The challenges of employee engagement: how we managed to reinforce our company culture and team motivation
Several studies and opinion-makers demonstrate the importance of employee engagement and recognition from different angles. In some cases, the question in order is the negative impact of low levels of engagement on talent retention and turnover. In other cases, the focus is on the costs of disengagement or the benefits of engagement. At comOn,  a digital marketing company, we learned the real value of employee engagement the hard way. Fortunately we were able to bounce back with an easy and fun digital solution. 

Some years ago, we were growing fast and our workplace culture was paying the price. We were too focused on delivering and social bonds were getting weaker. As a result, team spirit and  levels of engagement were not the same as before. After some research and based on the advice of human resources specialists, we discovered that we needed to improve peer-to-peer recognition. Additionally, we wanted something simple, quick, effective, accurate and fun. Following these guidelines, some of the traditional practices to enhance and evaluate engagement (e.g. surveys or polls, or annual performance reviews) were out of the question. In alternative, as a company in the digital business sensitive to Generation Y / Millennials' culture, we decided to develop Tap My Back, an application with social networking and gamification features to praise and evaluate colleagues in real time. In general terms, Tap My Back (TMB) is an integrated system that combines real time recognition with engagement metrics. The application allows colleagues to give badges (taps) to one another and endorsing those badges (re-taps) according to their performance or attitude. This activity shows on a public news feed visible to everyone.   
            In what way did TMB help improve engagement and motivation?
First, TMB improved the sense of belonging and team spirit. Social networking interaction through public expressions of recognition, even between people who did not share the same space, was a great way to increase cohesion and to know better colleagues working in a different team or in a different department.
Second, public displays of appraisal and “honour boards” of the most recognized people for this or that skill or behaviour inspired continuous improvement through real examples of how to be a better professional and team member.
Third, individual reports received by each team member provided awareness of what  colleagues valued the most in one's performance or behaviour and allowed to understand personal strengths and weaknesses. This information was very useful to stimulate proactive professional  development.
Fourth, team metrics and team reports on peer-to-peer recognition and evaluation helped team leaders to know better individual and collective strengths and weaknesses. This represented an opportunity to improve performance through training, incentives or a simple conversation.  At the same time, a team leader could see what people valued the most (i.e. the kind of behaviour that co-workers rewarded the most). It also allowed to monitor individual and collective evolution and the effects of the team leader's initiatives. In sum, better knowledge on teams and individuals represented a great contribution to get the best out of everyone.
            TMB was such a success in terms of motivation and engagement that we decided to sell it on the global market. At the moment we have clients in all continents.
            If want know to know more about Tap My Back please visit our web site or send an email to hello@tapmyback.com