In an article for Inc.com, Elizabeth Dukes describes the employee experience as “the sum of all interactions an employee has with their employer”. She explains, “In the early 2000s, employers were most interested in “employee satisfaction.” Then around 2010, the focus shifted to “employee engagement.” But now, progressive employers are beginning to see satisfaction and engagement are just smaller components of what their workforce cares about: the employee experience.”
In some of our previous articles, we have discussed the importance of employee well-being, empathic leadership, and a positive workplace environment. All of these things feed up into the three defined components that make the employee experience:
Let’s take a look at these three components in more detail and discuss how your company’s employee experience can be improved.
Fast, reliable, and user-friendly technology is a big part of the employee experience. Nothing is more frustrating than losing work because of unreliable systems or having to wait for what feels like an eternity for an IT process to be completed. Technology is what helps keep us connected, and it is how we collaborate with our peers. The technology you have in place must solve the problems of your employees and not create them. Investment into the tools they rely on daily and training in their use will go a long way in creating a positive employee experience.
As discussed in our article Employee retention, employees who can see opportunities for career advancement and investment in their personal development will feel more committed to their employer. HR Technology is a great tool to understand employee’s aspirations (and grievances) and for both employers and employees to track personal development.
Environment extends to everything that you can see, hear, and touch. So, this means the office space, such as desks and chairs. It also means the meals that are available, the location of the office, and the people who work there. The average employee spends approximately 35% of their waking hours at work. Therefore, it’s not unreasonable that the working environment and company culture are a vital part of the employee experience. If you had a choice of spending your days in a basement office with no windows or an open plan office with views across the lake, what would you choose?
Invest in a working environment that benefits from space, good lighting, and fresh air. If your employees are sitting for long periods, ensure that they have adjustable chairs and any other aids that will make their working day more comfortable. If there is no canteen at the office, consider providing complimentary soft drinks and snacks to help your employees get through the day. Maybe you can also arrange for a sandwich delivery van to swing by at a specific time each day.
Employee health refers to both physical and mental, and it is also influenced by the company’s culture. Employees who feel happy and supported in the workplace and who get along with their peers will, of course, have a positive employee experience. Employee health also relates to how well an employee can do their job, whether they feel they have career advancement opportunities and whether they feel valued, both in a personal and remuneration sense. Empathic leadership, open and honest communication, regular meetings, and team socials are all ways you can contribute towards a positive employee experience. Provide employee access to occupational health schemes and medical insurance and ensure that flexible working policies and an employee handbook are readily available).
Having a clear understanding of these three components that make up the employee experience and how they are influenced by each other is the first step towards ensuring that your company’s employee experience is positive. Employee engagement surveys are also a great way to gauge how you are doing in these three areas to help identify the areas you need to improve.
If you require any HR support, Vero HR offers a range of service models to meet the needs of your business. Please do not hesitate to give us a call on 01733 830830 or email us at enquiries@verohr.co.uk.
