Small Talk Is Big Business: Your Reason To Invest In Employee Engagement Technology in 2025

Todos echamos de menos el lugar de trabajo #OldNormal. Y lo que más echamos de menos son las "conversaciones triviales". En este artículo se analiza la importancia de las conversaciones triviales en las empresas, cómo estas conversaciones en el lugar de trabajo son fundamentales para el compromiso de los empleados y los equipos, y cómo invertir en tecnología para el compromiso de los empleados ayuda a sobrellevarlo. Por supuesto, no hay nada intrínsecamente malo en el #WFH. Hay algo en la proximidad física, en el momento, que es difícil de reproducir. 

Según Forbesen 2023, el 12,7% de las personas que trabajan a tiempo completo lo harán a distancia, y un 28,2% más adoptará una modalidad de trabajo híbrida. Esta cifra creciente normaliza los entornos de trabajo remotos o híbridos. Además, el mismo artículo ha revelado que 32,6 millones de estadounidenses trabajarán a distancia en 2025. 

Sin embargo, a primera vista, las bromas casuales en torno a la última sensación de Netflix, la nueva panadería de moda que has descubierto o el servicio doméstico que se ha fugado pueden no parecer tener nada que ver con el trabajo. Y ahí es donde te equivocarías. Las interacciones espontáneas e "informales" suelen ser el "flujo de trabajo real" de una organización. 

Si las jerarquías y las matrices ayudan a mantener la distancia necesaria, los saludos, los choques de manos, las palmadas en la espalda, los asentimientos y los codazos la salvan, por así decirlo. Puede llamarse "charla trivial" si se quiere, pero funciona a muchos niveles, algunos bastante grandes. Rompe el hielo y crea lazos

Observaciones sobre lo que se pierde la WFH: Razones para buscar una tecnología de compromiso de los empleados

Following are the reasons why you need employee engagement technologies.

1. Can I have my water cooler Back? How critical it is to bring back workplace conversations.

If you could decode unsaid prayers, then you would understand the importance of small talk in business. Small talk may be number one on the Wish List of most peers, partners, and networks.

After all, you can’t schedule a ‘running-into-Minal-(or Neha)-at-the-café-en route-to-the-meeting-and-whisking-the-donut-away-like-a-hungry-hawk’ quite like the way you schedule a webinar or Google Meet Session, can you?

And as we settle into the rhythms of Zoom and Skype, those moments, where we used to refresh and unwind (over the latest updates and gossip - the rejuvenative powers of ‘good gossip’ is well documented by the way!) seem to be receding farther and farther into memory.

2. The sense of lonelines in hurting team engagement

The world of work is being re-set in never-before ways. The shift runs deep, beyond setting up personal workstations at home, to our psyche and nerves. The absence of ‘company’ to engage with in small talk is turning work cold and clinical, sucking the joy out of a vibrant and dynamic daily ritual we have grown used to.

And make no mistakes, it’s taking its toll. After the initial honeymoon period, #WorkingFromHome is starting to throw up nasty surprises like stress and depression (apart from physical discomfort and ailments). A sense of ‘separation and alone-ness’ is the most commonly cited culprit. Satya Nadella (Microsoft CEO) pointed remotely.

He said he himself missed the “‘two-minute chance to connect with the person sitting next to him in a physical meeting — something a virtual meet can never hope to achieve really…” Closer home, things aren’t too different. People are missing out on and realizing the importance of small talk in business.

Suresh Sharma

3. ‘Disconnection' comes with a Cost

The cost of a workplace that is disengaged can be high. As per a survey, 96% of employees will quit an organization for a salary hike of as little as 10%, an attitude which can be attributed to a company culture that gets workers ‘kicked’ about work.

We all know about the costs of high attrition, which involves - amongst other things - time and resources spent re-initiating and re-grooming new hires into the system.

Hay más pruebas. El 78% de los ejecutivos confiaron en un ejercicio que el compromiso de los empleados es clave para el éxito empresarial. Un estudio de Gallup, por su parte, nos dice que una plantilla comprometida puede amplificar la rentabilidad hasta en un 21%. En otro sondeo, los responsables de RR.HH. encuestados coincidieron en que las comprobaciones y los comentarios continuos son fundamentales para obtener resultados satisfactorios.

4. Why lose social capital build up painstakingly over the years?

The current disruption has robbed us all of a lot of things we once took for granted (some leading to broken-hearts) and that once defined our personality and lifestyle.

Don’t let your organization's culture be next on that victim-list. Sure, social distancing could be the norm going forward - just like the work-from-home model – but that doesn’t mean we have to live out of our private little islands. It is possible to reboot the little moments of community magic at the workplace with digital innovation.

5. Does your compay need a new water-cooler then?

Probablemente no, si puede conseguir que la tecnología haga el truco. La tecnología adecuada para el compromiso de los empleados puede ayudarle a recrear la "química perdida" del lugar de trabajo, reviviendo todas las pequeñas y grandes interacciones que hacen que el lugar de trabajo sea "guay". Podrá hacer algunas cosas con una herramienta ultramoderna de compromiso de los empleados.

So, what’s the fix?

Enter Empuls: Your new digital water cooler.

Empuls is an AI-powered, all-in-one employee engagement platform designed to revive the community magic of the traditional workplace while optimizing the modern digital one.

