Tag: #workhuman

Workhuman launches Experiences; More than 2M employees have access to thousands of travel and activity reward options

Workhuman, the company revolutionising how employees celebrate, connect with, and appreciate each other in the workplace, has added In-Store Booking functionality to its world-class Store. In-Store Booking is now available to more than 2 million users across 10 countries, including Ireland, the UK, the US, India, and Mexico. Employees now have access to hundreds of thousands of additional activity, travel, and accommodation options as part of the employee recognition industry’s most expansive catalogue of experiences, all bookable with points on its platform.

The Irish-founded company has built an innovative team – based in Ireland – dedicated to sourcing merchandise and gift cards across the globe in more than 65 categories including electronics, fashion, house and home, garden and outdoor, travel, health and beauty, children, and more. Globally, the company maintains a catalogue of approximately 400,000 merchandise items across more than 60 countries. It also offers thousands of gift cards across more than 130 countries, with hundreds of thousands of options including merchandise brands, charities, and travel experiences. Workhuman has built its Store experience from the ground up and has scaled over the years to support orders placed every 3 seconds by approximately 7M employees across the globe.

Through the company’s Store, employees are able to book their activity, hotel, car rental and, when available, flights, all in the same order, therefore keeping their entire travel itinerary together and avoiding the hassle of tracking multiple confirmation emails from separate travel partners. From walking tours to national park passes to private yacht rentals, Workhuman’s full Experiences offering will cater to users globally and at virtually every point and desired activity level.

Leslie Schall, Director of Employee Engagement, Experience, and Purpose at Michelin, said:  “Workhuman’s Experiences offering provides an awesome new element to their already impressive Store, as it enables employees to easily book travel, adventures, tours, and activities using their recognition rewards through Michelin’s WeCare programme. By using points they earned here through their contributions to the organisation, our employees are able to redeem their points on engaging experiences for themselves, family or friends. Right after Experiences launched, I used it to book a ‘Harley electronic trike motorcycle’ tour during an upcoming family vacation in Prague. Now my entire family has this amazing memory we’re going to cherish forever, and it was because of recognition from my colleagues. Experiences is going to help our employees turn work achievements into these beautiful, exciting moments, and we’re very excited about the impact of this connection and the stories we’ll hear.”

Workhuman’s Store takes the same human-first approach as its Social Recognition® solution. The company understands that the reward redemption experience is critical for the success of any recognition programme as it reinforces the original recognition moment and amplifies the sense of engagement and goodwill that the employee feels toward their company. Workhuman has made significant investments over the years to launch the broadest offering of Travel and Experiences with gift card partners including Virgin Experiences, Global Experiences, Royal Caribbean, Hotels.com, and many more. The addition of In-Store Booking functionality takes this to the next level, ensuring every employee is able to redeem for an experience that feels exciting to them, and that makes them feel seen and recognised.

Sarah Whitman, SVP E-commerce, Workhuman: “Workhuman has always kept our ears close to the ground and driven our Store strategy based on the pulse of the marketplace. We know that people derive significant enjoyment from experiences and over the years we have evolved in the ways we bring this category to our platform. Our data has shown that people’s desire to travel and create memories has been reinvigorated as we’ve emerged from the global pandemic. Our expanded Experiences offering creates endless new opportunities for employees to travel and experience new things, driving personal growth and even greater and lasting connections to their colleagues that helped make those experiences and memories possible.”

In addition to English, the booking experience and customer service support is available in French, Latin American Spanish, European Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese and Japanese. Workhuman will continue to roll out to additional customers and markets with enhanced capabilities throughout the year. For more information about Workhuman’s Store, please visit: https://www.workhuman.com/reward/store/.

To learn more about how Workhuman’s employee recognition solution can help reduce turnover, improve engagement and productivity, and elevate DE&I efforts, please visit: www.workhuman.com/solutions/social-recognition/.

3 million employees worldwide now using Workhuman’s AI-powered bias detector

Workhuman®, the company revolutionising the way employees celebrate, connect with and appreciate each other in the workplace, is today announcing that its proprietary AI-powered bias detector, Inclusion Advisor, is now being used by 3 million employees worldwide. Global enterprises including Merck, LinkedIn, Cisco and others are using the tool as part of their employee recognition programmes to provide team members with continuous coaching that enables measurable changes in attitudes over time.

Workhuman’s first-of-its-kind tool analyses everyday workplace language to detect unconscious bias. With a click of a button, employees can use Inclusion Advisor to scan the message they have written in Workhuman’s employee recognition platform. The tool was built in Dublin by Workhuman’s technology and engineering teams. It has been developed over a four-year period and harnesses the expertise of the Workhuman iQ team of linguists, data scientists, engineers, psychologists, and experts in natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML).

