This document highlights the key benefits of implementing atwork and addressing potential concerns. Addresses frequently asked questions (Data Protection, ROI, Organization, Expectations, and more).
Employees
How is the employee acceptance of surveys?
To ensure honest feedback, we prioritize anonymity in survey responses and maintain a clear and consistent communication strategy emphasizing that all feedback is treated confidentially. Employees are reassured that their responses cannot be traced back to them individually, which encourages them to share their true opinions and concern.
Besides, communication plays a key role. When employees receive the feeling that surveys are being performed in order to understand their feedback, improve the status quo, and actions follow the survey, a high participation and engagement can be achieved. If, for example, the company management communicates and announces that surveys will be conducted and then also shares the results and planned actions and initiatives with everyone, this significantly increases employee acceptance and participation.
How do we ensure that employees answer honestly without fear of consequences?
To ensure honest feedback, we prioritize anonymity in survey responses and maintain a clear and consistent communication strategy emphasizing that all feedback is treated confidentially. Employees are reassured that their responses cannot be traced back to them individually, which encourages them to share their true opinions and concern.
How is feedback communicated back to employees?
Feedback should be communicated back to employees by management through transparent, anonymous reports and actions taken as a result of their input. This process not only closes the feedback loop but also builds trust by showing employees that their voices are heard and valued. Regular updates and involvement in taking action after surveys ensures that employees are aware of the progress being made and the impact of their contributions.
How can we support the adoption and use of the software for our employees?
Employee adoption is supported by the software's intuitive and user-friendly interface. Comprehensive training and support may be provided to ensure a smooth transition tailored to meet the needs of your employees. We emphasize that the software is designed to complement their daily tasks, making their work easier rather than more complex. Employees therefore only need to create their own password when they log in for the first time and can then proceed directly to the survey. At each subsequent login, they must enter their business e-mail address and password and can then proceed directly to the survey.
Could employees be skeptical of the new software and resist, making implementation difficult?
Any potential skepticism or resistance can be mitigated through targeted training and transparent communication. We involve employees early in the process, clearly explaining the benefits of the software and how it will enhance their work experience. This approach fosters buy-in and reduces resistance.
In fact, atwork has never experienced such resistance in its entire history. As a rule, software solutions such as atwork are very well received, as the benefit of being able to express opinions, provide feedback and actively contribute to improving the status quo and shaping the workplace and the success of the organization is very much welcomed.
What potential impacts does the software have on employee trust if anonymous feedback is not fully guaranteed?
Anonymous feedback is fully guaranteed, which is a cornerstone of the software’s design. This assurance is crucial for maintaining and even strengthening employee trust. Employees need to feel confident that they can provide honest feedback without fear of repercussions.
In most cases, a strong argument is the fact that the survey is managed by atwork, an external provider, instead of being entirely managed by the company itself.
Organization
How do we address concerns about challenges for a successful implementation?
We can share success stories and testimonials from companies that have successfully implemented our software without any disruption. These examples illustrate that our implementation process is designed to be lean and very efficient, ensuring that daily operations continue smoothly.
How dependent are we on external providers for implementation and ongoing support?
Your company will not be dependent on additional external providers. atwork handles all aspects of implementation and provides ongoing support, ensuring a seamless experience. If a data interface setup is desired, additional costs may be incurred, but this will not require the involvement of additional vendors, only the on IT department perhaps.
Do we have sufficient internal expertise to implement and use the software effectively?
atwork provides comprehensive support before, during, and after the survey implementation. Our team works closely with internal stakeholders to ensure that the software is effectively integrated and utilized, regardless of your current level of expertise. This approach minimizes the learning curve and ensures that your company can maximize the benefits of the software from day one.
atwork has a team of specialized customer success managers, psychologists and data scientists ready to help you at any step of the journey.
How often should surveys be conducted?
This depends on the company culture and there is no one-size fits all. Nevertheless, atwork is convinced that yearly surveys are the minimum and regular surveys, such as quarterly, are recommended to maintain a continuous feedback loop. Pulse surveys, conducted monthly or even weekly, may also make sense at times, specifically in fast-paced organizations or for selected teams, for example. For guidance, and to find a rhythm that works for you, companies that operate in a fast-paced environment with regular change should consider more regular surveys than companies that operate in a less fast-paced environment with less change.
atwork recommends the following survey frequency: at least one and up to four Health Check surveys on all relevant HR topics and subsequent topic- and target group-specific in-depth surveys based on the Health Check results. In between, the time must be used to take measures and evaluate the effects.
