A digital workplace should never be static. As organizations change and grow, so should their digital home.  Yet the care and upkeep of digital workplaces can temporarily fall off the radar in times of rapid expansion. It’s understandable, but unfortunate, because a site can quickly lose relevance and appeal when it’s neglected.

Paycor, one of the top payroll and HR SaaS companies in the U.S., found this out just a few years after implementing their digital workplace. With 1,600 employees, more than 40% of them remote or in satellite offices, the company originally created a central destination to improve communication across a dispersed workforce. And it did. But then the digital workplace was put aside as the company focused on growth. Once Paycor turned its attention back to the site, it discovered that employee engagement wasn’t where it should be.

A digital workplace gets stale if no one is paying attention

Even the best digital destinations don’t stay that way forever. Most organizations today are constantly evolving, if not growing, to keep pace with changing employee and customer expectations, tech innovations, and industry developments. If a digital workplace is stagnant, usage and engagement decline.

At Paycor, surveys and focus groups revealed that employees were dissatisfied with several things in their digital workplace. While the company had adopted a clean, modern style, the site appeared outdated and “clunky.” The original capabilities lagged behind current employee needs, particularly the search functionality. And the content had become disorganized.

Paycor realized their problem was not with the original platform, but with the way they were using it. They opted to refresh, not replace, their site by:

1. Giving it a fresh new look and feel
   The renovated site’s sleek, modern appearance matched the style of Paycor’s headquarters – including the colour palette.
2. Adding new capabilities and strengthening old ones
   In addition to enhancing the search functionality, Paycor made it easier for users to post content, make comments, and give kudos to their peers for a job well done through the company’s recognition center.
3. Refining the structure
   The new Social Zone established a digital focal point for the company, uniting people across business units – a welcome improvement over the old employee resources pages which were scattered across the previous site.

A refresh can revive your culture
Refreshing your digital workplace demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement in the employee experience. It’s another way of showing people your organization cares, while showcasing an innovative, forward-looking ethos.

By asking Paycor employees what they wanted from their digital workplace and then giving it to them in a renewed site, the company recaptured people’s attention and interest. The benefits included:

• More users
  Right after launch, their digital workplace saw significantly more usage.
• Increased engagement
  Employees spend a longer time on each page of the new digital workplace and interact more with the content, such as posting about community events and offering kudos to their colleagues.
• Greater interaction with leadership
  The revamped digital workplace has opened up two-way communication channels between leaders and employees across the country.

With renewed visual appeal and better overall functionality, Paycor’s digital workplace is connecting more employees and strengthening company culture. Seeing the gains of this refresh has convinced the company that their digital transformation is only just beginning.

Read the full story of how Paycor worked with Igloo to refresh their online destination.