Your team is launching a new self-service system that gives employees access to HR- and job-related tools they need, when they need them. But your launch strategy is missing one very important thing: how you’ll engage employees.

If you want people to log in and start using the system, sending an email with a link won’t cut it. With the launch of any new technology, you should have an internal communication plan that will help employees:

  • Know what the tool is and where to find it
  • Recognize the benefits (How does it help me?)
  • Know how to get started and use the tool effectively

To ensure employees get these details, enlist support from all levels of the organization. Here are three ways to rally the troops and encourage employees to adopt your new HR system:

Urge leaders to lead by example
When introducing a change, leaders play an important role in providing context and explaining how the change impacts employees. So get leaders out there talking about why you’re launching the new system and showing them how it will make employees’ lives easier. A great way to do this is to create a short video where each leader demonstrates how he or she uses one of the top five tools in the system.

Prepare managers to address questions
When employees need information or advice, they often turn to their managers first. So prepare managers to talk knowledgeably about the new HR system with a one-page overview that maps the system and the steps to get started. And encourage managers to share the overview with direct reports at regular meetings and discuss how the team will use the system.

Enlist super users (ambassadors)
Another effective way to engage employees in new technology is to recruit peer ambassadors who know the ins and outs of the system and can explain it to their colleagues. You can also tap this network to find out what questions employees have and the issues you need to address in future communication.

When employees see people across the organization embracing the new system, they’re more likely to give it a shot. 

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