August Benefits News and Posts

What is Employee Experience (EX) and Why Does it Matter?

FROM BETTER UP / BY MADELINE MILES

If you asked employers a decade ago what was top of mind for the organization, the term employee experience (EX) wasn’t really on the top of the list.

In the last few years, the employee experience movement has gained momentum. Employers started to look at what the experience — from attraction to exit — was like for their employees.

But then the pandemic hit the world.

According to a 2021 Willis Towers Watson global survey, COVID-19 changed everything. In fact, 92% of employers said enhancing EX will be an important priority for their organizations over the next three years. Just 52% indicated that EX was important just before the pandemic.

BetterUp Labs measured the employee experience for over 10,000 of its Members and recently shared its results. With these insights, we’ve identified new and unique challenges. We can pinpoint the needs of employees and their overall well-being. We can improve the employee experience for all employees — not just some.

Before we can get into ways to improve EX, let’s take a look at what employee experience is and what makes a positive employee experience, and ways to design a good employee experience strategy.

How do you define employee experience?

The employee experience is the interactions an employee has with people, systems, policies, and the physical and virtual workspace. Both the small details of day-to-day work and the periodic events and transitions matter.

Employee experience is subjective: it is the holistic impact of the job and the organization on the individual — how employees feel, perceive their potential and abilities, and the effect on their well-being.

In some parts of the HR world, the term has come to be associated solely with HR systems and tools, making them more seamless for the employee with single sign-on and shared data.

As any employee will tell you, that's helpful, but it isn't how they think of their experience. Employee experience is what is experienced by the employee, lived and felt.

According to our 2022 Employee Experience Guide insights, employees want a few things:

Bring their whole selves to work every day
An environment that helps them learn, grow, and reach their full potential
A diverse workforce with inclusive leaders
Upskill and learn new things (including how to develop as professionals)
Find purpose and meaning in their career and overall career goals
Feel a deep sense of belonging, connection, and purpose
Feel valued and cared for

Why is the employee experience important?

We understand that the employee experience matters, but it might not be clear just how crucial it is at each step of the employee lifecycle. Let’s outline key touchpoints that highlight the importance of employee experience.

Recruiting

A strong employer brand can help attract top talent. By investing in employee experience from the first screening call to the exit interview, you’re strengthening your company culture and employer brand simultaneously.

This can make your organization a more competitive option when candidates are choosing between offers.

Employee retention

Employee turnover is expensive. It’s estimated that the US spends up to one trillion dollars in turnover expenses every year.

But if your employees are happier, they’re more likely to stay. We’ve found that thriving employees are more likely to want to stay at their organization. But more workers than ever are in pursuit of new opportunities. For organizations and business leaders, employee retention is critically important.

Employee engagement

An exceptional employee experience means employees are more likely to be engaged. And increased employee engagement leads to increased productivity. Gallup cites that companies with an engaged workforce outperform companies with disengaged workforces.

Josh Bersin, an industry-leading expert and top HR professional, is an expert on the employee experience. He says a “well-done employee experience” is a key driver for employee engagement. The benefits of employee engagement show up in your organization’s overall performance.

Performance and performance management

As mentioned, our 2022 Employee Experience Guide found new insights around organizational performance. For example, employees with inclusive teams outperform their less inclusive peers by 27%. And when managers are inclusive, employees report higher commitment and higher job satisfaction.

Both factors contribute to employee engagement, which results in a better-performing company. And both contribute to your organization's performance management strategy.

Customer satisfaction

Your employees’ experience often translates into your customers’ experience. When employees are happy, it's likely the customers are having a positive customer experience, too. So you'll likely see an increase in customer satisfaction after improving your employee experience program.

What is a positive employee experience?

We now know what the employee experience is and why it’s important. But what makes a good EX?

Our 2022 Employee Experience insights found three key components of what makes a good employee experience:

Inclusive leadership
A focus on employee well-being
Support for hybrid workers

Inclusive leadership

Managers alone have an incredible influence on the employee experience. Gallup found the employee’s manager to be the most influential factor in the employee experience. According to our newly published data, an inclusive manager makes all the difference.

