With economies reopening, businesses are coming to terms with the lasting impact of the global pandemic, on their workplaces. A global Gartner HR survey, released when the pandemic began, found that 88% of organizations had supported ‘work-from-home’ policies, which empowered employee productivity, while prioritizing their health and safety. Post-pandemic, this emphasis on employee engagement has become even more pronounced, with a recent Gallup study linking it to 17% higher productivity, and 21% increase in profitability.
This focus on Employee Experience (EX) is a continuation of trends in recent years. Research papers, published globally, have identified EX as being as critical for businesses, as Customer Experience (CX). Metrics such as NPS (Net Promoter Score), CSAT (Customer Satisfaction), and CCR (Customer Churn Rate) etc. – which businesses use to track their CX – are being used to measure engagement with employees as well. For instance, an employee’s Net Promoter Score is a critical measure of their productivity and contribution.
Sajid Azmi, CEO of Yegertek, a solution provider in brand engagement and customer loyalty, believes the emphasis on EX is timely, in the new normal. “EX, at an inflexion point like the post-pandemic reopening of the economy, is crucial for businesses”, says Sajid. “With creativity, innovation, and problem-solving at a premium, high turnover rates, especially among experienced employees, is not an option”.
Great employee journeys lead to staff that are brand ambassadors, and greater workplace creativity and collaboration. Industry leaders, across all sectors, are investing in digital technologies that enhance workplace collaboration, eliminate communication gaps, and empower employee-centric initiatives, using data-analytics and AI-based tools.
Many businesses have created employee loyalty and engagement schemes, with internal apps that have features such as leader boards; where achievements are rewarded, applauded, and shared. Employees displaying exceptional metrics are often awarded vouchers and benefits, through an eco-system of partners and suppliers, as well as internal mechanisms.
“With many organizations resorting to hybrid arrangements, technology is not only essential to integrating remote workers and onsite teams, it can also ensure consistently high EX”, Sajid elaborates. “While the GCC leads the global average in employee engagement by five percent – at 70% – a closer look also reveals that the region’s best ranked employers have a 19 point advantage over the market average, in implementing EX technology”.
EX initiatives are crucial to an organization creating personalized experiences that promote a sense of purpose, creativity and passion, within their workforce. Data-led, and employee specific, insights are the crucial factor that emerging digital tools contribute, to enable these outcomes.
“Digital tools that deliver employee-centric insights, across both tangible and intangible metrics, are the need of hour. Otherwise businesses risk finding out too late, when a valued asset moves on from their team, or when such gaps are reflected in sub-par business outcomes”, Sajid concludes.
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