What is employee experience management?
Employee experience management involves a variety of methods to provide an enjoyable and positive work environment, both in terms of workplace atmosphere and workload.
It looks at what employees experience every day when they are at work and in the course of their jobs, and manages the factors that can influence their experience, whether they are positive or negative influences.
A good employee experience ensures that employees want to go to work each day and put in maximum effort. They want to help the business achieve its goals, especially if they are encouraged to achieve their own professional goals in the process.
When employees have a good experience, they are likely to recommend the employer to friends and contacts in their network, helping employers to get first access to the best skilled staff when they have vacancies. They are also likely to talk highly of their employer in other circles so it gains an excellent reputation in their wider community, which can lead to more customers and clients.
Providing a poor employee experience risks the tenure of good staff. When employees do not enjoy their job and their workplace, or they feel undervalued and underappreciated, they are more likely to resign in the hope of achieving this at another employer.
When an employer loses staff with the skills they need, business performance can suffer through lost productivity. There are also flow-on effects, such as the costs associated with recruitment and onboarding a replacement.
The business also risks being unable to secure the skilled staff required at all, as a reputation that they provide a poor employee experience spreads among those in the industry. Candidates often do not want to apply for positions if they hear the employer should be avoided.
Employee experience management techniques
There are two key areas in which employers may want to focus when managing the employee experience – the workplace atmosphere and the workload.
Workload
The type of work, level of work and the recognition that employees receive for it all play a part in employee experience management.
Ensure workload is accurate
Employees may not always be required to do the work outlined in their job description but ensuring that it accurately lists most of their duties is important.
Avoid luring employees by promising tasks outside the job description, offering a role that is different from that advertised, or delaying the fulfilment of promises. Achieving this may be as simple as ensuring a job description is accurate before the role is advertised.
Accuracy can also mean ensuring that as an employee’s skills evolve, they are assigned work and remunerated in a way that is suitable for their experience. This is where promotional opportunities or salary increases may play a part. It may also mean assigning a larger workload to prevent an employee from becoming bored.
Prevent burnout
An appropriate workload does not mean that an employee may not be overloaded from time to time, nor be expected or asked to work overtime to meet urgent deadlines.
However, constant unmanageable workloads and expectations can lead to employee burnout.
Burnout is when an employee is physically or mentally exhausted, which means they become less interested, less productive or sometimes less physically able to do their work.
Ensuring that employees are assigned a workload that they are capable of achieving, are consulted when the workload may have to increase for business reasons, and receive appropriate monetary or time compensation for the extra work can go a long way to ensuring a positive employee experience.
Recognise employees
Employees who feel they are playing their part for the team, making a personal contribution to achieving business goals and are doing a good job or excelling beyond expectations will have a good employee experience.
Recognition can occur by doing something as simple as saying a thank you or congratulations on a job well done, wheether in passing or by publicly naming the employee as a recipient of an award.
Workplace atmosphere
Employees want to work in a respectful and enjoyable workplace. It does not mean it has to always be full of fun games and free benefits, but employees should feel comfortable about attending work each day.
That said, fun games and free benefits can be tools to facilitate a positive work culture.
Organise social activities
Encouraging and facilitating opportunities for employees to socialise at work and after hours helps to create a friendly workplace where employees want to be.
Organising lunchtime social activities, such as sporting groups or book clubs, or morning tea fundraisers enable employees to get together and share common interests in a fun way.
Regular work events such as quarterly awards ceremonies or staff retreats also can provide chances to socialise in a professional setting.
Even providing free benefits for staff such as a free coffee voucher or getting pizzas delivered for lunch once a month; buying a cake and decorating an employee’s work station on their birthday; or inviting a pet adoption organisation to bring a dog or cat into the office one day can create ad hoc social opportunities.
Harassment-free workplaces
Employees often feel more comfortable about attending work when the workplace is free from bullying, discrimination and harassment.
When employees do not feel threatened by co-workers or employers, whether it be from conflict with others, or discrimination based on age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability or cultural beliefs, they may be more engaged.
Many organisations maintain policies addressing such behaviour and describe how concerns can be reported and reviewed under those policies.
Improve the physical environment
A pleasant physical environment also can encourage employees to enjoy their experience of attending work.
Offices and workspaces that receive natural light are more welcoming than those with enclosed walls and fluorescent lighting. Interior design tools such as plants, walls painted in colour and desks arranged in a way to make it easier to talk to others can brighten employees’ days.
Some employees appreciate novelty furniture such as bean bags to sit on in meeting rooms while others prefer a padded chair, so consider offering choice when implementing functional changes.
Consider the little things that matter to many employees, too. Those who have a permanent workstation or office often appreciate being able to have a family photo or inspirational quotes, for example, so ensure employees are allowed to showcase some individuality.
How to implement employee experience management techniques
Employers may have many ideas themselves as to what methods they can implement, but gaining input of employees is important.
Conduct a staff survey
Regularly surveying staff as to what they think about the employee experience as well as calling for suggestions as to what they would like implemented provides insight into what should be changed and how.
This can reveal any issues that arise and ensure that new initiatives resonate with employees and are effective.
Assign an employee experience manager
It can be useful to assign the responsibility of employee experience management to an employee.
Some businesses will hire an employee experience manager, otherwise known as an EX manager, or assign responsibilities to a human resources employee.
These employees will already have experience in liaising with employees and an understanding of their interests and professional drivers.
They can gather information and implement initiatives, whether conducting exit interviews to uncover reasons for poor employee experience, or planning work functions and activities.
Include remote staff
Even when employees work remotely, employers can still provide an enjoyable work environment.
Consider adapting employee experience approaches to suit employees working remotely, whether by giving all video conference participants the opportunity to have a say or providing them with vouchers for a food delivery service so they can treat themselves to lunch.
When employees want to go to work and enjoy spending time with their colleagues, their employee experience is a good one. It may take a little management from the employer or an employee experience manager to achieve it, but staff will reward the business for the effort.
