Clearing Up HR Problems Using Digital Signage

May 13, 2016 by guest author, Kenneth Brinkmann

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Guest Post: Debbie DeWitt, Visix

A good Human Resources team is indispensable to the smooth running of a company or organization. Companies today are investing more in their HR departments1. They are often the interface between management and staff, and can make the difference in having an engaged workforce that knows what’s expected and wants to be there.

Debbie DeWitt

Debbie DeWitt

Digital signage is a powerful tool that centralizes internal communications for maximum impact and results. If your company doesn’t already have a digital signage deployment, maybe looking at the benefits to HR can convince them.

It’s the “H” in HR that matters most – the word “people” continues to be the No. 1 term for HR professionals, though this year the word “engagement” jumped from 11th to 5th place. And an engaged workforce is happier and more productive.

HR departments worldwide are increasing their use of technology to engage and retain their workers. Employees today are consumers of information in almost every aspect of their lives – and on the job is no different.

Let’s look at some of the challenges facing HR in today’s workplace, and how digital signage can help.

Retention

This is always a focus of HR – retaining good employees. Market competitiveness is increasing, and replacement hires are time consuming and expensive. Getting your people to stay creates continuity and stability, and saves the organization money in the long run.

Fostering a cooperative corporate culture is key to creating satisfied workers in the 21st century. This is especially true with the new generation now entering the workforce. They want to feel like they are part of what is happening and that they have a say in where the company is going.

Some of the top reasons people leave a job include:

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Work Culture

Make sure everyone is on the same page by displaying messages that disseminate your organization’s mission statement, vision statement and values. Let them know what your company stands for, and what’s important to them. They need to see the big picture and know where their place in that is. Transparency is important to modern workers, and keeping everyone in the loop can reduce water cooler gossip and speculation, making sure everyone is one the same page and on track.

Micromanaging

Employees who constantly have someone on them about this or that tiny detail disengage – they feel no ownership in their job and disconnect from the corporate culture. Managers can use digital signage to step back, delegating things like reminders and deadlines to the displays. Employees still get the message, but feel like they got it on their own.

Relationships

Employees might not know much about one another, which creates distance and can lead to distrust. Digital signage can be used to share information about other cultures in a transnational or global company – things like holidays or fun facts about where people are from are perfect for sharing. Finding out what people like to do outside of work can also foster a sense of togetherness.

If it turns out that 30 percent of your team enjoys cooking or food festivals, you could display recipes, advertise local foodie events, promote an internal cooking contest, etc. If your company has a branch in, say, Quebec, display French words with pronunciation and fun facts about the province your company is located in.

Professional Development

Training is important to employees and employers alike. Use your digital signage to advertise training and certification opportunities, plus tools and resources that are available. Interactive digital signage can allow employees to go through a large amount of information at their own pace, as well as increasing your digital signage real estate. Self-service kiosks can even have preloaded training modules available to do on the spot.

Be creative – display quizzes with questions that only people with a certain level of training might know the answers to, then point them to where they can go to get that knowledge. You can also push them to engage with webpages and online training programs by using QR codes, so they can download the information right there on their mobile device.

Find out what your employees are interested in, or might be interested in, and then offer opportunities using your digital signage. By informing them of options, and giving them some flexibility and autonomy, you can avoid the dreaded Peter Principle and let people discover the interest and level that is right for them.

Work/Life Balance

People today do not want work to be the center of their lives. This is especially true for Generation Xers and Millennials. Employees who get burnt out will often try their luck someplace else. Make sure they know about events and activities that interest them apart from their jobs. If your organization has a gym, advertise it on your displays, and maybe offer promotional specials from a local sports retailer. The same goes for on-site daycare and similar perks.

Or make it more personal – sponsor baby showers, lunchtime food trucks, or holiday parties, and promote these using your digital signs. You might even encourage people to get away sometimes – remind them of PTO policies and options, and get them to take some needed “me” time away from work.

With a little planning, a good digital signage deployment can double up as a support system for your Human Resources Department. Keep your workers informed and engaged using attractive layouts, tickers and news feeds that grab their attention, video and audio to give them variety, and let your HR people focus on what really matters – the people in your organization.

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