Narratives of Engagement: Understanding the Antecedents of Employee Experience through the Lens of Stories and Best Practices of Reputed Companies
Hamshini s
MBA HR,
Symbiosis Institute of Business Management,
Hyderabad, Symbiosis International
(Deemed University) Pune
Email id hamshini.sp@gmail.com
Nandita Sulay
MBA HR,
Symbiosis Institute of Business Management,
Hyderabad, Symbiosis International
(Deemed University) Pune
Email Id:sulaynandita@gmail.com
Dr Ridhi Rani
Assistant Professor
Symbiosis Institute of Business Management,
Hyderabad, Symbiosis International
(Deemed University) Pune
Abstract
Employee Experience (EX) is a holistic approach that encompasses every aspect of an employee's journey from cradle to grave in an organization i.e. from recruitment till the exit of an employee. Employee Experience is a significant aspect in organizations as it leaves a positive impact on the employees. This enhances their productivity which also leads to their active engagement in organizational activities. A lack of a positive employee experience leads to otherwise loss of interest by an employee and may eventually lead to higher attrition and turnover rate. The aim of this research paper is to shed light on understanding the concept and relevance of Employee Experience, and the influence of employee experience components given by Josh Bersin, which includes- Meaningful work, Strong Management, Positive Workplace, Health and Well-Being, Growth Opportunity and Trust in the organization.
The findings of this research paper showcase the influence of Josh Bersin's components towards Employee Experience and the impact of Employee Experience initiatives on productivity, engagement and overall organization health. This paper contributes to the understanding of the various components contributing towards positive Employee Experience in an organization and can develop the same. The paper further tried to explore the narratives of employee engagement through the experiences and best practices of companies which have been pioneers and stalwarts in providing awe-inspiring experiences to their employees.
Keywords: Employee Experience, Workplace experience, Workplace culture, Employee Productivity
Introduction
Employee Experience
Employee experience is not merely a collection of perks or benefits; it's a holistic approach that encompasses every aspect of an employee's journey, from recruitment and onboarding to development and offboarding. It's about creating an environment where employees feel valued, respected, and supported, where their contributions are recognized, and where they have opportunities for growth and advancement. It is all about the overall journey an employee takes throughout his tenure in an organization.
There are many factors that can enrich an employee’s experience like the work they are doing, recognition and appreciation employees get in their organization, development opportunities for them, effective communication and work life balance employees get in their organisation.
Employee Experience (EX) is an important part of the business world, comprising every interaction an employee has with their company, from recruitment to retirement. It all comes down to fostering an atmosphere that encourages workers to give their all while making them feel appreciated and encouraged. EX emphasises a human-centric approach that recognises a variety of demands and motivations, bridging the gap between organisational goals and individual aspirations.
Interpersonal relationships are important in the workplace because they provide a feeling of community, improve morale, and create a collaborative atmosphere that is conducive to creativity and invention. The role of EX has become even more crucial with the shift to flexible work schedules and remote work arrangements. EX entails creating an experience that goes beyond physical bounds to guarantee that employees stay interested and inspired.
Investing in EX is a strategic act with far-reaching effects, not just an altruistic gesture. Prioritising the experiences of employees has a knock-on effect for increased creativity and productivity in organisations. Employees are more inclined to go above and beyond and prioritise their creativity and enthusiasm when they feel appreciated and supported.
EX and customer happiness are mutually beneficial because contented staff members bring their positive experiences to customer interactions. As a result, companies that put an emphasis on EX generate a positive feedback cycle in which happy workers enhance the experiences of their clients.
This paper contributes to the understanding of the various components contributing towards positive Employee Experience in an organization and can develop the same. This paper highlights the impact of employee experience initiatives on employee behaviour and influence of Josh Bersin’s components on employees.The paper further tried to explore the narratives of employee engagement through the experiences and best practices of companies which have been pioneers and stalwarts in providing awe-inspiring experiences to their employees.
Objectives of the Paper
The aim of this research paper is to shed light on understanding the concept and relevance of Employee Experience, and the influence of employee experience components on the employee journeys, their stay in the organization and also how important their contribution is for the organization. The objectives are as follows:
Relevance of Employee Experience:
Employee Experience is one of the important topics to focus on in today’s world because of the various factors that have reshaped the workplace and employee interactions.
With the rise of remote or hybrid working in recent times, employees are no longer confided in traditional office set-ups. It is important for the organisations to understand this shift and enhance their experience in all traditional, remote and hybrid working environments which will eventually lead to collaboration, wellbeing among employees.
