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What is employee experience?
The employee experience (EX) is the sum total of all the interactions a worker has with their employer. From the moment they are hired to the day they leave, every interaction – both digital and physical – shapes their experience. The goal of creating a great employee experience is to make sure that each and every interaction is positive, helpful, and contributes to the overall goal of the company.
What does this mean for businesses?
Creating a great employee experience is no longer a nice-to-have – it's a necessity. Businesses that want to stay ahead of the curve need to start thinking about how they can create an EX that is second to none. This means rethinking everything from your recruitment process to the way you onboard new employees.
It also means using data and analytics to understand what your employees need and want, and then making changes accordingly. Organisations can receive a lot of valuable data by employee listening. With the right employee experience in place, you'll be able to attract and retain the best talent, boost productivity, and create a workplace that everyone loves coming to each day.
The Employee Experience after the pandemic
The employee experience after the pandemic will be much different than it is today. Companies will need to focus on creating a remote-friendly or hybrid work environment to keep their employees connected. It is also called the connected employee experience, which we will cover in this article. This can be done by providing employees with the necessary tools and resources to work from home, as well as by fostering a sense of community among coworkers.
Companies should also make an effort to keep employees informed about the progress of the pandemic and what measures are being taken to protect them. By doing so, employees will feel reassured that their safety is a top priority for their employer.
The pandemic has also highlighted the importance of mental health in the workplace. Going forward, companies will need to provide employees with more support in this area. This can be done by offering mental health resources and creating a culture that promotes open dialogue about mental health. Employee well-being in general is a critical topic of EX, which we will also look into later in this article.
In addition, organisations should strive to provide their employees with a work-life balance. This can be done, for example, by offering flexible working hours or a hybrid working model. In this way, employees will feel less stressed and therefore more productive.
Overall, the post-pandemic employee experience will be much more differentiated than it is today. Companies will have to focus on creating a location-independent work environment, promoting the mental health of their employees and offering flexible working options.
What's the future of the employee experience?
Let’s take a brief look into the future of EX. Similar to the future, the employee experience is constantly evolving as new technologies are developed, and new strategies are tested. In the coming years, we expect to see even more emphasis on the employee experience, as companies strive to create an environment that is not only conducive to productivity but more to happiness and retention.
Employee wellbeing will become a major focus, as will the use of data and analytics to personalise the EX. We will also see a rise in the use of AI and Augmented and Virtual reality (AR/VR) to help with tasks like onboarding and HR support. The goal of all these changes is to create a work environment that is truly tailored to the needs of each individual employee.
Organisations will need to focus more on the employee experience to keep up with the competition in the coming years. With more and more organisations offering remote work options and other benefits, employees can choose where they want to work. If the employee experience is not good, they will leave for a company that offers a better experience. Organisations need to focus on creating a positive environment, providing opportunities for growth and development, and offering support for mental and physical wellbeing.
The modern approach towards employee experience
There are a number of modern approaches to employee experience, including using technology to improve communication and engagement, offering flexible work arrangements, and providing employee training and development opportunities.
Employee wellbeing
Employee wellbeing will become a major focus. Employee wellbeing is a term that refers to the physical, emotional, and mental health of employees. It encompasses factors such as job satisfaction, work/life balance, stress levels, and feelings of happiness and fulfilment.
Needless to say, promoting employee wellbeing is beneficial for both employees and employers. Employees who are healthy and content are more productive and less likely to take sick days or leave their jobs. Employers who invest in their employees' well-being see lower turnover rates and reduced costs associated with replacing employees.
And there are many ways to promote employee wellbeing. Some employers offer on-site gyms, free or discounted memberships to fitness clubs, and wellness programs such as yoga or meditation classes. Others provide flexible work schedules as a hybrid work model or generous parental leave policies.
What's most important is that employers create a culture of wellbeing in which employees feel supported and valued. Organisations should genuinely care about their members, and not only in terms of productivity.
Employee listening
Employers who want to create a culture of wellbeing should start by assessing their current workplace environment. Are employees feel valued and supported? Can they balance their work and personal lives? Are they stressed out or unhappy?
