The rapid increase in remote working puts greater importance on the tech tools used to manage communication, employee benefits, payroll, recognition and engagement. Time-pressed recruitment professionals are looking at ways to channel this growing dependency on technology, with an all-in-one workforce management app topping the wish list. CEO of HIVE360 David McCormack, takes a look.
The workplace and working practices have undergone 18-months of disruption, but as the new normal begins to stabilise, ensuring candidates and workers are happy, feel supported and less likely to leave, is essential to ensure business continuity, productivity and sustainability.
Adding value
An embedded employee/candidate engagement strategy that looks after people and payroll by harnessing mobile technology and a digital-first strategy, will support the creation of a highly engaged and productive workforce, a positive working environment, and strong workplace culture.
A robust, relevant employee engagement strategy should span onboarding and career progression, reward and recognition policies, training and development, employee benefits, and work:life balance initiatives like flexible working, financial/mental health and wellbeing support.
In support, HIVE360 has developed a unique employee digital health and wellbeing app, Engage.
Provided at zero cost and as standard with our outsourced payroll and employment administration solution for recruitment businesses, Engage gives employees and temporary workers access to a range of health and wellbeing benefits and services:
- 24/7, confidential access to mental health support, counsellors and GPs
- personal doctor, support helpline and care support
- gym memberships, high-street, lifestyle, dining and insurance discounts, digital payslips
- real-time workplace pension dashboard to support employees’ financial wellbeing
- access to an online training platform.
Many of the UK’s leading temporary worker recruitment agencies work with HIVE360 to provide vital welfare support and transparency of pay, including Rocket Software, with whom we have a unique strategic partnership.
User numbers of Engage have continued to rise over the last 12-months to around 200,000 sessions every month.
Benefits boost retention
The key features of a wellbeing strategy are:
- Mental and physical health support
Employers have a duty of care to ensure their workers are healthy. The stress of the last 18-months is beginning to take its toll, with presenteeism, ‘technostress’ and burnout on the rise. Recent user data for Engage shows a 70% increase in demand for GP support.
- Gym memberships and lifestyle discounts
With 70% of adults in England wanting to become fitter and healthier*, benefits that make this easy and affordable top the list of perks accessed via Engage. Employers can help encourage healthier lifestyles and facilitate a better work / life experience for their employees by offering gym memberships, health advice and resources, along with retail and other lifestyle benefits.
- Flexible working opportunitiesÂ
COVID-19 marked a new era for remote working, and proved workers can be just as productive at home as in the office. Businesses are adapting, offering a hybrid way of working, and including flexible working opportunities in your benefits and rewards solutions will be relevant and something existing and prospective employees may expect.
- Workforce training and developmentÂ
Employee training is an integral part of a benefits strategy. It can open up new experiences for workers, make them feel valued, and increase overall productivity. The more extensive and accessible training opportunities are, the more likely they’ll be to improve the effectiveness of a company’s employee rewards programme.
- Rewards and recognitionÂ
Employee recognition has a huge impact on staff wellbeing, job satisfaction and loyalty. Whether this be an e-card recognition system to say thank you to employees, or a monetary reward to show appreciation for a department’s good work, acknowledgement of employee accomplishments shows a company and its management team cares about and values its workers and their efforts.
HIVE360 is an outsourced payroll and benefits expert, working across all sectors, including recruitment businesses and agents, and is governed by the GLAA. It is an expert in PAYE payroll, wellbeing and benefits provision, and is championing a new model of employment administration and redefining employment and pension administration processing.
Visit: www.hive360.com  and HIVE360 Skills Academy | Apprenticeship Support
*Seven in 10 adults are motivated to get healthier in 2021 due to COVID-19
