The word “human resources” is getting outdated in the present world. Slowly, but surely, the trend is slanting toward Employee Experience or EX as employee experience is what makes them stay in any organization.
Human resource professionals need to ensure that employees are comfortable inside the organization and perform well. The present generation of recruits look forward to better employee experience than salaries and company reputation.
The latest introduction of the chief people officer (CPO) post is more in tune with this rising trend. People operations focus more on employee engagement, productivity, and improved experience. The change in focus is different from the traditional focus on human resource policies and practices. It focuses more on healthier and happier employees than ever.
Employee experience considers what people value most, recognizes different life stages, personal circumstances, and different personalities. Contrary to conventional thinking, the most motivating response is rarely a higher salary – at present. Rather, employees want to feel a strong sense of belonging—being able to influence outcomes that matter to them—along with a strong sense of identity.
Here are nine elements of employee experience that you should know.
- People and relationships
- Teamwork
- Social climate
- Work organization
- Work control and flexibility
- Growth and rewards
- Purpose
- Technology
- Physical environment
Let us explore some of them.
Teamwork
Teamwork is important in any organization. No matter how experienced or efficient an individual member of a team is without proper teamwork the team will crumble. Companies without effective teams also find it difficult to keep up with competitors who have effective teams. Promoting good teamwork in the workplace has a positive impact on productivity, work quality, creativity, innovation, and job satisfaction.
In a recent Stanford study, participants who worked in groups rather than alone lasted longer on difficult tasks, showed more interest and enjoyment in the tasks, required less self-regulation to complete the tasks, and performed better overall, regardless of the tasks.
The participants in the group even decided to do more tasks related to those completed in the study in a personal setting 1-2 weeks after the study.
Work Control and Flexibility
The value of flexible work among employees has increased significantly since the recent global pandemic. It allows the employees to gain control over their work and work more during their most productive hours. Flexibility is the new norm and expectation of employees.
Recent research has found that jobs that allow employees to work remotely received seven times more applications last month than in-person roles. Another survey suggests that nearly 40 percent of global job seekers cite workplace flexibility as a top three factor. Optimal work control and flexibility have some advantages as listed below.
- Allows employees to work more
- Reduces turnovers
- Increases engagement
- Improves work-life balance
- Improves morale
Technology
Digital employee experience is becoming as important as the physical one. The pandemic put more pressure on work aspects such as welfare, culture, and education at a time when talent competition is fierce. With the wide adoption of hybrid work, employees are becoming less centralized these days. These new dynamics shape the activities of companies.
How employees interact, collaborate, and communicate are key aspects of the employee experience, and it’s important that employers adjust how they facilitate interaction with technology. Implementing the right technology in the workplace has many benefits, such as fostering a culture of inclusion, adapting organizations, and retaining top talent.