Individuals with inclusive managers report better business outcomes. In fact, they report higher commitment, higher engagement, and higher perception of support.

Well-being

The global pandemic redefined EX. Amid the global health crisis, it seems only natural that well-being emerged as a top component for the employee experience. We found 55% of employees are languishing. This state of languishing is defined as the absence of mental health.

We now see well-being as a top priority for creating a good employee experience. The above-mentioned Willis Towers survey reports well-being as a priority. In fact, 63% of organizations say they need to enhance their employee wellness programs.

Support for hybrid workers

A recent study found 1 in 3 workers would quit their jobs if they had to return to the office. The same study found 51% of workers prefer the hybrid work environment. Working from home is no longer a perk — it’s a necessity for many.

To create a good employee experience, organizations need to address what we call the belonging tax. The belonging tax is this divide between hybrid and remote workers. This divide is creating stress and burnout — on top of increased feelings of exclusion.

Organizations need to address the belonging tax to create a good employee experience. Support for hybrid and remote workers means increased communication and well-being programs.

More aspects make up a good employee experience. Other components include:

Company culture
Total rewards (compensation, benefits, perks)
Trust
Collaboration
Open communication
A psychologically safe workplace
Learning, growth, and development opportunities
A deep sense of belonging
A deep feeling of connection, purpose, and meaning

6 stages of the employee experience

EX is a journey. When we look at this journey from start to finish, we can break down the employee experience into six different stages. The employee experience occurs at every touchpoint. This occurs even before the employee is working for the organization. Let's take a holistic look at the employee lifecycle.

Attract

This is an interesting stage of the employee experience. The employee attraction stage occurs before there’s even an open position. Attraction refers to how prospective employees interact and/or become aware of your organization.

Brand awareness can play a big role in this phase of EX. Your organization’s image, presence, reputation, and culture are pieces of brand awareness. Try thinking about ways you can increase your organization’s brand awareness. Marketing tactics like social media, blogs, or even live events and conferences can help.

Hire

This is the second stage of the employee experience. But this stage doesn’t start when a candidate signs the offer letter. Much like the attraction stage, the hiring stage starts before the individual becomes an employee.

The hiring stage of the employee experience looks at things like the below:

The candidate experience in the recruitment process
Overall talent management
Any interactions throughout the hiring process (recruiters, hiring managers, and more)
Open communication that fosters a sense of trust

Onboard

When an employee starts a new job, it's important to get feedback in real time. The onboarding stage looks at what the employee’s experience is like to get up to speed at their new organization. This starts on day one of employment.

Organizations with positive onboarding experiences cover a few different tactics:

A positive and welcoming environment
A deep sense of belonging and inclusion from day one
Discussion around the company’s core values, mission, and strategy
Workplace experience (especially in this hybrid onboarding world)
Clear communication and clear expectations (this includes a written job description)
Regular meetings and check-ins to assess how the onboarding experience is going
An opportunity to provide (and receive) feedback

Engage

This stage can also be referred to as the “retain” stage of EX. And for good reason. We know from data, employee engagement leads to employee retention.

In this stage, organizations work to keep their employees happy, fulfilled, and engaged in their jobs. This looks different for every employee because we’re all different. As business leaders, it’s important to offer different ways for employees to engage with the organization.

It’s also important to continuously ask for feedback. Some organizations use things like pulse surveys. Others encourage managers to prompt open discussion in regular one-on-one meetings. Others perform company-wide surveys and gather data and feedback on a large scale. Regardless of the method, keep lines of communication open.

Employee engagement looks different at every organization. At its core, it’s about ensuring employees feel valued, seen, and a sense of belonging. When employees feel like they belong, they’re more likely to be engaged.

Develop

Learning and development opportunities are critically important to EX. Research shows that professional development has incredible benefits. Think: upskilling, increased employee engagement, increased productivity, better overall performance, and more.

Employees have also shared that growth opportunities will make them more likely to stay with their current company. This includes encouraging internal mobility or lateral moves to help employees continue to grow.

Talk with your HR function or HR leaders to explore new ways to offer learning opportunities to employees. Employees' work experience goes hand-in-hand with their learning experience.