Workhuman research shows that implicit bias is found in 20-30% of all written communications in the workplace, even in the most positive setting. The Inclusion Advisor model can detect 18 forms of bias and in the last nine months, it flagged 69,000 instances of bias in 40,000 recognition messages. Some types of prevalent biases categories that it flags are:

  • “Me, Myself and I” – found in 14% of bias instances, this language conveys the writer’s sense of self-importance and distracts from the awardee’s accomplishments.
  • “No Work-Life Balance” – appearing in 13% of bias instances, this category praises work that is detrimental to a healthy work-life balance.
  • “Gender stereotyping” – representing 5% of all bias detected, this is praise which conveys unconscious gender bias, involves gender-biased language and/or refers to stereotypical gender roles.

Inclusion Advisor, which is continuously updated with real-life examples of implicit bias, can also detect biases including age bias, microaggressions, and negative comparisons.

Jonathan Hyland, Workhuman CTO, said: “We wanted to create a tool that provides an in-the-moment learning opportunity to better understand how language can be perceived by others. Even the most well intended messages can have unconscious bias. The right words and the right message, delivered in a timely manner, can have a positive and even lifelong impact on others. Inclusion Advisor helps users write inclusive, meaningful recognition messages that will make the recipient feel seen, heard, and valued for their contributions. 

“With the latest advancements in AI and ML, we are able to develop more sophisticated technology that can better understand and interpret recognition messages, identify trends and patterns, and provide more accurate and personalised recommendations. Inclusion Advisor reacts to unconscious bias on a continuous, sustainable basis, which is the only way to see real behavioural changes. In doing so, we are providing businesses with the most advanced and effective tools to foster a truly inclusive workplace environment.”

Workhuman survey shows 57% of women in Ireland feel obligated to work while sick, versus 34% of men

Workhuman, the company revolutionising the way employees celebrate, connect with, and appreciate each other in the workplace, is today announcing the results of a survey which highlights men and women’s perceived obligations when it comes to working remotely in Ireland, as well as the impact that their job has on their mental wellbeing. The research found that more than half (57%) of women in Ireland feel obligated to work while sick when working remotely, compared with just a third (34%) of men. It also found that women in Irish workplaces (40%) are more likely than men (32%) to feel mentally exhausted and drained after the working day.

Despite these disparities, Workhuman’s survey found that women and men are equally likely to feel respected at work in Ireland. The research showed that 65% of women working in Ireland feel respected in their jobs, compared to 64% of men. Meanwhile, over half (55%) of both women and men are likely to feel appreciated for their work.

The survey was carried out by Dynata on behalf of Workhuman across 2,268 full-time employees in Ireland, the UK, the U.S., and Canada. The aim of the research was to explore the state of human connection at work. It found that while men and women are equally likely to feel respected and appreciated at work, women are more likely to value diversity and inclusion in the workplace. When it comes to staying at their organisation, some 84% of women reported that diversity and inclusion is important to them, compared to 73% of men. Meanwhile, men working in Ireland (49%) are slightly more likely than women (42%) to see a clear path for growth within their organisation.

The research also provided insights into the experiences of parents working in Ireland. It found that parents are less likely to feel respected at work than parents in the UK, U.S., or Canada combined (64% vs 72%), while 60% were more likely to feel overworked in the last 12 months compared to 52% of their global counterparts and 40% of non-parents working in Ireland.

Niamh Graham, Senior Vice President Global Human Experience, Workhuman, said: “This research highlights work practices and sentiments in a post-pandemic world and allows us to observe how Irish workers fare against their global counterparts. Women working remotely in Ireland clearly feel significantly more pressure to work while they are unwell, compared to their male colleagues. Whether this is external or internal pressure, it is something that must be addressed by every organisation as they strive to create more human-led workforces.

“We know from our own research that gender bias still exists in Irish – and global – workplaces. Managers must not only ensure that they themselves are treating everyone equally, but they must also be aware of how their team members are perceiving and acting upon their roles and obligations, and make sure that the workload is not disproportionately distributed based on a person’s gender, race or otherwise.

“Despite the differing attitudes highlighted in our research, it is encouraging to see that both women and men feel equally respected and appreciated at work in Ireland. Showing appreciation and recognising employees is not only good for the human, but also good for business.

“It is clear that more needs to be done to support working parents in organisations across the board. Fostering a culture of belonging and taking the time to understand and get to know employees as people, who have rich lives outside of work, starts with putting wellbeing at the centre of your HR strategy. Employers need to continue to build a culture of recognition and appreciation, especially in the decentralised workplace where conscious efforts should be made to connect with employees.”

