or business communication software, management can create surveys to keep their pulse on employee satisfaction. More regularly, sharing this invaluable feedback encourages employees to express where a company is doing well, and where there’s room for improvement.

When employees feel heard and valued, they become more invested stakeholders in the company.

5. Empower Brand Representatives

As the primary point of contact with your customers, frontline teams are your brand representatives.

How they perform and the experience they provide for customers is directly linked to the information and resources they receive. When the employee experience is suffering, employees feel disconnected and uninformed.

At best, lack of communication and information can lead to “I don’t know” responses. At worst, this can negatively affect the service they provide as a result.

A business communication app can address this issue by empowering employees with the resources and knowledge they need to best perform their jobs.

A digital tool allows for crucial information about company history, mission, and any philanthropy work, for instance, to be shared in real-time. 

Looping in your workforce consistently builds pride in your employees, and that pride translates into better service and customer interactions. 

Methods of Communication in Business: Best Practices

There are plenty of business challenges companies face. But there are also plenty of solutions.

Here are some of our best-practice methods of communication in business that can help your business avoid those major challenges.

Have A Solid Internal Communication Strategy In Place

Implementing an effective internal communication strategy is vital for any company.

An internal communication strategy ensures your company communicates the right message to the right people through the most effective channel.

Build an effective internal communication strategy by:

• Selecting the right tools for your business
• Keeping employee engagement and community at the forefront
• Developing an enterprise-wide communication strategy that includes all employee groups

Pro tip: Most companies experience higher employee engagement, lower turnover, improved safety and productivity, and an overall increase in satisfaction with a well-planned internal communication strategy.

Provide Communication Training

Education and training are essential in improving job performance.

With communication training, businesses can encourage:

• Better verbal, written, and listening communication skills
• Adoption of a unified corporate narrative
• Building trust and more authentic relationships in the workplace
• Giving open and honest feedback

Communication training can benefit employees across all levels of the organization. With the right training:

• Frontline workers can better collaborate
• Managers can create an environment of open dialogue with their employees
• Customer-facing employees can provide more meaningful customer interactions in their day-to-day
• Executive leaders can bring everyone together under a common purpose and mission

Adopt A Mobile Business Communication App

83% of global frontline workers are untethered to a corporate email system, resulting in significant workforce communication gaps.

For industries with large mobile workforces (think manufacturing, hospitality, and retail), the task of researching and adopting an effective internal communication solution can seem daunting. However, a business communication app is a mobile, highly-scalable way to quickly connect an entire company across departments and locations.

With a business communication app, employees don’t have to find messaging workarounds that could compromise your data security. A mobile app also brings the digital workplace directly to your frontline workers to streamline communication within a company of any size.

Ready to get your business communication strategy in place? Get started with “The Ultimate Internal Communications Toolkit” today!

The post How to Master the Art of Business Communication: A Complete Guide appeared first on Beekeeper.

Communication skills definition: the ability to convey information clearly and effectively.

Looking to improve communication skills in the workplace? Download our eBook to learn how to create an internal communication strategy for your business.

We could be pitching an idea about a new project or pitching ourselves to a hiring manager. We could be updating the team about a conference we attended or updating a colleague on our progress. The audience, content, and context may vary. But one thing is for certain: we use communication skills every day. 

Often we hear about good communication skills. But “good” isn’t always clear enough. It’s not helpful to think about having “good” communication skills because it implies a black and white distinction: You either have good communication skills or you don’t. 

The truth is that everyone has a toolbox. And everyone’s toolbox has some communication skills. That means they can get more tools if they want to. There’s a reason why they’re called skills and not abilities.

Important communication skills in the workplace include:

1. Listening

What it looks like: You’re paying full attention to the person speaking to you. If a notification pops up, you ignore it. If you’re in a meeting, you’re not secretly checking email. You think about questions, comments, ideas you can contribute once the speaker has finished.

Why it matters: We all know how discouraging it is to feel like we’re not being heard. Active listening shows respect to the speaker and gives the listener a chance to reflect on their own opinions.

2. Adaptability

What it looks like: You probably don’t talk to a boss the same way you talk to a colleague, right? Being adaptable means changing your delivery based on the person you’re talking to. It means knowing how to deliver the message and thinking about which delivery would best suit the recipient. Do you need to email? Set up a call? Send a quick message?

