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Explore the best employee engagement platforms of 2024, designed to enhance recognition, gather real-time feedback, and transform workplace culture.
The best employee engagement platforms offer tools for meaningful recognition, real-time feedback, and valuable insights into the employee experience and company culture.
But at its core, the right engagement software isn’t just about its features—it's about solving your unique workplace challenges.
In this article, we explore how the best employee engagement platforms can solve some of your toughest engagement problems and bring some of your greatest employee engagement ideas to life.
The best part about employee engagement software is that it takes elements of ‘old school’ employee engagement methods—like Employee of the Month programs, recognition walls, or an employee feedback box—and converts them into a virtual space for a more personalized, real-time experience.
This software helps companies build a more connected and motivated workforce by leveraging advanced technology like AI-driven analytics, automated recognition prompts, and mobile accessibility.
Another major benefit of engagement software is the gamification of employee recognition. This is especially important considering that back in 2008, the average attention span on a screen was about two and a half minutes. Today the average is 47 seconds or less.
Employee engagement software gamifies peer-to-peer recognition with points-based rewards to keep employees engaged with the platform, leading to healthier engagement levels in the workplace.
Since remote work has become more prevalent in recent years, it’s no coincidence that employee engagement software is also on the rise. Engagement software provides a space for consistent recognition and reinforces a sense of belonging for remote workers who lack the natural connection of an office environment.
Read on to learn more about how employee engagement software can address your employee engagement challenges in the workplace.
Due to remote work and a multi-generational workforce, organizations face several modern employee engagement challenges. For example, the working-age population in the U.S. is changing at a pace not experienced since World War II.
Experts believe this is due to several factors, including early retirement and cost-cutting measures. This means that the workplace is a melting pot of different experiences, values, perspectives, and preferences.
However, although workplace culture is evolving, many organizations are struggling to keep pace. Fortunately, employee engagement tools can help solve these common challenges. We explore three key obstacles and the software solutions that address them.
When it comes to remote teams, maintaining consistent recognition is a major engagement challenge.
Remote employees miss out on the day-to-day coffee chats or morning greetings that naturally happen in an office, which can lead to feeling alienated and overlooked—or worse, burnout.
To avoid low morale and poor engagement levels, employee engagement software provides employee engagement tools for instant, visible recognition that keeps employees connected regardless of location.
For example, certain employee recognition programs like Applauz include customizable awards and a real-time peer-to-peer recognition system that allows employees to celebrate each other’s achievements. With Applauz, managers can also easily acknowledge accomplishments with public recognition posts that the entire team can see and celebrate.
Measuring the ROI of an employee engagement program can be challenging, as it involves translating engagement efforts into quantifiable business outcomes.
If you’re having an issue with employee engagement, productivity, or morale, you need the right employee engagement tools to analyze the data.
The right employee engagement software will have advanced analytics and reporting capabilities to capture and interpret this data so you can effectively measure your engagement program’s impact.
For example, Applauz has unique tracking features for accessible and actionable ROI analysis. It offers detailed analytics on recognition activity, including participation rates, top contributors, and employee sentiment metrics. Applauz’s user-friendly reports help you monitor recognition trends over time and compare across teams and themes.
Reports and analytics are valuable employee engagement tools for tracking the metrics of your employee engagement software's effectiveness. However, another great way of measuring the ROI of your employee engagement software is to collect employee feedback. One of the most direct ways to do so is through employee engagement surveys.
Applauz Pulse Surveys allow employees to easily express their opinions and sentiments through user-friendly employee surveys designed to help managers measure employee satisfaction. Not only does Applauz make Pulse Surveys easy to use, but the platform also adds an extra incentive by rewarding employees with Applauz Points for answering questions.
Check out Applauz's Pulse Survey feature.
A diverse, multi-generational workforce brings great benefits, but it can also present some serious challenges. For instance, some generations may be more comfortable using employee engagement tools than others. You might find that certain employees may be less eager to adopt employee engagement software.
For this reason, It’s essential to communicate the benefits of engagement software early on so employees understand what’s in it for them. You want your employees to get excited about perks like badges, points, and reward incentives. If your team sees how these features can recognize their hard work and offer tangible rewards, then they’re more likely to embrace the platform.
Employee recognition software Applauz offers robust customization options, which allow employees to add personality to their recognition messages with GIFs or photos and allow managers to customize reward types and themes to align with your brand values and company culture.
When selecting the best engagement tool to measure employee satisfaction, consider features that enhance usability, flexibility, and overall impact on your team:
Finding the right employee engagement tool depends on your organization’s size and specific needs; here’s a look at top options for enterprise-level, mid-market, and small business solutions.
Applauz is a robust, user-friendly, and award-winning employee recognition platform that gives employees and leaders a universal space to engage with each other. Applauz ritualizes recognition by providing teams with the tools they need to celebrate each other daily.
