Exciting news: The Deskless Report 2022 has launched 🎉 Read it here!

Close ticker
Nudge Employee Spotlight: Gurpreet Kamboj, Product Manager

Nudge Employee Spotlight: Gurpreet Kamboj, Product Manager

by | Dec 9, 2021 | Life at Nudge

It’s time for another Employee Spotlight! Today we’re learning a bit more about Product Manager Gurpreet Kamboj! 👋

 

Name: 

Gurpreet Kamboj

Job title:

Product Manager

Favorite apple 🍎:

Honeycrisp

#1 Nudge pup đŸ¶:

All of them!

What do you do at Nudge?

Product Management is like lego – you use different pieces to build something that you and your friends can play with.

What did you do before Nudge?

Most noteworthy job I had was that I worked as a scrum master at a tech company. It really helped me understand how the engineering team works, the questions they ask and how they make decisions. Then, I accidentally became a Product Manager. I started doing a lot of the product management job responsibilities and was promoted by my boss at the time.

What would your career be in another life? 

I think I could be a great event coordinator. That job requires a lot of organization skills and executing on multiple things to make a vision come true. In some ways, it can be similar to product management – taking ambiguous things and turning them into actual products that can be used.

What’s your favorite thing about Nudge?

The people. It is probably not the most unique answer but every person in this company is just amazing and everyone knows their craft very well! I can totally attest to how amazing each person is because I had a coffee chat with almost everyone on the team. 

What do you do when you’re not at work?

I love spending a lot of time with my partner, family and friends. I am also a huge fan of coffee and love reading books. 

How do you prioritize wellness and self care? 

Honestly, I haven’t been prioritizing my wellness and self care so far. It has been a really crazy year with a lot happening in my personal life that I haven’t found time to think and pause. I did start writing a grateful journal every morning with five unique things that I am grateful for each day.

What’s something you’re challenging yourself with right now? 

I can’t say too much right now, but I’ve been working on a collaborative project between data and product and it has immense potential. The project requires understanding a lot of technology capabilities and how to mold that to help our users achieve their business outcomes.

What’s your favorite Nudge memory? 

The Nudge team did a virtual cooking class this fall where we made Fall Harvest Bowls using ingredients that hold special significance to the Ojibway Nation and other Indigenous communities. The cooking class was wonderful. I really truly enjoyed the wild rice!

What unique perspective are you bringing to Nudge?

I have a background in psychology and I think my experience in behavioral psychology provides me with a unique perspective that helps me better understand our customers, their pain points, and how they use the app. 

What makes Nudge unique?

Each person is different yet similar – everyone shares the same core values and beliefs about doing the best job that they can do while uplifting everyone around them. Each person truly embodies the core values of Nudge!

Ready for more?

Check out our resource hub for guides, webinars, podcasts, and more!

Head to the hub!

Nudge Employee Spotlight: Andreas Mikkelsen, Customer Success Manager

Nudge Employee Spotlight: Andreas Mikkelsen, Customer Success Manager

by | Dec 1, 2021 | Life at Nudge

We’ve got another Employee Spotlight! This time we’re learning a bit more about Customer Success Manager Andreas Mikkelsen 👋

 

Name: 

Andreas Mikkelsen

Nickname: 

Dre

Job title:

Customer Success Manager 

Favorite apple 🍎:

Granny Smith

#1 Nudge pup đŸ¶:

Billy

Go-to work snack:

Bubly

What do you do at Nudge?

Think about when you buy a toy, it typically comes with instructions. In the technology world, sometimes those instructions are not fully clear. My job is to help companies read and interpret the instructions, so they get the most use out of their new toy.

What would your career be in another life? 

In a different world and career, I would have loved to teach. I get so much satisfaction watching people grow, and seeing the impact you can make in those early years would be quite motivating. 

What’s your favorite thing about Nudge?

if you press /hammertime on the CMS, it plays hammer time.

What do you do when you’re not at work?

I love to spend time outdoors, especially at the cottage. 

How do you prioritize wellness and self care? 

It’s been great using Nudge’s Work From Anywhere program to work from various different places, as you can really balance work and wellness and self care. Also, my friends and I love to play hockey, so I was able to use my Nudge annual wellness allowance to purchase some new equipment to continue to do what I love! 

What’s something you’re challenging yourself with right now? 

Working with clients in Australia has been really cool, as you always have to be a day ahead in terms of planning and preparedness. It also changed my working style, forcing myself to time-block and delegate, as there is only so much time in one day  

What’s your favorite Nudge memory? 