Why it matters: If you’re always communicating via one channel and using one tone of voice, you risk alienating your audience. What if your colleague hates talking on the phone and you insist on surprising them with a call every time you have a question? They’re probably not going to appreciate you for it.

3. Giving and Receiving Feedback Well

What it looks like: We all know the sting of unwanted critical feedback with no explanation of how to do better. Giving good feedback involves starting with something positive and offering clear tips on what and how to improve. Receiving feedback means acknowledging the speaker for taking the time to give you feedback and explaining what changes you’re going to make.

Why it matters: If you’re not giving feedback well, you risk distancing or even offending the recipient, making them less likely to listen to what may be useful suggestions. If you don’t receive feedback well, you risk making the speaker think that you don’t want or appreciate what they’re saying. Either way, giving and receiving feedback well encourages more open communication. 

4. Empathy

What it looks like: Empathy gives us the ability to acknowledge and share the emotions of those around us. In the workplace, it means making an active effort to understand where your colleague is coming from by listening without judgment. If your colleague vents about a frustrating situation, you make them feel like they’re being heard, which can often diffuse the situation entirely. Or at least open the discussion for constructive ways to deal with it.

Why it matters: Having and showing empathy is the key to developing open communication in the workplace. To put it simply, empathy shows that you care. For teams working remotely, empathy is a particularly important skill to have. Without face-to-face interaction, managers and team members have to make an intentional effort to show that they care through regular check-ins. 

Why Managers Must Have Effective Communication Skills

Managers are essentially doing double duty: they have to have good communication skills themselves and be able to improve the communication skills of their team.

What happens when a manager’s toolbox of communication skills is limited? 

• They struggle to get the trust of their team
• Their team members aren’t comfortable going to them for feedback or questions

Managers who have developed a wider range of communication skills will:

• Adapt to the diverse communication styles of each individual on their team
• Promote a collaborative atmosphere
• Be able to convey the company vision to the team, even if that team is distributed
• Help employees understand their role and the “why” behind it
• Motivate employees who might fall behind or experience struggles
• Break down language and cultural barriers and help company culture feel more inclusive

As you can see, a large part of what makes a good manager comes down to effective communication skills. 

What managers need to know about how to improve communication skills:

1. Use the Right Tools

Whether you’re managing remote blue collar workers or desk-bound employees, you need to choose your tools carefully if you want to create an environment for good communication skills to develop.

If a company doesn’t use any digital tools and relies solely on paper documentation, it’s going to have a hard time keeping everyone on the same page.

On the other hand, if a company is using five different apps to manage time, expenses, and communication, they’ll give employees a headache. 

Some questions to consider when choosing tools to create a digital workplace:

• Is the tool mobile friendly? If employees are always at their desks, working on their computers, this might not be as critical. But if you’re in the hotel industry, for example, a mobile tool would allow an employee to instantly access information for any guest at any location. Those in construction would be able to find important safety protocol documentation on-site.
• Does the tool allow you to engage with your team? This could be in the form of surveys that you can send out to employees to get their views on the latest product release. Or it could simply be a messaging capability that lets you connect directly with one or more employees. 
• Will the tool be easy to implement? You definitely don’t want to give employees more work in adapting to a new piece of software. Tools should help make their lives easier, not harder. Test out new tools to see if they’re intuitive to use. 
• Look for customization capabilities. You might find a tool that fits your needs like a glove and you won’t want to change a thing. At first. But eventually, you’ll probably want to customize it to include another app that solves one specific problem. 

Looking for an app that has all of these features? Try Beekeeper. 

2. Offer Frequent and Timely Feedback

Don’t be the manager who only gives feedback during the quarterly performance reviews. This can be hard with a distributed workforce or remote team because you don’t have the opportunity to see your team face-to-face as often.

But there are tools out there that let you stay connected with your team even if you have never met. With a mobile app like Beekeeper, for example, you can send messages to your employees no matter where they’re located. You can also create surveys to get feedback on anything from their thoughts on a specific project to their job satisfaction.

3. Ask Questions to Spot Potential Conflicts Before They Escalate

Most workplace conflicts start as miscommunication that could have been resolved in their early stages. But they can be hard to catch early on, especially if your team doesn’t always tell you what’s going on.

