Today’s workforce demands increasing transparency and an elevated employee experience. Employees want more than a desk and a computer—they want a career, something that many organizations are struggling to provide. And elevating the employee experience is not as simple as providing happy hour and foosball tables.
It’s about creating an environment where employees won’t just grow personally but also succeed professionally. This in turn helps drive their performance and productivity.
That means HR needs to step up its game, update its processes, and think creatively about what it can offer employees, so they stay happy, fulfilled, and productive from 9 to 5 every day—and beyond. Here are some effective tips for elevating the employee experience that your company has been waiting for.
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HR Is More Than Just Recruiting and Onboarding
HR is the backbone of every organization, but it’s also a department that’s often misunderstood. That’s because HR is usually relegated to administrative, transactional tasks like onboarding, offboarding, and employee handbooks. As a company owner, you can also ensure ease for the HR with the help of AI solutions, and automation tools.
According to Lilian Chen, Co-Founder and COO of Bar None Games, “Our company’s success is a direct result of our team’s ability to work together and support one another. If we can’t do that, then everything else falls apart.”
As anyone in HR knows, recruiting and onboarding are important parts of the job, but they’re not the only things that matter.
see also : automation tools
HR departments can be the bridge between employees and their companies by helping them find a fit in the culture, build a career path, and connect with peers and managers. HR can also help companies recruit and retain top talent by taking a data-driven approach and understanding what employees want, need, and expect from their jobs.
Invest in Learning and Development
“Learning and development” (L&D) has been a buzzword in the HR space for years. But the function is far more important now than ever before. Employees want to grow; they want to feel challenged and fulfilled by their careers.
Moreover, they want to see a clear path for advancement that doesn’t involve having to nudge the right people or wait for positions to open up. And they want to see that their companies care enough about their careers to provide them with opportunities to learn and grow.
But companies often forget to invest in L&D—or they use funding as a carrot on a stick to motivate employees to achieve certain goals.
“We made a concerted effort to invest in our team’s learning and development,” says Marilyn Zubak, Marketing Lead at Snif. “It was important to us that everyone on the team had access to the resources they needed to grow professionally. We also wanted to create an environment where people felt comfortable taking risks and trying new things.”
A company that invests in learning and development (again, beyond the basics of providing employee training for job-specific purposes) shows employees that it values their potential, productivity, and advancement opportunities. Investing in L&D can also help your company retain employees by showing staff members that there’s always room for growth and a clear path that leads to bigger and better things at the company.
Have an Open Culture and Transparency
Transparency is a word that gets thrown around a lot these days. Many companies brag about the fact that they share information among employees, managers, and stakeholders. But not all transparency is created equal.
Employees want to be informed not only about their role and the responsibilities that come with it but also about the overall performance of the company. They want to know the financial health of the organization—not because they’re trying to peek at the numbers, but because they want to understand the bigger picture.
“I feel it’s really important to have an open culture and transparency within your team so that everyone is always aware of what the vision is and where you’re trying to go with the company,” says Max Ade, CEO of Pickleheads.
“This way, everyone can be held accountable and know exactly what they need to do in order to help move the company forward.”
Provide a Path to Career Advancement
Many companies claim to offer a path to career advancement. Unfortunately, not all of them actually follow through on that promise. What employees want is a clear roadmap—a roadmap that is not only visible to them but also to others.
When it comes to career advancement, transparency is key. HR and senior leadership should work together to create a path for each department, as well as for the company as a whole.
That means creating a clear, easy-to-understand structure that shows employees what the next steps are for their roles, as well as what they need to do to get promoted to the next level.
“I’ve found that my team values transparency when discussing career advancement,” says Alex Novak, CEO of SLR. “Being open about the next steps in my vision for the team has helped to ensure that everyone is on the same page and working towards a common goal.”
Show Employees You Care About Them Personally
Employees want to feel empowered and supported during their working hours, but they also want to know that their companies care about them as people, not just as employees.
That doesn’t mean companies need to start offering free therapy sessions for employees. (Although, if your company is already doing that, more power to you.)