The Pandemic period had a severe impact on the workforce. They started prioritising their health and wellbeing over anything. Organisations who recognise the need for supporting their employees physical and mental health directly promote their employee experience. This might eventually increase their goodwill and employees might turn into ambassadors for the organisation.
Attracting and retaining talent in the organisation is a major challenge. Organisations who provide great employee experience has an upper edge in attracting and retaining talent in the organisation thereby leading to good brand value and brand image.
Employees' expectations towards their workplace is also rapidly changing from time to time. They seek meaningful work, career development opportunities and a supportive work environment. Organisations whose strategies align with that of the employees will be able to provide good employee experience.
Organisations should make sure that they are providing their employees with measures to manage workload, being able to make realistic goals and expectations and provide resources for employees stress management. IF employees feel that the organisation is taking care of their mental health, they would have a positive employee experience in the organisation.
Importance of Employee Experience:
Employee experience has a direct impact towards the organisational culture, employee engagement, talent retention, etc..It is really important for organisations to provide good employee experience as it holds utmost importance because of the following reasons.
Theoretical framework: Components of Employee Experience:
The authors have tried to explore further the components of employee experience which has an impact on employee motivation and enhances their productivity. An in-depth study made the authors more curious to understand the ways and mechanisms which has benefited the organizations which aim at giving a good value position to the employees thereby retaining the employees.
Methodology:
The methodology used in this research paper is exploratory supported by the secondary data collected from research articles and papers indexed on SCOPUS, Web of Science and Google Scholar. This is secondary research done studying the literature review on Employee Experience. Each paper was studied to understand the concept of employee experience and how it affects the attitude, wellbeing and commitment of employees. A secondary data was collected to understand the best employeeexperience practices conducted by 10 companies.Data will be further collected to understand the complexities and practice of employee engagement and employee experience which will further give more insights into this phenomenon.
Limitations:
Literature Review
The concept of employee experience has been explored and analysed by reflecting on the existing literature. Employee experience is of utmost importancein today’s times as the companies are facing lot of difficulties in retaining the employees and also grappling with the challenge of non - performance and average performance of the employees.
Lee & Kim, 2023in theirstudy looked into how corporate employees' experiences affect their psychological health, organisational commitment, and job happiness. It centres on three elements: technological, cultural, and bodily experiences. The findings indicate that whilst technology experience has little effect on organisational commitment, cultural and physical experiences do. The study claims that by enhancing psychological health and work satisfaction, regulating employee experience might boost commitment. It highlights how crucial it is to take into account the physical, technological, and cultural experiences of employees.
Horváth & Kenesei, 2023 in this study examined the use of customer experience mapping as a tactical component of employee experience planning, concentrating on HR issues unique to the travel industry. Based on interviews with a manager of a five-star hotel in Budapest, the study offers detailed guidelines for making an Employee Experience Journey Map. The results indicate that mapping out an employee's journey might enhance the work environment and lessen the likelihood of turnover. The study underscores the significance of creating an employee journey that is grounded in personas and approaches employee experience planning as a collaborative endeavour.
Teng-Calleja et al., 2023 in their study looked at how employees' work experiences and behaviours are affected by hybrid work arrangements. It polled 45 Filipino employees using the ecological systems theory of Bronfenbrenner. The results point to financial support, supporting policies, and work tools as beneficial organisational and team-level activities. Employees must deal with issues like hazy boundaries and an unwillingness to step away from their jobs, though.
Harlianto& Rudi, 2023intheir study looks at how employee performance is affected by the three factors that determine employee experience: the physical environment, the technology environment, and the cultural environment. It incorporates both Pradhan & Jena's performance factors and Morgan's employee experience categories. There were 201 participants and a quantitative method was applied. The findings indicate that while the physical and technology environments had little effect on employee performance, the cultural environment did. According to the report, in order to improve employee experience, executives should pay close attention to the cultural environment and assess whether expectations about the physical and technology settings are met.
(Joshi et al., 2023) Using online employee ratings, this study investigates how the pandemic has affected employee experience (EX). Salary and growth are the two most significant EX-factors, and it use Latent Dirichlet Allocation to discover them. Managers should take these aspects into account to facilitate change management, as employee sentiments have a huge impact on overall EX. By finding a comprehensive set of EX-factors, the study adds to the expanding body of knowledge on EX and broadens the scope of current scales.
(Ronda & de Gracia, 2022) Using theories of decision-making and experience, this essay investigates how workplace aesthetics influence employment choices. A conjoint experiment with choices revealed that non-aesthetic and aesthetic qualities can have an equal impact on employment selections. As employees may enhance their evaluation of a job offer because of better organisational aesthetics during recruitment and remote work, the study recommends that taking into account applicants' latent preferences is essential for structuring effective job offers.
