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Employee Engagement Software Complete Buyer’s Guide

What is employee engagement software? Why is it important to a business? These questions have been at the center of attention for several pieces of research. The outcomes prove that businesses with more engaged employees show better results. Hence, an engaged employee performs better.

Employee engagement has been around for quite a while. Actually, companies in the past valued the morale of employees knowing the benefits of it. Hence, they were measuring satisfaction with the traditional method of surveying. Then, they implemented the acquired feedback to keep employees enthusiastic about their jobs.

Thanks to rapid technological advancement, employee management and engagement are less complicated. This makes the life of managers easier and their businesses more successful. Nowadays, managers are looking for tools to measure, monitor, and improve the employee engagement of their businesses. Thankfully, there are plenty of such tools available to improve the communication and engagement of your employees.

Are you wondering how to get employee engagement at a high level? Then check out the following guide. You will get all the information and useful buying tips. Afterward, you may proceed to check online user reviews or make your own employee engagement tools comparison.

From the traditional surveys to the era of digitalization, employee engagement remains a vital part of the success of a business. In the days of rapid change, employee engagement software arrive to integrate into the business environment of any industry. Are these tools better than the traditional method of surveying? Yes. Technology is undoubtedly more befitting to bring employees together in the age of remote work.

The first question to answer is what an employee engagement tool is. To define, an employee engagement system is a software or platform of a digital workspace for employees to engage. Specifically, it covers many important aspects of any business, like communication, evaluation, and training. Hence, it benefits both the employees by increasing their morale and the management by making the processes faster and more accurate.

Worker engagement tools can have multiple benefits. In remote teams, they help connect the employees with each other, collaborate, and engage in activities. Additionally, they show a clear picture of workforce morale to the management. This way, the management can make wiser decisions in task allocation, talent development, and goal setting.

However, not all such tools are the same. Even though they cover the basic purposes of the software, they differ in the features and functionality they provide. Therefore solid research is necessary before choosing one for your business. It is wise to find a solution that provides the exact features to meet your business goals.

The purpose of this guide is to help you understand, evaluate, and choose the right employee engagement tool for your business. You'll find all you need to increase employee job satisfaction and retain talented workers for years.

One of the vital aspects that determine business success is employee prosperity. The inner environment of a business often shapes the outer outcome. That said, a considerable amount of industries can benefit by using employee engagement software.

To illustrate, we provide you with a list of the top industries that could benefit from an employee engagement tool:

HR Teams

Talent acquisition and development can often cause headaches to the human resources department. Especially, nowadays, with the remote work environment taking place, HR teams are looking for a viable way to collect data, evaluate, and improve employee performance.

Employee engagement tools offer a way out to HR professionals. By using automation and survey features, evaluation becomes smoother and more efficient. In the meantime, the HR team can focus on scaling talent plans and executing them with the use of a single tool. Additionally, the features of such a tool can also enhance the communication between the HR department and the employees. Instant messages, automatic notifications, and mobile integration are among the features that can bring the employees of a company closer to HR.

Training Managers

Training managers also face challenges that can be overcome with the use of the right tool. Foremost, it is not rare to wonder as a training manager if your training is ideal for the company you work for. Evaluating the progress of the training of your employees can be a time-consuming process. Additionally, we live in the era of a mobile workforce. Employees prefer to train with the use of their mobile smartphones. This brings up the challenge of creating mobile-friendly training that can support continuous learning.

Staff engagement tools come to tackle the above-mentioned training challenges. Instant feedback and evaluation allow the training managers to check whether the training is beneficial or not in real time. Additionally, a vast amount of employee engagement software includes training management. Therefore, your training plan acquires flexibility that can be translated into continuous learning and success.

Small And Medium Businesses

Unlike large enterprises, small businesses depend heavily on their employees. The loss or bad training of an employee can cause irreparable damage to the business. Furthermore, small businesses lack HR departments. A manager usually also has to play the role of HR, which can be challenging without the right tool.

An employee engagement tool can be an all-inclusive tool for small business owners. By making the employee experience more engaging, employee retention is increased. Furthermore, such tools do not require expertise and can be tailored to your business. Therefore, you can find ideal employee engagement tools for small businesses. As a small business owner, you can keep your employees happy, engaged, and more productive in a cost-effective way.

