Employee Experience… what is it?
It could be defined as the difference between attracting and retaining talent, the rewards associated with performance and the perceptions of the employee about the organisation, influencing loyalty and the ability to fulfil an employees potential.
Gallup define it as “the journey an employee takes in your organisation”.
Or… it could simply be put, that when you have a positive experience, people LOVE coming to work. And… What if everyone LOVED going to work, and they could find their place at work where they felt at home?
Employee Experience lies at the intersection of the physical workplace, the organisational culture and the virtual environment; the technology that makes it all possible.
The Culture
Once thought to be the only consideration in creating a solid employee experience, the definition of culture and what it means to have a great one, we believe, has evolved beyond simply being the general “feel” or the “vibe” of an organisation, to being defined as the organisations brand personality, and to us brand is so much more than a logo stuck on the wall.
Brand personality tells the story of the organisation; who they are, where they came from, where they are going [the goals], what’s important to them [the values], what you can and can’t do [the behaviours] and the impact that they are here to make on the world [their purpose]. It is these shared values and stories that bring people together and establish a sense of belonging within the organisation.
Culture is not written down, it’s what is communicated as the unwritten rules of “the way we do things around here” and whether you have a positive one or one that needs a little tweaking, everyone has a culture.
The Physical
Where culture is all the things you “feel”, the physical environment is all the things you can hear, see, touch, taste & smell. It’s the elements that you can interact with, the comfort of the chairs, the texture of the carpet, the lushness of the plants, the freshness of the air, the space that you immerse yourself in. It’s the type, style & variety of spaces that support your physical, mental & emotional health, the places where you can work up a sweat, the quiet room where you can retreat and unwind and the lounge where you can take a moment to just sit and relax. It’s the journey that you take every day as you move through the space, the sequence of events and the ability to move freely and easily between spaces. It’s the ability to collaborate, communicate and concentrate.
Randstad’s recent Employer Brand Research [2019] highlighted the considerable gap between employees’ expectations and experiences ranking the physical workplace at 4/10, while employers believed it was only weighted at 8/10.
The Technology
More than just a fast internet connection the technological environment is integral in supporting employees to solve problems, deliver efficiencies and spark innovation, enabling then to perform at their peak. It encompasses communication tools from Slack & Teams enabling employees to communicate project progress, updates and share concerns through to collaborating and working together virtually. It is the mobile devices and laptops approved and the video conferencing tools, apps, portals, intranets and online learning access, and how employees interact with these various tools and platforms, enabling tasks to be managed effectively with resources being redirected to other parts of the business.
What is clear is that without a technology solution that is holistic and seamlessly integrated into the physical environment, much of the concepts enabling the future of work are not possible.
In a world where we can work from anywhere, the provision of up to date technology is central to our experience of work and the enablement it provides in order for us to communicate, collaborate and perform at our peak. Technology should support us in being engaged, happy & productive, rather than frustrated, angry and ready to toss our computer out a window!
The culmination of these three environments is the key to enhanced employee engagement and the impact this can have on you bottom line. So where do you start? According to Josh Bersin, a leading expert in Corporate Talent & Learning, you start with Design Thinking; empathising with your employees, mapping their experience and constructing human centred design principles.
Something we have a great deal of experience in.
Join us at our upcoming breakfast “How Employee Experience can shape your bottom line” as we delve deeper into these three environments and take a look inside the workplace of Mapien, to learn how the Employee Experience has paid dividends to their bottom line.
