As someone with 15 years of experience in human resources, both as a leader and consultant, Lisa Leath realized the importance of employer and employee communication as a way to build rapport and discuss goals.
But every Human Resource Information System platform, which uses software to complete human resource tasks, that she tried out throughout her career was overcomplicated and overpriced.
“Managers want to talk to their employees to understand who they are, how they’re doing and if they enjoy working at the company, but rarely have the time to sit down and have a solid one on one,” Leath said.
To find a solution, Leath, president and owner of Leath HR Group, a Wilmington firm that provides human resources services for companies, developed a platform that helps employers better engage with employees.
WorkTok is an app that provides curated conversations, mobile and through the web, that can be used for employee check-ins.
Through the app, managers can conduct quick, scheduled two-way communications.
“This tool is unique because it’s so easy to use and quickly engage employees. Most of the employee engagement tools that are on the market are complex and expensive,” Leath said. “Administrators are required to pour weeks of time into loading big, elusive goals and objectives into the tool. … At the end of the day, the most important reason for having an employee engagement tool is to engage your most expensive asset, your people.”
WorkTok is provided as a monthly subscription.
To develop the app, Leath partnered with Wayne Hippo of PS Solutions. They met in July 2019 to brainstorm ideas.
“From that meeting to app availability on Google Play and App Store, the entire process from content discussion, design, name and logo selection and development took about nine months,” she said.
The app, which Leath said was not meant to replace face-to-face conversations, launched in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Launching WorkTok during COVID-19 was a coincidence, but it has opened people’s eyes to how hard it can be to feel connected when you’re not physically around people,” she said. “Research says employees stay when they feel valued.
What’s the easiest way to do that? Check-in on them regularly and ask them if they do actually feel valued. “Anyone in business knows that, even before the lockdown, it was very difficult to find qualified, committed employees. That really emphasizes how important it is to keep the talent you have. If you want to retain your talent, you need to talk to them, individually and often,” she added.
As an emerging startup, Leath hopes to acquire funding that can help grow the company.
“We have big plans to really differentiate WorkTok from other more expensive, cumbersome employee engagement platforms over the coming year,” Leath said. “We’re looking for investors.”
