Traditional ways of engaging employees like PowerPoint presentations and handout training just don’t cut it in today’s noisy, digital workforce. Earning the attention of employees requires HR leaders to think more creatively and put themselves in the very shoes of their workers, writes Charles Lee, GuideSpark SVP of Customer Experience, Head of Studios.
Bill Gates wrote an essay titled “Content is King” in 1996 where he predicted that content would be the essential currency of the internet economy. Since then, that saying has become dogma in many sectors, from digital marketing to HR. When it comes to engaging employees, however, content is no longer king.
In today’s vast, ever-changing, and highly competitive workforce, 87% of employees worldwide say they are not engaged in the work that they do. Communication is an essential part of attracting, retaining, and engaging employees, but most organizations still rely on content such as PowerPoint presentations to disseminate dense materials regarding a company’s benefits, onboarding, policies, and more. U.S. spending on benefits has skyrocketed to 32% of all payroll spending (over $1 trillion a year), according to industry analyst Josh Bersin, but that investment falls short if employees don’t take full advantage of (or know about) the benefits and programs at their disposal. HR managers are justifiably wondering whether a content-focused approach is the best way. As an alternative, organizations should explore how they can use technology to deploy immersive communications campaigns.
