Today, we are showing up as humans first, employees second.
Many of us are waking up in less of a rush, able to work from our own kitchen table, home office station, public cafes, or wherever we are at the moment, as long as we meet deadlines and fully complete our tasks. Our routines have changed, and so have our expectations.
So, how has this shift impacted the elements of “employee experience”?
The essence of employee experience stems from what people genuinely value. And in order to create a valuable one, it is necessary to acknowledge how life stages, personal experiences, and personality types make different approaches attractive for different people. After tackling the topics of multi-generational and multicultural leadership, it is essential to address the employee experience as a whole and how it impacts employees’ journeys.
Contrary to popular belief, the most motivating answer is rarely just to be paid more. Money might make employees stay with the company a little longer, but it does not buy loyalty. Talented employees with a sense of purpose are constantly in search of an opportunity to find fulfillment, engagement and inspiration. Retaining talent is no longer merely a matter of compensation and benefits, but rather a reflection of what a company and its leaders can genuinely offer consistently and relentlessly.
Here are some of the factors that contribute to a valuable employee experience and some corresponding questions to be addressed.
The Social Aspect
- Do my team members perceive their work as significantly impacting other people within or outside of the organization?
- Do they feel that their contributions are valued by their leaders?
- Do my team members trust one another and collaborate together to achieve common goals?
- Are my leaders paying enough attention to diversity, equity and inclusion?
Clarity and Efficiency
- Have I created job descriptions that depict the reality of the roles in my organization?
- Have I clearly communicated duties and responsibilities to the employees?
- Does the organization provide the resources and technology necessary for employees to fulfill their duties?
Agility and Flexibility
- Are the leaders in my organization practicing empathy?
- Do my employees feel like they have enough work-life balance to attend to their needs and requirements outside of work?
- Do my employees have a clear career path?
- Do leaders take the time to assess areas of improvement and provide constructive feedback?
- How often am I offering learning opportunities for my employees?
- Are the learning opportunities I’m offering aligned with their goals and the organization’s goals?
- What are the elements of the present organizational culture?
- What are the company’s values? Have they been clearly communicated to all employees?
- Are culture and values taken into consideration during the recruitment process?
- Is my work environment psychologically safe for everyone?
- What are the steps taken to address health, safety, and environmental concerns?
- Am I applying psychological and physiological principles to the engineering and design of products, processes, and systems?
When answering these questions, organizations should keep in mind that now more than ever, employees are thinking hard about where and why they work. The employee experience begins from the moment an applicant submits their application to my organization till the moment they exit. A successful experience elevates the feeling of loyalty, enhances performance, positively impacts well-being and expedites people and organizational growth. When companies optimize each phase of the employee lifecycle by putting their people first, they will be able to re-shape employees’ perceptions, and create an environment where everyone thrives and business goals are more positively and easily met.