Professional services company Portico has seen a significant increase in employee satisfaction and engagement in the past eight months since implementing award-winning software to support remote and furloughed staff. With plans still on hold for a mass return to the workplace for many companies, technology is bringing employees together, keeping them connected and allowing a more flexible working landscape.
Aimed at the business, residential and property sectors, Portico manages, mobilises and enhances guest services across the UK & Ireland. Partnering with Spike Global, Portico has created Heartbeat, an employee engagement app, which recently won a 2021 Employee Experience Award, celebrating the organisations, people, and initiatives that serve to improve the working environment. The app was commended for its positive impact on staff wellbeing and culture.
Spike Workplace was the software chosen to create Heartbeat, a staff portal tailored to Portico’s specific needs and objectives, and designed to connect its employees located throughout the UK and Ireland. The app not only streamlines working practices, but also promotes a connected staff culture, particularly during the pandemic while 70 per cent of its 800 employees were on furlough.
Prior to the pandemic, Portico would regularly engage and connect with staff at social events, during company forums, via team meetings and team talks, and using email to share information, updates and news. Within days of the lockdown many had no way to connect with their colleagues without access to their work platforms.
As the lockdowns continued, temporary measures were implemented to drive engagement, however the company believed a longer-term solution was needed to build on the new remote community culture whilst also delivering additional value to staff and the business. Portico’s strategic aim was to enhance its community ethos with the ability for people to talk to one another and form meaningful connections despite many being unable to access their regular email platform.
Portico worked closely with Spike’s dedicated team to create a white-labelled application, which offers an array of functions such as promoting social groups and company forums, sharing information about company events, and providing key announcements and news.
Since implementing the app, 75 per cent of staff are now using the platform, with 50 per cent connecting at least once a day. Portico’s recent Pandemic survey showed that 98 per cent of staff said Portico employed effective communications systems for keeping staff connected and informed, while 95 per cent said that Portico’s communication channels and tools are engaging.
Amanda Kay, Director, Business Development at Portico, said: “We take a people-first approach to business, and engagement in our brand and our values are fundamental to our success. In our experience, having an engaged workforce positively impacts teamwork, pride and personal ownership. We worked with Spike Global to ensure our teams felt connected to Portico on a personal level, to create meaningful relationships with their colleagues and to live our values every day. Since the launch we have had excellent feedback from our staff members and real engagement in the forums and social groups, which we have created on the platform.”
Jeremy Heath-Smith, CEO at Spike Global, said: “Meaningful technology that keeps people connected has come into its own during the pandemic. With many employees working remotely or furloughed, we work with companies to ensure they are at the forefront of communications with their staff and that employee wellbeing is prioritised. We are immensely proud of the app we have delivered with Portico, and its success at the recent Employee Engagement Awards is testament to this.”
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