How to Improve Employee Experience

Your employees are the backbone of your company. They're the ones coming in day in and day out, working hard to keep the business running smoothly. Their happiness and satisfaction directly impact your company's success.

It's surprising that, up until very recently, improving employee experience was not a major focus for businesses. In fact, it was the opposite. It was about how we could squeeze as much productivity out of the employees as possible. Never mind their mental or physical health!

But now, more and more companies understand the value of creating a positive employee experience. There's growing recognition that employee experience matters in modern workplaces and better understanding of how it can result in better productivity.

This blog post will cover strategies for understanding and improving employee experience at your organisation. Read on to learn more.

Understanding employee experience

In order to improve the employee experience, you must first understand it. Now, you might have been an employee before, and we're not saying you don't have a grasp on it. However, the employee experience is specific to each company at a particular time (i.e., right now).

So, what is employee experience? Employee experience is the sum of all interactions an employee has with their employer. It includes everything from their first interview to their last day on the job. Here are the main components:

• Physical environment: The office design, layout, and equipment impact comfort, safety, and the ability to complete tasks.
• Company culture: The values, attitudes and behaviours that contribute to the emotional environment. Culture shapes the intangible feeling of your workplace.
• Work-life balance: The ability for employees to meet their responsibilities inside and outside of work without feeling overwhelmed. Achieving equilibrium between personal and professional life.
• Growth and development opportunities: Access to training, mentoring and clear paths for advancement enable employees to build skills and progress their careers.
• Recognition and rewards: Formal and informal acknowledgement of achievements makes employees feel valued for their contributions.

Employee experience vs. engagement and satisfaction

Measuring employee experience can be done in many ways. They vary slightly, but in the end, one affects the other.

Employee satisfaction is the general attitude or feeling about their job. It can be affected by things like salary, benefits and job security.

Employee engagement refers to the level of commitment and involvement an employee has with their work. For example, a customer service rep who goes above and beyond to help a customer is engaged, whereas one who does the bare minimum is less engaged.

In general, satisfaction influences the experience, which in turn affects engagement. According to Forbes, happy employees are more engaged. All three of these concepts are interconnected. Improving one can positively impact others.

The impact of employee experience on business outcomes

Taking care of your employees is just the right thing to do. But if you need more convincing, consider that companies with engaged employees outperform those without by over 200%.

Retaining talent is another reason to invest in experience. On average, replacing employees costs 30-50% of their annual salary. And that's just for low-level roles. For higher-level jobs, it can cost upwards of 400% of annual salary.

High turnover costs result from lost productivity, recruiting, onboarding and training. Improving employee experience can help avoid these hefty expenses.

There's also the matter of your employer brand. If you need to replace staff or start hiring more people, you want your company to have a reputation as a good place to work. That starts with offering current employees a great experience, which can then attract top talent.

Assessing the current employee experience

Before you can improve employee experience, you need to assess the current state of affairs. Doing so gives you a starting point, so you know where to go next.

Employee surveys and feedback sessions are the best way to gather initial insights. Measuring employee experience using surveys lets you collect large amounts of data to identify trends. Feedback sessions offer more qualitative, personal perspectives on experiences.

It's essential to be open and transparent with employees about these assessment results. Involving them in the process can improve engagement and buy-in for future initiatives.

You can also analyse existing HR data on satisfaction, turnover, absenteeism, etc., to spot potential strengths and weaknesses.

Creating a positive work environment

At the heart of it all is the culture you created. Workplace culture is the shared values, beliefs, and practices that shape how people work together in a company. For example, a company might have a culture of innovation where trying new ideas is encouraged.

The importance of employee experience is akin to that of workplace culture. Here are some strategies for fostering a supportive and inclusive workplace culture:

• Encouraging open communication and collaboration among teams
• Promoting social connections and fun activities
• Offering flexibility and autonomy in how/when work gets done
• Maintaining openness to feedback and new ideas

You know the expression, "Lead by example"? That's especially true when it comes to workplace culture. Leaders play a crucial role in setting the tone for a positive experience.

Remember, 47% of people actively looking for a new job pinpoint company culture as the main reason for wanting to leave. So, it's worth investing time and effort into creating a positive culture.

Enhancing onboarding and training

Around 20% of new hires quit within the first 45 days on the job. It can be a tough time, what with trying to learn new processes, getting used to a new environment and all.

Proper employee onboarding helps new employees feel welcomed, valued and prepared for success in their roles. It focuses more on cultural assimilation while training teaches job-specific skills.

Here are some tips for boosting onboarding and training:

• Set clear expectations and offer support
• Assign mentors to provide guidance
• Improve onboarding experience for new hires
• Customise training to individual needs and goals
• Create onboarding checklists to streamline the process
• Conduct regular training needs assessments

Promoting work-life balance

Consider a working mother who has to pick up her kids from school. Or a young professional still studying at university. Employees dealing with health issues or caring for elderly parents also rely on work-life balance.

In truth, though, all your employees deserve to have fulfilling lives outside of work.

One way to promote work-life balance is by implementing flexible working arrangements. That could include options for remote work or flexible hours. It's also vital to encourage time off and breaks to prevent burnout. Make sure your employees know it's okay to take vacations and step away from work when needed.

Finally, consider promoting health and wellness programmes. These could include gym memberships, wellness challenges, or mental health resources. When employees are healthy and happy, everyone benefits.