Exit

This is the final stage of the employee experience. For most employees, there comes a time when they separate from the company. Many industry experts argue that this stage of the employee experience is just as important as the beginning stages.

There are different aspects to this stage. Organizations should keep in mind the below:

Ask for feedback. Oftentimes, this comes in the form of an exit interview. It’s important for employers to seek to understand the employee’s decision to leave. It’s also important for the employee to feel heard — and feel like their feedback is valued.
Check-in with the team. An employee leaving can leave a ripple effect. It impacts their immediate team members. But an absence can also impact cross-functional teams, ongoing projects, and more.
Positivity. It’s never fun to lose an employee. It’s important to remain positive, respectful, and professional. It’s important for managers to model behaviors that continue to foster a psychologically safe work environment.

4 ways to improve the employee experience

Evan Sinar, Ph.D., head of Assessments at BetterUp, shared why it's important to make changes to EX.

"Organizations who generate a strong and differentiated lived experience for their employees will win the war on talent on both fronts — attraction and retention," Sinar said. "Companies need to prioritize a whole-person perspective on well-being and belonging in order to keep employees healthy — emotionally, socially, and physically."

Your organization could be looking for ways to improve the employee experience. Regardless of where you are in the journey, we’ve identified five ways to start improving EX at your company.

1. Provide learning and development opportunities

From our before-mentioned research, access to learning and development opportunities is critically important. It contributes 31% to the EX model. Employees are craving growth and learning opportunities.

The pandemic has allowed employees to examine their own careers in ways they hadn’t previously. Employees with growth mindsets need access to opportunities. Without development opportunities, they’ll look for new opportunities elsewhere.

2. Focus on manager quality

We know managers have an incredible influence on the EX. And our newest research from the 2022 Employee Experience Guide shows that inclusive leaders make all the difference. Invest in your managers.

Provide training opportunities for managers to foster the skills needed to create lasting change. If your mangers aren’t engaged, it’s likely your employees won’t be either.

3. Provide one-on-one coaching

Access to coaching opportunities goes hand-in-hand with professional development. When employees are given the opportunity to learn and grow, the business benefits.

Consider providing your employees with access to coaching. With personalized coaching, your employees will become more self-aware, resilient and mentally fit.

The pandemic has brought a renewed focus on employee health and wellness. We’re really only beginning to see the mental health impacts of COVID-19. We know there are rising rates of burnout. We know employees are reporting higher levels of stress and anxiety. And we know that we’re still living through an ongoing pandemic.

To address this, organizations need to put wellness programs at the top of their priority lists. Think about ways you can support your employees’ mental fitness. Consider things like:

An employee assistance program (EAP)
Provide access to one-on-one coaching
Financial wellness programs
Childcare benefits
Mindfulness and meditation programs
Fertility and family planning programs
Physical fitness programs

4. Support hybrid workers

You can support your employees by offering increased flexibility. By supporting hybrid workers, you’re empowering your workforce to become more productive and mentally fit.

When looking at ways to make big changes in your organization, consider this advice from Sinar.

"Organizations need to create psychologically-safe spaces for employees to share their struggles. They also need to reflect on notable life and work changes — and meet employees' needs with just-in-time, personalized support," Sinar said. "Though more companies are implementing these approaches, few have demonstrated their genuine commitment to credibly sustaining them long-term through a combination of manager involvement and organizational reinforcement."

5 steps to start designing an EX strategy

So, you’re ready to design your strategy. Here are five steps to help you get started.