Startups And Agencies

Like small businesses, startups and agencies need the help of an all-inclusive tool due to the lack of an HR team. However, the challenges differ. Startups need to maintain a fast pace and keep track of projects. Meanwhile, such companies tend to rely heavily on team building and communication. Therefore, startups require a cost-friendly all-in-one tool to accomplish their goals.

The market for staff engagement tools is constantly growing. More and more features are being added making it an all-in-one tool for startups. In the first steps of your business, you can use such tools to communicate, keep track of, and train the members of your team. That said, employee engagement software for startups can offer the right combination of communication management features.

Large Enterprises

One of the most frequent issues reported in large companies is the lack of workforce engagement. Unlike in small businesses, employees in big enterprises have specific roles and duties. This often leads the employee to feel replaceable and not contribute enough. Additionally, due to the general anonymity of big companies’ environments, employees tend to not engage with each other.

Corporate team leaders can find a solution in technology. With the use of an employee engagement tool, employees will find a voice. Not only will they be able to connect with their colleagues, but they will also feel heard by their superiors. Consequently, a democratic community is what you need to keep in mind when looking for the best employee engagement tool for large enterprises.

Academic

In terms of employee engagement, the education sector shows similarities to the private sector. Higher academic institutions face governmental fund cuts and constantly changing competition. To keep up with the competition, academic institutions need to be agile. That is where staff engagement comes into play. An engaged workforce can provide the institution with the agility to keep up with the competition. The right employee engagement tool for academic use can enhance the way educators communicate, evaluate, and act in a much more welcoming workspace.

Non-Profits

In general, non-profit organizations depend on the willingness and motivation of their members, namely, the motivation to act, change and engage. Hence, a common problem non-profits are facing is the disengagement of their employees. However, in this scenario, disengagement usually results in quitting. Especially now, in the remote work era, volunteers feel less engaged since they are not out in the field of action.

The right tool in this case can boost the engagement in non-profit organizations. Certain features that are ideal for this environment are messages, newsfeed, surveys, and rewards. Volunteers can be notified about important sections to take action, connect with other volunteers, engage, and get rewarded. By using the appropriate employee engagement tool, a non-profit organization can boost the motivation of its employees and, hence, the retention rate.

Public Administration

The public sector suffers from employee disengagement as well. The issue, in this case, lies in the general feeling of “simply doing my job.” Specifically, employees might experience less creativity and engagement in public administration. Hence, unfortunately, sometimes there's little space for inspiration and innovation in this sector.

The right software can bring light into the long dark tunnel of bureaucracy. Creating an engaging workspace allows the employees to motivate, inspire, and innovate in their expertise. Such improved engagement will create a space for evolution in the “wasteland” of public administration. Unlike the private sector, improved performance outcomes can eventually affect in this case even the economic state of a country.

Choosing the ideal employee engagement tool can have multiple benefits for your organization. The right choice can help you build a powerful engaged workforce.

Enables Data-Driven Management

Data has become the most valuable assistant for a leader. Knowing what happens in your company and your employees can help you make the appropriate decisions. In that manner, employee engagement tools offer a sufficient way to collect valuable insights with real-time data, evaluate them and take decisions accordingly.

The most valuable feature of this benefit is feedback surveys. With the use of an employee engagement platform, surveying becomes easier and more precise. There is no need for extra software to evaluate, analyze, or transfer the gathered data.

Everyone is connected to the same platform. Thus, you can get instant feedback from your team and spectate live the changes in your workplace. This will help you improve employee engagement. Also, you will be making more precise predictions of your potential decisions minimizing the risk.

In short, employee engagement software helps management by:

• Assisting in data-driven decisions
• Highlighting employee burnout and talents
• Enabling faster and more personalized communication
• Uncovering ways to motivate your team

Enhances Workforce Communication

Communication is a vital part of any thriving business. It helps by building the foundation of success and maintaining a healthy working environment. However, communication in business has taken a hit by COVID and remote working. In general, communication has become technology-depended.

This particular dependence comes with technology-related issues. Lack of internet, bad connection, rescheduling meetings, and the use of too many tools are among the issues that cost time. Additionally, bad communication may lead to harmful decisions for a company. Not to mention how it affects team building.

Surprisingly, technology itself comes to the rescue with staff engagement apps. By using the right software for your team, you can maintain communication within a digital workplace tailored for your needs.

