New ways to drive employee engagement

Employee engagement is all about nurturing a connection and encouraging the enthusiasm  employees have for their company and its goals. One problem facing HR executives is how to foster this in a world recovering from COVID-19 where physical, face-to-face office meetings are no longer the norm and working remotely is part of the new world order.

Uber for Business has an answer. They’ve implemented an enticing menu of ways that aim to drive employee engagement in the post-COVID world.

Uber Eats offers meal programs, gift cards, group ordering for teams, Uber Eats Vouchers and a host of other variations to incentivise employees and encourage them to come together – both in the office and remotely.

Dunford says when businesses are faced with unanticipated challenges like COVID-19, the desire to stay connected with employees and customers, “is stronger than ever.”

So the physical distancing forced by the virus has actually created an opportunity for businesses to show their employees and customers that they still care about them.

“When a business offers a meal for its employees, that act fosters connection and boosts morale. This gives them a sense of goodwill that they can pay forward to the rest of their teammates, their families, and their communities,” he says.

Coca Cola and Locatrix are among a swag of companies using food services like Uber Eats to drive employee engagement.

“Typically, Uber was used to move businesses’ employees and guests/clients, whether that be to and from meetings, airport trips or work events,” says Dunford.

“Many have moved to use Uber Eats as a tool to engage and boost morale with staff no matter where they are.”

Providing a meal in this way can also free up an employee’s time for more productive work activities. Access to local restaurants and with an average Australia-wide delivery time of under 30 minutes* allows employees to enjoy more of their downtime and stay focused while working.

Uber for Business provides companies with a digital dashboard to manage the entire ordering process. The dashboard also consolidates all transactions into a single monthly invoice so companies can easily keep track of the budget.

And we’re not just talking about regular meal-times. A company can strengthen relationships throughout the employee experience. Options include recruiting meals, where potential new hires are sent an Uber Eats Voucher for use during their job interview; special virtual events for sharing meals together, and employee meal programs to encourage healthy eating without the need to cook. There can also be one-off Uber Eats Voucher surprises to show appreciation towards employees.

“In 2020 Coca-Cola provided employees with $100 gift cards to use on Uber Eats to thank them for their hard work during a difficult year,” says Dunford.

Coca-Cola North America’s Brian Sappington told Uber for Business that through their partnership with Uber Eats, “Not only were we able to provide $100 gift cards to employees at Coca-Cola North America, but we were also able to inject some fuel into the economy and both the delivery and restaurant industries.”

Sappington described the response from Coca-Cola employees and partners as “overwhelming.”

When their regular meeting at the local pub couldn’t take place due to COVID, Queensland based company, Locatrix, organised a virtual get-together and offered employees a $40 Uber Eats Voucher.

“The feedback from staff was that they felt a sense of unity, as well as a positive social impact by supporting struggling local restaurants,” said Locatrix’s Helen Hall.

“After the success of our initiative we will be continuing to engage with our staff by allowing them to order weekly team lunches when they return to the office,” said Hall.

“In fact,” says Dunford, “According to an Uber for Business survey conducted in Australia in April 2020, 60% of workers said that food provided at work would keep them happy and satisfied with their current employer.”

See how other companies are using Uber for Business to engage with employees here or request a demo today.

Written by Daniel Wood, HRD Magazine, March 2021.