Jeske, 2022 in the article explores the effects of employee monitoring on remote workers and suggests ways to create more supportive experiences. It reviews articles on the health implications of electronic monitoring and recent findings on remote work. Practitioner-oriented suggestions include health and social interventions, increased managerial awareness, collaboration with health professionals, using audits and data analytics, rethinking work design, and reviewing performance and working conditions. These suggestions aim to support employee well-being by recognizing factors affecting performance and experience.
Urban space limitations are finding a sustainable solution in underground workplaces (UWS) as emphasized by Venugopal et al., 2020. But meeting the requirements and desires of the residents is essential to their success. Three primary themes emerged from a study of North American workers: organisational issues, design, and environmental effects. To increase employee comfort and retention, these topics can be addressed through straightforward organisational initiatives.
The study made by Han & Lee, 2020 focused on perceived authenticity and relational commitment as it investigated the relationship between staff experience and customer loyalty in the hotel industry. The outcomes demonstrated a beneficial effect, with older customers seeing higher serial mediating effects. The research offers both theoretical and practical recommendations for enhancing hospitality offerings. Rasca, 2018 talks about a few research highlights changes in the labour market, with technology creating new jobs and removing others. Employers seek to improve productivity and innovation, requiring employees with entrepreneurial mindsets and adaptability. To retain talent, employers need to motivate, satisfy, and engage them, focusing on employee experience, wellbeing, and connection.
Meybodi, Jahanfekr, Mahjoor, & Hosseini, 2023 highlighted that the employee's experience throughout their tenure holds significant effect in multiple facets of the relationship between the employee and employer, subsequently influencing the individual growth of the employee and contributing to the advancement and prosperity of the organization. It identifies a gap in measuring employee experience concerning job satisfaction, workplace, and organizational culture. The primary objective is to identify dimensions of employee experience based on the influence of satisfaction, workplace conditions, and organizational culture. The primary objective is to identify dimensions of employee experience based on the influence of satisfaction, workplace conditions, and organizational culture.
This is a descriptive and applied research, whose results can provide a practical approach to understand and improve employee experience. The population size was municipal employees in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmed provinces, total of 823 individuals, with a sample size of 260 determined through the Cochran formula. Content validity is ensured through evaluations by scientific and executive experts, confirming the questionnaire's ability to assess relevant variables and relationships. Many methods were used to understand the data and get the relevant insights. Convergent validity and Cronbach’s alpha tests confirm the reliability and validity of the measurement model. Hypothesis testing, measured by t-statistics, indicates that the relationship between organizational culture and job satisfaction with employee experience is significant and the relationship between workplace and employee experience as non-significant. Through the findings, managers can undertake activities or decisions that enhance job satisfaction and improve organizational culture to create a positive and efficient employee experience.
The COVID-19 crisis has heightened public awareness about how companies treat their employees as highlighted by Yadav & Vihari, 2021. The transition from a service-based economy to an experience economy is noted, where the focus is shifting from saving time to spending time well. This paper emphasizes that the concept of employee experience (EX) is becoming a crucial aspect of workplace design. It asserts that the focus should be on the work itself, rather than the physical office space.
EX is described as a concept that calls for a comprehensive redesign of workplace practices and environments to align with employee needs, rather than the traditional approach of expecting employees to adapt to the workplace. The paper introduces EX as a multidimensional construct with six dimensions: cohesiveness, vigour, well-being, achievement, inclusiveness, and physical environment. These dimensions were identified through focus groups and open-ended surveys.
It reports the use of structural equation modelling to validate the proposed EX construct. A closed-ended survey involving 299 employees in multinational corporations across India was conducted for this validation suggesting a regional focus on understanding and improving employee experience. The findings of the research suggested that establishing the EX scale is seen as beneficial for both researchers and practitioners. It allows for empirical measurement of EX and exploration of its relationships with various individual and organizational constructs. Implications of this paper suggest that researchers can use the EX scale to conduct empirical studies on the impact of employee experience on various aspects of individual and organizational performance. Practitioners can leverage this understanding to design and implement strategies that enhance employee experience.
The authors conducted a detailed analysis of the literature which formed the basis and scope of this study. The authors identified the gaps and focussed on understanding the relevance of employee experience its, antecedents and components which is highly required for the employees in the environment which is characterised by VUCA (Volatile, Uncertainty complexity and ambiguity). The authors believe that if the understanding of employee experience will be developed further the employees will understand the company’s vision better ,will have more clarity in their job roles and will be better contributors to their work and workplaces.
