Using Envolve to evolve employee management
By Nicol Myburgh, Head: CRS Technologies HCM Business Unit
It is already an over-used expression, but remote working or the hybrid business model is now a reality for many industries and sectors. Truth be told, it has thrown many companies off guard.
But this trend, the direct result of the pandemic, definitely shed light on the benefits of technology, if used strategically. It proved that the right solution, in the right place, at the right time can do wonders to strengthen key areas of the business – human resources for instance.
Let me share an example. We decided to focus attention on employee engagement and implemented Envolve, a cloud-based employee engagement tool that is based on the SCARF (Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness and Fairness) methodology.
Envolve tells employees exactly what outcomes they are expected to achieve, and enables them to report back on their progress. The solution enables live tracking of all metrics and shows each employee exactly what they have contributed towards achieving goals. Employees can also use Envolve to nominate their colleagues in recognition of their achievements.
Envolve software does much more than just drive our employee engagement. The underlying goal is to drive productivity through engagement, clarity around expectations, and transparent, live reporting on daily/weekly/monthly outcomes.
And we have achieved this. All our employees are connected via Microsoft Teams, with each department conducting daily online stand-up meetings and communicating throughout the day.
Additionally, our biggest department – software development – frequently play online games with one another after work, which is not only a great way to socialise while working remotely, but has further strengthened the dynamic of this close-knit team.
Employee well-being
Some employees struggle with the isolation that remote working brings. To provide support to our employees regarding their psychological well-being, we have engaged with the South African employee health and wellness provider, the Independent Counselling and Advisory Services or ICAS, which has helped with counselling and guidance in this regard.
Dealing with loadshedding
Of course, loadshedding is a problem, but we have resolved this by ensuring that all staff have backup power systems. If this is insufficient for some reason, we have a hot desk principal at the office which means anyone can work from the office whenever necessary.
In the current South African market, with companies having to balance hybrid working with economic realities, it is imperative to have Envolve, Microsoft Teams and a backup power system.