Noelia Martinez Buendia
UX/UI Designer at NTT DATA
Why are personalized experiences the key to a good employee experience?
Many companies and media are talking about employee experience as a strategy to achieve business success. In fact, Forbes magazine indicates that a good employee experience impacts creativity, productivity, loyalty, and even profitability of a company(1). But what’s employee experience, and above all, how can we make it good?
Employee experience and user experience
Let’s start from the beginning. The concept of employee experience is an extension and application of the practice and philosophy of “User Experience.” After various eras focused mainly on manufacturing and the final product, a perspective oriented towards the individual emerges, where the person/user takes on a primary importance.
During this same era, which coincides with the digital age, User Experience (UX) arises with the purpose of meeting the demands and aspirations of consumers and creating efficient and intuitive products and services.
According to the Nielsen Norman Group (NN/g), “user experience encompasses all aspects of the end user’s interaction with the company, its services, and its products(2). This includes their website, the installation of an app (and its ease of use), post-sale service, and even a phone call for customer support.
This means that in order to offer a good user experience, we must be able to satisfactorily meet the needs and expectations of an individual without any issues or inconveniences. To achieve this, it’s key to understand that each person is unique, has different contexts, and therefore, different needs.
If we’re able to identify those contexts and needs, we can offer them tailored solutions and experiences.
Nowadays, companies have the obligation to focus on their employees, taking into consideration all points of contact the employee has with them: from salary to work environment, engaging projects, communication, company culture, and more. By paying attention to these key elements, among others, we can offer them a good employee experience that ultimately benefits the employee and, consequently, the company.
The importance of a good employee experience to develop loyalty
Currently, we’re immersed in a global and digital scenario characterized by rapid accessibility to a wide range of services and products. This reality has led to a significant increase in commercial competitiveness, which means that simply satisfying the basic needs of users or customers is no longer enough to succeed and stand out in the market.
In this context, the importance of User Experience (UX) design emerges. It focuses on creating products and services that provide extraordinary experiences to users. It’s no longer just about offering functionality and utility, but going beyond that and emotionally connecting with users, generating satisfaction and loyalty towards the brand.
UX design not only aims to improve the user experience but also has a direct impact on business results. By offering extraordinary experiences, companies can differentiate themselves from the competition, build brand loyalty, increase customer retention, and ultimately drive growth and business success.
Companies like Apple, Google, Spotify, Airbnb and Amazon(3) have understood this context well. It’s no coincidence that besides being among the companies most highly regarded by customers, they’re also leading the rankings of companies with the highest employee satisfaction.
The challenge of creating a successful employee experience
Employee experience plays a critical role in loyalty and talent retention within companies, and in the current context, there are various challenges that hinder the development of an optimal work experience.
Firstly, the digitization of communication and the rise of remote work have created difficulties in establishing meaningful connections and fostering a sense of belonging to the organization. The lack of physical interaction and geographical distance have weakened the emotional connection between employees and the company, which can decrease their commitment and loyalty.
On the other hand, the ever-evolving values in today’s society have shifted workers’ priorities. Economic compensation is no longer enough to keep employees in a job if they don’t find satisfaction and happiness in it.
Nowadays, there’s a search for a balance between economic compensation and personal fulfillment, which means that companies must provide a work environment that promotes well-being, professional development, and work-life balance.
By achieving a positive employee experience, companies not only strengthen the loyalty of their internal talent but also improve their performance and productivity. Engaged and satisfied employees are more willing to provide exceptional service, innovate, and collaborate effectively, which in turn directly impacts the customer experience and the company’s results.
In summary, in the current environment, companies must overcome the challenges associated with digitization, shifting values, and labor competition to offer an attractive experience.
By creating an environment where employees feel engaged, happy, and valued, loyalty is generated, and their performance is enhanced, leading to extraordinary experiences that captivate customers and users and, in turn, drive long-term business success.
Technology, an ally for providing personalized experiences
As we progress through the article, it becomes evident that understanding and taking into account employees’ needs is essential to improve engagement with the company.
Newly onboarded employees, for example, have different concerns compared to those who have been with the organization for many years. Employees working remotely have different perspectives from those who interact with their colleagues on a daily basis.
To address this diversity of needs, beyond making improvements or changes in working conditions, increasing compensation, or providing an attractive career path (which can entail corporate complexities and high costs), there’s one variable that can be worked on and has a direct impact on the day-to-day lives of most workers: technology.
Undoubtedly, technology has a significant impact on the routines of all employees, and it’s crucial to have programs and tools that allow for personalization, as this is the only way to guarantee experiences tailored to individual employee needs.
Benefits of technology for personalization
The implementation of personalized technology offers multiple benefits:
• It allows employees to have greater control and autonomy over their work by providing them with tools tailored to their preferences and working styles.
• It enhances communication and, therefore, the relationship among employees.
• Personalizing technology enables addressing individual learning needs and professional development.
• By accessing training platforms and tools tailored to each employee’s skills and goals, their growth is fostered, and they’re provided with an opportunity to improve their skills in a personalized and continuous manner.
At TŌGŌ, we work daily to improve our product and develop functionalities that help companies build the perfect digital workplace, enabling them to offer unique experiences to each of their employees.
Our goal is to facilitate their day-to-day work and generate a sense of belonging and engagement towards the company.
After all, as human beings, it’s natural to be attracted to things that make our lives easier, isn’t it?
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