8 Reasons Why The Employee Experience Is So Important
Updated: Jan 29, 2021
We thought we'd kick-off 2021 with a digestible recap of why the Employee Experience is still so important. If you're new to EX, this might help you begin crafting your business case.
So.. What is The Employee Experience (EX)?
For those of you who are less familiar with employee experience (EX), here is a brief recap before we dive into this post...
At wrkflow, we define EX as the combination of three key components – where we work, how we work and why we work. Together, they create and shape your employee experience. You can read more on our point of view here.
Why does it matter?
1. Your Customer Experience
Perhaps one of the most debated aspects of employee experience is the connection to customer experience. It is generally believed that a great employee experience results in better service and an exceptional customer experience, boosting business, and enhancing overall satisfaction. In short...
“Happy employees mean happy customers, But happy customers also mean happy employees” (Glibert, 2019)
2. Productivity and Performance drives Competition
When the employee experience is great, employees are generally more productive. Productivity at work drives innovation and the exchange of ideas which drives competitive advantage. This helps businesses remain relevant and creates a space where great work is delivered.
3. Hiring Top Talent
A compelling employee experience not only drives employee satisfaction and engagement but also attracts awesome individuals who want to work with you. In the digital age, it's easy for candidates to assess the kind of employee experience you're creating through social media, word of mouth (WOM) and your own careers page. A well-defined and authentic experience generates opportunities to hire the best people on the market.
4. Retention
When employees are engaged and connected to the experience you're creating, they're more likely to stay. It's really that simple. Reduced retention not only saves cost but ensures you're retaining knowledge and building your employer brand. 5. Building Connection
The mark of a great employee experience comes from making deep and personal connections with employees in a company. When employees and employers understand each other and cultivate a space for mutual understanding and respect, more ideas can be contributed, and employees feel valued for their work.
6. Investing in Diversity and Inclusion
Much of the employee experience includes listening to each employees’ challenges, needs, and concerns within the company. Embracing equitable design practices can help to elevate the experience and to heighten awareness for more diversity and inclusion in the workplace (click here to read more about it!). When one’s voice is heard, employees feel a sense of worth in coming to work every day. 7. Remote Engagement
2020 really made this one count. Working remotely can be a serious challenge for your employees and keeping everyone engaged is a top priority for business leaders. Maintaining an employee experience that isn't reliant on a physical workspace helps to ensure your employees remain connected even when they're working from home. Investing in meaningful and regular virtual collaboration is one way of supporting this.
8. Collaboration & Innovation
Last but not least, creating a space where employees feel empowered and encouraged to collaborate is an important part of your employee experience strategy. A bright and open workspace is key but this is much more about the culture of exchange you create. When employees feel safe collaborating, they'll generate new ideas and help drive the spirit of innovation within your company. Increased collaboration often leads to higher productivity too!
So there you have it! A quick recap on why the employee experience matters so much today to inspire your EX investments in 2021.
If you would like to learn more about how your company can adopt rich employee experiences, feel free to reach out to us.
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