Software solutions are ubiquitous in any workplace, but the constant concern is always: Will workers adopt it?
Aside from payroll solutions which, let’s face it, have to be adopted no matter where opinions might be, most software solutions solve precise business problems from an employer perspective, so time and consideration needs to be applied to make sure the solution is as easy and user-friendly as possible in order to gain favor with your intended target users and justify the investment.
Still, most solutions deployed focus on making management more efficient which means your target user is usually local management (a more receptive audience – usually). Exempt salaried managers are keener to take on new initiatives, especially as they work closer to their field directors. Local management is also only a subset of your frontline population making the rollout and adoption question slightly easier if only because this focused group is a smaller target. That and it’s a lot easier to connect with them through email etc to inform and educate them on the why & how of a new platform introduction.
So, what about technology deployments that are intended to be in the hands of 100% of your frontline workforce?
The adoption challenge gets exponentially larger when you are faced with trying to gain adoption from every worker in the organization: You think it’s a great solution, but will your hourlies think so? And if you do mostly employ hourly workers then you are faced with a further complication of trying to connect and attain buy-in from a segment of your population where you typically have no connection since they often do not have email nor any direct HQ connection — in fact, that is one of the problems our customers are trying to solve with WorkJam.
By definition, adopted software should simplify task completion, improve productivity, and deliver ROI. So how do you ensure that?
Generally speaking, you need to internally market and support your rollout — you will need frontline champions. At WorkJam we call them WorkJam Warriors. These adoption leaders identified to be enthusiastic early-adopters that encourage others and serve as a go-to resource should any questions arise. It could be local management or well-regarded associates. They can also advise and support rollout campaigns that resonate with your target users. At Shell for example, as their deployments are localized to each country, they look for local events they can tie into to drive engagement, compliance, and adoption. In India they set a challenge around store pride and saw a massive spike in adoption over the 2 weeks leading a local holiday – engagement numbers were exceedingly high. Bottom line: there is always lots of value in asking the question “what is important to your team” when looking for these opportunities.
It also helps to deploy a platform that is not just one-sided. One that does not only benefit corporate but delivers a solution that solves employee problems (or benefits them directly in some way) as well as serving operational, learning, or HR needs.
From a WorkJam perspective, we make it easy to drive adoption.
- Are you interested in flawless task execution? Offer ExpressPay.
- Do you want to improve communications? Offer schedule view or ESS.
- Would you like to improve course completion rates? Offer rewards and incentives.
- Want better health & safety results? Offer open shift bidding.
- Do you want to improve survey participation? Rewards and incentives work here too.
- Do you want to improve your relationship with the workforce? Offer employees a communication channel of their own, so they can talk a location or company level.
You get the point. Whether you are a Fortune 500 retailer like Ulta Beauty or Woolworths, a global brand like Avis or Shell, or even mid-sized businesses like Chatime or the Atlanta Hawks, there are many ways to deliver the proverbial win-win with real concrete results. See more here.
