Employee experience now dependent on technology
A common challenge facing most organisations is the need to redefine the employee experience. Pre-pandemic, the employee experience was heavily based on the office setting and in-person interactions. The employee experience has now shifted to being more reliant on technology and digital solutions.
From a digital transformation perspective, that means choosing the right platforms and partners, as well as moving fast to implement changes in the way companies engage with and manage their people. Too many companies have an unstructured and uncoordinated approach to assessing and purchasing technology solutions. This leads to a fragmented and disjointed experience for employees. It is not just about providing your people with features; executives need to create a holistic digital experience to make it meaningful and engaging for their employees.
Based on data from the Bayzat platform, companies are adopting a more flexible environment where employees work from home and from the office. We have also seen an increase in the hiring of remote employees. The data is still not clear as to what model companies should adopt.
A recent study showed that employees are working 30% more hours from home versus when they were at the office, but productivity was 20% lower. Other studies show the exact opposite, as researchers observed an increase in productivity when employees work from home.
Younger employees will likely be impacted the most as companies allow remote working. The office is a great setting for employees to learn and share experiences, which is a critical aspect of a junior employee’s development. Younger employees will also miss out on networking opportunities to progress their careers. At the end of the day, employees will be vocal about their preferences, and will search for employers that fit their needs.
Cultures that prioritise collaboration, speed, and experimentation will be more successful in the medium term. Company structures that result in silos between departments will continue to suffer. While the ingredients for success are not new, their effects have been exacerbated by the pandemic.
The foundation of a high-performing team is relationship building. Remote working means that we need to reassess how executives build trust within their teams. Less frequent in-person interactions and online meetings can be a real barrier to building trust.
In a recent interview, Jim Collins recalled a life lesson from his mentor, Bill Lazier. Bill said there are two ways to approach a relationship, is your opening bid to trust or does somebody have to earn your trust? Executives must now learn to trust employees at the outset of the relationship to be effective.
Executives are not immune to burn out and stress. That means every executive needs to take care of themselves first before they can take care of their people. Taking care of your physical and mental health is not only an investment in oneself, but also an investment that yields positive returns for the entire organisation. That means setting aside time for adequate sleep, disciplined exercise habits, meditation, spending time with family and socialising with other executives, to share experiences.
Key Takeaways
- Is your opening bid to trust or does somebody have to earn your trust?
- Executives must now learn to trust employees at the outset of the relationship to be effective.
- Younger employees will likely be impacted the most as companies allow remote working.
- Younger employees will also miss out on networking opportunities to progress their careers.
- Employees will be vocal about their preferences, and will search for employers that fit their needs.
Too many companies have unstructured and uncoordinated approach to purchasing technology, leading to fragmented and disjointed experience for employees.
