Post on 07-Jul-2015
description
Tech Overload is Overblown: Cloud Apps & the Happiness Effect
Google Searches for “Employee Engagement” (Google Trends)
Attracting and retaining talent is top of mind for organizations of all kinds.
Employers are increasingly searching for new ways to keep employees
engaged and happy in their work.
Despite all that’s been said about what fuels and stifles employee engagement, we had an inkling that it hinges
on more than the occasional catered lunch.
Introduction
2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2014
Methodology
Softchoice, one of the largest technology solutions and managed services
providers in North America, commissioned a study conducted by The
Blackstone Group to understand how cloud application adoption impacts
the workplace engagement and satisfaction of 1,000 full-time employees
in the United States and Canada. In addition to measuring SaaS app usage,
Softchoice asked employees a variety of questions about their happiness at
work, using industry HR standards.
The deluge of devices and cloud apps (SaaS) into our personal and professional lives is feeding the notion that workers are overwhelmed with too much technology, tipping the scales of work-life balance and ultimately making us less engaged with work.
Based on the findings in our survey, we found the contrary.
In this report, we’ll show:
• How cloud technology promotes employee engagement
• Which industries are leading the technology adoption curve
• How cloud apps are key to an optimal work-life balance
Overview
Employees today have access to more resources than ever before to be productive,
collaborate with colleagues, and find creative ways to get work done.
Only 29% of North American workers are engaged in their jobs.
- Gallup State of the Global Workforce 2013 Data
For the purposes of this study, we separated SaaS app users into three groups.
‘App’lauders
App Users Non-App Users
‘App’etizers ‘App’stinent
Employees who use 6+ apps for work
Employees who use 1-5 apps for work
Employees who use no apps for work
Defining SaaS App Users
Happiness-as-a-Service
Companies that embrace the cloud are seeing above average employee
engagement, workplace satisfaction, and even business growth.
Happiness-as-a-Service
Using cloud apps (SaaS) for work makes employees happier.
74%of cloud app users are happy at work
19%of non-users
vs
Happiness-as-a-Service
The more cloud apps employees use, the more… successful their businesses are.
Employees who work for a company that grew 9% or more in the last year
35%
7%
4%
Employees who use 6+ apps for work
Employees who use 1-5 apps for work
Employees who use no apps for work
Happiness-as-a-Service
The more cloud apps employees use, the more… productive they are at work.
Employees who say they feelmore productive at work
96%
90%
77%
Employees who use 6+ apps for work
Employees who use 1-5 apps for work
Employees who use no apps for work
Happiness-as-a-Service
The more cloud apps employees use, the more… excited they are about going to work.
Employees who say they’re excited to go to work
35%
7%
4%
Employees who use 6+ apps for work
Employees who use 1-5 apps for work
Employees who use no apps for work
Happiness-as-a-Service
Employees who get to choose their own apps for work are
2x as likely to be happy at work than those that don’t.
Recalibrating the “Work-Life” Balance
While the cloud allows employees to work anytime from anywhere, the vast majority say it enhances – rather than detracts from – their work-life balance.
Recalibrating the “Work-Life” Balance
Employees who say they have an optimal work-life balance
85%
75%
59%
Employees who use 6+ apps for work
Employees who use 1-5 apps for work
Employees who use no apps for work
Contrary to popular belief, cloud apps contribute to a better work-life balance.
Employees who use 6+ apps are 2x as likely
to have flexible work hours than non-users.
Recalibrating the “Work-Life” Balance
Recalibrating the “Work-Life” Balance
Employees who use the same apps for work and personal use
are 2x as likely to be happy at work than those who don’t.
Taking a Deeper Dive
Breaking down the data by gender, geography, and industry produced results and comparisons that all executives and
IT leaders should see.
As companies across several industries strive for
greater female representation, cloud technology
makes a positive impact on job happiness,
flexibility and balance.
Compared to non-app users, female cloud app users are more likely to:
What Women Want
Feel they have a work-life balance
Feel they have flexibility in their work day
Feel happy in their current job
72%59%
80%
57%
41%
60%
U.S. employees, who are
more likely to use cloud apps
for work, reported higher job
satisfaction than their Canadian
counterparts on multiple fronts.
Americans are SaaSier than their Northern Neighbors
66% 59%Americans
Employees who use cloud apps for work:
Canadians
vs
70% 65%Americans
Employees who feel they have an optimal work-life balance:
Canadians
vs
77% 65%Americans
Employees who are happy with their current jobs:
Canadians
vs
Legal
SaaS by Sector
Employees who use 1-5 cloud apps for work:
Manufacturing
Healthcare Finance
Average
67% 66% 53% 51% 62%Traditionally perceived as an industry that lags behind the IT times,
manufacturing businesses are actually leaders in the cloud.
Legal
50%
SaaS by Sector
Employees who can choose their own work apps:
Manufacturing
Finance
Average
54%
Healthcare
36% 34% 46%Traditionally perceived as an industry that lags behind the IT times,
manufacturing businesses are actually leaders in the cloud.
Finance
Healthcare
50%
SaaS by Sector
Employees whose workplace has a cloud app policy:
Manufacturing
Legal
Average
64% 64% 55% 59%Traditionally perceived as an industry that lags behind the IT times,
manufacturing businesses are actually leaders in the cloud.
Conclusions
Organizations that embrace SaaS use, and give their employees choice, tend to create a more flexible and engaging work culture
than those that don’t.
Cloud apps improve engagementWith cloud technology driving better efficiency and accessibility in our personal lives, employees expect (and appreciate) the same capabilities on the job.
Give employees a choiceEmpowering staff to choose which apps they use enhances engagement, however, safe SaaS use is an imperative. Allowing employees to choose from a ‘safe list’ of IT-approved apps – used within the construct of a compliant and safe environment – still bestows a sense of inclusivity.
You can’t spell satisfaction without ITIT decisions have a big impact on the happiness and productivity of all employees, demonstrating IT’s value add to the organization. As employee expectations place new demands on SaaS sourcing competency, IT must ensure it has the proper tools and skillsets to manage app usage.
Conclusions
Let us help you put the ‘app’ in happy worker!
Contact us today to learn more about how Softchoice is helping clients
source, implement and manage cloud solutions.
Contact Us
www.softchoicecloud.com | 1-800-268-7638