One of the most important interpersonal communication skills when it comes to resolving conflict is the ability to ask the right questions. You could do this in person, or you could consider using surveys that relieve the pressure that often comes with having difficult conversations IRL. 

Questions like:

• Is there anything you would have done differently on a recent project?
• Have you ever held back your own thoughts because you didn’t want to upset the team dynamic?
• Do you feel like you can express your opinions freely?

These can reveal red flags for when there is some tension between employees or between one employee and the project they’re working on.

4. Build Authentic Relationships with Your Team

We’re not saying you have to be best friends with your employees.

Authentic relationships between managers and employees are based on mutual trust and open-mindedness. Effective communication skills build bridges between managers and employees, creating the foundation of great company culture.

One of the biggest barriers to authentic relationships in the workplace is hierarchy. When communication between management and employees is minimal, that hierarchy becomes more apparent. If, on the other hand, managers stay in touch with employees, and employees feel like they can reach out to managers, it creates a bottom-up culture. 

By using Beekeeper and other mobile tools, companies can build authentic relationships based on the trust that comes with frequent communication.

5. Empower Employees

Sometimes, if you want to know how to improve communication skills, you have to look for phrases you don’t want to hear as much.

Like: “Let me ask my manager.”

We’ve all heard it before. Maybe we’ve said it before.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with the phrase. It could just mean we have a question we genuinely don’t know the answer to. We could be new to the company or have come across an unfamiliar situation.

It’s when “let me ask my manager” becomes a habit, a part of company culture, that it can be problematic.

If employees default to asking their manager whenever they aren’t sure about something, that doesn’t only slow down getting the answer to that question. It makes employees feel less empowered that they can search for answers and make their own decision.

If, on the other hand, a company makes its documentation available on an app, employees feel empowered to get answers and resolve situations much faster.

Best Practices If You Want to Improve Communication Skills in the Workplace

1. Make It a Habit

In his book, “The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business,” Charles Duhigg defines a system that underlies all of our habits:

Cue -> Routine -> Reward

He argues that you can re-shape any habit by identifying the routine, isolating the cue, and experimenting with the reward.

Let’s say a frontline employee has an idea about how to improve worker safety on a construction site. She sends an email to her manager, who is in an office far away from the building site. Her manager thanks her for her suggestions, which makes her feel like she made a difference. That manager brings up her suggestion in a board meeting, but it takes months for it to make any real impact on worker safety.

The cue in this situation is the frontline employee noticing that worker safety could be improved. The routine is sending an email to her manager. The reward is receiving a thank you for her effort.

What if the manager didn’t thank the employee for her suggestion. What if the manager encouraged her to start a conversation on the company app about improving worker safety?

She isn’t getting the immediate reward of a thank you from her manager. But if she brings up the issue in an app like Beekeeper, she can start a conversation that involves her colleagues. Other people might have valuable suggestions on how to improve worker safety. And because more people are involved, there is greater accountability for doing something about it.

If employees make it a habit to openly discuss issues they see, it’s going to improve communication skills throughout the company. 

2. Consider Context

Being sensitive to context is one of the most important factors in what makes someone a good communicator.

Context could affect anything from timing to tone to the tool you use to deliver your message.

Most of us do this intuitively in our personal lives. We don’t bring up the current rate of divorce at a wedding.  

But in the workplace, context blindness often happens without anyone noticing. This is especially true when it comes to new technology, which is often geared towards white collar, desk-bound employees.

Many companies that employ frontline workers experience a disconnect between workers out on job sites and in-office management. To bridge that gap, you need a communication system that’s appropriate for the day-to-day lives of frontline employees.

Apps like Beekeeper have features that are designed with frontline employees in mind. Managers can send updates, coordinate shift schedules, and implement mobile training programs.

Improving communication skills often starts with improving context first: finding the tool that solves practical problems.

3. Make Written Communication a Priority

COVID-19 has ushered in remote work as the new normal, meaning that a lot of us rely on written communication more than ever.

But written communication has its pitfalls. Without the nuances of facial expressions and tone of voice, it’s easy for your message to get lost on screen. Choosing a period instead of an exclamation point can make sound annoyed. Writing a clear and specific project request can get the ball rolling, while vague wording stalls out in the form of endless back-and-forth.

Here are some tips for improving communication skills in writing:

• Write how you speak

If you find yourself talking about “intrinsically fostering client-focused products” and “efficiently cultivating multifunctional quality vectors,” it’s time to take a step back.

