The term “the employee experience” is thrown around frequently in HR today. It’s not the same as “employee engagement,” another well-known industry buzzword. With trends evolving at such a rapid pace, what is this new concept that’s making waves in the industry?
According to the author of The Employee Experience Advantage, Jacob Morgan, the employee experience is the sum of a worker’s experiences, good or bad, during his or her term of employment at an organization. A business can enhance that experience by addressing and influencing the elements of culture, technology and physical space. He calls the combination of these three things, “the employee experience equation.” As Morgan said, “When you invest in the employee experience, you’ll start to notice an engaged workforce. And an engaged workforce will deliver business outcomes.”
Culture – a side effect
A healthy corporate culture is one of the three critical pieces of a great employee experience. Employees spend a significant amount of their lives at work, which makes the atmosphere and community of the organization essential. When people spend 40 hours a week of what Morgan calls “prolonged exposure” in the workplace with their peers, certain company ideas and attitudes are all but contagious. A healthy culture can promote a fun environment, hard work ethic and cohesive teamwork. On the flip side, an unhealthy culture can promote stressful work, toxic drama and a “business first, people second” environment that inevitably will lead to high turnover.
It is important to remember no organization can have a truly “perfect” culture; the trick is to create your ideal culture by ensuring your organization’s core values align with the people you want to see in your organization.
Technology – supports employee growth
As the central nervous system of your organization, technology will continue to power the future of work. The employee experience is only possible because of the communication and collaboration available through today’s technology. Without advances such as applicant tracking systems or messenger apps, a business cannot have an optimal recruitment or talent-tracking process, or real-time feedback or recognition. Technology empowers everything when we think about the future of work: your people and your business needs.
Organizations that don’t invest in technology will find that the human aspects surrounding it will start to break down. Investing in technology ensures your employees have all the tools they need to succeed and grow.
Space – a symbol
Whether a corporate headquarters, coffee shop or home office, everybody works in a physical space, the last critical piece to the equation. The physical workspace is also a symbol that represents your organization, and as technology continues to evolve, leading companies are creating incentives to bring employees back to the office. Creating a vibrant, technological workplace connects your employees’ sense of belonging and purpose to their jobs.
The employee experience is the next future investment for organizations dedicated to workforce happiness. Ensure your employees’ well-being by taking the first steps in your organization by opening communication in these three key areas: culture, technology and physical space.