In short, employee engagement software helps communication by:

• Helping leaders inspire their teams directly
• Creating a democratic workplace for employees
• Providing instant messaging features for your workplace
• Saving time and resources
• Improving the overall employee experience of your workforce

Improves Overall Performance

Data-driven management and solid corporate communication eventually lead to performance improvement. That is because of risk reduction in decision-making. In fact, an employee engagement tool allows leaders and managers to get valuable insights instantly. This information includes data, feedback, and even instant messages that provide the management with a clear view of the workforce.

The HR department can also benefit from employee engagement software. How? By having a more insightful view of human resources. To clarify, feedback, training data, and communication can let HR know about the motivation of the employees or warn them about potential burnouts. Such useful predictions not only save time but also assist in better task allocation in the workforce.

An engaged employee performs better. According to Gallup's research, enterprises with an actively engaged workforce perform two times better than their counterparts. That is because engagement provides the employee with motivation. When employees feel more included in the company goals, they try to grow and perform better.

Engagement comes with certain activities in a tool. Employees can perform daily or weekly tasks, training sessions, and assignments. Additionally, they can keep track of their progress while also communicating with other employees about it. Even though each tool includes different features, the goal remains the same to keep the employee engaged, motivated, and inspired.

In short, employee engagement software increases overall employee performance by:

• Including effective employee engagement activities
• Using progress tracking to enhance growth and development
• Helping targeted workforce investments
• Improving employee wellness

The market for employee engagement tools is constantly growing in the past few years. The rapid technological advancement provides development companies with “fertile ground” to build new features. However, the vast number of features and the differences between the tools make the software decision and comparison even harder.

In this section of the guide, we present the top features to look for in an employee engagement program. With the features below you will know how to drive employee engagement. Understanding the necessity of alignment between company goals and the proper tool, we suggest considering the following vital features:

Employee Recognition

As a definition, employee recognition (also known as social recognition) is the acknowledgment of the employees for who they are and what they do. In general, gratitude in the workplace proves to increase overall employee productivity and performance. Nowadays, employee recognition has become a vital aspect of workplace wellness. There is no wonder about that since publicly expressing gratitude can boost the morale of employees and motivate them to grow.

There are some common features for employee recognition in an employee engagement tool. The most famous among them is peer-to-peer recognition. To clarify, peer-to-peer employee recognition is the feature that allows employees to connect in a gratitude expressing environment. Another feature is rewards management. Like gratitude, rewarding motivates employees to achieve their goals and perform better.

Performance Management

Performance management is a vital part of an engagement tool. As a manager or HR professional, you want to know how the team is performing. This can be achieved with proper data collection, feedback, goal setting, and performance review. If done correctly, there can be a clear understanding between employees, HR, and management.

The majority of employee engagement tools have implemented features that support performance management. Regarding data accumulation, some common features are surveys, feedback management (and collection), as well as data import/export. Additionally, management features like real-time reporting, goal setting/tracking, and training management are included.

Cultural Alignment

Engagement is possible only when the employees feel like part of a whole. They have to feel essential in the culture of the workplace. That said, it is important to promote some core values as a company and assist your employees in aligning with them. Eventually, your employees will feel their contribution is vital to the company and be motivated to perform even better.

Cultural alignment can be achieved with the help of a tool. Certain common features that promote cultural alignment are activities, tasks, and employee onboarding. You can promote tasks or training on soft skills that align with the cultural environment of the company. With the use of these features along with gamification and AI integration, you can ensure that your employees are the right fit for the value you want to promote and the company.

Feedback Management

Feedback is a vital part of data gathering and management. It is the process of understanding what works, what does not, and what will work in the future. Therefore, staff engagement tools have implemented features to help with feedback management. The autonomous process of collecting feedback allows you to set goals and monitor the process of several projects simultaneously.

Surveys And Assessments

Without the use of technological tools, surveying can be a time-consuming process. However, the integration of Artificial Intelligence in the process has made it faster and more efficient for companies. Additionally, AI integration gives a more personal touch to the surveys. That said, tailored surveys can be sent at the same time to employees making the surveying process more successful.

Assessments are also part of the data-gathering process. With the proper assessments aligned to the company culture, you can increase employee retention. Furthermore, you can keep track of the assessments assigned to your employees and check their progress. In general, assessments are great tools for data collection and management of the workforce.

