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Employee choice program is a new trend in the enterprise market. Isn’t it necessary for everyone to be aware of the latest updates and trends to be the best at what they do? The answer is obviously yes! In this rapidly changing world, it is always best to quickly adapt to new and innovative ideas. In this blog, let us debug some common doubts about the Employee Choice Program – what it is, how to implement it, and the reason why enterprises need it.
What is Employee Choice Program?
In the Employee Choice Program, employers offer the employees a chance to choose their work devices. Many companies offer this choice to both the new joiners and employees looking to refresh their old work devices.
Traditionally, employers purchased the work devices, stored them until the new employees needed them, and then deployed them all at once. This method had the least focus on employee satisfaction. An alternative to this was the ‘BYO devices’ where the employees could use their personal devices for work. Though these methods ultimately let the work go forward, did this improve the way work was done? Or did it cater to improve job satisfaction? Whatever the answers are, many organizations chose the traditional methods as they look profitable.
Unlike the traditional offices, where employee satisfaction wasn’t a concern, enterprises now strive to give the best for their employees. A decent salary package can help improve satisfaction, so does free stuff and other allowances. However, there is a limit to how much the employer can spend on an employee. Here the Employee Choice Program stands out as a very simple and cost-effective method. Allowing employees to select their own devices is an easy way to show them that their employer values their opinions and wants them to succeed. It translates into them feeling valued.
Did you know?
The number of employees quitting from any company peaked in mid-2021. This trend was named ‘The Great Resignation’. It was due to a combined effect of the pandemic and poor employee satisfaction. A study by the CNBC- Catalyst suggests that the voluntary quitting of employees from offices will persist in the market unless the companies care for employee concerns and understand their work/life needs. Today’s employees believe in two-way communication. They need to be heard and recognized by their employers. A Forbes article shows that employees who feel their voice is heard are 4.6 times more likely to work better. It also states that 96% of employees consider employee satisfaction as a driving factor for retaining employees.
Benefits of employee choice program
It’s already clear that the Employee Choice Program improves employee satisfaction. In addition, it has got way more benefits in its bag. Here, I have listed some more merits of the Employee Choice Program, which makes it a winner.
- Employee retention: Most organizations would agree on the fact that it is costlier to hire a new employee than to retain an experienced one. The cost of training and other related expenses while hiring new employees can become a financial burden. Therefore, it’s a good idea to give your existing employees the best job satisfaction. Employees prefer to work in a company that offers the choice. It increases their satisfaction, which in turn increases the chance for them to continue working at that company.
- Boost innovation, performance, and creativity: Employees who work on their preferred work devices work more efficiently. They can adapt to their platform of choice quicker and work faster. When employees get the devices they are the most comfortable with, they can execute their responsibilities quickly, without being bogged down by learning an unfamiliar technology. It will increase their efficiency and give more room for creativity. Working on your favorite platform will also reduce the need for assistance. As a result, it will save time and money for the company.
- Attract new hires: Attracting new talents can be difficult when they have more than one offer in their hand. What can the organizations do to stand out from others? A higher salary package can help. However, when you can’t go for a higher salary, it is best to venture into new trends like the Employee Choice Program. Companies can have an upper hand over gaining new talents when they offer them a chance to choose work devices. New hires need to get platforms that are easier for them to adapt and use. It will give employees the impression that their employer is concerned about providing chances to excel. It also translates into them feeling valued by their employer, which leads to higher job satisfaction and better business outcomes.
- Total cost of ownership of devices: Total cost of ownership accounts for the amount of capital a company has to spend on its technologies during its entire lifecycle. Employee Choice Program helps to reduce the total cost of ownership. When employees are choosing devices that they are familiar with, it reduces the need for support and other related costs. This will reduce the total cost of ownership of that device.
How to implement it?
Organizations should implement the Employee Choice Program only after consulting with their IT team. They need to make sure that their company has all the resources to perfectly manage all situations that can go wrong. The IT infrastructure should be designed to support these multiple platforms. Here are some points that we need to keep in mind while implementing the Employee Choice Program.
- App Compatibility: IT has to make sure that all required work apps are compatible with the choices. These apps have to work perfectly with the platforms or devices that the employee chooses. Almost all the SaaS and cloud platforms support mixed platform networks. This makes it easier for the companies to implement the choice program.
- Hardware Cost: It is necessary to keep a check on the company’s budget before giving the employees a choice. Organizations have to make sure that the Employee Choice Program won’t create a crater in their budget. The ROI of devices is also a factor to be considered before making the final decision. Once the options are prepared for employee choice, remove the expensive and unnecessary devices from the list.
- Support & User Training: The IT infrastructure has to be fluent with the technology chosen by the employees. They have to offer assistance, check for security threats, and provide proper maintenance throughout the device’s lifecycle.
- Security Standards: The technologies chosen by the employees should not compromise the security of organizations. IT needs to make sure all devices and technologies are safe for the enterprise environment. Factors like system and security updates are considered here.
For instance
Hexnode is an employer of choice. It offers work devices to its employees considering their uses and preferences. In Hexnode, there are various teams like developers, UX/UI designers and marketing. It is necessary to equip them with devices that fit perfectly for their work. The UX/UI designers need use to high performance systems that can support various designing software. Hence, they receive assembled systems with high specs. The developers get MacBook Pro. Meanwhile, in the marketing team, employees get MacBook Air. Customer-facing teams like sales and support are equipped with work phones and top-notch noise-cancelling headsets to ensure a smooth working experience. Hexnode offers these devices to employees to keep the downtime as low as possible and giving room for creativity.
The multi-platform management abilities of Hexnode UEM helped Hexnode to solve some of the implementation issues. Hexnode UEM offers a plethora of features that can help to implement and improve the Employee Choice Program. It strengthens the IT infrastructure with management capabilities across Android, iOS, iPadOS, macOS, Windows, FireOS and tvOS devices. This helps the IT to be ready to manage any device that an employee chooses. It also allows implementing BYOD or COBO or both. Added features like quick deployment, app management, and OS update management further ease the process of managing the hybrid workforce.
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When it comes to attracting and retaining top talent, organizations should consider what matters most to their employees and what motivates them to do their best work. There are numerous reasons why an employee chooses a workplace. Allowing employees to work on their preferred devices has an impact on how they work and how much they will love it. The Employee Choice Program can be a great way to increase productivity, employee retention, and job satisfaction.
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