Our COO Jordan Ekers wearing pyjamas to a formal Christmas party and feeling embarrassed about it.

What unique perspective are you bringing to Nudge?

My upbringing always taught me to never judge a book by its cover. This has really helped me at Nudge, to be more empathic about our users. Empowering someone through Nudge today could help them reach the next level soon, either internally or externally of their current employer. This is really motivating as you can then see how Nudge can truly make an impact.

What makes Nudge unique?

The tool reaches the deskless workforce and puts the needs of the deskless worker first. This means that every decision at Nudge is made with the end user in mind. This is a very humbling but strategic approach that sets us apart from our competitors. 

Ready for more?

Check out our resource hub for guides, webinars, podcasts, and more!

Head to the hub!

Nudge Employee Spotlight: Mike Tran, Account Executive

Nudge Employee Spotlight: Mike Tran, Account Executive

by | Nov 25, 2021 | Life at Nudge

Today we’re launching a new series on the Nudge blog: Employee Spotlights! Nudgers are some of the best people in the whole world – and we’re so excited to introduce you to a few of them. First up: Account Executive Mike Tran! 👏


Name: 

Mike Tran

Job title:

Account Executive

Favorite apple 🍎:

Ambrosia 

#1 Nudge pup đŸ¶:

Pico!

Go-to work snack:

Coffee

What do you do at Nudge?

I help people learn about Nudge and (hopefully!) buy it. 

What would your career be in another life? 

I’ve always loved making things with my hands and most recently became a home baker. In another life, I’d own my own bakery and spend my days making desserts for others to enjoy. 

What’s your favorite thing about Nudge?

Everyone is genuinely kind and actually listens to what others have to say. This includes all levels of employees and doesn’t just happen on a peer-to-peer level. This makes Nudge the most welcoming culture that I’ve had the pleasure to be a part of. 

What do you do when you’re not at work?

Usually, I’m spending a lot of time with my partner and we’ll cook, watch things together (we’ve been binging Ted Lasso!), and spend time with friends. 

How do you prioritize wellness and self care?

If I’m not resting well, then nothing else is going to go well for me. I prioritize getting good sleep and used my Nudge annual wellness allowance on a Fitbit for me to track my sleep and better understand what I could be doing to improve it. To take care of my mental well-being. I also got Headspace to aid in a beginners meditation practice. For me, meditation helps me to recognize thoughts as they are (like when I’m distracted), become aware of what’s happening, and re-shift my focus to whatever it is I’m doing in the present.

What’s something you’re challenging yourself with right now? 

Nudge is currently piloting Masterclass as a potential offering for employees and as one of the fortunate members that get to try it out, I’ve taken some classes on persuasion, negotiation, communication, cooking and planting. 

What’s your favorite Nudge memory? 

At a recent virtual team-building event, we broke into groups and had to collectively draw (and then explain!) a Nudge flag. Pure comedy. 

What unique perspective are you bringing to Nudge?

I worked for a number of years on the frontline, and so I have first-hand experience in what it was like to be a retail and foodservice worker that didn’t get any technological support other than how to clock into a shift.

I’ve also studied Organizational Behavioural Theory, with regards to how organizations can achieve operational efficiency and effectiveness through their people. This helps me to understand how Nudge can be used across different facets, such as driving employee motivation and satisfaction, and the impacts that can bring to an organization. 

What makes Nudge unique?

It delivers business value without controlling the frontline employees who use it. Other solutions either take a training- or task-oriented approach, which relies on the software to govern employee actions. Nudge allows users to make their own choices and trusts that they’ll do the right thing, so long as the information communicated with them is easy to understand and use.

Ready for more?

Check out our resource hub for guides, webinars, podcasts, and more!

Head to the hub!

Announcing Spark Session #2: The ingredients of a high-performing deskless workforce

Announcing Spark Session #2: The ingredients of a high-performing deskless workforce

by | Oct 5, 2021 | Nudge events

Oooh folks! Registration is officially underway for our next Spark Session, The ingredients of a high-performing deskless workforce. 

What’s this all about, you ask? This Spark Session is part of the inaugural event series of DESKLESS, the community for organizational leaders responsible for deskless and frontline employees. We believe that deskless leaders have been woefully underserved in terms of community, and we’re looking to remedy that, pronto. DESKLESS brings together executives who believe in the power of their people – and know there is a better way to enable employees to do their best work every day.