-> Bring back organic conversations

Empuls’ Social Intranet and Community Groups recreate virtual “coffee breaks” with features like:

• Open forums for small wins and team news
• Watercooler-style community groups based on hobbies or interests
• Reaction-based communication with GIFs, high-fives, and emojis
• Birthday, milestone, and holiday Wishboards that drive real-time celebration and connection​

-> Combat loneliness with meaningful check-ins

Empuls runs AI-powered eNPS, pulse, and lifecycle surveys so HR and managers can:

• Understand employee sentiment at every touchpoints.
• Identify silent disengagement before it turns into attrition
• Use actionable people analytics to drive improvements​

-> Revive recognition in real-time

With automated awards, smart nudges by “Em” (Empuls' AI bot), and a massive global rewards catalog, Empuls ensures:

• No win goes uncelebrated—whether it’s a team milestone or personal growth
• Employees feel seen, valued, and appreciated daily, not just during performance reviews​

-> Sweeten the deal with perks & benefits

The platform supports:

• Tax-saving benefits (meals, fuel, telecom)
• Flexible fringe benefits like remote work, family care, wellness, and upskilling
• Salary advance options and 6000+ brand discounts globally​​

6. Build efficiencies with laser-sharp precision

Open, honest, and frequent Feedback-Loops help ‘listen’ and integrate actionable insights into the workflow as they happen, improving efficiencies in ‘real-time.’ Feedback campaigns at every stage of the employee lifecycle help analyze and improve KPIs that matter.

You can also plug in one-on-one coaches and mentors for specific workers (basis their ‘performance report card’) to raise efficiencies selectively and optimize training efforts. Easy and instant distribution of internal HR communication, protocol revisions, and policy updates smoothen day-to-day activities.

7. Keep teams supercharged with delay-less appreciation and on-the-spot rewards

Micro and Macro ‘Moments of Success’ can be shared by peers and supervisors and celebrated with incentives ranging from warmly hand-written ‘Well Done!’ Notes to lavish achievement awards (and everything in between). Not just that!

Attractive perks, employee discount programs, and thoughtful benefits like health insurance and loans (for home, car, and kids’ education) can make workers feel appreciated and special.

8. Turn work into joy

‍Improve employee engagement with technology and tools like Empuls that make discussion (both one-on-one and in groups) natural and easy. Friendly and timely ‘pokes and nudges’ help planning and alignment, ensuring every item on the To-Do List is ticked at the end of the day.

Team Building features (like games and activities) tighten connection and culture. Sharing hierarchy charts encourages folks to recognize and say “Hello” to colleagues in other departments and functions, multiplying rapport and strengthening communities.

‍9. Take better leadership decisions

‍BigData Analytics le permite supervisar, medir e interpretar el rendimiento de forma intuitiva y granular. Las campañas de feedback, por su parte, le permiten estar al tanto del sentimiento de los empleados y seguir el pulso de la cultura cada segundo. Juntos, proporcionan la visibilidad crucial que le faltaba para tomar decisiones empresariales y de talento más inteligentes.

10. Upgrade the engagement, invest in change

Going on the defensive may be humankind’s natural reflex to crisis, but experts don’t agree that it is the wisest route. This applies to every function in the business, including Accounting and Costs.

Many organizations have taken the ‘easy way out’ by shrinking teams, reviewing capex and opex, and cutting corners (the third is often a function of the first two). Precedence, however, points in a different direction. Its message is powerfully clear:

Los periodos de inactividad son, más que nada, valiosas oportunidades para introspeccionar y revisar el modelo de negocio, reimaginar el DAFO y renovar las capacidades en toda la cadena.

Al fin y al cabo, la historia favorece a los preparados. Cuando no pueden hacerse a la mar, los pescadores -dicen- remiendan sus redes para la próxima temporada. El "tiempo y espacio extra" de que disponemos en este momento es, por tanto, una "llamada de atención" para invertir estratégicamente en tecnologías, procesos y mentalidades que puedan ayudar a la organización a adaptarse al cambio de la mejor manera posible y prepararse para la "nueva realidad" con una ventaja competitiva renovada.

11. Repurpose savings into growth via people

Francamente, hasta ahora la separación física no ha sido "como la seda" para la moral y la cultura del equipo. La buena noticia es que la restricción total de los desplazamientos también ha supuesto un ahorro sustancial en viajes corporativos, alquiler de inmuebles, gastos generales de oficina e infraestructura, y comidas y aperitivos durante la jornada laboral.

Sume dos más dos y probablemente estará de acuerdo en que esto crea la oportunidad perfecta para actualizar el lugar de trabajo invirtiendo en tecnología y en el compromiso de los empleados que impulse el negocio en el presente y en el futuro.

Apostar por la tecnología y el compromiso de los empleados es sin duda una de las decisiones más sabias que puede tomar en la actualidad. Al fin y al cabo, lo ideal es que una parte de sus ahorros se destine a apoyar la expansión continua y el crecimiento futuro, ¿no es así? Y no hay motor de crecimiento más poderoso que su propia gente. Puede que te saltes el refrigerador, pero ellos se merecen recuperar su "lugar de trabajo".

Why Empuls is the employee engagement technology your workplace needs

In a work environment that’s increasingly remote and hybrid, companies need more than video calls and email threads to keep employees connected. Traditional ways of fostering culture and collaboration don’t translate well in digital settings. That’s where technology and employee engagement converge—Empuls helps you improve employee engagement with technology that actually works.

Here’s how Empuls compares to the traditional workplace and modern digital tools:

Final thoughts: Time to upgrade your engagement game?

You don’t need a new watercooler.
You need a smarter way to connect your teams.

✔️ If you checked off fewer than 4 boxes—your organization is missing out on the true potential of technology and employee engagement.
✔️ If you’re aiming to boost morale, retention, and productivity, it’s time to rethink your tools.

Empuls is the AI-powered employee engagement platform trusted by over 1000 organizations worldwide. It’s time to bring back culture, connection, and celebration—digitally.