Employee Net Promoter Score

Employee engagement can be measured and analyzed. A must-have feature for managers who want to measure the engagement and loyalty of their employees is the employee net promoter score. eNPS uses data from surveys on the overall engagement of employees to analyze and provide the management with a wide picture of workforce satisfaction. That said, eNPS can operate as a warning or as a confirmation of a healthy environment.

Some employee engagement platforms require a sufficient amount of training on how to use them. With the proper implementation of training, you can achieve your company’s goals and scale for future triumphs within the tool. This explains the vast amount of time and resources large enterprises spend on training and development.

Employee training on the software can provide your company with the following benefits:

• Minimized risk of employee errors
• Increased employee retention
• Showcase of employee talents and weaknesses
• Boost in overall productivity

When you are looking for the right employee engagement tool, you want to make sure that it includes the essential features of training. You want to smoothen the training process and get in the tool as soon as possible. In this case, you want to ensure that the software you will choose for your organization includes at least one of the following features:

Documentation

Training documentation is among the most common types of corporate training. Since many companies cannot afford the individual training, documentation offers a getaway with training on a massive scale. To define, training professionals create files, pages, and data to use as a guide for new employees. Instead of training individually, employees can refer to these documents for guidance and development.

In fact, training documentation is often supported in employee engagement tools. File import and database are commonly used by employee engagement software. That said, companies that prefer this type of training method can upload training documents in the tool. Then, the employee can access the files at any time and proceed with their training.

Online Tutorials

Even though documentation training has its traits, some companies prefer using online tutorials. In this case, managers and HR pros can leverage employee engagement software to create a database with online tutorials for their employees. An online tutorial does not have to be a written file type. In some cases, training development can be created in other formats like audio and video tutorials.

Webinars

A less common but extremely useful training asset when using such tools is the webinar. Webinars require more time and effort but offer an all-inclusive method of training. A webinar can include other types of training as well like documentation and resources. Therefore, you might be interested in creating training webinars for your workforce. For example, this way you can help them understand a tool or a process based on their job requirements.

In-Person Support

Everyone’s path in training is unique. Therefore, unique issues might come up that require a more personalized approach. That said, there are several employee engagement tools that allow you to offer in-person support training. For instance, you can help your team tackle technical issues or answer questions regarding certain tools and the like.

Live Online Support

Similar to in-person, you might find live online support handy. Many employee engagement tools offer live online support usually in the form οf a chatbox. However, a chatbox is not the only option since some companies also offer call or video support solutions. Therefore, when you are looking for minimizing the risks of improper use of a tool, you might want to choose this option of assistance.

The deployment options should also play an important role in your choice. We suggest that you take into consideration every aspect of your business before you proceed in order to find the right fit for you. That said, the option you will choose depends on the industry, your business, and its goals.

In this section, the deployment options are provided with a description for each one. Even though options differ in terms of security, they share the importance of solid information privacy.

The employee engagement software deployment options are the following:

Desktop Application

Among the most common deployment options is the desktop application. Operating from their own computer, users are required to download and install an employee engagement app. That said, users can access the applications at any time via their desktop without the need for a browser.

Employee engagement vendors have made the apps accessible for everyone. This means that desktop applications do not require high levels of specification to be used. They can be installed and used on almost any computer. However, in the rare situation of technical issues when using the app, users can always access the web-based software. In this scenario, all that is needed is a stable internet connection.

Mobile Application

Mobile applications are on hype in the employee engagement market. With this deployment option, users can visit the marketplace, download the app and install it on their mobile devices. Then, they can access all features of the software at any time, through their phones.

Engagement and accessibility come hand in hand in most situations. There are employees who may have to engage with the company or their colleagues but not have a desktop in front of them. There are also cases in which issues arrived at managers too late due to a lack of accessibility. In most cases, this delay costs time and resources.

To tackle such issues, some employee engagement vendors offer mobile applications. Since, nowadays, everyone is familiar with smartphones and apps, engagement can become smoother with the use of employee engagement apps. In this manner, employees and managers are engaged on the go, any time.

Self-Hosted Cloud-Based

Another deployment option is self-hosted cloud-based. In this scenario, the employee engagement app operates on a virtual private cloud. The benefits of such an option rely on privacy, security, and customization. To clarify, the buyer can tailor the server to the company goals without the need for access to a public server.