Ask your employees for feedback. The first step is establishing your starting point. To do this, it’s important to ask for feedback. Get a pulse on your organization — both individual contributors and managers. Evaluate employee sentiment and see where your organization has opportunities for improvement.
Embed employee experience into your company culture. EX needs to be at the core of who your organization is as a company. To do this, it has to be embedded into your company culture. . Consider all touchpoints of company culture. Where does EX show up? How can you add elements of EX to aspects of your culture?
Pinpoint your problem areas. Every organization has them. Once you’ve evaluated your current EX, it’s time to look inward. Reflect on what areas are of the highest priority. Determine what areas will have the greatest impact. From there, you’ll be able to create a strategy around how you’ll turn your opportunities into successes.
Cater EX to employee personas. Like many other things in life, EX is not one-size-fits-all. Our global workforce is multi-generational, multi-cultural, diverse, and unique. It’s important that your organization’s EX caters to the unique needs of the individual. Design your strategy so it’s inclusive and fosters a sense of belonging for all members of your workforce, not just some.
Create moments that matter. Especially in this pandemic era of working, it can be easier to lose sight of impactful moments. Managers are most influential in the employee’s overall experience. Take the feedback you hear from employees and create meaningful moments. Those moments that matter will translate into employees feeling a deep sense of belonging, purpose, and impact.

6 types of employee experience surveys

Performance reviews alone aren't enough to measure and gauge employee feedback. There are a lot of different ways to gather feedback and get a pulse on the EX — but surveys can do wonders.

These surveys tend to align with different stages of the EX journey. Work with your HR team and HR leaders to see where these touchpoints can be implemented.

Candidate feedback survey. This type of survey asks for feedback from candidates during the interview and/or recruitment stage. Candidate surveys can help your organization get a pulse on brand awareness and perception of culture.

Onboarding survey. This survey should be administered to new hires at your organization. The onboarding survey can help provide a window into their initial sense of belonging and inclusion. It can also help identify knowledge gaps and see where information is being communicated well.

360 degree feedback survey. This type of survey allows your organization to get frequent feedback from multiple viewpoints. It can help facilitate receiving anonymous feedback from different employee personas. It’s also a good tool to help your employees feel heard and appreciated.

Employee engagement survey. This type of survey measures employee motivation and commitment — but it also gets a pulse on purpose and passion. This will help your organization measure employee satisfaction and overall wellness, too.

Employee benefits survey. The employee benefits survey helps your organization get a pulse on what total rewards matter most to your employees. We know priorities (like work-life balance) have shifted since the onset of the pandemic. This could be a great tool to get a fresh look on what’s important to your workforce.
Exit survey. Much like the exit stage of the EX, the exit survey can go hand-in-hand in evaluating parting feedback from employees.

Create an exceptional employee experience
An exceptional employee experience is possible.
For organizations prioritizing EX, Evan Sinar has this last piece of advice.

“Make your leaders exceptional at employee recognition. Excel at bringing visibility to the everyday contributions employees are making. Through our research, we’ve seen recognition surge in importance as a top driver of EX since the onset of the pandemic.”
Not only will it put your organization at a competitive advantage, but it also makes for better business outcomes. Better business performance and happy employees go hand-in-hand. When you invest in engaged employees, the business performance will speak for itself.
From the new employee to the tenured veteran, the employee journey is an important one. When you prioritize the employee experience, your organization reaps the benefits.

Todd BellistriSeptember 19, 2023August Benefits

Why not start off this selling season leading into the holidays on the right foot? One way to do that is to finally give some thinking to smart marketing. We don’t need to be the ones to tell you it’s very competitive out there (but we will), what with tons of start ups and side hustles all over the landscape. By developing a legit marketing program you are giving yourself a true foot up on the competition. So read on, you’ll see that its not as daunting as you think and the upside is well worth it.

FROM FORBES / BY DOMINIQUE HARROCH

In today's digital landscape the right approach to small business marketing combines advanced technology, data-driven insights, and effective digital platforms. Here’s a comprehensive guide to small business marketing to companies navigate the current marketing trends and tools that can drive business success.

Key marketing tools for small businesses

Following is a summary of 11 key marketing tools that small and growing businesses should consider when leveraging owned, earned and paid media:

1. An optimized small business website

A high-performing website is crucial for marketing today. An optimized site increases your page rank on Google and other search engines, and in today's world, fewer than 1% of searches go to the second page of a search. Key elements of an effective small business site include:

Memorable domain name: Choose a name that reflects your business and is easy to recall.
User-friendly design: Ensure your site is visually appealing and intuitive. Sites should have a clear structure, intuitive navigation and information that is easy to access.
Search engine optimization (SEO): Implement SEO best practices to rank higher in search engine results.
Mobile optimization: Since over 55% of global web traffic comes from mobile devices, you’ll want to ensure your site is mobile-friendly.
Valuable content: Regularly update your site with engaging content like blogs and articles that address your audience's interests and needs.
Fast loading times: Optimize page speeds to improve user experience and SEO rankings.
Secure hosting: Use reputable hosting services to protect your site’s data and performance.