Companies With Best Employee Practices
Certain organisations are setting the standard for identifying the needs of their workers and enhancing their lives through psychological, social, and motivational approaches. Their objective is to create an organisation that people are compelled to join.The following are the companies that implement impactful Employee Experience Practices:
Airbnb
For a number of years, Airbnb has led the charge in the push for a stronger focus on the employee experience. When the organisation hired Mark Levy in 2013, a shift began within the organisation. Mark Levy suggested creating an Employee Experience division akin to the one tasked with attending to Customers' needs.
The experience provided: Making visitors feel at home anywhere is the cornerstone of Airbnb's business approach, and this also applies to the company's workforce. To ensure that the business can offer the best possible service to all of its visitors, every employee is treated with the same dignity and decency as a paying client. As a result of their combined efforts, they were included among the Best Places to Work.
HP
One of the greatest instances of an excellent work experience is seen at HP, a technological giant. In just a few years, the company's stock price increased and its overall business performance improved. The encounter provided: These days, HP's main priorities are its employees' training and career opportunities. They updated its medical facilities and gave its staff members several training and development opportunities. They were able to give their staff a more engaging work environment thanks to these programmes. As a result, staff members focus only on increasing sales for the business.
Telstra
When it comes to the overall workplace experience, Telstra is miles ahead of its rivals. The experience provided: In order to facilitate the availability of flexible work for all positions, Telstra updated its policy on the matter. They provide flexible working hours, job sharing, and a range of staff development programmes so that individuals may engage and work in a manner that best suits their needs. The Research indicates that when Telstra employees are offered these options, they become more engaged and productive at work.
Wegmans
Given the good effects it has on the lives of its employees, Wegmans food stores should be included here. Their stellar reputation for providing exceptional customer service is directly related to the happy work environment they've established for their staff. The encounter provided: The cornerstone of a highly engaged staff is programmes for training and development. They invest so much money in training and development each year for this reason. Wegmans offers professional and life skills training to its staff members.
As a result of their continued efforts to raise employee engagement, revenues rose. Wegmans' annual revenue rose as a result of increasing its focus on employee experience management.
Arby’s
This massive American hotel company employs the tagline "Inspire Smiles Through Delicious Experiences" as its internal rallying cry and genuinely believes it. When Arby's was facing financial difficulties, the CEO of the firm started to emphasise employee engagement more.
The experience provided: During difficult times, the organisation looks to its frontline staff for advice and ideas. It incorporates their feedback, gives them more authority, and improves employee satisfaction through professional growth and further education.
The corporation also provided flexible work hours, free lunches, and chances for career promotion to its employees. Following these actions, employees at Arby's consider the firm to be an amazing place to work, and the company has a lower employee turnover rate than the majority of its rivals.
NVIDIA
There's more to this technological behemoth than just its graphics card. The employee-focused, inclusive, and collaborative atmosphere at NVIDIA has garnered praise from all across the world and led to outstanding outcomes. The encounter provided: In the industry, they provide some of the best working circumstances because to their employee-focused culture. The true satisfaction of employees may be attributed to NVIDIA's offerings.
The outcome suggested that NVIDIA has a high stock price and has been recognised as one of the best workplaces.’
Adobe
According to Adobe, there is a science and art component to the employee experience. Art is the content utilised to evoke emotions in people, while science is the facts gathered.
The encounter provided: The individuals who leave the firm on a daily basis are its greatest assets, as the founders first thought. The primary factor that enhances the internal employee experience is their own cloud-based intranet, which facilitates communication throughout the whole organisation. The result showed that Adobe's exceptional employee experience may be attributed to internal drives and a focus on working relationships via offices.
Mozilla
Mozilla placed a greater focus on the employee experience as a result of the epidemic, and the firm swiftly achieved success under the new circumstances. The experience provided: Mozilla was experimenting with new methods to keep remote workers engaged and digitising its business meetings. Implementing virtual onboarding, for instance. Mozilla was able to reevaluate the requirement for physical locations as a result.
The outcome was lower costs because there was less of a need for physical locations at the time.
Southwest Airlines
Among the best examples of an employee experience is Southwest Airlines. It is among the least expensive airlines, with excellent amenities and a committed personnel. Additionally, the airline quality report states that there aren't many passenger complaints. The encounter provided: Southwest Airlines aspires to treat its workers with dignity and respect. The corporation attributes its stellar customer service reputation to its deep concern for its workforce. Its flight attendants are renowned for their warmth and humour.
When employees receive good treatment, they are more likely to deliver first-rate customer service, which raises customer satisfaction and income.
Accenture
Accenture understands the value of the employee experience and that it has become the new battleground.
