Six pillars of an effective employee experience strategy

Building a strong employee experience is a key part of the employee value proposition, driving productivity, talent retention, and corporate culture. But how can companies build a robust employee experience? Phillip Taylor, Debahuti Bora and Joe Wallis from WTW share six pillars to take into account.

Workplace flexibility

According to the Global Benefits Attitudes Survey from WTW, 50% of employees said that they would likely leave their jobs if they were required to work onsite and 48% of employees who can work from home would be willing to take a pay cut to do so.

Implementing remote and hybrid work policies, equipping employees with digital collaboration tools and redesign office spaces to promote collaboration are a couple of ways organisations can address this.

Learning and development

According to the Workplace Learning Report from LinkedIn, 94% of employees would stay longer with an employer that invests in their development. Offer personalised learning paths, partnering with global institutions for upskilling programs and encouraging peer-to-peer learning and mentorship are some suggested approached to addressing learning and development requirements.

Employee listening

Listening to employees is central to shaping a meaningful employee experience. It directly informs how organisations approach employee involvement, leadership effectiveness, and change management. These elements, in turn, influence how aligned individuals feel with the organisation’s direction and how actively they engage in making the strategy work.

Strengthening leadership’s capability to manage change – while being responsive to employee insights – has a powerful ripple effect, enabling a more connected, adaptive, and committed organisation.

Wellbeing and inclusion

High performing organisations out-perform their peers in the perception of fair treatment and equal opportunities by an average of 6% percentage points, according to research from WTW. To achieve this, consider mental health support programs, inclusive hiring practices and employee resource groups for under-represented demographics.

Recognition and rewards

According to a WTW study, 75% of employees who feel recognised are more likely to stay with their employer. Implement real-time recognition platforms, aligning rewards with performance and company values and celebrating milestones and achievements are just some ways to approach rewards and recognition.

However, there must be clear alignment to the values and goals of the organisation for such initiatives to be authentic and feel genuine for staff.

Technology and tools

WTW research found that 50% of employees believe that AI will create opportunities to learn skills and 47% of employees are confident that their employer will be able to use AI in an effective way.

Companies can invest in user-friendly HR tech platforms, automate repetitive tasks to free up employee time and use analytics to measure and improve employee experience to ensure that they stay on top of employees wants and needs.

Conclusion

From workplace flexibility to technology adoption, these pillars are not just trends – they are essential components of a competitive employee value proposition that addresses the challenges of today’s talent-driven market. With a strong employee experience in place, organizations can not only optimize their employee culture, but also attract and retain top talent, and set the foundation for sustainable growth.