Hierarchy of workplace needs? There’s an app for everything
As employee needs expand in the hybrid working era, workplace apps are expanding their capabilities to cope. A new report from CXApp sets out the five tiers of employee experience
As hybrid working gains momentum, many companies are turning to new technology to manage a more complex set of organisational requirements. Workplace apps are emerging as part a new, mobile-first approach that aims to manage all aspects of the employee experience and make the office a more compelling destination.
As workplace needs expand with flexible working, it should be no surprise that the range and capability of workplace apps should expand too. But what employee needs should these apps address?
Starting at the base
A new report from technology company CXApp in partnership with WORKTECH Academy sets out ‘a hierarchy of workplace needs’, based on the famous pyramid structure of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
It starts at the base with physiological and safety needs (which give comfort and control to employees), then moves on to social and esteem needs (which provide amenity and experience), and finally examines how self-actualisation (the source of identity and wellbeing) can manifest itself within the workplace.
The message is that if companies address the fullest spectrum of employee needs through workplace apps, the more valuable the employee experience and the smoother the ride to hybrid working. The five tiers of employee experience are:
Physiological needs: These reflect the most basic needs for comfort and control over our work environment and could be as simple as the ability to control the temperature in the room you are working in, or track health information.
Safety needs: These needs are also fundamental and range from the safety of data collected via a workplace app to the monitoring of occupancy levels so that hazards such as overcrowding, congestion and uncleaned spaces can be avoided.
Social needs: These have become more important in the office since the isolation of lockdown. Apps can coordinate team collaboration and social interaction, including room and food booking, wayfinding and event scheduling.
Esteem needs: These are more complex and nuanced than social needs, reflecting our need to be treated with dignity and have our work acknowledged. Workplace apps can give access to prestige amenities and make employees feel welcome.
Self-actualisation: These needs are about reaching your potential and succeeding in our personal life goals. Apps for learning and development support identity and wellbeing.
Workplace super app
The CXApp report also looks at the ‘workplace super app’ and what this might offer employees and workplace managers alike, at a time when there is evidence of ‘app overload’ and employees are struggling to switch between a proliferation of different apps on different platforms. The CXApp is an example of a workplace super app that consolidates the services, services and functions of a company’s tech stack into a single mobile app.
The CXApp report is entitled ‘Hierarchy of Workplace Needs: A look at the five tiers of employee experience, technology, and the future of work.’ Find out more about the ways in which workplace apps can meet the needs of your employees here.