This frequency allows the company to monitor employee sentiments over time, identify trends, and make timely adjustments to address issues before they potentially escalate. Consistent surveying also reinforces a commitment to employee well-being and fosters a sustainable process for ongoing improvement.
Will the new technology complicate existing systems?
The software is designed to be compatible with existing systems. Interfaces to HCM systems can be established through an API if desired. This ensures seamless integration without complicating your current infrastructure.
Could the introduction of new software temporarily disrupt daily operations?
No, the implementation process is quick and efficient, with no significant disruptions to daily operations. Our team will ensure that the transition is as smooth as possible so that your business can continue to operate as normal during the implementation phase and beyond.
Could reliance on software undermine a culture of direct and open communication?
On the contrary, the software is designed to enhance direct and open communication by providing a structured platform for regular feedback. It complements existing communication channels by making it easier to gather, analyze, and act on employee input. This helps to promote a culture of transparency and continuous improvement.
Can the introduction of the software be aligned with the company's current strategic priorities?
Yes, one of atwork's key priorities is to ensure that the software is aligned to meet your key strategic priorities, particularly in terms of employee satisfaction, retention and improving business metrics. By providing a systematic way to gather and act on employee feedback, the software supports broader goals of enhancing organizational performance and employee engagement.
Necessity
Why do we need this specific software?
atwork offers capabilities that traditional methods for gathering employee feedback lack, such as real-time, detailed analyses and scientifically-based action recommendations without incurring additional costly consulting fees. Unlike conventional methods, atwork provides the most comprehensive and all-in-one software and consulting support along its three key features Measure, Act and Impact, tailoring it to your evolving company circumstances: This means you have access to
- an extensive, any time ready-to-use survey library or customized surveys crafted by atwork’s experts
- real-time dashboards summarizing insights from both qualitative and quantitative data
- a fully-automated and customizable action recommendation engine to convert survey result into targeted action
- predictive analytics with the possibility to predict and quantify the impact of your chosen action plans
- Inclusive and ongoing support from specialist experts.
Is there no other way to gather employee feedback?
Traditional feedback methods can be cumbersome, inflexible, and costly. They often involve lengthy processes and may not adapt to the dynamic needs of your organization. In contrast, atwork automates feedback collection, delivering rapid results with the ability to analyze free-text comments in real-time. This approach allows for unlimited surveys at a fixed, economical price, making the process more efficient and cost-effective.
What specific problems does atwork’s software solve?
First and foremost, atwork is the only end-to-end employee listening and people analytics solution available in the market and aims at collecting relevant employee feedback and HR data and turning it into insights and targeted action recommendations that lead to desired and predicted outcomes.
That being said, with atwork’s software product Measure, Act and Impact you can cover all your survey and analytics needs in one workflow. See below a few selected key problems our software helps you solve your operational challenges:
- An extensive, any-time ready-to-use survey library or customized surveys crafted by atwork’s experts
- Company Health Check: It offers a holistic view of your organization’s effectiveness. atwork’s Company Health Check consists of carefully selected questions that will lead to pinpointing effective actions for improvement.
- Comprehensive analyses: atwork carries out very detailed analyses with survey data and other data provided, with the help of its models and artificial intelligence. These models include a scientific model to consider scientific findings, a statistical model to understand direct and indirect relationships between existing data, and a model to evaluate qualitative feedback on sentiment.
- Real-Time Insights: The software delivers immediate analysis and recommendations, facilitating timely decision-making and targeted interventions.
- Action Plan: Beyond providing insights, atwork generates and recommends a personalized and optimized action plan. This plan is designed to maximize impact on both HR and business outcomes.
- Impact Prediction and Tracking: atwork allows you to predict the impact of the recommended actions and track their effectiveness. This feature helps you understand how your HR initiatives influence overall business results.
How have surveys been conducted so far?
Historically, feedback solutions have been manual, time-consuming, and expensive, often resulting in delayed and superficial reports. Traditional methods also struggled with the lack of actionable insights and high costs associated with both initial setup and ongoing follow-ups. This inefficiency led to employee frustration and missed opportunities for improvement. atwork addresses these issues by offering a more efficient, cost-effective, and transparent solution.
Key Differentiators
Have we fully utilized existing software solutions?
Existing software solutions typically lack the depth and flexibility offered by atwork. Many are more expensive and do not provide the same breadth of functionality. atwork supports unlimited surveys under a single annual license and includes essential tools such as a Company Health Check, 360 Feedback, Onboarding, Exit Surveys etc., which existing solutions often do not provide at such an economical price.
