“Employee experience” has become a buzz term in recent times. It refers to the personalised experience workers. Employee experience is becoming increasingly important, as millennials occupy a greater percentage of the active workforce.
Millennials are known for their pursuit of purpose, which determines their longevity within a company. This trend is relative to employee experience – the fuel that drives individuals to accomplish their daily quotas and strive for the next phase in their careers.
Optimised employee experience can go a long way. Even big names such as Nvidia and Genentech have prioritised employee experience with the implementation of flexible schedules and parental programs.
Organisational leaders should strive to establish a work environment that values the uniqueness of each worker. Thus, it is crucial for leaders to look further than immediate tasks, responsibilities, and deadlines. It is important to discern the responsibilities of their employees, which transcend the workplace.
This recognising the unique needs of each employee and identifying the benefits that will keep them motivated. Essentially, employers need to accommodate to the holistic roles of workers, as parents, learners, and essentially individuals.
Provide Growth and Development Opportunities
The growth and development of workers is directly affected by management styles. Managers who offer constructive criticism and timely compliments are known to improve staff retention rates. Managers can also greatly improve employee experience by regulating workloads. This can be fulfilled by extending deadlines or dividing tasks among larger teams.
Another key point is for employers to be patient and empathetic when it comes down to task delegation. Tracey Maylett, CEO of DecisionWise shares, “Managers should make sure they align expectations with their employees, but they must understand workers who still are operating in growth mode won’t always be able to achieve agreed-upon milestones. Managers need to practice tolerance and provide a safety net so learners have a gentle landing if not everything goes perfectly.”
Encourage Work-life Balance
As alluded to in the opening of the article, work-life balance is becoming a necessity in the modern workforce. Workers with better work-life management are likely to be less stressed and more productive. This also eliminates the risks of burnout.
It is possible to provide experiences during working hours. This may be as simple as enrolling workers in career or professional development courses outside of the office. Such arrangements enable employees to develop personal skills that enhance their workplace performance.
Occasional time-offs and half-days on Fridays are some ways to provide workers with more personal time. This will keep them recharged and focused in the long-run. Higher staff morale will lead to lower turnovers and reduced training costs for new hires.
The goal is to maintain employee experience by offering workers the flexibility of balancing out various responsibilities in life.
Offer More Listening Channels
Communication is a necessity for positive employee experiences. This means that organisational leaders should offer workers multiple opportunities to voice their opinions.
Listening platforms should extend beyond routine meetings. Employers may practice an open-door policy or allow employees to PM them on a private platform for personal matters.
By doing so, employees are encouraged to share their deep-seated concerns and suggestions. This, in turn, fosters a strong sense of belonging for the organisation. Also, it is necessary for employers to listen with an open mind, without imposing harsh criticism.
Ultimately, the words and perspectives of every worker should matter, regardless of their position within the organisation. Employee experience is at its finest when organisational values are backed up with personal beliefs.
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A devotee at the altar of language and a celebrant of expression. Laurenzo has written for various SMEs, MNCs, startups and international brands over the last three years. He specializes in topics of psychology, lifestyle, employee management, and digital trends.