Don’t end up sounding like the Corporate B.S. Generator. Biz speak does not make you sound smarter. Nor does it help you get your point across.

When you’re talking, you’re probably using simple words and keeping your tone/word choice casual. That’s how you should be writing, too.

If you’re worried that you can’t write like you speak because you’re bad at grammar, try downloading the Grammarly extension to correct you as you write.

• Think like an editor

When we’re talking, we tend to front-load our speech with intros, tangents, and qualifiers. That’s because we’re usually figuring out the point as we’re talking. And qualifiers like “I think” or “In my opinion” can be useful for conveying the fact that you’re not a know-it-all.

But how often have you started reading a message carefully only to skim the rest of it? We’ve all been there. That’s why it’s best to start with your main point first, even if you think it needs an explanation. If you find yourself getting to the point in the last sentence of your email, try moving that sentence to the beginning. Try the BLUF (bottom line up front) method if you need more concrete info on how to put this into practice. 

• Embrace the tl;dr

Tl;dr (too long; didn’t read) shouldn’t just be thought of as a lazy person’s cop-out to reading long text.

The truth is that we all benefit from a little summary when we’ve finished a long message or article. And for those of us who need a little convincing before we start reading something long, it gives a preview and sets us up to pay attention to the most important points.

As an added bonus, it forces the writer to summarize their own ideas. If they can’t do a tl;dr, are they clear on what they’re talking about? Maybe not.

4. When in Doubt, Over-Communicate

When we’re the ones communicating, it’s easy to assume that our audience is paying full attention, absorbing every word exactly as we intended it.

But that’s far from the truth.

We miss things. We forget. We get confused. We get distracted.

And even if we are listening, we don’t all have access to the same information. Nor do we bring the same experiences and knowledge to meet the information we’re given.

On the flip side, when we don’t have enough information, we naturally try to fill in the blanks. We make up our own reasoning. If someone isn’t responding to our messages at work, we might wonder if we did anything to upset them. They might just be busy or feel no need to respond.

On a company-wide scale, employees as individuals have their own agendas. It takes a manager or leader to convey an agenda or company values – not once, but repeatedly – to keep everyone moving in the right direction.

Bottom line: a lot gets lost in translation. 

Over-communicating has several benefits: 

• Reinforces important messages
• Prevents misunderstandings
• Keeps priorities top of mind
• Minimizes distractions and surprises

One caveat: Over-communicating doesn’t mean oversharing. You’re not looking to overwhelm someone with every possible detail that might be relevant.

That’s why a company app like Beekeeper can be so useful. Managers and employees can over-communicate using the chat feature with short, frequent updates and check-ins.

During a crisis situation, over-communicating becomes vital. If a company only communicates with its employees during a crisis, it can signal that the company is reacting to the crisis rather than being in control. Employees who are used to frequent communication will be better equipped in a crisis.

Even if there is no crisis at hand, over-communicating a company’s vision and goals only reinforces the culture it’s trying to create. What is company culture if not a repetition of the values and ideas it sets out to uphold? Over-communication is what takes company culture off the whiteboard and into the daily life of employees.

Key Takeaways

Faced with how to improve communication skills, it can be hard to know where to start.

A lot of advice out there is too vague to be actionable.

But there are a few concrete things you can do as a manager and employee to develop effective communication skills.

Managers should start by using the right tools to offer frequent feedback and be proactive about asking questions to spot conflicts early. They need to focus on building authentic relationships with their team and empowering employees to communicate with confidence.

For managers and employees, there are some best practices that will help develop communication skills continuously. One is to make it a habit so it happens automatically. Another is to keep the context in mind, prioritize written communication (particularly as remote work becomes more common), and when in doubt: over-communicate.

Ready to take the next step and improve interpersonal communication at your company? Download our eBook on how to craft a winning internal communications strategy.

The post How to Improve Communication Skills in the Workplace: A Complete Guide appeared first on Beekeeper.

Do you have a BYOD policy in place for your business? Click here to download our free template.

Why Mobile Communication for Business?

Mobile communication has the capability to include every employee for a more robust, well-informed business model. Instead of being out of the loop, both desk-based employees and the mobile workforce can stay in constant communication thanks to wireless networks and mobile platforms.