What are the concrete advantages of this software compared to our current methods?
atwork offers several advantages over traditional methods:
- Speed: Available survey library and real-time data collection and analysis.
- Depth: In-depth and more comprehensive analyses considering not only surveys but also HR and Business data.
- User Experience: Superior user-friendliness and higher employee engagement.
- One workflow: atwork integrates survey, action, and impact management in one workflow.
- Impact Measurement: Clear visibility of the impact of implemented actions, such as reduced turnover.
- Superior Intelligence and AI: atwork uses three proprietary models based on statistical modeling, machine learning, artificial neural networks, and artificial intelligence.
- Cost Efficiency: Significantly lower costs considering the ability to integrate all workflows into one software and atworks accompanied consulting support.
Do we have other priorities?
Besides improving organizational effectiveness through the improvement of selected key HR KPIs, atwork generally supports the improvement of any HR-related KPIs along the entire employee life cycle such as e.g., On- and Offboarding, Change Management, Leadership, etc. Enhanced performance, improved customer service, and reduced turnover are key benefits that will quickly justify the cost of the software. Investing in atwork helps address these priorities effectively, contributing to long-term organizational success.
Costs and Budget
What are the total costs for implementing and operating the software?
The total costs for atwork are moderate and are offset by the significant savings achieved through enhanced efficiency and improved employee retention. As a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution, atwork is designed for quick deployment and does not require additional consulting fees. The software is operational within a few hours or days and does not need extensive internal or external personnel for implementation, making it a cost-effective choice.
Generally, costs depend on the plan selected and the number of employees at a company as well as the contract duration, amount of additional data (besides the survey data atwork already collects) being process and API integrations to be built.
Are there hidden or additional costs?
No, there are no hidden or additional costs. All pricing is transparent and clearly defined. The annual license fee covers all features and functionalities of the software outlined in the plan, allowing you to use it without limitations throughout the license period. Additional services outside of the standardized plans may be purchased and are charged separately according to atworks pricing list.
Could ongoing maintenance and upgrade costs be higher than initially planned?
No, ongoing costs are clearly defined based on the plan you buy. atwork has no hidden maintenance costs, ensuring that your total cost of ownership remains predictable and manageable. Only if you should decide to upgrade your plan to a higher plan or purchase additional services, this would result in higher costs.
Return on Investment (ROI)
How long will it take until the investment pays off?
The investment in atwork typically pays off quickly: Often we see the first result after the third month. Due to the software’s ability to streamline survey and action management processes and improve efficiency, many customers experience significant reductions in the first few months after launching atwork. In the medium- and long-term, after six or 12 months customers see an impact on reduced recruiting budgets due to reduced employee turnover and improvements in overall performance due to targeted actions taken.
Additionally, customers experienced streamlined and improved efficiency enabled by features supporting daily HR tasks such as e.g., on/off-boarding surveys, performance reviews, working policies, and more).
Can we afford this expense?
Investing in atwork is financially justifiable. Improved HR KPIs lead to better business outcomes, including reduced turnover, absenteeism, overtime hours, burnout risk, etc. leading to bottom- and top-line effective results. In addition, opportunity costs are saved to a considerable extent, as necessary changes to recognized problems or challenges and identified opportunities are realized.
Therefore, the software is designed to pay for itself within a few months, often directly through recruitment savings and reduced turnover costs or by proactively avoiding risks and realizing opportunities that lead to major business benefits.
Is the cost-benefit ratio of the software justified?
The long-term benefits and cost savings provided by atwork far and significantly outweigh the initial investment. Many clients see a substantial return on investment, and by tracking the impact of the actions we could model targets for every quarter. Most results are related to improved efficiency, reduced turnover, and enhanced employee satisfaction, which we translate their impact to the business.
In practical terms, the cost of atwork has already been justified if it helps the HR department and management to reduce the turnover of a single employee. And at a cost of less than one coffee per employee per month!
Costs
Do other projects or investments have higher priority?
Employee engagement and retention are crucial priorities that atwork directly address. By improving these areas, the software positively impacts key business metrics, making it a high-priority investment that supports your organization’s strategic goals.
HR KPIs tracked by atwork directly impact business performance and therefore atwork is no nice-to-have but a must-have.
Do we have enough internal resources for implementation and training?
Implementing atwork requires only a designated contact person from your organization, normally in the HR department which requires no more than a couple of hours of work per year. Our team provides comprehensive support throughout the implementation and training process, ensuring a smooth transition without the need for extensive internal resources.
