Trends in engagement: What workers want from the workplace experience

May 12, 2022

4 minute read

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Our latest eBook "Engage with Equiem" digs into data from more than 80,000 global users to discover how to effectively engage your users. Take a sneak peek at some of the trends we've noticed emerging across the world.

Engagement is about more than just numbers. It's about forging an authentic connection between your building and the people who work there. That's why it's so important to listen to your users and focus on their wants and needs.

One of the best ways to understand your users is to focus on the way they respond to content and events. Not only can you learn what kind of subjects are of the greatest interest among the people in your building, you can also discover how they like to interact with your platform, what type of events they're most likely to attend, and  on a deeper level  what they value about your building.

All of this information can help you to deepen the relationship between your users and your building, allowing you to ensure the two-way communication is as authentic, free-flowing, and self-sustaining as possible.

Download our Engage with Equiem Report | Equiem tenant app

 

Let's take a look at the trends we've seen emerging among users in the last six months.

Food and fitness are resilient

The last two years have seen a marked decrease in the amount of food and fitness-related events. That's understandable  it's been difficult or impossible to get together physically. But our data shows that users are as interested in Food and Fitness events as ever.

Food and fitness events are evergreen  occupiers have always loved them, and absence has only made the heart grow fonder.

The most popular onsite events among our users over the last six months included BBQs, gelato giveaways, fitness classes, and boot camps. Even when we look at virtual events, we can see a significant desire for fitness activities. Online yoga and pilates classes were among our most successful virtual events.

Even remote workers want the workplace experience to be social

When you're managing a hybrid workforce, it can be easy to think that remote-first workers care less about socialising than their in-office counterparts. But that assumption turns out to be a bit of a trap. As it turns out, the data we collected shows that remote workers are also interested in events with a social component. 

It makes sense  these workers often feel isolated from their friends and colleagues. Perhaps that sense of isolation explains why remote workers are particularly interested in classes and workshops that will allow them to interact with colleagues in a more social setting. We found that virtual cocktail classes, cooking workshops, and wine tastings emerged as the most desired remote events.

Don't make the mistake of neglecting your remote users when planning your social calendar. Offering remote events that allow your hybrid workers to stay connected can improve their morale, strengthen their link to the workplace, and ultimately may lead to them spending more time onsite with their colleagues.

Don't ask too much of your users

People want to engage with their workplace experience app. But they want to interact on their own terms. Most of all, they want to interact in a way that fits in naturally with the rest of their workday.

That means that content with mechanics that ask less of the user tend to be most attractive. Users love to like and comment on posts, and they respond strongly to fun, laidback activities that they can engage with from the comfort of their desk or phones. Campaigns that received high levels of interaction included our "Work From Home Playlist", a Spot the Difference game, and even a user-generated Best Dad Joke contest.

Don't make the mistake of considering this kind of content to be lightweight or inessential. While it may not be as substantial or goal-oriented as other forms of content and events, it can help to create an authentic sense of community among occupiers.

One of the reasons we miss the office is the abundance of incidental socialising  think about the small talk you missed when we were all working from home. Fun, low-commitment content is the digital equivalent of small talk. It brings people together and allows them to engage and express themselves in a way that feels safe, fun, and relaxed.

These are just a few of the trends you can read about in our new eBook. Get the free report now for a comprehensive breakdown of everything we've learned from our user base over the last six months.

Topics: Engage