Traditional forms of business communication, like bulletin boards and snail mail, are finally becoming relics of the past. Today, mobile-first digital communication platforms are becoming mainstream. 

Why?

First, more than 80% of the world’s workforce is mobile, frontline workers whose jobs don’t require a desk, computer, or email. Second, the nature of desk-based jobs is changing at warp speed right now.

As the world creeps towards a recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, companies have reassessed their people operations. Before the crisis ended, companies began opting to allow employees to work remotely indefinitely, and some are even giving up their office spaces.

How Can Mobile Communication Be Used in a Business Setting?

If there’s one word to describe how people communicate around the world it’s mobile. More than five billion people use some kind of mobile device for communicating with each other and for accessing the internet. In the United States alone, people spend an average of three-and-a-half hours every day on their device. 

Mobile communication is a natural progression for businesses, too.

Companies can use these numbers to their advantage by adopting mobile-first software to support their workforce. Today, many companies are making the switch from desk-based operational software to cloud-based mobile networks designed to include and support frontline employees.

Here are seven ways mobile communication can benefit a company.

1. Organizational Alignment

When a company forms, they set out a clear mission statement. The key to achieving desired business objectives and securing a market share is to get every staff member aligned to the task at hand. Leaders can use a mobile communication tool to unite their workforce through:

• Value alignment: Leaders should establish a set of core values that every employee agrees to as a member of the organization. These create the ethical guidelines that dictate how an organization should work towards goals.

• Cultural alignment: A strong, high-performing culture unifies a workforce through policies that emphasize the employee experience, like employee recognition programs.
• Objective alignment: Mobile communication is a portal for disseminating information, both unique and automated, to ensure everyone is aligned on company goals and objectives.

A mobile communication tool facilitates this multi-tier alignment by:

• Including every employee in the communication network so everyone has the same information
• Creating a channel for two-way communication to get feedback and insight from teams on the frontlines
• Solidifying the manager-worker relationship which 50% of employees say builds trust

2. Improved Efficiency

Mobile solutions can improve efficiency in a variety of ways, but it is especially helpful to mobile workers who spend their time on the sales floor, a job site or simply working remotely. 

Mobile solutions increase operational efficiency by:

• Cutting down the need for face-to-face meetings which are often unnecessary and mismanaged
• Creating increased opportunities for management to communicate with staff
• Eliminating data silos for a free flow of information accessible to all workers
• Enabling real-time messaging for faster alignment and decision making. Workers can send and receive communication between colleagues no matter where they are

3. Better Organization

Mobile communication can be used to improve the organization by offering secure file sharing on the go, document collaboration, and many different apps and software that allow employees to access company info anytime. 

There are also many additional options, like features that track customers and sales, and project management capabilities that organize tasks and who they are assigned to.

Workers are also suffering from app and information fatigue, burdened by the overwhelming amount of paperwork and software tools it takes to get to the information they need. A mobile collaboration tool creates one hub for integrated systems to consolidate data, documents, and information.

4. Deeper Employee Engagement

Gallup has found that despite the global pandemic, overall employee engagement continues to rise. In fact, at 38%, workforce engagement is higher than it’s been in two decades.

This rise in employee engagement is increasing as companies are forced to make flexible arrangements so their teams can work off-site due to social distancing requirements. The right mobile communication solution can support this new normal in business and strengthen employee engagement by keeping everyone connected no matter where they’re working

Unlike its predecessors, many mobile communication tools can provide leaders with deep analytics to gauge the wellbeing of their workforce, find weak spots within their management sphere, and make data-driven decisions to increase engagement. 

5. Increased Productivity

There are several ways mobile communication can increase productivity, including many of the reasons listed above. An additional benefit of mobile communication is improved productivity for a mobile workforce that doesn’t work in a cubicle.

With mobile solutions, managers can capture the wisdom of their operations staff and apply it to an entire division or department. The employees in the action are most intimate with the challenges their company faces. An enterprise messaging app allows management to capture this valuable intelligence.

6. Mobile Communication Facilitates Greater Collaboration

Collaboration is what can push a company ahead of its competitors. Creating a workplace that is built on a diversity of ideas from every level drives innovation.

Computer-based workforce software has its limits. Primarily, it’s only accessible to desk-based workers. But mobile communication extends that reach to teams who are mobile or remote, particularly customer-facing workers who can provide their colleagues with valuable insight into how their products or services are being received. 

