Expert Guide to Delivering an Exceptional Employee Experience

Lead with Empathy and Authenticity

Ernst & Young Americas Vice Chair – Talent, Ginnie Carlier says that “Leading with empathy helps move from the transactional to the transformational Human Value Proposition, where people feel supported both personally and professionally.” 

In fact, based on the 2023 EY Empathy in Business Survey, failing to feel a sense of belonging at work or lack of connection with colleagues is a growing reason why employees quit their jobs. About 50% of the 1012 Americans surveyed left a job because they felt like they did not belong, a 2% increase from the 2021 survey results. It was also found that 42% of respondents left because they had difficulty connecting with co-workers, as compared to 37% in 2021 (Hemmerdinger, 2023). 

Empathy is a powerful force that has a direct impact on the overall culture of the organisation and ability to retain employees. It should be exercised not only during difficult times or challenges but also during positive moments and daily work interactions to validate employees’ feelings to engender a sense of engagement. Employees will remember all the details and how leaders made them feel in key moments. Do you not recall how that one boss made you feel like a winner, what was the moment like? It was not the food, it was not the venue, it was how you felt valued because the moment was real! To learn more about cultivating empathy in your leadership team, read Citadel Search’s recent article. 

Developing your Leaders

One of the most common reasons employees quit their jobs is because of poor leadership. Leaders set the tone for the company and are pillars of support to their employees. The actions and behaviour of leaders can make or break an employee’s experience, therefore it is no secret that leadership development and employee engagement are closely intertwined and extremely important for employee retention. A good employee experience starts with having influential leaders who support their employees in their career growth, creating a pipeline of future leaders who will continue to contribute to the organisation. On the other hand, bad leaders can create a toxic environment full of fear and anxiety, be it micromanagers who are excessively critical or disengaged leaders who are completely uninvolved. 

So invest in your leaders. A key starting point in this journey is for leaders to engage in a process of self-discovery to first identify their strengths, weaknesses and leadership style, then learn how they can do things differently and enhance their skills to better manage their team. By bridging the gaps in their leadership capabilities, they can directly address and alleviate the challenges in the employee experience, boosting employee engagement, attraction and retention. Leadership development is a long-term investment that can set your organisation to seize a competitive advantage and become a magnet for top talent.

Act on Employee Feedback 

To understand how well your organisation is meeting the expectations of employees, it is critical to collect and analyse employee feedback for each employee touchpoint. Think of feedback as advice instead of associating it with bad news. Approach employee feedback from a neutral standpoint and frame it as employees’ support to position the firm for success. 

However, you can’t just collect feedback and not take further steps. Many organisations fall short on this. If you fail to share any action plan, employees will feel ignored and will no longer be genuine when offering their ideas or solutions in the next round. Analyse the feedback and share insights gathered, then categorise them into short-term and long-term plans in the journey to improving the employee experience. Identify three low hanging fruits and  two feedback that you can take longer term actions that will impact on your bottom line. When employees see that their feedback is reflected in business practices and operations, the organisation sends a powerful message to employees that they are valued and that their opinions matter.

It is inevitable to have suggestions that cannot become a reality. Rather than ignoring them, be transparent and demonstrate to employees that the organisation has done its due diligence to consider the feedback. You can explain why the desired outcome is not possible to implement, or that the organisation has to prioritise accordingly to improve the Employee Experience.   

Employee Recognition Programs

Employee recognition has long been a fundamental necessity of effective management. However, as the competition for talent escalates, it is more important than ever for organisations to innovate the ways they show value for their employees. 

In a study conducted by Workhuman and Gallup called “Unleashing the Human Element at Work: Transforming Workplaces Through Recognition”, it highlighted that “Experiencing consistently low levels of recognition is a drain on the employee experience and workplace culture that can have serious repercussions. When organisations fall short on showing employees they are valued, they risk losing their employees altogether.”

Recognition makes the “human” aspect in the workplace come alive. With the right recognition, employees are more committed and connected to their workplace culture as they forge stronger working relationships and feel a greater sense of belonging because they know their efforts are acknowledged. Review and revise your employee recognition program to ensure that it remains relevant and impactful. A stagnant program with the exact same process a decade ago may lose its value and charm, especially for younger generations of employees. Employees can easily sniff out recognition programs that are mere lip service with no genuine intent, so ensure to be intentional and genuine.