What is employee experience?
“Employee experience” is a phrase you’ll have seen more and more in recent years but what does it mean? Put simply, it’s everything your people see, hear, and feel about working for your business – from the tools they use day-to-day, to the culture and leadership style, and even whether the values your business promotes – formally or informally – are reflected in the way your people behave in practice.
A positive employee experience doesn’t happen by accident. In our work with clients, we’ve found the following factors make a real difference:
- Purpose – people want to feel part of something bigger than themselves. A clear sense of purpose inspires motivation and loyalty.
- Social connections – never underestimate the value of good relationships at work.
- Belonging – employees thrive when they feel accepted, included and part of the team.
- Engagement – communication and consultation go a long way in helping employees feel involved.
- Development – providing learning opportunities helps individuals grow and boosts retention.
- Authenticity – when people can be themselves at work, culture feels genuine and inclusive.
- Wellbeing – a workplace where employees feel valued and cared for is vital.
- The right tools – nothing frustrates employees more than poor equipment or outdated systems.
- Positivity – optimism, encouragement and recognition all shape the day-to-day experience.
Getting employee experience right is not just a “nice to have” – it improves performance, reduces turnover, and creates the kind of culture people want to be part of.
Sometimes it helps to have a fresh pair of eyes. We help our clients by providing an external perspective on employee experience and work with them to create practical improvements that really make a difference – for example, that can mean reviewing how their policies and values come to life day-to-day, running simple employee engagement surveys to gather feedback, or providing manager training to strengthen day-to-day interactions.
If you’d like to explore how we can help improve the employee experience in your business, get in touch – we’d be happy to chat.
