Great employee experience plays a huge role in hiring, retaining and engaging talent in the workplace — everything from onboarding and employee relationships to satisfaction in job roles and offboarding — contribute to how an employee feels about their experience and the culture of a company.
According to research from Gartner, organizations that invest heavily in employee experience tend to see higher rates of employee retention as a result of building highly engaged cultures while providing employees with more opportunities to develop both personally and professionally. The way companies approach employee experience has evolved over the years — and today we know that companies need to meet employees’ increased expectations for purpose driven work, flexible environments and a strong sense of community.
We’ve discovered that there are 3 key pillars when it comes to optimizing your employee experience.
First, purpose. Millenials and Gen Z, more than any generation prior — are focused on purpose — when it comes to work. The data is as clear as day — purpose motivates this generation more than any other factor including compensation, benefits, company outlook. Today’s workforce craves a sense of purpose, a solid mission and a values-based culture. This means companies need to double down on what their purpose is and ensure that employees are given the opportunity to engage with and contribute to that purpose.
Second, flexibility. It’s no secret that the world is moving towards hybrid work— many workers around the world have opted to either work remotely or have the option of coming into the workplace occasionally (if at all). This means that companies need to reprioritize and focus on flexibility vs. productivity. Employees should be able to feel connected to the business and their teams no matter where they are. Hybrid work is a way to give employees more autonomy, build trust and keep people engaged because they want to be.
Finally, community. You’ve heard us talk about community before, and you’ll hear us talk about this again and again. Community is a key part of every employee’s experience and how they feel about work. Companies must seek to create more communal experiences, encourage collaboration and build camaraderie among employees. One team, one score. When leaders can demonstrate a people-first mindset, employees will naturally be happier and feel more supported in their day-to-day jobs.
No matter where your company is in the employee experience journey, you have the opportunity to revisit, rethink and redesign the experience. Organizations without solid employee experience risk losing top talent today more than ever — and keeping your employees happy means staying competitive in today’s marketplace.