The benefits of mobile devices in business and enterprise-wide collaboration capabilities include: 

• Employees from different departments and at different levels have a space to work together which increases productivity
• Increased collaboration drives innovation which can increase a company’s value proposition
• The more minds that are involved leads to faster, more creative problem solving
• Better cross-functional team alignment

Again, as we’re seeing now, companies have had to take collaboration from conference rooms to the cloud in recent months. Mobile communication makes this a seamless transition for companies.

7. Greater Autonomy and Empowered Workers

A mobile communication tool at the tip of their fingertips gives workers a greater sense of belonging within the company. It also empowers them with features that allow them to be more autonomous. 

A few examples include:

• They have the power to initiate communication through a flattened hierarchy. 
• They can manage their own schedules. 
• They have the power to provide feedback through surveys and messaging that can benefit the company.
• They have access to professional development opportunities over their mobile devices.

While there are many benefits to mobile communication, it’s important to keep in mind that there is always a security risk when using it. That’s why it is so crucial to choose business-specific, secure, qualified platforms, and systems.  

The right mobile solutions will only help your business by allowing your company to take advantage of all the benefits of mobile-first communication for your company and your workforce.

Do you have a BYOD policy in place for your business? Fill out the form below to download our free template.

Most Frequently Asked Questions

The post Top 7 Reasons to Embrace Mobile Communication in Your Company appeared first on Beekeeper.

Find out why data security is a must when you’re looking for an internal communications platform.

With benefits that appeal to both management and employees, technology at work has become an essential component for companies who want to stay competitive. For example, companies who actively cultivate digital workplaces have reported up to a 30% reduction in occupancy costs.

But Wait, What’s a Digital Workplace?

We’re so glad you asked. Essentially, a digital workplace is a network of connected workplace technologies to create one, amazing, collaborative environment for employees online. 

Over the past decade, technology in the workplace has rapidly evolved. It’s become an essential part of running a business in any industry. Workplace tech can:

• Break down information silos and create a portal for all internal data and communication
• Increase operational efficiency
• Keep a company culturally relevant 
• Deliver more precise and accurate data to help leaders make refined, strategic decisions
• Connect and align an entire organization
• Facilitate collaboration among dispersed teams and increase innovation and productivity

Who Needs a Digital Workplace?

Any business with remote workers, frontline employees, multiple locations, or any other impediment to every employee being together in the same place at the same time every day needs a digital workplace. 

Digital workplace technologies are unfettered by the constraints of the physical world. They allow employees to come together, share ideas, and bond with each other just as well (sometimes even better) than if they shared a cubicle. 

To make the most of workforce management, it’s important to stay on top of the latest trends and new advances in computer technology in business. Here are five emerging workplace technologies to watch as you develop your digital workplace.

1. The Cloud: Where the Digital Workplace Lives

What exactly is “the Cloud?” Cloud computing involves access and storage of information over the internet instead of traditional local storage (on your computer’s hard drive, for example). Chances are that most of the technology you rely on today, from photo storage on your mobile device to the systems you use for work, is utilizing the Cloud.

Because of the ubiquitous nature of the Cloud, many employees end up using their own data and devices daily in both their personal and professional lives. Using personal Cloud storage for work-related information poses serious security risks. 

Pro tip: Elevate your data security by aligning organizational systems in the Cloud rather than hard data drives.

2. Workforce Solutions with Digital Security in Mind

Digital security has never been more important than it is today. By 2021, cyber attacks will cost the global economy an astounding $6 trillion. That’s double what it was just five years ago and this number is expected to climb every year.

That’s why it’s so important to choose secure systems when implementing new communication technology in business.

In the new GDPR regulation landscape, companies should encourage employees to use secure messaging apps to communicate.

3. Smart Virtual Assistants: New Communication Technology in Business

Virtual assistants aren’t just for executives and upper workforce management. Many employees also turn to virtual assistant company apps to increase their own productivity. In fact, Gartner predicts that by 2021, 25% of the digital workplace will incorporate digital assistants.

Virtual assistants, or VAs, can enhance a digital work environment by:

• Answering questions in real-time 
• Handling operational logistics, like scheduling meetings
• Using machine-learning algorithms to compile data and enhance their own capabilities

These apps can organize your schedule, automate repetitive daily tasks, and more. There’s even AI in the works that will be able to anticipate your needs to help you be more efficient.