Additionally, integrating tools like Google Analytics (now called GA4) and Google Search Console (GSC) can provide valuable insights into your site's performance and user behavior.

2. Paid search engine marketing (SEM)

Paid search engine marketing, in which you pay if a keyword is clicked on that drives traffic to your website, remains a powerful tool for driving targeted traffic. Platforms like Google Ads and Bing Ads allow you to:

Bid on keywords: Use tools like Google keyword planner to select high-value keywords relevant to your business.
Control costs: Set daily and monthly budgets, and adjust bids based on performance.
Analyze performance: Track key metrics to assess and refine your campaigns.

3. Paid listings and display ads

Paid listings on platforms like Yelp, Facebook, and Pinterest can boost visibility. Use Google’s Display Network to target ads based on user interests and behavior. This approach allows you to:

Choose ad formats: Use banners, text ads, or video ads to capture attention.
Track return on investment (ROI): Monitor clicks and conversions to measure effectiveness. Track your costs, record and monitor revenue, and record all expenses. Make sure to measure lead generation numbers, customer acquisition, and sales metrics as valuable insights into your marketing effectiveness.
Testing: By experimenting with different ad copy, targeting options, and formats, businesses can identify what resonates most with their audience, refine their strategies, and ultimately improve click-through rates and conversions. This can include A/B testing, target audience variations, ad copy variations, call-to-action (CTA) testing or visual elements where you test different images or videos to determine which visual elements attract more attention and engagement.

4. Content marketing

Content marketing remains a cornerstone of effective digital strategies. Key tactics include:

Blogging: Regularly post optimized content to drive organic traffic. Nine out of ten marketers use blogs as part of their content strategy.
Guest posting: Publish articles on popular platforms such as Medium and AllBusiness.com to enhance your reach and SEO. Strive to create “evergreen” articles, which are designed to remain relevant and valuable over a long period of time, regardless of current events or trends. Unlike timely articles that focus on current news or trends, evergreen content addresses topics that have enduring interest and utility.
Video content: In 2023, individuals spent an average of 17 hours a week watching videos online. Utilize platforms like YouTube and TikTok to engage your audience.
Content platforms: Leverage content recommendation platforms like Outbrain to expand your content’s reach.

5. Social media marketing

Social media is a powerful tool for engaging with your audience. Focus on platforms such as:

Facebook: Effective for broad audience reach and targeted ads.
Instagram: Ideal for visual content and influencer partnerships.
LinkedIn: Best for B2B marketing and professional networking.
TikTok: Useful for viral video content and younger demographics.

With over 5 billion global social media users and growing, effective social media marketing can significantly enhance your brand’s visibility and engagement. To be effective, you must regularly post interesting content to obtain and keep followers.

6. Influencer marketing

Influencer marketing involves collaborating with individuals who have a significant and engaged following on social media platforms like Facebook, TikTok and Instagram to promote products or services. These influencers, who can range from celebrities to niche content creators, leverage their credibility and relationship with their audience to drive brand awareness and influence purchasing decisions.

The impact of influencer marketing on broader marketing efforts can be profound, as it allows brands to tap into authentic, targeted communities that are often more receptive to recommendations from trusted (or at least known) voices.

This form of marketing can enhance brand credibility, expand reach, and generate higher engagement rates compared to traditional advertising. As consumers increasingly seek personalized and relatable content, influencer marketing has become a powerful tool for connecting with audiences in a meaningful way.

7. Online business directories

It’s important for business owners to list their companies in prominent and reputable business directories. Often these listings are free, but even if you must pay a small fee, it can be worth it.

