Commentary

How HR self-service kiosks aid employee retention

HR kiosks don't work miracles, but they can definitely help with employee engagement and satisfaction.

Image courtesy of iStock

April 8, 2019

Amy Robison is a contributing writer for Advanced Kiosks.

By Amy Robison

As the unemployment rate remains low, demand for skilled workers keeps increasing, and well over 3 million Americans quit their jobs for greener pastures every month. Employee turnover can be a frustrating and expensive human resources problem. More than ever, employee retention strategies are a top priority for HR managers across the nation.

HR kiosks may not be able to help put together competitive salary packages, but they can definitely help with employee engagement and satisfaction. Engaged, satisfied employees are far less likely to jump ship. Here are some ways employee self-service kiosks can support your retention efforts:

Get employees off on the right foot

Successful employee retention starts on day one. Onboarding and orientation should make your new employees feel welcome and help them understand and embrace your corporate culture. If you have shift workers or offices with no HR personnel on site, that can be difficult. An interactive kiosk system makes orientation engaging and accessible, 24-7. Best of all, new hires can complete their orientation whenever it's convenient for them. And unlike in-person orientation sessions, users can always go back and revisit any topic at their convenience.

Mentoring programs are a particularly effective employee retention strategy. They have been shown to dramatically improve retention rates for both mentors and mentees. Mentoring relationships help new employees acclimate and energize the old guard with new ideas and fresh perspectives. HR kiosks make mentoring accessible to employees who don't have workstations: They can advertise the program, collect personal survey data so you can pair up the right people, and even assist in scheduling mentor-mentee meetups.

Keep employees informed

There's tons of research on why people quit. Of course, salary and benefits figure heavily into the decision to stay or go. However, you can offer the best compensation package in the world, and it won't help you if employees don't know about it or can't use it. HR consulting firm Robert Half International advises, "Every employee should have a full understanding of all the benefits they receive from your organization." That's where HR kiosk systems come in. They provide the crucial link between your digital HR resources and the employees who need them.

All staff can use employee self-service kiosks to learn about their benefits, fill out and submit paperwork to claim those benefits, and schedule PTO, flex time and all the other perks that are part of your employee retention strategy.

Help employees grow

Good employees want to achieve and move forward. They're more likely to leave if they feel "stuck" in their current position. That's why advancement opportunities have to be part of any employee retention strategy. The best HR kiosk systems should both disseminate and collect information. Encourage your employees to use ESS kiosks to record their short- and long-term professional goals. That way, you can notify them of appropriate advancement opportunities as they arise.

Kiosks can also be used to administer training modules that qualify workers for promotions or pay bumps. Remember, any digital assets (portals, courses, documentation, etc.) your company has can be accessed with your HR kiosks.

Collect employee feedback

Communication is a two-way street. Engaged employees feel like they're being heard; they feel like their opinion matters. HR kiosks are great for collecting employee feedback. In fact, one market research company has found that survey kiosks capture more accurate, truthful assessments than face-to-face interviews.

If you can't afford to pay everyone higher salaries, alleviating employee pain points is a viable alternate employee retention strategy. Use your HR kiosks to identify those pain points and collect input on the best ways to reduce them.

Employee self-service kiosks also build community. They can spotlight exemplary work or draw attention to a team member who has gone above and beyond.

Better yet, use HR kiosks to implement a peer-to-peer recognition program. Employees who have a way to recognize and appreciate each other's contributions are happier, more collaborative, engaged and motivated.

Think of ESS kiosks as user-friendly, central access points — ready to engage every employee, at any time, for all kinds of tasks.