Employee experience refers to the sum of interactions and engagements an employee has with their organization throughout their entire professional journey. A positive employee experience is vital as it not only impacts the overall culture of the organization but also leads to improved customer satisfaction, reduced absenteeism, higher profit, and increased productivity.

A 10-year study conducted by Glassdoor showed that there is a correlation between employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction. A higher Glassdoor rating was found to be linked to higher customer satisfaction, demonstrating the impact of a happy and engaged workforce on customers.

Furthermore, a Gallup meta-analysis revealed that companies with positive employee experiences experience less absenteeism, higher employee well-being, increased profit and productivity, and greater customer loyalty and engagement.

To enhance the employee experience, it is important to consider the employee lifecycle, which consists of seven stages: recruitment, hiring process, onboarding process, employee engagement/talent management, performance management, development, and departure. Each stage offers opportunities to reinforce a positive experience or identify areas for improvement.

To develop an employee experience strategy, organizations can assess the current employee experience through surveys and feedback from employees. From there, a plan can be created to address any areas negatively impacting productivity, retention, and engagement. The strategy should include defining goals, assessing each stage of the employee lifecycle, creating initiatives for improvement, implementing milestones with key performance indicators, and continuously monitoring the experience for necessary adjustments.

There are several strategies that can be incorporated to create a great employee experience, including personalization, transparency, simplicity, authenticity, and responsiveness. Personalization involves meeting the individual needs of employees, while transparency enhances visibility and accountability. Simplicity eliminates unnecessary steps, while authenticity aligns the employee experience with the company’s values and mission. Responsiveness ensures timely communication and allows for real-time issue resolution.

Companies like IBM are utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) and automation to enhance the employee experience. AI and automation can personalize tasks for employees, simplify business processes, and provide easy access to information and task automations. IBM Watson® solutions are designed to improve employee experience by empowering employees with conversational access to information and task automatons, thereby increasing productivity.

FAQs

1. What is employee experience?

Employee experience refers to the overall interactions and engagements an employee has with their organization throughout their professional journey, including workplace culture, company mission, daily responsibilities, co-workers, workspaces, systems, and interactions with human resources.

2. How does a positive employee experience impact the organization?

A positive employee experience leads to various benefits such as improved customer satisfaction, reduced absenteeism, higher profit, increased productivity, and greater employee well-being. It also helps attract and retain top talent, boost morale, and reduce employee churn.

3. How can organizations improve the employee experience?

To improve the employee experience, organizations should assess the employee lifecycle across seven stages: recruitment, hiring process, onboarding process, employee engagement/talent management, performance management, development, and departure. Strategies such as personalization, transparency, simplicity, authenticity, and responsiveness can be implemented to create a great employee experience.

4. How can AI and automation enhance the employee experience?

Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation can enhance the employee experience by personalizing tasks, simplifying business processes, and providing easy access to information and task automations. This can increase employee productivity and satisfaction.

5. How can IBM Watson® solutions contribute to improving employee experience?

IBM Watson® solutions provide conversational access to information and task automations, empowering employees with the tools they need to better serve customers and increase productivity.

Summary

A positive employee experience is essential for organizational success. It impacts customer satisfaction, profit, productivity, and employee well-being. To improve the employee experience, organizations should assess each stage of the employee lifecycle and implement strategies such as personalization, transparency, simplicity, authenticity, and responsiveness. Utilizing AI and automation, like IBM Watson® solutions, can further enhance the employee experience, leading to increased productivity and satisfaction.