Experience Happens!

Employee experience is a term that's being thrown around a lot these days. It has been used to refer to the treatment employees receive from supervisors and managers. The same term has been used to describe such things as workplace flexibility, employee benefits, rewards and recognition, and other aspects of employment that are clear and meaningful to employees.

The truth is, though, that each of those things is only a small part of the overall employee experience. The term employee experience really describes how an employee feels each day in the workplace. It is comprised of every interaction, every benefit, every performance review, every compensation decision, every reward, every meeting, every celebration, every work assignment, every project, and every development activity…. The list goes on and on. Even the type of toilet paper that's provided in the rest rooms impacts the overall experience (and I can personally attest that it DOES show up on employee surveys if it doesn't provide the right experience)!

These individual situations and interactions, over time, become the employment experience and, as such, become the lens through which an employee views everything that they encounter in the workplace. The collective experience drives your culture and, ultimately, your employment brand. Your employee experience happens whether you are thoughtful in creating it or not!

With the competition for talent continuing to pose a challenge for many organizations, the employee experience has taken center stage and there seems to be heightened competition among employers. For the competitors, the question becomes… who can provide the most compelling benefits, most flexible work environment and scheduling, the best base pay, bonus and incentive opportunities, and the most attractive package to garner the attention and commitment of job seekers to fill critical open positions?

I'd suggest that maybe a better strategic question would be "What kind of experience are we providing at every stage in the employment lifecycle?"

Another separate and distinct competition seems to exist among those transitioning or entering the workforce. More than ever before, job seekers are asking questions that differentiate opportunities based not only on the work itself and the accompanying compensation, but on growth potential and development opportunities, flexibility and remote work, community involvement and sustainability, equity and inclusion, recognition, and ancillary amenities such as gym memberships or technology allowances. And, more than ever before, new entrants to the workforce with limited practical experience have expectations of earning six figure salaries working from the comfort of home, working the hours and on the projects they choose.

It might be an outdated perspective on the workplace and employment in general, but isn't there nobility in taking pride in the work that you do? Isn't there a sense of tremendous satisfaction in doing or providing something that is of value to others and that makes a difference?

I am confident that some job seekers still value these intrinsic rewards in the roles they seek. At the same time, to attract and retain top talent, an intentional focus on creating the type of employment experience valued by the type of job seekers you are looking to attract, is a critical factor in success for any organization more than ever before. And, let's be honest, some of the things employees value and are looking for in today's workforce - things such as psychological safety, equity and inclusion, learning and development opportunities, and acknowledgement from senior leaders - are, and must continue to be, fundamental components of any employment relationship.

Every organizational leader must remember that they are creating the employee experience every single day in every interaction.

For more detailed information and examples of how to create exceptional workplace experiences at every stage of the employment lifecycle, contact dawn@experiexcellence.com.