Ask anyone about the ‘Great Resignation’ and they will tell you about the period when employees quit their jobs en-masse in 2021. They will tell about the rising employee dissatisfaction rates at work, the changing employee expectations, and how both of them reached a tipping point that lead to resignations across all leading sectors. But that is only one-half of the story.

While many sectors saw layoffs and job losses, many more mass-hired employees during the same period. Employees could suddenly choose where to work, given companies were hiring across all levels.

Not to mention many were offering exciting new perks at work like remote work and flexible schedules, and more to lure employees. And it seemingly did the trick. After all, a whopping 21% of employees changed jobs between 2021-22.

This tells us two things. One, that many experts were right about the Great Resignation being the Great Re-shuffle. And two, that companies knew the employee experience at work mattered all along.

It is only now that they are paying more attention to it. Besides, employee expectations have changed dramatically too.

The Changed Employee Expectations

1. Flexible Work

Employees cherished the flexibility offered by remote work, and it looks like they do not want to let go of it any time soon. In fact, they rated flexible work as the number one determiner of a good employee experience. Clearly, if you want to up the employee experience, this is a good place to start.

2. Better Work-Life Balance

Employees are no longer okay with being cooped up in their cabins for hours. They want a life outside of work and a manageable one at that. This means you will have to figure out newer ways to keep employees more productive at work, better their employee experience, and maximize the time they spend at the office.

3. Opportunities for Advancement

Another factor that contributes to a good employee experience? Opportunities to grow at work. Most employees want their team leaders to recognize their work and provide opportunities for growth in line with their interests.

4. Health Security

Now that remote work is out of the window, employees are slowly easing into hybrid work. However, their expectations about health at the office have not changed. Employees still want companies to ensure workplace health and safety, preferably by implementing rules as per the current COVID-19 protocols for a good employee experience.

Why Does Good Employee Experience Matter Now? 

• Because Employees Are More Willing to Change Jobs Than Ever

The hybrid workplace setup has allowed companies to broaden their pool of candidates for new hires. After all, location is no longer a barrier. This makes it much easier for employees with the right skill sets to change their jobs.

And they will if you don’t offer them the employee experience they desire. The consequences? Loss of talent, sure, but you will also spend more time training new hires who will replace your old talent.

• Because Good Employee Experience Means Better Productivity at Work

 You already know that engaged employees are more productive at work. But a good employee experience is critical to engagement too. When you make the employee experience your number one priority, you also ensure employees fill job roles that match their interests, work on projects they like, and doing what they do best. This makes work easier for your employees and increases their productivity levels.

• Because Ensuring a Good Employee Experience Can Help You Attract Top Talent

If you want to take your company to new heights, you need skilled employees to lead your team. But in an uber-competitive market, everyone is trying to get their attention. This is where having a good employee experience can set you apart.

Remember that both new hires and old employees want a more convenient work experience. If you provide them with that, you get skilled hires aboard and boost retention.

How Can You Enhance Employee Experience?

#1. Allot Projects as per Skills

If you want your employees to be happier at work, considering their working preferences and interests is a no-brainer. And you can be more mindful of this if you have employee scheduling software at hand. An employee scheduling solution lets you consider employee skills and preferences and allot projects accordingly without compromising on organizational productivity and project deadlines. A win-win for all!

#2. Empower Your Employees

Studies state that only 29% of employees are happy with their career advancement opportunities. So, you must rethink your promotion policies if you haven’t already to boost employee experience at your office. Here are some ways to do just that.

• Providing meaningful and challenging work as well as training
• Allowing them to make their own decisions
• Delegating more responsibilities to them

#3. Communicate and Celebrate Milestones

You won’t meet up with your employees regularly in a hybrid work setup. So, you must make them feel included and appreciated at work to provide a good employee experience.

• Ask your team leads to have feedback calls with employees regularly. This way, employees know their concerns are heard.
• Reward your employees for outstanding performance in open meetings. This boosts their motivation dramatically.

#4. Champion Mental Health

Working in a fast-paced hybrid work setup sets your employees up for inevitable burnout. And that is known to cause stress. Not to mention, a known driver of a bad employee experience. So make sure you keep tabs on the mental health of your employees.

Schedule regular check-ins, have informal group activities, and notice when their performance drops. This way, you can identify the tell-tale signs of faltering mental health and come up with strategies to tackle them together. 

Over To You

Good employee experience is the key to a successful workplace. So, make it your top priority this year and actively implement policies and use the software. WorkInSync’s employee scheduling software, for instance, can help you manage employee workloads, track holidays, and schedule allotments effectively, thereby automating a bulk of employee experience factors for you.