According to Forrester, there are six reasons connected companies perform better — and concrete actions they’ve taken to drive this change.

1. Communication: Employees know exactly where to find the information they need

Connected companies invest in key digital solutions that help employees communicate with each other and share information across working groups. Tapping into expertise in other work groups is one of the more common characteristics of a connected workplace.

2. Productivity: Employees have the right tools to spend time where it matters

Connected companies identify ways for employees to save time and complete tasks faster — and then enable employees to make those changes. For frontline workers, providing feedback, swapping shifts or completing daily reports can be simpler. For knowledge workers, scheduling meetings and tracking project statuses can be streamlined. And engaged employees tend to put in more effort to complete tasks efficiently.

3. Transparency: Employees have clarity on the actions of leadership

Leaders and officers at connected companies take steps to communicate their objectives, educate their teams about their actions and share their reasoning behind decisions. Connected companies have higher employee satisfaction because they feel they belong to a core company culture.

4. Employee Engagement: Employees feel engaged with their work and each other

Connected companies invest in tools that enable employees to be more productive by facilitating connections with colleagues, conversations with leaders, and the sharing of knowledge and experiences.

5. Empowerment: Employees feel like they have a voice

Leaders are more visible and accessible in connected companies — and they listen better and recognize employee achievements. As a result, employees feel empowered to speak up and share their ideas with the whole company.

6. Culture: Employees’ ideas and recommendations are taken seriously and used to drive change

As a result of these solutions, culture at connected companies becomes stronger and more cohesive overall. Better connections between colleagues lead to more positive interactions. And these companies welcome and onboard new team members faster.

Download the checklist

To learn more about what defines a connected company — and how your company compares — download our new checklist. It contains powerful new research on the role of empowerment, communication and transparency in driving business performance and company culture.