The benefits include

Exposure to potential clients and customers.
Boosted SEO through backlinks.
Improved online presence and brand awareness.
Increased credibility for your business.
Low-cost or free marketing.

The following is a list of top business directories to consider listing your business:

AllBusiness.com
Better Business Bureau
Facebook Page
Google Business Profile
LinkedIn
Superpages
Bing Places for Business

8. Radio marketing

While less prominent today, radio can still be effective. Many people are in their cars during peak commute hours. To maximize radio advertising:

Targeted placement: Choose stations and time slots that align with your target audience.
Engaging content: Create memorable and concise ads.
Consider your market: Are you a B2C company (business to consumer) or B2B company (business to business)? Is your market local (like a neighborhood restaurant), national (such as selling payroll services), or international (such as selling unique clothing to multiple markets)?

The cost-effectiveness of radio compared to TV makes it a viable option for more localized campaigns.

9. Press releases

Press releases are valuable for announcing significant business updates. Ensure your release is:

Newsworthy: Focus on unique and timely information.
Well-structured: Include a strong headline, key details, and contact information.
Multimedia: Incorporate multimedia elements like images and videos to increase engagement.

10. Email marketing

Email marketing remains effective when executed correctly. Best practices include:

Segmenting: Personalize content based on customer preferences and behavior. Use data to segment your lists and target markets.
Offering engaging content: Provide valuable information, special offers, and updates.
Optimization: Use A/B testing to refine subject lines and content.
Using AI-driven tools: These can help automate and personalize email campaigns, improving engagement rates.

11. Direct mail marketing

Despite the digital age, direct mail still works for certain audiences. To optimize direct mail:

Use targeted lists: Use well-researched mailing lists to improve ROI.
Implement creative designs: Ensure your mail piece stands out and is easy to read.
Track mailings: Monitor responses and effectiveness.

More tips to enhance your marketing campaigns

Here are some additional tips to optimize your marketing campaigns:

Segment: Segment your target market to a specific audience. Segmentation can be done with respect to age, gender, income level, education, geography, purchase stage or brand loyalty, and more.
Business lists: Consider using high quality business lists such as Dun and Bradstreet, Experian Business, ZoomInfo or InfoUSA. These lists can be used in multiple channels as well, maximizing the value of the lists.
Track real time: Track your marketing campaigns in real-time to get immediate insights, make quick adjustments, and understand what is working or not.
Key metrics: Track the key metrics in your campaigns, such as click-through rate, engagement rate, conversion rate, sales, revenue, customer acquisition cost, market share, and churn rate.
Software and AI: Use software and artificial intelligence (AI) tools for social media management, content creation and testing of alternative ads.
Budget: Allocate your budget wisely. Assess the performance of different marketing channels and allocate your budget to the ones that deliver the highest ROI. Continuously review and adjust your spending to focus on the most effective strategies.
Keep current: Stay updated with trends. Keep up with the latest marketing trends and technologies. Experiment with new platforms, tools, or strategies to stay ahead of the competition and reach your audience in innovative ways. Keep up to date with experts by seeking articles from reputable business sources such as AllBusiness.com.
Promote across channels: Share earned media coverage on your website, social media platforms, and email newsletters. For instance, if a major publication writes about your product, feature this article prominently on your homepage or social media profiles.
Showcase social proof: Use earned media as a form of social proof by highlighting positive reviews, testimonials, or features from reputable sources. This can build credibility and trust with potential customers.
Strengthen relationships with media: Build and maintain good relationships with journalists and influencers. This can lead to more favorable coverage in the future and expand your media network.
Repurpose content: Convert mentions and reviews into additional content, such as blog posts, case studies, and infographics. For example, if your company was featured in a popular tech blog, you could create a detailed blog post about the experience and its impact.

Ready to enhance your small business marketing strategy?

Developing a comprehensive and modern small business marketing strategy requires leveraging a mix of traditional and digital techniques. By integrating artificial intelligence tools, optimizing SEO, utilizing effective SEM strategies, and harnessing the power of social media, you can create a dynamic and effective marketing approach. Start by experimenting with different strategies, tracking your results, and refining your approach based on performance data.