4. New Technology in the Workplace Includes Immersive Team Apps

Video conferencing with co-workers was once an exciting development for the digital workplace, but companies now use virtual reality in more inventive ways, particularly in the manufacturing industry.

PriceWaterhouseCoopers found that. . . 

Don’t be surprised if you see this kind of technology showing up in a team app within your digital workplace. Workplace VR can create immersive on-the-job training opportunities, teaching employees new skills to help advance their careers.

Pro tip: Incorporate innovative workplace technology that can increase productivity and engagement for every employee.

5. The Importance of Secure Group Messaging Systems

Offering employees a full suite of digital communication tools is essential for a well-run digital workplace that enables a variety of channels of secure messaging.

Technology in the workplace, through an internal communications platform like Beekeeper, can:

• Enable real-time communication
• Keep all of your employees connected through a variety of organizational and operational communication features, from group chats to 1:1 messaging
• Facilitate collaboration between employees anywhere in the world, at any time

It can be difficult to keep up with technology, but doing so will transform your business. From employee productivity to IT security, your business can’t grow without utilizing these new technologies.

Finding the right solution that encompasses several of these technologies at once, like the Beekeeper company app, is the fastest and easiest way to ensure your organization stays ahead of the curve.

What will digital transformation for the frontline look like? Download our Frontline Worker Technology Report to find out.

Most Frequently Asked Questions

The post Technology in the Workplace: 5 Tools to Transform Your Business appeared first on Beekeeper.

As hotels begin to recover from the deep impacts of the pandemic, they’ll have to contend with the labor shortages that previously ravaged the hospitality industry. Recruiting, training, and retaining top talent will be more important than ever.

Your frontline hotel employees are the face of your hospitality brand. They make the first impression on a guest and leave a lasting memory as your customer walks out the door. Having a rockstar frontline hotel team is absolutely essential to ensure a five-star guest experience.

So how exactly do you build a motivated, enthusiastic, and highly productive frontline workforce in your hotel?

Optimize Your Hotel Operations with Beekeeper Collaboration Software

So you’ve decided to scale up your internal communications with Beekeeper (great decision btw). But where should you start? How can you make sure that your investment pays off and your team loves their new digital workplace?

At this point you probably have lots of questions. How long will this take? Will my team really use it? How do you even set goals for employee engagement? What’s the meaning of life?

Ok, so we may not be able to help with that last one. But for any and all non-existential life questions, and especially ones about employee communication, we’ve got you covered.

Convincing The Beekeeper Non-Believer

This is NOT our first rodeo. We’ve helped hotels all over the world roll out Beekeeper, and we’ve come to know and love that one non-believer in the room.

Maybe it’s a maintenance worker who “doesn’t do all that technology.” Or perhaps it’s a night manager who thinks this is just a glorified social media platform. Or maybe it’s a soft-spoken housekeeper who might be worried that her English isn’t good enough to communicate well with her co-workers on the app. (BTW, that’s why we have an inline translation feature).

Our Customer Success Team is highly experienced at converting a Beekeeper non-believer. Once they see what it’s like to work a shift with Beekeeper in their back pocket, they’ll never want to go back.

When we rolled it out to our team, people were openly skeptical. They said, ‘It’s gonna eat my data. I don’t want social media. I don’t want Facebook.’ But now all of a sudden they have a platform to market their department. I couldn’t be happier. I think it was a genius move. We were all a bit nervous about the roll out, but with Beekeeper’s support it all came together. I can tell that everyone is communicating more openly now.

– Tommi Krell, Director of Corporate Communications, West Star Aviation

We know you have lots of questions. But fear not. We’ve created a comprehensive, step-by-step Beekeeper onboarding packet, exclusively for hotels.

In this hotel onboarding packet, you’ll find:

• The ultimate roll out checklist
• A Hotel Content Plan (with content ideas just for the hospitality industry)
• The latest strategies and trends to help you optimize your hotel operations

Beekeeper Has the Highest Adoption Rates in the Industry

Beekeeper’s operational communications platform has an average adoption rate of 90%. That’s six times higher than the industry average of only 15%. Here’s why Beekeeper customers are so successful.

1) Comprehensive Onboarding Support

For companies who are eager to jump start their employee engagement program, we offer Premium Onboarding Support and the option to include an implementation workshop. In these workshops, our Customer Success Team will work with your team on-site to get them up and running with the Beekeeper app and answer any questions they might have.

