Navigating Alien Territory in the Digital Workplace
I would like to introduce you to a friend — let’s call him Bob.
Bob will help us tell a story about the digital workplace, highlighting the challenges of employment in the digital age.
Who is Bob?
Bob is an orange alien from a neighboring solar system. His planet has 6 moons, natives with large orange heads and is known by the name FormerEmployer. Life on FormerEmployer was idyllic until the planet began restructuring. This change rendered Bob’s skills irrelevant and he found himself browsing the intergalactic job boards for new employment.
That is how he found himself on planet Earth, working for a company called NewOpp.
Why an alien?
The alien is a metaphor for a new employee. Whether due to a galaxy-wide job crisis or simply a career pivot — more individuals are job hopping than ever before.
A few decades ago, it was the norm to stay with one employer for an entire career. According to Forbes, today, the average length of employment for U.S. workers is 4.6 years. For the younger cohort (ages 20 to 34), the average is half that at 2.3 years. This culture of migration has created a reality where at some point — we have all been the alien in a new office.
New employment poses challenges for both the hire and the hiring manager. Each organization, especially enterprise scale, cultivates unique culture, hierarchy, jargon and collaborative systems. Effective onboarding requires thorough education of these practices.
What Challenges Does Bob Face?
The software Bob used on his previous planet, FormerEmployer, differs from what we use on Earth. Besides adding the acronyms CRM, ERP and HRM to his vernacular, Bob must also learn the ins and outs of these sophisticated platforms.
Bob’s plight is not a new one. Training managers face challenges onboarding new employees onto multiple digital tools within a competitive time frame. Both for extraterrestrials and new employees from planet Earth, new software can feel like outer space. Even when the employee knows a platform, company-specific customizations may render it unrecognizable. All these factors contribute to a long and cumbersome onboarding processes for both employee and organization.
How Does WalkMe Help Bob?
Bob is motivated to succeed at his new position, but he needs help interfacing with the unfamiliar technology. He knows these digital tools will help him become a contributor to the organization, but he isn’t excited to spend months getting there.
WalkMe is Bob’s cheat-sheet to understanding how humans use technology. The widget walks Bob step-by-step through any platform, offering engaging, contextual training. Walk-Thrus allow Bob to learn in real time — while performing actual tasks. Whenever Bob gets stuck, even months later, he can always refer to WalkMe for guidance.
Prevent your new employees from feeling like an alien. Start your free trial of WalkMe today.
Bob is happy because he can successfully kick start his new life on planet Earth. Without the pressure to memorize every technical process, the skills he brings to the table can shine from day one. NewOpp is also pleased. Their new employee is able to quickly pick up practical skills that will help drive their bottom line.