How to engage the disengaged with the right collaboration tools

The concept of quiet quitting has recently emerged as a growing trend facing business and HR professionals. While there are ongoing debates on the subject, there is no question that employers are facing a considerable challenge as a growing number of employees are “checking out” on the job.

This is more than simply an HR challenge; it is an operational one as well. Gallup reports that at least 50% of the U.S. workforce are “quiet quitters,” noting that the phenomenon is particularly prevalent among Gen Z’ers and millennials. From 2019 to 2022, the percentage of engaged employees under the age of thirty-five dropped by six percentage points with the largest drop taking place in the second half of 2021. It states, “The overall decline was especially related to clarity of expectations, opportunities to learn and grow, feeling cared about, and a connection to the organization's mission or purpose -- signaling a growing disconnect between employees and their employers.”

There is no simple fix to re-engaging the disengaged. Depending on the sources, solutions range from reskilling managers and increasing investment in collaboration tools, to re-examining corporate culture and creating highly functional hybrid work models – or all of the above.

The recent growth in remote and hybrid work models has accelerated the trend and is likely exacerbating the issue of employee disengagement. As a result, one of the most challenging issues facing employers is how to help their staff stay connected with a shared sense of purpose. This can be difficult in a fluid and hybrid workplace setting, where in-person contact is often sporadic or in fully remote cases, non-existent. Gartner predicts that 40% of organizations will be hybrid, something that was unthought of before the pandemic struck.

In the early days of the pandemic, as businesses around the world transitioned to remote or hybrid work, it was in the hopes that things would be restored to normal in time. Remote work models were set up overnight. In many cases, business was conducted over laptops and smartphones, with only a few basic collaboration tools thrown in. However, collaboration technology continued to evolve once the realization struck that remote and/or hybrid work models were entrenched as a permanent part of doing business for many employers.

Today employers are facing a new situation, where workers want more: more autonomy, more choice, and more flexibility. Gallup reports of more than 140,000 U.S. workers surveyed., 53% expect a hybrid work environment going forward; 90% like at least some degree of remote-work flexibility; and 60% prefer hybrid work. Over 45% of the same respondents said they are willing to quit if they cannot work either fully remotely or in a hybrid model.

Employers must focus on reshaping or reinforcing their corporate culture to address these challenges. An integral part of that comes down to some practical basics, starting with defining your business objectives. The next step is a deep dive into workplace processes, workflow, workspaces, and technology capabilities. Where there are gaps, invest in effective technology that will engage employees regardless of whether they are in the office, working from home, or on the road – from collaboration tools to virtual platforms to hardware that enables immersive experiences.

A critical consideration to building a collaborative workplace is ensuring that all interactions between employees are democratized and as natural as possible, whatever their location. Virtual capabilities are an important cornerstone in team building and helping employees feel connected, even if they are in the same physical location. This is particularly vital in engaging younger generation workers.

The fundamentals include rock solid seamless connectivity between in-office and remote workers that can support connectivity, content creation and sharing. This provides the ability to set up interconnected virtual and physical meeting spaces, where all employees can engage with each other in a productive, barrier-free, collaborative setting with democratized access.

The good news is that collaborative tools have become more accessible and affordable than ever. From interactive displays with integrated whiteboarding software for brainstorming or educational sessions, to high-definition video-conferencing screens and/or portable displays with built-in USB-C connectivity and high-resolution web cams, the options are endless. There are also 3D and VR capabilities that allow teams from around the world to “congregate” in a virtual space.

Strategic investment in collaborative technology is playing a key role in fostering engagement and buy-in from employees who are no longer able to function with basic laptops connecting over Zoom. That may have served its purpose during the early days of the pandemic, but it falls far short in today’s connected, always-on world. It is time to rethink and repurpose collaboration technology, from prioritizing it within the company’s corporate culture to training and professional development, to adopting technologies that will keep employees engaged and productive.

Vincent Chou is Director of HR for ViewSonic, a leading provider of interactive and collaborative visual engagement solutions for enterprise, education, consumer, and commercial markets. For more information visit www.viewsonic.com