To help you recognize, reward, and retain your team, Applauz’s tool kit is equipped with a diverse range of features like employee and peer recognition, customizable work and anniversary awards, badges, custom perks, incentives and challenges, an award-winning pulse survey tool, plus a vast Rewards marketplace with over 30,000 items to choose from.
Applauz is unique because it’s a “software and a service,” which means its software is accompanied by extensive service and support rooted in customer success. If you need help establishing a recognition program, the Applauz team is here to guide you.
Another major advantage of this platform is its extensive list of integrations. The Applauz toolset integrates seamlessly with existing popular HR, business, and performance software like Microsoft, Bamboo HR, ADP, Azure, and more.
On top of it all, Applauz uses comprehensive engagement, performance, and rewards analytics including the ability to monitor point distribution, reward redemptions, response rates, and program adoption. Its user-friendly reports help you monitor trends over time and compare them across teams.
If you’re looking for a comprehensive all-in-one solution to boost employee retention and improve employee engagement, Applauz is the right fit for you.
Recognize your employees today to improve engagement and retain talent for tomorrow. Try Applauz.
Applauz offers three paid plans: its Recognition Starter plan is $3.75 per user per month, its Engagement Essentials plan is $5.25 per user per month, and its Experience Pro plan is $6.50 per user per month.
"Our employees are scattered across the country, including Puerto Rico, and we now have this place where we can gather virtually to celebrate each other’s accomplishments. It’s been truly great!"
- Applauz customer review"[Points and badges] allow for employees to feel the autonomy in not only showing appreciation to anyone they work with but filling their sense of value buckets too!"
- Applauz customer review
Nectar is an employee recognition and rewards platform that aims to help your company build the kind of culture that your employees won’t want to leave. Its features are divided into three pillars: its Nomination program, Recognition & Rewards program, and built-in internal communication.
To enhance the employee recognition process, Nectar offers features like social recognition, rewards, employee discounts, the opportunity to earn swag from Amazon, and more. The platform wants to make recognition a habit. It’s designed to engage employees by providing employee engagement tools that help employees continuously recognize each other based on company core values in exchange for rewards and discounts.
For specific details on pricing, contact the platform directly. Nectar does require a minimum of $4,000/year contract.
WorkTango is an enterprise-level Employee Experience Platform designed to engage, inspire, and retain talent within large organizations. The employee engagement platform combines comprehensive tools that support every phase of the employee journey like unlimited, customizable surveys for employee feedback, actionable insights on employee engagement data, and an intuitive dashboard powered by AI-driven analytics. WorkTango also has engagement tracking, the ability to have anonymous conversations, and benchmarking capabilities for a comprehensive view of organizational health.
WorkTango’s Recognition and Rewards program offers peer-to-peer recognition, milestone celebrations, and a global rewards marketplace. It also includes custom employee swag and other incentives to help companies amplify their key values and behaviors seamlessly.
For specific details on pricing, contact the platform directly.
O.C. Tanner's employee engagement platform is designed to create a culture of recognition and purpose that fuels engagement and drives results. Known for its focus on meaningful employee recognition, the platform helps companies set up a universal space to celebrate achievements, acknowledge contributions, and reinforce key values across the organization.
O.C. Tanner’s core features include an intuitive dashboard, a customizable rewards catalog, and milestone celebrations, making it easy for companies to recognize employees at every stage of their journey.
For specific details on pricing, contact the platform directly.
Vantage Circle is an employee rewards and recognition platform aimed at helping HR and business leaders identify, recognize, and reinforce productive behaviors in their workforce. The platform is packed with several robust features including a user-friendly analytics dashboard with metrics such as top awarding managers, number of employees recognized, and average recognition time.
Like most employee engagement platforms that specialize in recognition, Vantage Circle has a gamified leaderboard that acknowledges employee achievements and helps drive performance. It also issues unique Profile Badges for productive behavior.
Vantage Circle’s basic Grow plan is $2.69 per user per month. For more advanced features, you’ll have to upgrade to its Vantage Transform plan for $3.89 per month. The platform offers custom pricing for its Enterprise solution.
Bonusly is an employee recognition platform that combines recognition features with a rewards-based system and robust performance and analytics metrics. It aims to recognize and motivate employees while also providing managers with the tools they need to help them have better conversations around priorities, performance, and impact.
Bonusly has a robust rewards catalog with over 1,200 options divided into user-friendly categories like Apparel, Travel, Money, and Company Swag. It also has an option for your employees to turn reward points into donations to over 50 different charities.
Bonusly has three paid plans: its Appreciate plan is $2 per user per month, its Connect plan is $5 per user per month, and its Achieve plan is $7 per user per month.
True to its name, Kudos is designed to help companies recognize and congratulate their employees' achievements. The employee engagement software puts performance recognition and employee experiences first via several features including a rewards program, peer-to-peer recognition tool, employee recognition awards, and more.
Kudos boasts a highly configurable “world-class suite of awards” for employees to choose from with zero transaction fees to avoid impacting the rewards experience. The platform also prioritizes rewards budgeting and offers insights to help managers keep track of points, rewards, and redemptions to stay on top of their budget.