Instead, it means taking a genuine interest in the employees who work for you. It means showing employees that their managers care about them as people outside of work. Humans are social creatures, and when people feel supported on a personal level, they are more likely to feel engaged and connected to their companies.
“We strive to differentiate our company from the status quo,” says Harry DiFrancesco, CEO of Carda Health. “Too many businesses today operate with the belief that people are just numbers. Any personal connection is lost on them.”
Harry DiFrancesco continues, “But it’s that personal connection that, by and large, earns you better results from your team.”
Allow For Flexible Work Arrangements
The days of strict 9-to-5 schedules are long gone. As the freelance economy grows, more and more employees are working remotely. And not just contract workers and contractors—full-time employees who work remotely could make up a significant portion of your team.
The fact that more people will eventually work from home in some capacity means companies need to be prepared to accommodate employees who work outside of the office. To do that, you have to start by thinking creatively about what the employee experience looks like.
According to Michael Fischer, Founder of Elite HRT, “Allowing for flexible work arrangements is a great way to help align your team’s vision with your own. Permitting employees to create their own schedules can help take some of the burden off of you as the leader and allow everyone to focus on what’s important to them.”
Offer Benefits Beyond Paychecks
Although salary is an important component of the employee experience, it’s not the only thing that matters. Employees want benefits beyond their paychecks—and they want them to be relevant to their needs.
According to John Berry, CEO and Managing Partner of Berry Law, “Employees are looking for more than just a paycheck. They want to be a part of something larger, and they want to know that their work is making a difference. If you can show your team how their efforts contribute to the company’s success, you will have a much better chance of alignment.”
Annual or Semi-annual Employee Survey
When people think about elevating the employee experience, they usually think about tangible benefits, like better health care and more vacation time. But there are other ways to make employees feel valued, important, and connected to the company.
Most companies conduct annual employee surveys. And while those are important and helpful, they can also be a bit impersonal. A semi-annual survey, on the other hand, can be a great way to learn more about the employees who work for you.
According to Cody Candee, Founder and CEO of Bounce, “I like to employ semi-annual surveys, as they help me identify any disconnects between what I’m trying to achieve and what my team is actually working on.”
You can use either survey frequency to achieve different answers based on your goals. Make sure to ask questions that will get at the heart of what’s important to your team and what they’re passionate about. Once you have this information, you can start to align your vision with theirs and create a shared sense of purpose.
Meaningful Reward and Recognition Program
Employees want to feel like they’re being recognized for their contributions, but sadly, most organizations don’t have robust reward and recognition programs (or they don’t use them effectively). It’s important to have a consistent, meaningful, and transparent reward and recognition program in place.
“Many employees thrive on recognition and feel a strong sense of loyalty to the company that makes them feel appreciated,” says Omid Semino, CEO and Founder of Diamond Mansion. “A well-run, meaningful recognition program is one of the most effective tools you have for retaining your best employees. It’s done wonders for our company.”
In addition to rewarding employees for hitting goals and milestones, consider rewarding employees who go above and beyond with a meaningful “thank you” moment. Although it’s important to implement a consistent program, you also need to make sure the rewards are meaningful to each employee. A $50 gift card to Amazon probably won’t mean much to an employee who doesn’t shop online.
Offer Professional Development Opportunities
“If an employee doesn’t feel like there’s room to grow in their current position, they will likely start to look for new opportunities elsewhere,” says Ryan Delk, CEO of Primer. “As a leader, I have to keep my team members engaged and excited about their work. One way to do that is by ensuring there are professional development opportunities available to them.”
Employers can set their employees up for success not only through on-the-job training but also through other means like off-site training, mentorship programs, and online courses. It’s important for employees to know that you care about their development and want them to succeed. Providing opportunities for professional development sends that message loud and clear.
Conclusion
Employee experience is the new frontier and will become increasingly more important in the coming years. Employers are expected to invest more in employee experience, and HR leaders and business leaders need to be prepared to think creatively and strategically about what they can offer employees.
People are looking for companies that care about them as individuals, not just as employees, and who are transparent and thoughtful in their approach to career development, rewards, and benefits. With these essential tips, you can start elevating your employee experience today.