Self-Hosted System

The self-hosted deployment option is used by employee engagement vendors that want to have full control over their system. Self-hosted applications use private servers instead of hosting clouds. In this manner, vendors tend to avoid third party options and take full responsibility for maintenance and upkeep.

When looking for the right deployment option, you might want to consider the benefits of a self-hosting system. One of them is security. Since self-hosted staff engagement apps avoid third-party implications, the risk of data exposure is certainly minimized. Furthermore, self-hosting tends to show credibility since the employee engagement company is capable of hosting, running, and maintaining the software.

Software as a Service/Cloud

Software as a Service (SaaS) or Cloud is the most used deployment option. The reason behind this is its simplicity. By hosting and delivering software via the cloud, users do not have to worry about hardware requirements and maintenance. Also, there is no need for installation since anyone can access it through the internet. SaaS is the ideal choice for small businesses focusing on improving employee engagement. Moreover, since the app is cloud-based, all updates will be live and on time.

Licensing options are an important factor to consider when looking for the right employee engagement platform. In this case, there are three different licensing choices presented in this guide. The differences between them are related to cost and functionality. Therefore, you should keep in mind the following list prior to purchase:

• Free
  If you have a small business or startup and you are looking to boost employee engagement, then the free licensing option might be ideal for you. Engagement platforms apps with free license often come in handy when you need the basic features in employee engagement. However, it contains fewer features and customer service options than paid licensing.

• Open source
  If you are looking for customization, then open source employee engagement apps are for you. With this licensing option, you can modify the source code and tailor it to your business. Therefore, you can add features that you find useful for your company or even modify the existing ones. This choice is ideal for companies with a solid tech team, able to deal with integrations, innovation, and maintenance. However, keep in mind that open source licensing has fewer features than a paid one. However, as I already mentioned, it allows you to create your own and contains more than the free licensing.

• Paid
  Employee engagement platforms with a paid licensing option are the ultimate choice for large companies. Among the benefits is the amount of premium features offered in the software. Moreover, paid licensing enhances security. To clarify, it does not allow modifications of the software and distributions to a third-party tool. It might cost more than free and open source, but offers certainty, a plethora of features, and top-quality customer service.

There are several pricing models for employee engagement tools. Each model differs in the features offered, integrations, and customer service options. In this section, there are 5 different prizing models presented and explained:

Free

You can find plenty of free employee engagement tools out there. This prizing model might be ideal for a business on a tight budget or a start-up. However, free tools mostly offer basic features and customer service. Therefore, if your company is just getting started on increasing employee engagement, then this plan is for you.

Free Trial

Choosing one of the best free trial employee engagement software could be another option. In this plan, a company can make free use of the tool’s services for a limited time. Usually, the free trial offers the full functionality of the software with all features included. However, after the limited time of the trial, you will have to proceed with a paid plan.

Freemium

Similar to free tools, freemium offers the basic features without payment. The main difference is that freemium tools also offer premium features that you can buy within the app. This pricing plan is ideal for businesses and startups that aim at scaling their employee engagement in the future.

One-Time Purchased License

Instead of paying monthly or yearly, some vendors offer a one-time purchased license. In this way, a company can buy the services of the software by paying only once. Usually, the price is formed by the size of the company and the employees included. A benefit of this option is that you do not have to worry about future expenses.

Subscription

The subscription model is one of the most common pricing models in the industry. By paying an employee engagement platform subscription fee, you can have access to the full services of the software. Usually, subscription models are monthly or yearly based and might offer free trials as well. In some cases, the price also differs regarding the company size. This plan is ideal for any size of company that needs the premium use of employee engagement features.

Finding the perfect employee engagement software for your business can be challenging. Since the industry is constantly growing, the factors you have to consider prior to buying are increased. However, there are some vital steps to take before choosing the right tool. Initially, you have to analyze your company and uncover your needs, budget, and size regarding employee engagement.

The following questions will help you analyze the software that could work best for your business:

1. What employee engagement features does your business need?
2. How much is the budget your business is willing to spend on the software?
3. Does the software vendor provide a free trial?
4. Does your business need specific software integration?
5. What is the level of security and information privacy provided by the software?
6. What kind of deployment option is the best fit for your business?
7. Does the software offer training? If yes, of what kind?
8. What level of customer support does the software provide?
9. Are there other businesses similar to yours using this software?