After the implementation, it is up to you and your HR team how much time you wish to spend on analyzing the survey results and further customizing the action plans we recommend.
Implementation
How complex is the implementation of the new software?
The implementation of atwork is a straightforward process described below and is fully supported by atwork’s customer success team. The process is designed to be quick and efficient, with the software typically being fully launched within a few days, depending on the degree of customization and desired consultation prior to a go-live. Besides atwork’s customer success team, no additional consultants are required and typically no IT is required either. atwork applies the following implementation process:
- Discovery session:
- Onboarding session:
- Set up of the Platform:
In case an API must be built between atworks public API and the clients’ HCM, atwork’s IT and the customers IT will estimate the required additional ressources and timeline.
Support with customizing the software to align with corporate design and identity
- Launch of the survey:
Includes follow-up meetings if necessary
What are the costs and efforts for integrating the software with other tools and platforms?
The complexity of integration varies by case. Integrations may be included in your plan and can be completed effortlessly, while more complex or unique cases may require additional support. For such cases, our IT team will provide a clear, upfront cost estimate and guide you through the entire process. Typically, costs vary depending on the HCM or other software you wish to connect to atwork and the number of different data points being exchanged. It might be that atwork already has an interface to your HCM and if not, we assess each case individually to ensure any integration is smooth and cost-effective.
Will the new software work well with existing systems and databases?
Yes, atwork is designed to be compatible with most existing systems and databases. Integration, if needed, is straightforward and can be easily managed, ensuring a seamless transition. Our IT team will be involved in the integration process.
What resources (time, personnel, money) are needed for implementation?
Implementation requires only a single internal contact person and a moderate budget, which is utilized once at the beginning of the collaboration. atwork provides comprehensive support, that would be designed by your context, needs and main targets and ins included in the one-off implementation fee. We create your customer journey, ensuring that the process is smooth and resource-efficient.
How long does it take to train employees to use the software effectively?
Training for Admin users is efficiently completed in a 45-minute kick-off session. Due to the software’s user-friendly design, no additional training is necessary for employees, allowing them to start using the system immediately. In any case you will have a customer support team at your disposal as well as a 24/7 online Help Center for any urgent matters and FAQs.
Will other important projects or departments be affected during the implementation?
No, the implementation process for atwork is quick and efficient, with minimal impact on other projects or departments. Only one contact person is needed to provide strategic and company-specific information, ensuring that your operations can continue smoothly.
Is there a clear process for implementing and using the software?
Yes, atwork follows a standardized implementation process and as part of that also creates a customized listening strategy for the use of the software tailored to your specific needs, objectives, and context. We offer expert guidance during the implementation phase as well as during your entire journey of using the software, incl. designing the most effective surveys, analyses, reports, action plans and more for your company.
Data Security and Privacy
How will the software protect our employee data?
atwork is fully compliant with GDPR, ensuring that all employee data is handled according to the highest standards of data protection. This reduces the risk of legal issues related to data breaches or non-compliance, which can be costly and damaging to a company's reputation.
What security certifications or standards does the software meet?
atwork is GDPR-compliant and cloud-based, hosted on Microsoft Azure servers located in Switzerland. These servers adhere to stringent security standards, ensuring robust data protection. The software uses state-of-the-art encryption technologies to protect employee data. This guarantees that sensitive information remains confidential and secure, which is crucial in maintaining trust and integrity within the organization. atwork provides state-of-the-art Data Processing Agreements, General Terms and Conditions as well as Service Level Agreements.
How are the results of employee surveys handled?
Survey results are anonymized and securely stored to protect employee privacy. To prevent the identification of individual respondents, results from departments with fewer than five responses (or a number customizable by your company) are not displayed.
Who has access to the data at atwork?
Within atwork, Data access is strictly limited to authorized personnel, managed under our gatekeeper system to ensure secure handling and prevent misuse. Our security model adheres to Swiss standards and recommendations, guaranteeing complete safety.
Are there security concerns or potential data protection issues?
atwork not only meets all legal security standards and data protection requirements, but also adheres to the stringent Swiss standards. Our software is built to handle sensitive data with the highest level of security, and our processes are continuously updated to stay at the forefront of safety measures.
Are there potential legal challenges related to data protection policies and employee data processing?
No, atwork is fully compliant with GDPR and all other relevant data protection guidelines, eliminating any potential legal challenges.
Is there a risk of data breaches and the associated financial and reputational damages?
atwork employs modern security measures that minimize the risk of data breaches. Our commitment to security ensures that your data remains safe, protecting your company from financial and reputational harm. Our software is built to handle sensitive data with the highest level of security, and our processes are continuously updated to stay at the forefront of safety measures.