Speaking of doing their best work, let’s get into our next Spark Session, The ingredients of a high-performing deskless workforce.  

A high-performing workforce is a must for every deskless organization. It’s the difference between a successful promotion, and one that falls flat.  But what are the ingredients of a high-performing deskless team? How can you get the most out of your teams, even when you’re leading hundreds of thousands of workers? 

You just need the right ingredients (Eh? See what we did there?). At this Spark Session, we’re starting with a cooking demo and Q&A with Food Network superstar Tanya Holland. Then, we’re bringing industry leaders into a roundtable to share their secret ingredients (and lessons learned!) when cooking up star performers: 

📎 Rachel Huckle, Chief Retail Officer of Staples Canada

đŸȘ Sarah Jordan, Chief Executive Officer of Mastermind Toys

đŸ“± Lindsey Goodchild, Chief Executive Officer of Nudge

Still want more? Here are 3 reasons to request your spot at this event: 

1. Get a primer in deskless worker performance

Walk away from this session with everything you need to build a high-performance workforce: the ROI of high-performing frontline teams, the telltale signs of low performance, and actionable tips on getting the most out of your teams. 

2. Learn how to cook with celeb chef Tanya Holland

Tayna will be showing attendees how to make one of her signature dishes, braised chicken thighs with barbecued white beans and scallions đŸ€€. Plus, she’ll also be answering your burning (ha!) cooking questions, and giving all attendees a copy of her book, Brown Sugar Kitchen: New-Style, Down-Home Recipes from Sweet West Oakland, after the event! 📩

3. All the DESKLESS community perks! 

Registering for this event gives you unlimited access to the DESKLESS community! You’ll be able to get to know other industry leaders in our networking breakouts during the event, and enjoy access to the DESKLESS app, which offers up even more networking opportunities, bonus content, lively forums, and more!

Space is limited, so request your spot today!

Ready for more?

Check out our resource hub for guides, webinars, podcasts, and more!

Head to the hub!

A brief guide to internal communication tools

A brief guide to internal communication tools

by | Oct 1, 2021 | Employee Communication

Internal communications tools are the method, product, or software that you use to send and receive messages to and from your team. The tools you use should make your communication strategy more effective and streamlined – but they can do the opposite. 

Our guide to internal communication tools is here to help! Read on to learn how to: 

The importance of choosing the right internal communication tools

The moment you walk into your office in the morning, you begin communicating with the people around you. Whether you are answering an email, sending a Slack message, or just having a face-to-face conversation with a coworker, you are interacting. It may be easy to keep track of your personal interactions at head office…but what about the interactions happening throughout the rest of your organization? 

Do you know all of the internal communication tools currently being used to send information to your frontline managers and associates? How many tools and channels are currently in place. These are critical questions to ask. When multiple channels are in use, it becomes increasingly difficult to understand how employees are connecting with one another (and head office), and which channels or tools are most effective for driving performance.

Today’s consumer is more knowledgeable than ever. Internal communication tools have become crucial for creating alignment between different levels of the organization and, ultimately, ensuring employees in the frontline are armed with the best and most current information about your products and brand. That could make a huge difference to your business. Preparing your staff with the right information can drive sales, boost productivity, and drive operational consistency across your organization. 

Unfortunately, organizations aren’t delivering. According to Emergence Capital’s 2020 State of Technology for the Deskless Workforce, 60% of the deskless workers are unsatisfied with the technology they’re provided to do their jobs – they find the options provided to them to be slow, inefficient, and hard to use. And 70% of deskless workers surveyed report that more technology would help them do their jobs better.

The key is to find the right mix of communication tools and channels that makes sense for your industry, your organization, and your performance goals. But the first step is auditing your existing tools. 

Auditing your existing tech stack

The average worker spends an estimated 28% of the work week managing email and nearly 20% looking for internal information or tracking down associates who can help with specific tasks. With all of the different forms of communication that happen between various levels of the organization, there is a lot that can get lost in translation. Time spent searching different channels for the right information is not a good use of the workday, and can leave staff feeling frustrated or misinformed.

By taking some time to audit your organization’s internal communication tools, you can better understand what is working well, what is not, and where the gaps exist.

As you review your tech stack, answer the following:

  • What tools or platforms are we using to communicate with our frontline?
  • Who manages those tools?
  • Whose decision was it to use those tools? What was the objective behind this decision?
  • How often are these tools used to send internal communications? To whom?
  • How well do these communications fulfill their objectives?

