The Benefits of Creating a Memorable Employee Experience

Since 2019, and maybe even earlier, creating a positive employee experience has become vital for attracting applicants and driving success for an organization. Businesses are listening to what their people want and have made drastic changes to their benefits to boost retention. However, it seems that people are still looking for something better. 

According to SHRM, people currently employed and looking to make a move want these things from their new employers: 

• 56% want work flexibility with the hours they work or the ability to work remotely. 
• 53% want higher pay.
• 47% want job security. 
• 35% want paid time off.
• 24% want a better or more-inclusive work culture.

Recent studies have shown that people are also considering more than the material perks being offered by employers, and focusing more on the people aspect and human needs will make all the difference when it comes to successful recruitment. 

Focusing on Human Needs in Recruitment

While offering new and exciting perks is necessary to stay competitive, keeping the interest of applicants and new hires will require employers to change how they view employees. A study by Gartner revealed that “employees today want to be treated as people, not just workers.” Thus, employers need to demonstrate their investment in the well-being of their employees by addressing human needs and showing that employees are valued and supported. 

Every employee and every situation is unique and should be treated as such. However, three basic “needs” linked to psychological theory stand out: 

• The need for competence: efficiency and success. 
• The need for autonomy: freedom and choice. 
• The need for social relatedness: belonging and attachment. 

Along those same lines, Harvard Business Review suggests putting together a “human deal” that includes:  

• Personal Connection. “More than 60% of employees say it’s important for their company to share in caring for their families and communities.”
• Autonomy: This refers to the flexibility that allows employees to decide “with whom, on what, and how much to work.”
• Personal growth: More than half of employees want opportunities for personal growth in addition to professional development. 
• Shared purpose: Employees want to know that their leaders share the same values so that they can  “feel invested in their organization's purpose.”
• Holistic well-being. Recognize “that needs vary from person to person and change over time” and update well-being programs based on what employees need. 

Of course, not every aspect of this “human deal” will work for all job roles. And employers would need to discuss with employees their comfort levels when it comes to sharing information about their lives—but focusing on seeing employees as people who are capable and in need of fulfillment in their lives is an excellent place to start. 

Benefits of a Better Employee Experience

Focusing on the employee experience improves recruitment results and boosts business success for any organization. According to a report by Ceridian, companies that invest massively in employee experience have seen many benefits, including:

• 28 times more likely to be included on Fast Company's list of Most Innovative Companies
• 11.5 times more likely to be included on Glassdoor's list of Best Places to Work
• 2.1 times more likely to be included on Forbes' list of the World's Most Innovative Companies

Using Technology to Ensure a Positive Employee Experience

When you think about technology, human touch or emotional sensitivity are not the first things that come to mind. However, technology can be essential to ensuring a positive employee experience thanks to its capacity to personalize the experience for people. Tools like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and chatbots allow HR technology to enhance employee experience through performance and feedback tools, training, self-service access to payroll, wellness, and benefits.

Personalization can assist in bringing about meaningful work, which is a crucial part of employee engagement. "Professionals consider their careers an integral part of their lives, and they expect their jobs to provide meaning," Edward Fleischman (The ExecuSearch Group's CEO) previously said in a statement regarding the Hiring Outlook report.

But employers still have a lot of work ahead of them in creating more positive employee experiences. Many people still don’t feel valued at their jobs, and to change that, employers will need to address how they engage employees going forward. Some experts say that engagement starts even earlier in the recruiting process and continues throughout an employee's tenure.

Creating a Positive Employee Experience with Proliant

Creating a positive employee experience is one of the top priorities for Proliant. As a result, we have been working diligently to ensure that our Glassdoor rankings are consistently over 4.5. We achieve this by using the same tools we provide to customers. Tools that help us find good employees, onboard them, and manage their career development with a personal touch.

To learn more about how we can help you pick the right people tools for your business, schedule a demo today.