Kudos pricing starts at $3.25 per user per month.
Motivosity is an employee recognition platform that comes with a large Rewards marketplace and plenty of features aimed at elevating and automating your employee engagement strategy.
This platform has a robust Rewards marketplace that allows employers to offer a diverse range of rewards, from gift cards and company swag to Amazon products, charitable donations, and even the option to use rewards for groceries and fuel.
Beyond its rewards system, Motivosity also offers several tools for engagement insights, such as Mv6 Survey (eNPS) and pulse surveys, as well as programs for keeping track of engagement funding and your rewards budget.
Motivosity offers a Standard and Pro plan with the option to add on specific tools such as Communication, Spaces, or Surveys. You’ll have to contact Motivosity directly for personalized pricing. Motivosity requires a minimum of $3,000 per year/contract.
Acquired by Zoom in 2023, Workvivo is an increasingly popular employee experience platform (EXP) designed to create a more connected and inclusive workplace. To streamline your operations, the platform has several integrations with well-known HR apps, payroll software, productivity tools, and, of course, Zoom.
Workvivo is very user-friendly and strives to inspire connections and build community to increase retention rates. The platform has several features for this, such as peer-to-peer recognition, an activity and social feed, shout-outs, community spaces, live video stream capabilities, and even the ability to produce a company podcast.
Workvivo offers two plans. The typical pricing for its Business Plan starts at $20,000 and works best for organizations with 250-2000 employees. For its Enterprise plan, you’ll have to contact sales for a custom quote.
When considering the best employee engagement software for your company, there are several factors to consider. Before you begin your search ask yourself the following key questions:
It’s no secret that budget takes precedence when it comes to decision-making. You’ll want to determine your budget upfront so that it helps you narrow down options for platforms that offer the best value within your financial scope.
For example, you may want to dip your toes into the employee engagement software scene before going full throttle. If that’s the case, look for software that offers scalability options in its features and pricing structure.
Employee engagement platforms are not always a one-size-fits-all solution. Since most engagement software pricing models are based on an amount per user, the size of your company very much matters.
You want to make sure you choose a solution that’s not only suited to your organization’s scale but also designed specifically to meet your engagement budget and goals.
Consider your ideal implementation timeline. For example, if you’re looking for a fast rollout (within 3 to 6 months), then consider platforms known for their user-friendly interfaces and quick implementation processes.
If you’re willing to invest a little bit more time (6 months to a year or more), then a platform with a learning curve may not be as much of an issue for you. Either way, it’s important to have these expectations defined at the beginning of your search process.
The best employee engagement software will have reliable customer support to help with troubleshooting, onboarding, and maximizing platform benefits.
However, if you anticipate needing dedicated guidance or ongoing support, look out for platforms with high-rated customer service or 24/7 customer support options. Another consideration is what support channels are most important to you (eg. example, live chat, email, phone, SMS, etc.).
Now that you’ve found the best employee engagement software for your company, it’s time to set yourself up for success. To maximize the impact of your platform, you’ll need a thoughtful strategy to ensure the software is well-received by your employees.
Here are the essential steps for a smooth and successful implementation.
When trying to improve employee engagement, the last thing you need is to bring in software that feels like an overwhelming task for your employees.
For successful employee engagement software implementation, you’ll need to set expectations from the get-go. Start with a clear rollout plan that outlines goals, timelines, and responsibilities.
You want your employees to be excited about your engagement software solution, so make sure to communicate the platform's benefits and perks early on. For example, a rewards program is a big onboarding motivator.
To support a healthy software adoption, provide your managers with thorough training that can be easily translated to their teams.
Training should include a comprehensive overview of key features and clearly illustrated use cases. Offer tutorials, demos, and ongoing support to help your employee adoption process go as smoothly as possible.
Once you’ve got the ball rolling, don’t forget to measure success by tracking engagement metrics such as platform usage rates, feedback received, employee satisfaction levels, employee rewards points used, or the average employee recognition time.
Thanks to powerful advancements in technology, the future of employee engagement software is rapidly changing. AI and machine learning integration take center stage, helping organizations proactively analyze engagement data.
Predictive analytics takes this one step further. By using data to forecast future outcomes, these analytics allow leaders to foresee trends and make better-informed decisions for improved engagement levels.
Mobile accessibility and enhanced personalization are also transforming the user experience by tailoring recognition and rewards to individual preferences, needs, and achievements.
If you want to supercharge your employee engagement, now is the time. Employee engagement platforms are more responsive, personalized, and accessible than ever.
When deciding between the best employee engagement platforms, remember to consider your budget, company size, implementation timeline, scalability concerns, and customer support needs.
If you’re looking for an all-in-one solution for employee engagement that’s accessible and scalable, Applauz is the perfect fit.
Recognize and reward your employees and retain top talent.
Explore how with Applauz.
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