For our self-service customers, we offer resources galore to ensure your roll out is just as smooth. In addition to this comprehensive onboarding packet, self-service customers also have unlimited access to our Beekeeper academy, Help Center, and access to customer support should they have any questions!

2) Internal Communications Consultation

Our fearless Customer Success Team is really more like an army of experienced, knowledgeable internal communications consultants. For customers with a dedicated Customer Success Manager, they have a partner who will help them plan, execute, and optimize the best possible internal communications strategy for their team.

Your CSM has templates, plans, checklists, and years of experience helping businesses just like yours improve their daily operations and boost employee engagement.

3) Custom Quarterly Business Reviews

After onboarding, what’s next? Once your hotel team is up and running with Beekeeper, we’ll help you measure your team’s engagement and set business goals during regular QBR sessions. During our customers’ QBRs, we review the highlights of the quarter, celebrate wins, and identify opportunities for growth.

Our Customer Success Managers are a talented team of product, strategy, and technical experts ready to guide you through the process of launching an internal communication strategy that will revolutionize the employee experience for your team.

Don’t take our word for it. Hear real hotel employees explain why they love using Beekeeper!

Download our complete Beekeeper Onboarding Packet for Hotels to kickstart your digital workplace initiative and start seeing results.

Most Frequently Asked Questions

The post How to Roll Out Beekeeper’s Collaboration Software to Your Hotel Team Like a Pro appeared first on Beekeeper.

How did this happen? Experts believe that malware was secretly downloaded onto Android devices when users attempted to download certain apps such as WhatsApp. Instead of downloading the app, the user was actually downloading dangerous malware, leaving their mobile device completely exposed.

This latest malware attack is just the latest in a string of security snafus associated with the consumer chat app, WhatsApp.

Here’s what you need to know about this latest security threat. 

What Is “Agent Smith?”

Agent Smith is a new type of particularly toxic malware that secretly replaces popular apps like WhatsApp on people’s phone without their knowledge. The new version of the fake apps then display a slew of ads right there on a user’s phone. 

The malware works by exploiting existing weakness in Android operating systems. 

India was hit hardest by these Agent Smith attacks, though there were also a considerable number of victims throughout Australia, the UK, and the US. 

So far, the goal of the attack appears to have been centered around serving up ads on Android users’ mobile devices, although some security experts have warned that this malware could easily be used for more malicious intent like stealing someone’s banking information or even spying on unsuspecting users through their camera or microphones. 

WhatsApp — A Breeding Ground for Scammers

The ubiquity of WhatsApp has also made it the ideal place for scammers to locate potential victims. Just days before the Agent Smith attacks made headlines, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) released a new crime advisory of a scam involving the hacking of WhatsApp accounts.

According to the police, the scam would begin with a target receiving a WhatsApp message (from a registered number on the victim’s contact list, whose account has already been hacked) asking for a six-digit verification code sent to the victim’s phone.

Once someone falls for the trap and sends the verification code, the victim completely loses control of their WhatsApp account!

A Secure Internal Communication Solution Is More Important than Ever

Consumer chat apps like WhatsApp are practically crawling with spammers, scammers, and hackers. Yet businesses still use these platforms to share sensitive internal business data every single day. 

In light of the recent GDPR regulations, it’s absolutely essential to ensure that your frontline employees are using a compliant, secure messaging platform. Otherwise, your business could be vulnerable to outside attacks.  

Beekeeper — The Secure Operational Communication Platform

Don’t waste time trying to track down communication software that complies with new data privacy laws. Beekeeper is already GDPR-compliant! We offer a secure communication platform that protects employee and sensitive business data. We believe in our customers’ right to privacy and will stop at nothing to ensure the security of our users’ personal data.

To do this, we built a top-notch team to make sure that our software offers enterprise-grade data security for our customers. With a virtual private cloud, multi-layer tenant data segregation, and full data encryption, you can rest easy knowing that your business data is safe and secure with the Beekeeper employee app.

To learn more about why consumer-grade apps could threaten your business data, download our Security and Support checklist.

Most Frequently Asked Questions

The post WhatsApp Security Concerns: Now Riskier Than Ever As It Reaches New Heights appeared first on Beekeeper.