A new two-way employee communication and engagement system is launched today by software company Accrosoft. Called Accrosoft Connect, it enables all employees, including directors and other stakeholders such as remote workers and contractors, to have full visibility at all times of appropriate company information from any device and also, crucially, to engage with the organisation. It facilitates teamwork, knowledge, collaboration and communication, strengthens interpersonal work relationships and improves professional performance, all in a secure and private environment which can be accessed from anywhere - the software is device-independent and will work on Apple, Android or Microsoft devices including Android or Apple smartphones.
The software helps to solve the problem that many organisations have in communicating and engaging effectively with their employees, including onboarding, which is becoming imperative in the more team-based model of working that companies are now starting to adopt, as well as being vital for effective employee performance, retention and everyday communication including at times of crisis. Accrosoft Connect provides an integrated solution within a private and secure social network and is intuitive to navigate, which enhances the effective participation of all employees. The product combines many communications solutions on a single platform and allows managers to provide appropriate, personalised and comprehensive information for new recruits, even prior to joining, and subsequently throughout the candidate’s career and journey through the organisation, and obtain feedback.
Jay Staniforth, Marketing Director, Accrosoft, said, “For many organisations, internal employee communication is poor. Without some form of comprehensive internal communication product, they tend to rely on ad-hoc emails or perhaps postings on an internal intranet and the cascading of information through the management team which does not always happen effectively - or even at all. “
He continued, “For organisations in sectors such as retail, hospitality and care who have a geographically distributed workforce, staff communication is particularly problematical, as the majority of these employees do not have a corporate e-mail address. Most people have mobile phones, however, so will be able to access company information via their phones through a single app quickly and easily - almost 66% of the UK population now has a smartphone. * No other solution that we are aware of offers the range of communication features from a single platform accessed via a computer or smartphone . “
Using Accrosoft Connect, managers, employees, contractors, suppliers, partners, shareholders and clients can interact via calendars, work groups, private messages, photos and videos, feeds, training activities and assessments. Accrosoft Connect is aimed at any organisation which needs to communicate with their employees, from small businesses to large corporations. Easy to use, it allows filtered a targeted communication to individuals and groups. Having all the information from a range of communications tools visible on a single platform means that relevant information can be communicated to a much wider selection of people and is less likely to be lost through receiving information through multiple sources or not being provided at all, and access to the information is made considerably easier and quicker, meaning that employees are much more likely to engage with it.
Features include:-
- 2-way communication via texts, emails and push notifications
- Employee Portal
- Multi-role functionality
- Mobile App
- Calendar
- Integration with 0ther Tools – Connect can link into an organisation’s IT systems to allow users to access information held centrally and, for example into social media including the company’s Facebook page and SMS systems, Twitter, Office 365 and Google.
- Inclusive SMS Messages
- Digital Resource Library
- Interactive Forms
- HR and MIS Integration
- Personal Customisation
The system can be used:-
- To manage a large-scale product rollout, such as Vacancy Filler Enterprise software, to devolve documents, training materials, manage training events and gather feedback
- To engage new starters on an organisation familiarisation or induction programme after they have accepted a new role. This could be initiated before the employee physically starts with their new employer and can continue thereafter
For wider employee engagement and communications including to :-
- Allow employees to know what’s happening at the office from wherever they are
- Encourage more efficient use of ‘dead’ time during commutes
- Enable staff to work remotely efficiently
- Facilitate group conversations and instant communication
- Fully enable and control appropriate and ensure all staff receive the same information – or the information that is relevant to them
- Empower employees to quickly access all the information they need about products and services and to collaborate, including during a crisis
According to the 2017 Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends report,1
“As organizations shift to a networked, team-based structure, the employee experience becomes both more important and more complex…only 14 percent of companies believe their internal processes for collaboration and decision making are working well, and 77 percent believe email is no longer a viable tool for effective communication…
Employees expect not only a better-designed experience but new models of delivery. In a world where employees can manage much of their lives on a handful of smartphone apps, they expect every element of their employee experience, from work to development to rewards, to be accessible and easy to use on their mobile devices… All segments of the workforce—candidates, full-time, part-time, freelancers, gig employees, and even, often, alumni—will expect elements of the employee experience to be designed to attract and engage them.”
A company that is already trialling Accrosoft Connect is Reel Cinema, a chain of cinemas based in Loughborough. The cinema’s directors were aware that communication between management at their various cinema locations could be improved. There was disjointedness not only in the way that the sites were managed, but also in the way that important information was filtered through the business, including company notices, customer feedback and also training materials.
Kilash Suri, Managing Director, Reel Cinema, said, “Accrosoft Connect presented the opportunity to create a complete, end-to-end communication process where location became irrelevant in the management of company communications and staff engagement; not only this, but planning and sharing pictures and information around company social events was much simpler, engaging and including every staff member – this has really helped to promote a happy and ‘included’ company culture, which is exactly what the cinema is trying to achieve.”
Sources
*https://www.statista.com/statistics/270888/smartphone-penetration-in-the-united-kingdom-uk/
12017 Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends report(https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/pages/human-capital/articles/introduction-human-capital-trends.html)