According to a new report released by WorkForce Software, almost two-thirds (65%) of organisations put a greater focus on the employee experience (EX) in 2021 than two years ago. However, only half believe their company has the right technology and processes in place to create great employee experiences.
The State of Human Experience in the Workplace report – created in collaboration with SAP – found that companies using modern workforce management solutions were twice as likely to be providing above average employee experiences.
Among the drivers of an increased focus on EX was the rise of remote work due to the COVID-19 pandemic. More than half (54%) of respondents cited this as a reason. Other drivers for an increased focus beyond the pandemic include major organisational change (31%), increased talent competition (27%) and responding to high employee turnover (25%).
To maximise the employee experience in 2021, employers are planning to strategically involve workplace technology. Over 60% plan to optimize self-service to make data more accessible. Respondents also anticipate investing in technology to improve productivity (59%), creating spaces and processes to increase collaboration (54%), and adding or improving employee feedback or surveys (49%).
WorkForce Software’s Nick Bailey, SVP of APJ, offered recommendations for local business and HR leaders to consider when crafting their own employee experience strategy. His suggestions included using the lessons of the pandemic to embrace remote work when possible, identifying productivity gains that align with experience improvements, and focusing on greater accessibility for employees.
“Organisations should be looking at what worked for employees in the initial 2020 lockdown, and what didn’t work, and use the best to implement policies and processes that improve employee experience during this current phase, and beyond,” Bailey said.
