Defining the Employee Experience of the Future

HR leaders are at the helm of creating an engaging and inclusive environment for their organizations. While employee experience has always been a priority for human resources, the renewed focus has risen to the top as a mission-critical priority. Closely tied to diversity, equity and inclusion, a positive and supportive culture is most effectively created when the workforce is engaged and given the space to articulate their needs.

As employers are often a social safety net for their workforce, the immediate response to COVID-19 required quick action to the immediate physical and financial needs to ensure they were cared for. Once the workforce was stabilized to work remotely and protective measures in place for essential workers on site, the nation faced another crisis: the murder of George Floyd, which was one of several catalysts sparking civil unrest that spread through the nation. 

The impact of this traumatic event on the nation cannot be underestimated, and recent events have thrown into the spotlight the need to address DE&I directly. Employees are demanding meaningful action, and conversations that were once considered taboo in the workplace are now necessary and intricately tied to what employee experience means in 2020.

To set the stage for a conversation about employee experience, executives across North America responded to a survey, indicating the following:

41% report changes to the company culture as their top concern

63% of C-level leaders say their top concern is employee morale

78% report a changed point of view on remote work will be a long term effect of recent events

Moderating this panel was Julie Cosgrove, chief talent officer at Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union. Joining Cosgrove was Patience Ferguson, chief human resources officer for the City of Minneapolis and Jenny Guldseth, chief human resources officer at Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America.

Prioritizing Organizational Culture and Employee Experience

Many HR leaders would agree that now is the time to set a higher bar for employee experience by ensuring an inclusive environment and approaching new directives with a racial equity lens. Setting the tone that the organization must be dialed in to cultural agility, outlining what that competency looks like and incorporating those standards into performance reviews is a directive some organizations are taking. 

During this time of civil unrest and great uncertainty, employees are becoming more outspoken and demanding accountability from their leaders and organizations as a whole. Prioritizing DE&I through meaningful actions, such as adjusting job postings to be more inclusive, training leadership on best practices for recruiting and hiring diverse talent, and providing ongoing training are all methods that can show a dedicated effort to fostering an engaged and inclusive environment.

Personal and Professional Impact 

With the majority of business being done from home and through video conferencing, the lines between personal and professional have been blurred. It is also important to note that the personal impact of COVID-19, social unrest and uncertainty affects everyone in a different way, and people need to feel heard, no matter where they are. Understanding the nuance of how people are coping with these traumas is not something that all leaders were equipped to handle.

Listening sessions to allow a safe space for open dialogue are a popular method many organizations are adopting to gather employee sentiment and foster allyship across the organization. HR leaders have identified the need to educate and prepare leaders to have sensitive conversations, foster inclusive environments and support their employees with compassion. Creating a positive, supportive and engaged employee experience takes dedicated effort from all levels of leadership.

Lessons Learned

This year has stress-tested the resilience of society as a whole. With work and life being integrated for many, the importance of accountability and supporting the workforce has come into the spotlight. By now, most organizations have learned the importance of communication and the detriment that under communicating can cause, often resulting in a disengaged workforce. 

Communication being so key to employee experience, this remote environment has, for many, shown which leaders are excelling and those that need help in supporting their teams. “Real talk” sessions have proved useful for many organizations in fostering a safe space for employees to share their thoughts, and for leaders to learn what is in the hearts and minds of the workforce.

Everyone’s lived experience is not the same, and it is important to listen with your ears and heart in order to understand what people are going through.

Thoughts from the Community 

Among other things, 2020 has proven to be a year of communication and collaboration. Partnering with peers from other organizations, as well as colleagues in your workplace, and listening to feedback from all levels of the organization have proven successful for many in promoting a positive employee experience. 

The journey to create a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment is far from over, and HR leaders are constantly iterating on what works for their organization. The employee experience of the future has yet to be defined, but collaborative efforts and an open mind from leadership will steer organizations in the right direction.

by CHROs, for CHROs

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