The answers to the questions above will serve you as the ultimate guide to finding the right software for your business needs. Hence, to choose the most fitting employee engagement tool for your company, you need to consider the following:

Set Your Employee Engagement Software Requirements

Start by analyzing your business. This will help you understand why you need employee engagement and how it will serve your company. Then you might want to look at the most valuable features for you. Some vital features to look for are surveys, feedback collection, goal setting, performance management, employee profile, people analytics, and collaboration tools.

Check Budget Αnd Prizing Models

After analyzing your business and setting the requirements, you can consider the budget for the app. In this step, keep in mind the features you need, and start comparing the offers of vendors. As mentioned in a previous section, the prizing model can be free, free trial, freemium, one-time purchased license, and subscription. Check if the vendors offer the vital features in their prizing plan and what is included in the price. In short, make sure you have the right budget for the right features to reach your goals.

Vendor Vetting

There is certainly a variety of tools in the employee engagement vendors industry. The competition is getting intense and vendors tend to offer customers valuable features. Therefore, it might be beneficial to see what extra things vendors are offering to you such as free trials, training, and customer service.

Employee Engagement Software Comparison

After you make decisions on features and budgeting, you can proceed to a comparison in the shortlist of vendors. To make the comparison you can check out our directory and click on the “compare” choice. This will allow you to compare the services of up to three different vendors. That said, you can minimize the risk of making the wrong decision with the right employee engagement software comparison list.

Social Proof Αnd Reviews

Social proof and reviews are both crucial in making the right decision. You are not alone searching in the employee engagement market. There might be businesses like yours that already used such tools and left a review. That said, you can read the reviews of different vendors in our directory and enhance your decision-making process.

Mobile Accessibility

Nowadays most of the global workforce is familiar with mobile applications. This trend adds mobile integration into consideration. An employee engagement tool does not only assist in improving communication in the workplace but out of it too. So, if you want to keep your employees engaged on the go, you should consider this factor of mobile accessibility as well.

Customer Support

Solid customer support can be a helpful asset in your software journey. When you start using any new tool, issues might come up. Such issues in business terms can cost time and resources. Therefore, you might want to keep in mind the customer support service each vendor provides before proceeding with your final decision.

All the above tips will help you choose the best employee engagement software for your business needs.

As a business manager, you have probably already been using several apps for your business. This is why it is important to keep integration in mind before choosing the right employee engagement tool. The software that you choose has to communicate well with valuable apps in data storage, communication, and management.

There are a plethora of tools that businesses use daily. For instance, you might prefer your tool to integrate with project management apps like Asana or Trello. In this way, you will save time and resources by adding data on both platforms at once. Additionally, you should check if the software you choose connects with the data storage and documentation platform your business uses (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc). Other examples of useful platforms are Mailchimp, Salesforce, WordPress, and DocuSign).

When your business uses multiple platforms for several aspects, you want them to work harmonically. This will not only minimize the risk of potential errors but also boost the overall performance. Additionally, it will speed up the processes and make the life of your workforce easier.

A smooth integration can offer the following benefits:

• Faster in-app processes
• Increased productivity
• More accurate data analysis and customizable reporting
• Enhanced security
• Improved ease of use by the employees

Do you want to increase employee engagement with the right software? Then you are almost at the doorstep of your business transformation. A transformation that will create a democratic sphere in your workplace, increase the morale of your employees, and boost the overall performance. Since there are numerous choices in employee engagement tools, you should keep in mind several factors before choosing. You should analyze your business, compare vendors and then make the right choice.

First, know your business. In this step, you should answer questions regarding your goals, industry, and budget. Some examples are: Why do I need an employee engagement tool? Which of my business goals will it serve? What features do I need? How much am I willing to spend?

Then compare the employee engagement vendors. Answer the following: What does this employee engagement tool offer? What is the right pricing model for me? Does it offer employee engagement vendor help? This way, you will understand the market and find the most fitting software for your business.

Do you want to know which one is the best for you?

Then find and compare top employee engagement tools in eLearning Industry's directory.

Also, you can check out the latest employee engagement software reviews and ratings right now!