With a pressing demand to improve the employee experience and support new work models, interest in enterprise workplace apps is growing. Sometimes called an employee engagement or workplace experience platform, this cloud-based solution empowers a company to unify its information, apps, and enterprise systems within a fully branded workplace app.
This seamless integration with multiple business applications and services—such as ServiceNow, ADP, Chat, Jira, Workday, ERP systems, and data sources like employee directories, maps, dining menus, and training videos—enables a workplace app to support a range of use cases, from personalized communications and alerts to onboarding, desk reservations, IT ticketing, and more. The opportunities to support and engage employees are almost limitless.
Given this potential, you can’t approach a workplace app project like you would tackle most technology implementations. Ensuring you get the most from a workplace app requires a clear vision and careful planning.
To understand what it takes to plan a successful workplace app project, we invited workplace strategist and digital transformation expert Gabrielle Fink and Modo’s VP of Client Services, Mark Howden, to share their insights and approach.
Highlights from the webinar include:
- Should you build versus buy a workplace app?
Companies assume that if they build their solution, they will get exactly what they want at a fraction of the cost. While that may be the case for some, most companies find the cost to build is much higher than anticipated, and they need more resources to maintain and continue enhancing the technology once live.
For Fink, Modo stood out from other, larger vendors due to its flexible technology. “Modo’s technology was more enticing than anything out there,” she said. In addition to the ability for users to build their own functionality within the app, Modo Workplace scored high for accessibility, compliance, and logistical functionality. “And from a client perspective, the level of partnership was outstanding,” shared Fink.
- Why do you need to identify a project vision and goals?
Getting caught up in the features and functionality is easy, rather than the why behind wanting and needing them. For this reason, having a vision for your workplace app is critical. Unfortunately, it’s not an easy, straightforward process.
Workplace app technology is about employees and bringing together the tools, systems, and information they need to be successful and engaged. Developing the vision for a workplace app requires involvement from many different groups, e.g., HR, communications, and real estate.
According to Howden, an organization and its culture play a strong role in developing a vision. Even among companies in the same vertical, what works for one does not work for another because cultures are different.
- Why is a proof-of-concept (PoC) critical?
There are various design, development, and deployment approaches. Some teams jump right into design, while others will begin a PoC before moving to design. For her last workplace app project, Fink used a PoC to pilot initial functionality and to test assumptions about what functions would be popular with employees.
A PoC allows teams to flush out architecture issues, particularly with security, which was a top concern for Fink’s financial services client. A PoC also helps you understand what your deployment might look like, e.g., the rollout timeline and what resources and steps are needed and will shed light on whether or not your internal team can handle the deployment themselves or will need vendor support.
- How do you make development and maintenance self-sustaining?
For Fink, a flexible platform that allowed her developers to easily build their own functionality into the app was key. However, to get there, they needed training on creating custom functions, which Modo provided.
In addition, an organization will need internal resources to manage the backend dashboard and to build content to keep the app up-to-date and useful to employees.
- How do you ensure your workplace app is a success?
User adoption is an important success factor, but your expectations for the level of adoption you get must be realistic. You’ll never get 100% usage. There will be personal and cultural differences among your employees that will influence app use.
Employees are also consumers with expectations about how an app should look and function. They will make immediate assumptions about your workplace app if their experience is not seamless and frictionless. The visual experience must also be consistent throughout the app. First-time users who see inconsistencies across screens or get an error trying to access content may immediately decide the app isn’t worth their time.
- How do you ensure security and privacy measures are in place?
It’s critical you liaison with your cybersecurity team early in the process. You want your functionality to work seamlessly within the app, but everything will need to work within the confines of your security restrictions. You need to know those requirements and ensure your RFP includes security-specific questions.
In addition to your internal data security requirements, if you intend to make your app available to offices in other countries, you must adhere to varying privacy rules. If you operate in a regulated industry, such as financial services, there will be global regulations too.
- How do you avoid planning pitfalls?
Our experts offered two clear suggestions:
- Start planning as early as possible. Identify the stakeholders and departments that should be involved to gather all the necessary information.
- Don’t do too much too soon. Your initial app should have a small set of functionality. Then layer on functionality and promote each new feature rollout with a solid marketing and communications plan. Get your employees excited about what is coming and instill confidence that the app is evolving and improving.
Watch the full webinar on-demand: Tips from the Experts: Best Practices for a Successful Workplace App Project