Expectations
What measurable goals do we hope to achieve with this software?
atwork is designed to help you achieve critical goals like increased employee engagement, improved retention rates, talent attraction, stress management, burnout risk and more. These enhancements directly boost overall business performance and key metrics. We tailor our approach to target your desired and most important HR and business KPIs based on your unique context, needs, and objectives.
How will the success of the software be measured?
Success is measured in two ways: First, through regular, fully automated evaluations of survey results and the impact of your actions, all directly linked to HR and business metrics. These insights are easily accessible via a real-time dashboard, with extended downloadable reports and expert analyses, allowing you to track progress and impact over time. Second, success is aligned with the targets set according to your specific objectives and current context such as reduced employee fluctuation, absenteeism, overtime hours, etc.
What specific actions will be derived from the collected data?
atwork creates customized action plans fully automatically based on the survey data, your business context and goals with the help of atwork's own AI model and generative artificial intelligence. All proposed action plans are never library-based and are always as unique as your survey data, business context and goals. They are specifically calculate and designed to drive strategic initiatives and change that align with your desired business goals.
Hence, atwork will not provide basic nudges or simple tasks for managers to do but deliver comprehensive action plans summarizing ressources needed, goals, responsibilities etc.
Can we ensure that honest and constructive feedback is collected?
The software’s anonymity feature and intuitive design encourage employees to provide honest feedback. By taking visible actions based on this feedback, you foster an environment where employees feel comfortable sharing their concerns and suggestions. Additionally, if needed, our customer support team and communication features can assist in developing a strategy to build and maintain employee confidence in the process.
Nevertheless, atwork will never be ale to fully ensure honest and constructive feedback, however, atwork can help compare qualitative and quantitative survey results as well as key metrics to identify inconsistencies to dig deeper. Also, atwork’s NLP technology can help filter through unhelpful comments from qualitative feedback and summarizes constructive and valuable key findings instead.
Is the return on investment (ROI) and added value of the software clear?
Yes, the ROI is both clear and measurable. The software provides significant short- and long-term savings by enhancing retention, reducing turnover, and boosting employee productivity and commitment. Additionally, it drives efficiency through faster decision-making and timely, optimized actions, which can lead to substantial savings and improvements in your HR and business KPIs.
What kind of support can we expect during the implementation and use of the software?
atwork offers comprehensive support throughout the entire implementation process and your customer journey. This includes thorough training and ongoing assistance. Our dedicated team ensures you fully realize the software’s potential, with continuous updates and improvements to adapt to your evolving needs. We will assess your requirements and develop a tailored plan to support you every step of the way.
Other
Are there less expensive solutions or internal developments that offer similar functions?
There are no alternative solutions that match the depth, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness of atwork. Our end-to-end software offers survey, action and impact management features in one guided workflow with advanced features and comprehensive support that are unparalleled in both functionality and value.
Are there reliable success stories or references from other companies successfully using this software?
Yes, many companies have reported significant improvements and positive outcomes using atwork. We can provide case studies and testimonials from satisfied clients who have experienced tangible benefits from our software.
Does the software provider have an established brand or market share to ensure long-term availability and support?
With more than 6 years of existence, atwork developed a strong brand in central Europe as a thought and technology leader in the employee listening and people analytics space. Besides, atwork is supported by prominent Swiss investors and is well-established in the market, with a loyal client base, ensuring long-term availability, reliability, and ongoing support for you and your company.
How does atwork ensure continuous improvement and innovation?
atwork is a thought and technology leader in the employee listening and people analytics space and is shaping a new category called People Intelligence focused on enabling HR departments to turn insights into business impact by quantify their work on the business. For example, atwork built the first ever model which unifies isolated scientific HR models into one holistic model, atwork’s proprietary Impact framework, that considers HR and business metrics and their influencing factors alike. In addition, atwork built the world’s first fully automated action recommendation engine and prediction model enabling customers to quantify the impact of actions on desired KPIs.
atwork is committed to continuous improvement and innovation and regularly updates its software with new features and enhancements based on user feedback and industry trends. Our dedicated R&D team ensures that the software evolves to meet changing business needs.
atwork is not just another tool; it’s a strategic investment in your company’s future. By improving employee satisfaction, increasing retention, and providing actionable insights, atwork enhances your organizational effectiveness, ensuring you stay ahead in a competitive marketplace. The software’s cost-effectiveness, coupled with its advanced features and ease of integration, makes it a compelling choice for any forward-thinking organization.