Workhuman announces number of workplace awards, including Best Large Workplace, Best Workplace in Tech and Best Workplace for Women in Ireland

Workhuman, the company revolutionising the way employees celebrate, connect with, and appreciate each other in the workplace, is today announcing a number of recent workplace award wins. These awards recognise Workhuman’s commitment to building more connected and human-centred workplaces

“After two years of disconnection, uncertainty and a lot of Zoom calls, the future of the workplace has been changed forever and one thing is clear, it is more human,” said Steve Pemberton, Workhuman CHRO. “Workhuman has always prioritised our people and we will always ensure that they feel connected, supported, heard and appreciated. These accolades are a great validation of our mission to bring more humanity to the workplace and we are proud to provide a great place to work for our 1,000 employees, and for our future humans.”

When people are recognised and celebrated at work, they thrive – and so does business. For more than 20 years, Workhuman has been building more human workplaces for organisations around the work by creating cultures of recognition that see lowered turnover, improved performance, and increased engagement. With the Workhuman Cloud technology and its people, the organisation is creating a better future for the workplace, community, and the world.

In addition to the workplace-focused awards, Workhuman co-founder and CEO, Eric Mosley, was named to the CEO 100 Index 2022 list by Business & Finance Ireland​.

Innovation. Determination. Imagination. Respect. At Workhuman, these are the values their humans live and breathe each day, and this is what they look for in future humans. The company is hiring across most departments in the US, Ireland, and Europe; open roles can be found here.

Great Place to Work® Ireland:

Only 26% of workers felt psychologically safe during the pandemic. #Workhuman #Covid19Ireland

Only 26% of workers felt psychologically safe during the pandemic and experienced higher levels of burnout, stress, and greater feelings of being lonely, according to a new survey from Irish-American tech firm Workhuman. The survey, of over 3,000 U.S. workers in March 2021, further revealed men experienced higher psychological safety than women, white employees experienced higher psychological safety than other ethnic groups, and working parents had the lowest psychological safety in comparison to employees who are not parents. Psychological safety describes the feeling of being one’s whole self at work, taking risks and being vulnerable, without fear of negative consequences.

 

“Based on our survey, the two most practical ways to boost psychological safety are to say “thank you” more often and to check in with employees more frequently,” said Workhuman Director of People Analytics Dr. Meisha-Ann Martin. “Creating a sense of psychological safety, especially for underrepresented groups, allows for higher levels of engagement, increased motivation, innovation, and better performance, which can lead to major breakthroughs.”

The Workhuman survey also affirms psychological safety is highest for employees who are recognised and is lowest for those who are never recognised, and only 51% of the respondents said they’ve been thanked at work in the last month. To make gratitude a habit, set aside time each week to think about which colleagues delivered for the business, then take the time to thank them for their efforts. Additionally, people who check in with their manager at least once a week experience higher psychological safety than those who check in less frequently, and yet only 29% of respondents in the Workhuman survey said they check in with their manager every week. A regular cadence of check-ins becomes an opportunity to build trust and sets a foundation of positivity for the manager-employee relationship.

At its core, psychological safety is about feeling comfortable bringing your whole, human self to work. For employers, it’s about empowerment – trusting the humans you’ve hired to do the jobs they were hired to do, allowing them to use their voices and show up in their teams. These two simple tactics – recognising more frequently and establishing a cadence of check-ins – can go a long way in creating an inclusive and psychologically safe environment for your people.

For more information about how the Workhuman Cloud can help strengthen your workforce and drive better business performance, please visit www.workhuman.com.

Irish Tech firm Workhuman valued at $1.2bn. #Workhuman #Tech

Irish technology company Workhuman has announced that London-based alternative asset manager Intermediate Capital Group (ICG) has become an investor in the organisation, as part of its European investment strategy, acquiring a minority stake in the company from existing shareholders. Morgan Stanley acted as exclusive financial advisor to Workhuman in a highly competitive process. The transaction values Workhuman at $1.2 billion.

Workhuman, the world’s fastest-growing social recognition and continuous performance management platform, develops pioneering technology to make employees feel more appreciated and socially connected at work, creating happier and more productive workplaces for some of the world’s biggest organisations including LinkedIn, Procter & Gamble, Cisco and Eaton. Over five million employees around the world are on Workhuman’s platform, across 160 countries.