Accenture identified three key elements for outstanding employee experiences:
By maintaining a highly productive staff in the eyes of the employees, these initiatives have enabled them to stay competitive.
Data Analysis:
Questionnaire had 4 components of Josh Bersin’s components of Employee Experience.
Dependent Variable – Employee Experience
Independent Variables – Positive Workplace, Health and Wellbeing and Trust in the Organisation.
Based on the chart, we see that 38% of the responses were for Trust in the Organisation, 36% of responses were for Positive Workplace and 26% were for Health and Wellbeing.
It is observed that Trust in the Organisation plays a major role among other two variables in Employee Experience.
The provided graph illustrates a comparative analysis between the Actual Employee Experience (EX) and the Calculated Employee Experience. The Calculated Employee Experience is derived as the average of three key variables: Positive Workplace, Health and Wellbeing, and Trust in the Organisation.Upon closer examination of the graph, a noticeable disparity becomes evident between the actual and calculated Employee Experience. This incongruity suggests that the computed Employee Experience, based solely on the three mentioned variables, may not entirely capture the comprehensive spectrum of factors influencing an employee's overall experience within an organization.
The observed gap implies that there could be additional variables beyond Positive Workplace, Health and Wellbeing, and Trust in the Organisation that significantly impact an employee's perception and experience in the workplace. These unaccounted factors may encompass aspects such as organizational culture, leadership style, career development opportunities, and interpersonal relationships, among others.
Regression Analysis:
The statement indicates that the model accuracy resulting from the regression analysis is 38.1%, falling below the predetermined threshold of 60%. This percentage signifies the proportion of variability in the dependent variable (the outcome being predicted) that can be accounted for by the independent variables included in the regression model.
A model accuracy of 38.1% suggests that the regression model is not performing well in explaining the observed variations in the dependent variable. In other words, only 38.1% of the variability in the dependent variable can be attributed to the variables considered in the model. The remaining 61.9% of the variability is unaccounted for, indicating a substantial gap between the model's predictions and the actual outcomes.
In the Coefficients table, researchers observe that Trust in the Organization (Commitment to Organization) exerts a notably positive impact on Employee Experience compared to the other two variables. Consequently, the findings suggest that enhancing trust within the organization has a substantial potential to elevate overall employee experience.
The presence of negative coefficients in the analysis may be attributed to potential biases during survey completion. Notably, a significant portion of the respondents identified as freshers. This demographic characteristic introduces a potential skewness in their responses, potentially influencing the coefficients in a negative direction. Therefore, it is conceivable that the observed negative coefficients may be a result of these biases, emphasizing the importance of considering respondent demographics and potential survey-related influences when interpreting the findings..
The histogram indicates a slight right skewness in the distribution of responses. This implies that the majority of the responses are concentrated on the left side relative to the center, suggesting a tendency for values to be higher on the lower end of the scale.
In the P-Plot Diagram, researchers note a discernible linear relationship among the variables along with the presence of a few outliers. The emergence of outliers could be attributed to the negative coefficients associated with the other two components, indicating a potential influence on the observed data points deviating from the overall trend.
Implications:
Enhancing employee experience is crucial for organizational success, as it directly impacts employee satisfaction, productivity, and overall well-being. The following steps can be taken by organizations:
Conclusion
This research paper has discussed Employee Experience (EX) and its significance in the contemporary workplace. The study aimed to understand the core components of EX as outlined by Josh Bersin, namely Meaningful Work, Strong Management, Positive Workplace, Health and Well-Being, Growth Opportunity, and Trust in the Organization.
The findings highlight the evolving landscape of employee expectations, especially in the context of remote and hybrid working, increased focus on well-being post-pandemic, the ongoing war for talent, and shifting employee expectations. The paper underscores the importance of prioritizing EX for organizations, as it directly contributes to enhanced employee engagement, talent attraction and retention, productivity, innovation, health and well-being, brand image, adaptability, resilience, and customer satisfaction.
The paper reviews exemplary companies such as Airbnb, HP, Telstra, Wegmans, Arby's, NVIDIA, Adobe, Mozilla, Southwest Airlines, and Accenture that have set benchmarks in implementing impactful Employee Experience practices. These organizations recognize the holistic nature of EX, incorporating components like meaningful work, strong management, positive workplace culture, health and well-being, growth opportunities, and trust.
The research contributes to the existing body of knowledge by shedding light on the impact of employee experience initiatives on employee behaviour and by emphasizing the significance of Josh Bersin's components in shaping positive EX. It also acknowledges the dynamic nature of the contemporary workforce and the imperative for organizations to align their strategies with changing employee expectations.
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