Organisations need to ensure a maximum yield from employee experience by using digitisation and addressing and empathising with the needs of employees.

Rumi once said, “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” I can strongly relate to this bold statement with regard to the ongoing corporate situation.

Employee experience is a vast subject that covers all the main aspects of the employee lifecycle in any organisation, from the moment employees are selected to when they part ways and move on in their careers. Studies show that most organisations understand the need to invest in it as it results in more productivity, employee retention, and organisation branding, among others.

Creating a holistic employee experience depends on several factors, starting with a competitive salary. One of the most vital and significant factors is ensuring we have the right talent for the right job. The second most critical aspect is effective communication at appropriate times to form authentic partnerships with employees. Then comes the next leg of meaningful employee experience – career development. It is the way an employee is nurtured within the organisation that leaves a significant impact, whether it is in the form of learning and development, rewards, recognition, promotions, or incentives.

Pandemic: Crisis Turned Into an Opportunity

When the pandemic hit the globe in early 2020, some organisations had all the above already in place and were creating remarkable benchmarks in the industry. Others were taking niche steps and learning and exploring what would help them succeed. The pandemic created a wave of disruption across almost all sectors, and in most cases, employers had no clue how to handle such a situation. As things worsened, employers took a greater interest in employee experience and retention. While some struggled, most organisations did a great job in handling the crisis.

Employers with vision managed to turn this crisis into a blessing. With  innovation, ideas and best practices, organisations managed to increase the productivity of employees. Over time, employers went back to review what worked and what didn’t. Processes that failed were eliminated, and those successfully implemented with the desired outcome were further improved and replicated. However, all of this was not achieved overnight, which brings us back to how “digitisation” enhanced employee experience during unprecedented times.

Digitisation at Work

India as a country was far from being equipped for the concept of “work from home” every day of the week. The entire recruitment experience witnessed a 180-degree turn with remote hiring. A candidate was selected virtually (something which was always difficult as it was imperative to conduct a face-to-face interview to understand the candidate’s suitability), joined the organisation virtually as well, and had an e-meet and e-greet with their new colleagues. Organisations initiated a plethora of options to make this a welcoming experience by sending goodies and welcoming team members with fancy introductions (with something as small as using a personalised virtual background, for example). It made the whole experience engaging. With everything happening virtually, employees started appreciating its benefits, including saving travel time and having family around, among others.

Moving on to the next phase of employee experience, which is collaborating with each other, digitisation gave the employees an option to gather via e-sessions like business meetings, off-site meetings and annual days. Tools like Slack, Zoom, Skype, and Google Meet helped team members form e-hobby groups related to cricket, cooking, video games, etc. It drew teams closer together on a personal level. As time passed by, organisations realised there was a need for people to rejuvenate. They brought in the concept of mental wellness days and gave employees an opportunity to attend confidential sessions with dedicated professionals to ensure mental well-being.

The concept of learning and development also moved from physically attending classroom sessions to e-learning via various collaboration tools to enhance employees’ skills. All of this inculcated a healthy trust between the employees, leaders, and organisations to achieve bigger goals. The above change also saw several folks thriving and at the same time struggling, hence making it more critical for the leaders and the organisation to analyse and empathise.

What’s Next in Digital Employee Experience?

Organisations need to ensure a maximum yield from employee experience by using digitisation and at the same time addressing and empathising with the needs of the employees. At the end of the day, what truly makes a difference is how employees are connected to their workplace emotionally.

Another crucial role here is played by the cultural pillars, how we hold on to our cultural behaviour even while working remotely. Organisations need to have the right tools in place to ensure effective utilisation of time and balance between meetings, ideation and implementation of strategies – all of this brings employees on the same page and improves transparency. By focusing on digital employee experience, organisations can create a high-performing culture to achieve business goals and enhance customer experience.