Workhuman continues to support organisations globally in building human connections and increasing productivity in the workplace, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the first half of the year, more than 300,000 employees have started taking advantage of Workhuman’s Social Recognition and Life Events cloud products. The company has built out its suite of human applications with new features in existing products, and introduced Moodtracker™, an always-free employee survey platform that focuses on making real changes within organisations. In addition, Workhuman is offering special editions of two of its Workhuman Cloud products – Life Events® and Conversations®  – free for any organisation to use until March 2021.

Globoforce co-founder and CEO Eric Mosley.

“We are excited to welcome ICG as a strategic investor, while providing liquidity to some of Workhuman’s earliest supporters,” said Eric Mosley, Workhuman co-founder and CEO. “ICG’s support helps put us on a great path forward as we get ready for the next phase of Workhuman’s growth. If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that we all need human connection. Our continued double-digit growth and ongoing business momentum is a sign that organisations are craving a way to build better relationships and foster trust with their employees, no matter where they are.”

“Workhuman is a truly unique HR platform provider that we are excited to be in partnership with,” said Benoit Durteste, CIO and CEO of ICG. “The business’s historic performance is testament to the results it delivers for clients and their employees, reaching organizations in more than 160 countries. In the past couple years, and even more so as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations have begun to realize the power and value of their people and have been forced to innovate and thrive in new ways. Workhuman provides them with progressive tools to understand, engage with and better utilize their employees in ways they never could before.”

As part of Workhuman’s strategy to drive growth, three accomplished executives have recently joined the company’s leadership team. Chris DeMeo, formerly of Staples, took the role of VP of Customer Marketing; Dr. Patti Fletcher, who comes from SAP SuccessFactors, joins as VP of Brand Marketing; and Jason Griggs, previously at Workday, takes the reins as SVP of Global Sales.

For more information about Workhuman, please visit www.workhuman.com.

Workhuman Launches Thank You Healthcare, A Global Gathering Place for Sharing Stories of Gratitude for Our Healthcare Heroes. #Healthcare #Workhuman

Today, Workhuman, a leading provider of social recognition platforms, launched Thank You Healthcare, a global gathering place to share personal stories of thanks and gratitude to healthcare workers, and to witness the local impact of humanity across the globe during this time of crisis.

COVID-19 has created an incredible swell of public appreciation for today’s healthcare heroes – from car parades to standing ovations to public applause – and Thank You Healthcare is a virtual community for these emotions, allowing humanity to shine through in these difficult times.

Workhuman’s Thank You Healthcare Global Gratitude Map showcases the spread of gratitude across the globe using curated and collected thank you moments to healthcare workers fragmented across various social media platforms, such as Twitter and Instagram, to create an immersive graphic of global positivity. This interactive map is designed to be a powerful antithesis to the daily displays of the spread of the virus. It also shows the trends where gratitude hot spots continue to grow and emerge. From the map, individuals are encouraged to say Thank You to their personal healthcare connections by leveraging Workhuman’s global employee recognition product, specifically configured for recognising the workers at the world’s hospitals.

“Workhuman has been leading the movement of gratitude in the workplace for more than 20 years, and during this unprecedented time, we knew it was our responsibility to do what we do best and facilitate gratitude toward one set of workers in particular – healthcare,” said Eric Mosley, Workhuman co-founder and CEO. “Thank You Healthcare is a reflection of the global recognition that everyone is feeling; it’s the consistent visualisation of hope that we need to get through this time. We’re providing the world with a map to see all the good and enabling the community to actively participate to bring it to light.”

With more than 4 million moments of gratitude already shared, the global community aims to give those providing gratitude the feeling that they’ve been able to make a difference, while showing healthcare workers around the globe just how important they are.

Speaking about the Thank You Healthcare campaign, former Ireland and Leinster rugby star Jamie Heaslip added: “I’ve been blown away by the courage and commitment shown by our healthcare workers since the outbreak of this crisis in Ireland. They are putting their own health and well-being on the line to save the lives of others. It’s great to now have this platform available so people can come together and show the depth of their appreciation for all the efforts being made by healthcare workers to combat this pandemic. I hope the Thank You Healthcare campaign will act as a source of strength for these workers as they continue the fight against Covid-19.”

“We know these are challenging times for healthcare workers and their families. Thank You Healthcare’s Global Gratitude Map showcases positivity hot zones, moments of gratitude to healthcare workers, and the aggregation of thank you,” said Steve Pemberton, Workhuman CHRO. “By sharing stories of gratitude and recognition with the world and by reading those moments shared by others, we are uplifted and hopeful. Thank You Healthcare is truly a global community where all people, particularly those in healthcare, can feel and know they are loved, supported, appreciated, and connected.”

To view the incredible messages of gratitude being shared or to add your own personalized thank you, please visit Workhuman.com/ThankYouHealthcare.