Employee Experience (EX) has become a prominent issue for two reasons – the growing influence of millennials, and growing workplace transparency. Employees and candidates now expect productive, engaging, and enjoyable working experiences, and organisations are under pressure to meet these expectations if they are to select and retain the best talent. And while 84% consider EX to be important, only 9% believe they are ready to address it.
The EX summit thus came at a time when it was sorely needed. It provided cutting edge insight into developments in the EX space, and engaging talks outlining how organisations are enhancing it. Representatives were present from public, private, and not-for-profit sectors, reinforcing how it is becoming a primary focus in the HR profession.
I noticed several common themes emerged during the conference. The first was the importance of onboarding. Representatives shared stories of their personal onboarding experience. Those with positive experiences mentioned how much of a difference it made, and how it improved their loyalty and performance from the get-go. In a notable speech, one organisation decided to convert its employee handbook into a colorful comic strip, enabling better understanding of employee rights and obligations during a typically boring part of the onboarding process.
The second theme was how to re-structure the workplace to facilitate more communication, autonomy, and teamwork. One organisation re-structured into ‘wandering tribes’, with regular ‘campfire’ meetings to discuss development opportunities. Another merged their people and customer functions to ensure more alignment between the two functions.
Another theme surrounded the role of technology in facilitating EX. Speakers and presenters outlined how technology can improve human centered work processes, and how People Analytics can be harnessed to ensure a more engaged, productive workforce.
The take home message was this: organisations that prioritise EX will remain competitive by attracting and retaining a more engaged, productive, and happier workforce.
We firmly believe People Analytics provides the best, most efficient and cost-effective way to achieve this goal. It enables companies to measure and improve the employee experience in an objective, data-driven manner across all stages of the employee lifecycle.
Written by Michael Mancinone