To receive this data, feedback options and forms must be in place and a system for employee listening. Further down in this article, we will elaborate on the connected employee experience and a service provider who specialised in communication and employee listening. That will give you more ideas on how to implement feedback options that your employees will appreciate.
Technology and personalisation
Technology will also play a big role in improving employee experience. For example, online communication tools can help to improve collaboration and transparency between employees and managers. Employee self-service portals can also make it easier for employees to access the information and resources they need.
What we in addition expect is to see more companies using data and analytics to track employee engagement and satisfaction, as well as implementing policies and procedures that are designed to improve the EX. We also believe that there will be a greater focus on creating custom experiences for each individual employee, based on their specific needs and preferences.
Hybrid work
Flexible work arrangements are another way to improve employee experience. Allowing employees to work from home or have flexible hours can help to improve work-life balance and reduce stress levels. Employers should also consider offering employees opportunities for professional development, such as training and mentorship programs. You can find out more about hybrid work in our previous article.
Attracting and retaining talent
Creating a positive employee experience is essential for any organisation that wants to attract and retain top talent. By using the right approaches, employers can create an environment that employees enjoy coming to work in and that helps them to be productive and engaged.
DEIB – diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging
The future of the employee experience will incorporate diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all employees. By incorporating these values into the employee experience, businesses can create a workplace that is respectful and inclusive of everyone, regardless of their backgrounds or individual experiences.
This will help to attract and retain a more diverse workforce, which in turn can lead to improved innovation and creativity. By promoting a culture of inclusion and belonging, businesses can foster a more positive and productive work environment.
What is the connected Employee Experience?
The connected Employee Experience is a vital part of the future of the employee experience. We discussed hybrid work as the future work scenario in the last article. Since we all know now that on-site work we know from before the pandemic won’t ever come back to the majority of employees, the connected employee experience is the logical conclusion. We have to connect employees with the right information and tools wherever they are, to help them stay productive and engaged in their work.
Smart companies have recognised this need and offer their services for this area. This starts with the hardware. The Berlin company Lendis offers technology and furniture onboarding for this. This means technology for your employees as Device-as-a-Service, i.e. smartphones or laptops. And in the same way, furniture for the office and home office is provided as Furniture-as-a-Service and Homeoffice-as-a-Service. In addition to an enhanced employee experience, especially for new employees, this model is also extremely sustainable for the environment.
Other companies occupy the software sector. The start-up Staffbase from Chemnitz specialises in communication and in this course also employee surveys in the sense of Employee Listening. They not only provide the surveys, but also an intelligent analysis of the answers - giving organisations the chance to significantly improve their corporate culture.
Management and IT consultancy Capgemini has built an entire Connected Employee Experience portfolio. Connected Workspace, Connected Collaboration, Connected Office and Connected Support thus provide a seamless employee experience across office boundaries.
The Connected Employee Experience Portfolio enables employees to connect with each other and their managers through a digital platform. This enables and improves communication and collaboration between employees and managers and enhances the overall employee experience. In addition, the platform can also be used to access resources and information that employees need for their work or for training.
Large companies like Siemens are creating their own software or even a complete workplace intelligence platform like Comfy for the new age of work. Thanks to their solution, they enable a hybrid working life, coordinate the new workplace dynamics for office space management and also support portfolio strategy in terms of space utilisation and real estate.
The Connected Employee Experience extends EX to include location-independent benefits:
- Improved communication and collaboration between staff
- Increased productivity through better access to information and tools
- Greater engagement in work tasks and projects
- More flexibility in how and where staff work
Conclusion – Why the Employee Experience is here to stay
The employee experience is becoming increasingly important in the workplace. With the advent of technology, it is easier than ever for employees to connect with each other and their work. This means that companies need to focus on creating a positive employee experience, especially with regard to employee wellbeing and employee listening.
However, the employee experience is not just about making employees feel comfortable at work. It is also about creating a space that helps employees do their jobs efficiently and effectively. Fortunately, there are many ways to create a great employee experience.
Companies can enable their employees to train and develop, offer flexible working conditions and create a supportive and friendly working environment. It is also important to integrate EX into the company culture. By focusing on the employee experience, companies can create a workplace that employees want to come to every day or are part of.
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