Gone are the days when money was the sole motivating factor for employees. Today, the focus is on growth, opportunities, rewards and recognition. And wait, that’s not all. We no longer say goodbyes to our ex-employees. To quote Charlie Puth and Wiz Khalifa’s lyrics, we say, “See You Again.” Do the above points ring a bell? Yes, we are talking about ‘Employee Experience’ — the holy grail to keeping your employees engaged throughout every touchpoint of the employee lifecycle.
For those hearing it for the first time, employee experience is what your workers feel, observe, and encapsulate over their tenure at your organization.
But, wait. There is a catch!
There is always a catch, isn’t it?
Many perceive the joining day as the beginning of the employee experience. You might already be two steps behind if you thought the same way. Employee experience unfolds from the moment your prospective employee applies for a role at your company. If you’re an employer branding fanatic like me, you would’ve probably heard ‘Attracting and retaining the best talent.’
There’s the catch! If you want to kick off the employee experience mania on a high, hit the right notes and show them why your company is the place they would want to be. Before they even step into your organization circles or receive the offer letter, provide them with a clear picture of what it’s like to be a part of your brand.
Sounds simple, right? Well, it isn’t!
Does your brand need to provide further focus on employee experience? Yes, it does. And in a constantly evolving working space (thanks, Covid-19), now is the right time to hit the hammer. So, buckle up! We will take you through each stage of the employee experience and how it benefits your brand.
Employee Experience: Unfolding the Journey
1. Establishing Trust with Potential Hires
Trust will make or break the deal when you are looking to hire the best talents from the pool. Always remember, the best candidates do their research very well. They would have checked out your company’s ‘About Us’ section to get a transparent view of your working culture. So, be sure to always keep company information up to date.
Do not set unrealistic goals. I mean, never! Tell your candidates what they can expect from you once they hop on board. Share stories from your organization about your employees. Please don’t go on explaining why they would be a good fit for your organization. Instead, showcase why your brand is the perfect fit for their career lifecycle.
2. Create a Seamless Onboarding Experience
The offer letters have been signed, and the ‘potential employee’ is now an integral part of your brand. So, make sure you treat them in the same manner. However, only 12% of employees feel their company did a good job of onboarding. Companies tend to forget that employees are, after all, humans. And humans want to feel they belong.
Pull the curtains up on their roles and responsibilities, the people they will be working with, give them a tour of your office or even provide them with adequate training if necessary. But most importantly, introduce them to your office culture, the benefits of working with you, and the challenges you seek to overcome together. And don’t forget to provide regular feedback to your new hires. After all, it would help if you established a more extensive roadmap with a shared vision for continued success in the long run.
3. Engage your Employees with Consistent, Credible Communication
Communication is intricate to human nature. No matter what, communication has been the key to everything- from resolving issues to expressing ourselves. Believe it or not, companies are yet to realize the potential of effective organization communication. Gallup research show that 52% of voluntary resignations could have been prevented if management had taken action.
First of all, don’t be a passive communicator with your employees. Deliver clear, consistent messages with the appropriate information. Pave the way for an open culture for positive employee engagement. Encourage your workers to ask questions, invite suggestions and most importantly, listen. Listen to their ideas and discrepancies and tailor simplified responses back to them. An office culture that facilitates teamwork and encourages peer-to-peer recognition delivers their goals faster.
4. Manifest Shared Goals
Let me put this right out in the front. Only 36% of employees are engaged in the workplace, 51% of employees remain disengaged, and 13% are actively disengaged. To keep your workers engaged throughout, it is essential to sustain a unified brand vision that everyone is aligned to.
Recognizing hard work paves the way for high-performing employees. Don’t forget to celebrate individual achievements and milestones at the workplace. 37% of employees said that personal recognition encourages them to produce better work frequently. Solidify that ‘one team, one dream’ motto if you’re looking to achieve better results for your business.
5. Positive Employee Experience Gives Way to Brand Advocacy
Have you ever come across a brand during your job search and wondered, ‘wow, this must be a great place to work!’ The chances are that you have and have hit that ‘Apply ’ button without a hassle. Companies that embed an excellent working culture do not have to brainstorm for promoting their brand. Instead, their most important assets, their employees, do it for them.
79% of job applicants use social media in their job search. So, your company culture is already out in the open through your employees, whether you like it or not. It’s 2022, and your employees (and potential employees) have expectations. Reward your employees, provide them with quality feedback, appreciate their hard work and maintain a positive work-life balance. You have built a brand, but how will you sustain it? The answer is brand advocacy.
6. Respect Your Employee’s Career Choices
All things must come to an end, even the good ones. Show gratitude towards the employees that have put in their blood, sweat and tears to help your company grow. Respect their decision to leave the role and provide them with good referrals that might help them further in bagging lucrative positions elsewhere.
The notice period is a testament to your professional integrity. Treat them with the utmost respect as you always did. With a positive farewell experience, employees tend to leave the door open as they bid adieu. After all, you never know when they might come back knocking at your door to restart a wonderful collaboration.
7. Don’t Forget to Keep in Touch!
Did you know that hiring an ex-employee is two-thirds cheaper than recruiting new talent? Referred to as ‘boomerang employees,’ they will often have more experience than the other applicants. Moreover, they already have a clear understanding of how your organization functions. And let’s be honest here. If someone is back at your organization for a second stint, they probably respect and feel connected to your culture. So, be sure to keep in touch with your former employees. Invest a little bit of your time and money in your alumni network, enrich the exceptional employee experience, enhance your reputation as an employer and maybe expand your client base in the process.
Your employees are your biggest asset. Turn their positive experience into a competitive advantage. Connect with us and discover how you can deliver an exceptional employee experience with Employer Branding Rubix.