Human resources professionals have had a lot to deal with over the last 12 months- the COVID-19 global pandemic has wreaked havoc across the international employee landscape and human resources departments have had their hands full dealing with the wide ranging and varied challenges resulting from an immediate shift to a work from home environment.
The interesting thing is that before all of this came along, there was another issue that had become front and center in the minds of HR professionals- the employee experience. A range of new technology had arrived on the market scene designed around improving the employee experience in the office- from digital tools for employee engagement to self-service access to data to digital well-being accessories, a number of global employers were differentiating themselves in terms of their employee journey with new investment in technology.
Their core goal with this was to create a positive employee experience and help establish them as employers of choice for new employees coming into the labor force who are looking to work for an organization that offered something different or a little extra when it came to the employee experience.
In this article we will examine why the employee experience has become the new HR buzzword and why global organizations need to factor it into their thinking when it comes to their compensation and benefits packages as part of their talent management process.
Employee empowerment
Employee well-being may well be a buzzword- but its meaning is wide ranging and covers a lot of things that matter to international employees, especially millennials or new entrants to the labor market and work environment.
Empowerment is one aspect of this new buzzword- global employees now have a great deal of empowerment in their personal and financial lives thanks to digital technology- and there is a clear desire among these new market entrants to have a similar level of empowerment in their professional lives.
These feelings of empowerment generally seem to come from a sense of control and power associated with innovative digital tools. They wish to be able to supply identity documents and financial details to their new employer in a swift and easy way, ideally from the mobile device of their choice. They also want easy, anytime anywhere access to their personal data relating to their jobs- an example of this would be self-service access to their payslips and year-end tax information.
They also want digital tools that allow them to confidentially feedback their employee-centric experience to line managers and HR leaders- this is digital or HR technology that enables them to feel empowered when it comes to their opinion and crucially, to feel listened to and understood. This might seem like a lot for the more traditional employers, but the reality is, expectations around employee experience have evolved and changed over time- and international employees who place genuine value on this experience, will go so far as to factor it into their decision making when it comes to accepting or rejecting a job offer.
Employee well-being
Well-being is another factor in the employee experience, and it is growing in importance- a brief scan of the internet blog landscape will reveal thousands of articles on mental health, employee well-being and work life balance.
Thanks to these blogs and media articles, a new generation of employees are more aware than ever about the risks of burnout, problems associated with excessive time spent on digital screens and the need to prioritize a work life balance for mental and physical well- being.
New entrants into the labor force have heard many cautionary tales and are prioritizing their well-being. It is also the case, that many of them are current users of digital well-being tools in their personal life- the mindfulness app Headspace has millions of users worldwide for example. Therefore, as part of the job application process, HR professionals are reporting back to global employers that they are receiving more and more questions around tools and processes to enhance mental health and employee well-being in the office space.
This raises a concern for those organizations who have limited or no actual policies in place around this subject or have nothing in place in terms of digital innovation in this space. We may not yet have reached the point where this is an absolute dealbreaker, but a successful candidate who has more than one offer, may look to consider well-being and the employee experience as a key differentiator when selecting which company to work for. We can all expect this to reach a tipping point if research indicates that employee well-being has in fact become a key driver in the decision-making of potential applicants.
Aligning with personal values
From an employee perspective, a lot of this employee experience is really about them looking to see if it is possible for them to have some experience what matters to them personally, in their role as employees at global organizations.
This is not about a list of demands and in fact it is rarely about compensation and benefits- it is more about them being in a position to express their personal values when it comes to their choice of employer. An example would be environmentally friendly and sustainable processes- if a global employee is somebody who is very conscious of the environment and has a strong value when it comes to sustainability, then they will look to examine the standards and policies in place at a global organization before committing to a job offer. This is an example of bringing their values to their profession.
Gender pay gap and issues around diversity and inclusion are things that matter to people a lot more today and new entrants into the labor force will have come to some very definitive conclusions around these topics. They may therefore expect their choice of global employer to be aligned with their personal values when it comes to matters such as these which can be very important to them.
This is one of the reasons why the employee experience is the new HR buzzword- as HR professionals are increasingly looking to understand what global employees are seeking when it comes to company culture, values and public perception. These three things are playing a larger role in recruitment drives, and because recruitment is a very competitive landscape, HR professionals believe that there is a genuine opportunity here to carve out a competitive advantage in the war for talent, with the right level of focus placed on creating a great employee experience.
An opportunity to create loyalty
If global employers choose not to take this seriously- then they may find themselves with long-term issues around staff retention and talent acquisition. Forward thinking HR professionals are considering the benefits of a clearly outlined policy when it comes to employee experience. They are now of the view that this is a wonderful opportunity to create long term employee satisfaction, engagement and loyalty.
If employees feel that an organization is making an effort or that their general culture and values align with their personal beliefs and values- then there is a very good chance that they will develop a positive attitude, sense of goodwill and long-term loyalty to that organization.
There is a lot of value in taking proactive steps when it comes to this- as there is clear evidence that high staff turnover can be very disruptive and very expensive in the long run. Human resources departments who prioritize employee well-being, document it in an official policy and show flexibility, adaptability and a genuine willingness to listen on a consistent basis will create the foundations for employee productivity and loyalty as well as a more inclusive and collaborative working environment. HR teams who choose to listen and understand, then follow up with a set of practices which utilize and leverage digital tools are in a strong position to design and develop an employee experience and company culture that works for the majority.
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