Recognising and rewarding employees

A simple "thank you" can go a long way. Employees want to feel like their hard work and dedication is appreciated by leadership. Recognition boosts employee motivation, morale and loyalty.

There are many creative ways to recognise and reward employees, such as:

• Monetary bonuses, gift cards or extra paid time off
• Company events, parties and trips
• Professional development and training opportunities
• Peer-to-peer recognition programmes

While formal rewards are great, the personal touch also matters. Take time to understand individual accomplishments and preferences for appreciation.

Organisations that prioritise employee recognition have staff who are 56% less likely to quit. It's a key driver of satisfaction and engagement. Note that it doesn't have to be an extravaganza every time. Leveraging both formal and informal recognition practices works well.

Streamlining internal communication

This one is often overlooked. Yet 86% of employees and executives agree that the lack of effective communication determines the failure of a workplace. Communication means sharing information clearly and effectively.

For example, if a company doesn't tell its employees about significant changes, it can lead to confusion and frustration. Whereas open, transparent, and two-way communication makes employees feel valued and informed.

Here are some best practices:

• Clearly communicate company goals, changes and news
• Maintain openness to feedback and ideas
• Encourage collaboration and knowledge-sharing
• Leverage instant messaging for quick conversations
• Send out regular employee experience surveys

Technology like Slack and SmartSurvey can also streamline communication and transparency.

Leveraging technology

This brings us to our next point: leveraging technology to enhance employee experience. Tools like project management software, virtual collaboration platforms and time trackers can help employees work more efficiently.

The key is investing in intuitive, user-friendly technology that teams actually want to use daily. Poorly executed systems end up causing more headaches.

Don't forget about using employee experience survey software for continuous feedback. Specifically, SmartSurvey can be a great tool for this.

Creating growth and advancement opportunities

No one wants to feel stagnant in their career. One way people move up in the world is by changing jobs, and you want to avoid that. Remember how much employee churn costs?

It's not enough to have positions with fancy titles. Employees want to see a clear path for development and advancement within the company. For example, "If I do this job for a year, what can I do next?"

You have to show that you are following through. That means promoting from within whenever possible. When employees see their peers being recognised and promoted, it gives them hope that they can achieve the same. It also shows that the company values and invests in its employees.

In some cases, employees may need to develop new skills first. Consider covering the costs for training programmes or online courses. Support their growth goals. And if they don't have any goals, help them set some!

Monitoring and iterating on initiatives

This is the last step for securing a positive employee experience. You want a way to know if what you're doing is working.

That means gathering data and feedback on an ongoing basis. Ask employees for their opinions. One way to do so is to conduct employee experience surveys and focus groups to gain valuable insights into how they are feeling and what improvements can be made.

It's also important to stay responsive to changing needs and expectations. For example, during COVID-19, many companies switched to remote or hybrid work to accommodate employees.

Finally, remember that it's not one-and-done. Building a culture of continuous improvement takes time and never stops.

Wrapping up

Companies spend ample time optimising customer experience, but employees deserve attention, too. Their performance ultimately fuels your business' success. Investing in employee experience isn't just good for your team - it's good for business.

Key takeaways

Understand the employee experience first: Before making improvements, it's essential to grasp what employee experience means in your organisation. It encompasses all interactions an employee has with their employer, from the initial interview to their last day. Factors such as the physical environment, company culture, work-life balance, and growth opportunities all play a role in shaping this experience.

Differentiate between employee experience, engagement, and satisfaction: While related, employee experience, engagement, and satisfaction are distinct concepts. Employee satisfaction refers to how content employees are with their job, while engagement measures their level of commitment and involvement. Enhancing the employee experience can positively influence both satisfaction and engagement.

Recognise the business impact of a positive employee experience: Investing in employee experience isn't just about doing the right thing—it has tangible business benefits. Engaged employees contribute to over 200% higher performance, and improving employee experience can significantly reduce the high costs associated with turnover, such as recruitment and training expenses.

Assess the current employee experience: Before you can make meaningful improvements, you need to assess the current state of employee experience in your organisation. Employee surveys and feedback sessions are vital tools for gathering data and identifying trends. This baseline will help you understand where changes are needed most.

Map the employee journey: Not all employees have the same experience, and understanding these differences is key. Employee journey mapping allows you to visualise and understand the various stages and touchpoints of an employee's experience, from recruitment to offboarding. This helps in identifying specific areas that need attention.

Foster a positive work environment and culture: Workplace culture is a critical component of employee experience. Encouraging open communication, collaboration, and offering flexibility in how and when work gets done are some strategies to create a supportive and inclusive workplace culture. Leadership plays a crucial role in setting this positive tone.

Enhance onboarding and training processes: Effective onboarding is crucial for new hires, helping them feel welcomed and prepared for their roles. Customised training and mentoring can significantly improve employee retention, as employees feel more supported and aligned with the company's goals from the start.

Promote work-life balance: Employees need a balance between their professional and personal lives to avoid burnout and maintain productivity. Offering flexible working arrangements, encouraging time off, and promoting health and wellness programmes can contribute to a better work-life balance and overall employee satisfaction.

Monitor, iterate, and keep improving: Improving employee experience is an ongoing process. Regularly gather feedback through surveys and focus groups to monitor the effectiveness of your initiatives. Be responsive to changing needs and continuously iterate on your strategies to maintain a positive and productive work environment.