Now more than ever, it is essential for businesses to make the employee experience a focal priority. Employees have always been at the heart of the success of a business, but in recent years there has no doubt been a change to work life and culture. How employees work and their work priorities have shifted significantly in the digital age and following the rapid acceleration of remote working due to the pandemic. With the insight of a leading expert, Rafael Parra, we’ll look further at how companies can enhance and improve the employee experience and why this is a critical factor for all businesses to consider today.
Leading Expert on Employee Experience
Introducing our leading expert, Rafael Parra. He has extensive experience by having worked at Google and Meta, and thus knowledge on the topic of Employee Experience by having worked directly with and advising many brands and institutions, including People Leaders at Spotify, Starbucks and Virgin Atlantic. TK Bruer, the Communications Lead at Spotify, explained that “Rafael always comes to the table with critical recommendations that led to significant results for Spotify.” It’s clear our leading expert knows how to enhance employee experience, so let’s take a further look at his advice.
Not just About the Paycheck
Historically, money was the number one motivator for many employees. It still is today but not nearly as prevalent as it once was. People won’t move to a new job just because the pay is better, and similarly, people won’t stick around in their current job just because of a pay rise. People are aching for fulfillment in their work life; they want to feel like they are moving forward and achieving something. This can include more responsibility or challenging work, or it could be working towards a greater goal. It’s critical to regularly check in with employees and learn what drives each and every one of them. Building a workplace that’s a community is key. Perks and benefits won’t work the same as they once used to, as people are craving more from their workplace. Business owners should establish a community that helps their employees to feel valued and included.
Not one Job for Life
Once upon a time, one job would set you up for life. You would start from the bottom and work your way up, but times have moved far away from this traditional landscape. Employees no longer have the same loyalties to one place or company. The drive for purpose and job fulfillment means employees will move around wherever they can to find the right experience. Anticipate employees to change their needs and wants. Your business should create a culture that welcomes adapting skills and experiences for different purposes.
Environment is Everything
People spend the majority of their lives at their workplaces. They always have done, but now more than ever people want to improve the quality of their work life. It’s no longer about a work-life balance, but it is a seamless merge of the two. Work and life should work together as one rather than operate side by side. This is why flexible working is a must in today’s world. People can work from anywhere and anyhow to get the job done effectively. Productivity and work quality thrives when employees have more agency over how they work so they can work in a way that best suits them. Workplaces must be geared up for remote working. It’s essential that processes and communications are clear and strong to withstand a remote working world. Whether your business is ready or not, remote working is here to stay.
With the help of our leading expert, Rafael Parra, we have seen how critical it is to continually improve the employee experience. The work environment has shifted and evolved over the years, and it’s drastically changed so far, but there’s still room to improve the employee experience. Many businesses are still taking the first steps to implement remote and flexible working options, and others are taking a critical step back at assessing their work culture. Wherever your business is on its journey to a better employee experience, there’s never been a better time than now to get started.