Many businesses are considering what comes next in the wake of a potential return to normalcy. A re-evaluation of the workplace, hybrid working, reconnecting with colleagues and building a positive workplace culture are all on the table. Returning to work will undoubtedly be a significant adjustment. In the near future, however, software will play a vital role in assisting people and companies in regaining some feeling of normalcy. Now more than ever before, large companies with a large workforce should embrace technologies that guarantee worker safety, improve employee engagement and consolidate digital workflows.
Workplaces before lockdown
Prior to the pandemic, your company could have been one of those who believed their tech stack was perfect, only to realize that the assumption was incorrect when work went remote. With the possibility of working in an office looming, evaluating work cycles and software tools for the future may be top-of-mind.
According to Twilio’s State of Customer Engagement Report, which surveyed 2,500 enterprise decision-makers globally, 89% of UK business leaders reported the coronavirus pandemic has accelerated their move to the cloud, and without it, remote working and business agility would not have been possible. Similarly, NTT 2021 Hybrid Cloud Report revealed that in just 12 months since the pandemic hit, 94% of decision-makers across 13 countries saw it as critical to move to cloud.
Today: The new normal office
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to raise concerns about returning to work, several businesses are already preparing to return some of their employees to the workplace. Employee health, privacy and having the right technology to support this "new normal" are all major concerns for large businesses.
To help these businesses choose the right employee-based software tools that will help them easily move to a hybrid work model and ensure a sustainable future of work, here are ten top players to help you find the right solution for your company. Read on to learn where each software’s strengths lie, ease of use, customer support, key benefits, features and much more.
- HR and payroll software
- Network security and protection tools
- Corporate management information system
- Field service management system
- Cloud-based collaborative software
- Project management tool
- Workplace training and development system
- Benefits administration system
- Corporate learning management system
- Employee wellbeing and mental health software
1. HR and payroll software
Employees may be worried or apprehensive about returning to work. You can utilize your HR software to collect frequent feedback from your employees during any gradual return to the office. Natural HR is an all-in-one HR and payroll software for businesses and companies who wish to manage and pay their employees more effectively. A single system to manage your complete HR department and acquire critical insight.
Key benefits
- Give your team a voice with intuitive engagement surveys and gather feedback
- Gain complete control over expenses and mileage
- Take control of employee absenteeism
- Improve your bottom line while seamlessly creating your very own superstars
- Create job adverts and application forms, tracking applicants, manage interviews and analyze hiring costs
2. Network security and protection tools
There are some essential considerations to keep in mind while preparing for some of your employees to return to the office, including security. Turnkey Consulting, a leader in cybersecurity solutions, assists businesses in avoiding unauthorized data access, cyberattacks and identity theft. SAP Governance, Risk and Compliance (SAP GRC) is a sophisticated SAP security solution that your firm may utilize to ensure that your data is secure.
Key benefits
- Enhance security and lower risk
- Eliminate manual tasks to reduce administrative costs
- Increase user and role assignment transparency and visibility
- Adoption by users is easier
3. Corporate management information system
In order to recover from the pandemic's effects, your company will need to undertake long-term changes and adjustments to optimize and raise productivity. Streamlining your business operations is a good place to start. Clarity Software is an on premise suite of management information system (MIS) tools that helps organizations of all sizes optimize their operations and boost productivity.
Key benefits
- All of your customers may be managed from a single location
- Invoicing and quotation are both automated
- Using lists, keep track of all your costs in one spot
- Plan marketing efforts that are both creative and cost-effective
4. Field service management system
If you're still using spreadsheets, email, WhatsApp, Google Maps and phone calls to manage your field personnel, your company's risk will only increase. Mpro5 is the ultimate Enterprise Mobility-as-a-Service (EMaaS) solution for managing mobile workforces. Facilities management, logistics and HR are just a few of the areas where it's used.
Key benefits
- Field personnel are equipped with everything they need to receive and complete jobs
- Workflows can be done on any device, at any location, online and offline and without the use of paper
- Reports and notifications that are generated automatically
- Schedule and manage jobs for field workers from a central location
5. Cloud-based collaborative software
Giving access to the required tools and equipment is an important part of preparing to move from one environment to another. As a result, your teams will require the greatest communication software. Everyone is invited to the table thanks to Slack. Slack Connect allows remote workers and internal teams to collaborate for the benefit of the consumer. The platform enables document sharing and change monitoring, which is a game-changer in terms of productivity, transparency and accountability.
Key benefits
- It's simple to use for all users, and sharing information is a breeze
- Direct calling from the web and mobile apps
- The translation tool eliminates the need to launch Google Translate to communicate in multiple languages
- It offers a number of integrations that allow third-party apps to interact with one other, create messages and get alerts
6. Project management tool
It's crucial to realize that not all of your employees may need to return to the workplace in order to comply with COVID-19 safety rules. Trello makes it easy to collaborate, delegate and collaborate. The Platform has over 25 million users globally and allows you to assign assignments and deadlines remotely while keeping track of workflow using a simple visual interface.
Key benefits
- Butler, a Trello feature, enables teams to automate their workflows
- Slack is one of the many apps that may be easily integrated
- Attachments of up to 250 MB are allowed
- Receive notifications from any device at any moment
7. Workplace training and development system
The pandemic has altered the employment structure. Learning professionals are accustomed to interacting with their full-time employees, but learning to train and motivate a hybrid workforce will necessitate a different approach. Lessonly is an easy-to-use training tool that helps salespeople and customer care representatives do better jobs. It provides a comprehensive set of cloud-based HR applications. Their HR system has been refined and designed with complete client feedback.
Key benefits
- Teams improve their skills and learn 2.3x faster
- Personalize coaching to accelerate professional development and achieve tangible results
- Teams increase their speed-to-productivity and achieve 76% better results
8. Benefits administration system
Your company may be faced with the issue of estimating, planning for and managing the future cost of employee benefits as it prepares for post-crisis operations. Maxwell Health is a user-friendly benefits administration technology platform that makes managing employee benefits simple and assists them in achieving financial and health stability. They automate HR and benefits management, making it simple for any employee to obtain and understand their benefits.
Key benefits
- Health insurance administration
- Disability insurance administration
- Life insurance administration
- Online benefits enrolment
9. Corporate learning management system
Learning management systems make it simple to publish educational content and deliver training to employees. TalentLMS is a straightforward cloud learning management system that aids in the training of employees, customers and partners. They're designed to make online training and learning enjoyable and rewarding. It aids in the creation of LMS that meets the demands of the person.
Key benefits
- Email communications
- eCommerce selling
- Web conferencing
- Reporting and statistics
10. Employee wellbeing and mental health software
Employees may be unwilling to return to pre-pandemic life as additional offices prepare to operate. Headspace is a meditation and fitness app that helps people improve their physical and mental well-being. It continues to be a leader in mindfulness and mental training, and it will assist your employees in getting through this difficult period.
Key benefits
- Employee concentration is improved
- Increases your team's self-assurance
- Reduces anxiety and relieves tension
- Bring mindfulness to work and double your clientele
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Chris Bourne
Chris is Head of Marketing at Natural HR, an all in one HR and Payroll software for small businesses and enterprises wanting to better manage and pay their employees. The system was developed in 2010 out of an internal requirement for an online employee management system that could help manage remote employees who needed to submit timesheets every week.
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