Here’s how to audit your existing internal communication tools. Need help tracking your intel? Our internal communications audit worksheet has a whole section on communication tools! Download it here! 

1.  List your internal communication tools

First things first. Build out a list of all tools your organization is currently using to communicate internally. Start with all the channels that head office is using to connect with frontline managers (like a learning management system, emails, or, ahem, a top-rated digital communication platform đŸ’â€â™€ïž). Next, find out what the frontline is using to connect with each other (like texting or messaging apps). You may be surprised about the number of ways information is cascading to the frontline.

2. Find out who is using each tool

You have your list. Now, dive deeper by figuring out who exactly is using them. Maybe everyone in the corporate office is connecting via enterprise chat, while frontline managers are receiving company updates through an LMS. By understanding who is engaging with each platform, you will start to build a bigger picture around what is effective for each level of the company.

3. Find out how many people are using each tool 

Once you know which areas of the organization are using each tool, the next step is to understand how many employees are engaging with it. Measuring the number of people using each tool will give insight into how widespread each channel is for communicating at work.

4. Find out what each internal communication tool used for 

Next up, know the purpose of every tool on your list. How does your organization leverage the tool? Is the tool a platform used to train employees and provide product and service information? Or is there an app used for messaging and sharing ideas amongst store managers. Whatever the underlying purpose of the tool may be, make sure you take note of it. This might also help you to pare back your tech stack later on to a smaller list, if you find a channel with additional functionality. 

5. Record engagement levels 

The last, and probably one of the most important steps when auditing your internal communication tools is to figure out the engagement and effectiveness of each tool. Find out how often the tool is used and the reasons are behind that frequency. Also, it is important to record any feedback received from your employees on the effectiveness of the tool. If you haven’t yet received any feedback from managers or staff, then simply ask! Here are some metrics to help you measure communication effectiveness. 

Choosing the right internal communication tools

Once you’ve reviewed your existing tech stack, it’s time to decide what goes, what stays, and what needs a complete overhaul. Not sure where to start? Think about the key components of an effective communication strategy to see where you might have gaps. 

At the end of this guide, our Internal Communication Tools chart will help you evaluate the pros and cons of the top nine options. But for now, here are a few do’s and don’ts to consider when choosing your communication channels: 

Don’t: Rely on email

Sure, email has changed the way we all communicate – but it’s not ideal for getting real-time updates to frontline workers on the floor (especially if you don’t have a BYOD policy in place). It also makes it far too easy to accidentally leave a cohort of employees out of the loop if they change their email address or haven’t yet provided it. 

Do: Leverage a digital platform 

Moving your communication strategy to a digital communication platform makes it so much easier for organizations to share updates, corral SOPs, and provide opportunities for feedback and community-building all from the same place. A digital platform also makes it easy to harvest adoption, engagement, and knowledge retention metrics to monitor the effectiveness of your communications (and see early warning signs of disengagement!). 

Don’t: Bottleneck info at the floor manager

Another traditional communication channel for organizations is sending crucial info for the location managers to share with their teams verbally. Not only does that create a lot of opportunity for broken telephone, but it also puts a lot of pressure on overworked managers, who are already wearing many hats. 

Don’t: Assume posters and bulletin boards reach everyone

“We shared that safety update on the bulletin board!” Oh, we’ve heard that before. But passive communication channels make a lot of assumptions about employee behaviour and language. Plus, it leaves zero opportunity to gather workforce insights through metrics.

Don’t: Stick a computer in the break room

You’ve gone the traditional route with an intranet site or an LMS – but now your employees can only access company info when they’re at work, or when they’re on break at the one company computer shared by their whole team. It’s not efficient, and also doesn’t allow for sharing ideas and feedback in real time. 

Do: Go mobile

Long gone are the days when organizations banish personal devices to employee lockers. A BYOD program is the best way to stay connected to every member of your team. Sharing real-time updates and announcements to their phones ensures they’re getting it instantly and encourages more interaction and engagement.

Here’s our full internal communication tools comparison chart to help you weigh your options 👇

Internal communication tools | Nudge

You’re well on your way to identifying that magic mix of communication tools and channels that makes sense for your organization. And if you need more tips and tricks, read our Ultimate Guide to Deskless Employee Communication!

Ready for more?

Check out our resource hub for guides, webinars, podcasts, and more!

Head to the hub!