Digital Employee Experience: A Definitive Guide for 2024
Digital employee experience has become a progressively larger and more integral part of the overall employee experience, especially with the expansion of remote and hybrid work options. Employees now expect well-orchestrated technology that enables them to do their jobs easily and successfully.
Let’s explore the benefits and challenges of digital employee experience and how HR can reinforce one that supports the organization’s business success.
Contents
What is digital employee experience?
Digital employee experience components
Digital employee experience examples
What are the objectives of digital employee experience?
Common challenges of prioritizing digital employee experience
Creating your digital employee experience strategy: 10 tips
FAQ
What is digital employee experience?
Digital employee experience (DEX) reflects how effectively people interact with their workplace digital tools, allowing them to be engaged, proficient, and productive.
Since both office and frontline employees of essentially every industry must use technology to do their jobs, DEX is key to the overall employee experience, along with factors such as an inclusive environment, meaningful work, and growth opportunities.
DEX includes interfacing with technologies for:
- Workflow and productivity (project management, analytics, customer relations)
- Communication and collaboration (email, instant messaging, phone calls, video conferencing)
- Learning (official trainings and professional development)
- HR systems (self-service access to policies, compensation, PTO, and performance management information, etc.)
People are accustomed to counting on seamless technology in their personal lives and expect the same level of digital effortlessness in their workspace. If employees find it taxing to access information or complete daily tasks with the provided tools, it can negatively influence their rapport with your organization.
HR’s role is instrumental in shaping a great digital employee experience. HR professionals have the opportunity to connect with employees and align with other business functions. With this exposure to everyone’s views, HR is in the position to identify and promote where and how digital tools can make a difference in business outcomes.
Digital employee experience components
Just having digital tools in place is not enough to create a good digital employee experience. The tools must be accessible and operate effectively to generate the kind of interactions with employees that build a positive DEX.
The following digital employee experience components are the key to doing so:
- User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX): DEX starts with how straightforward and pleasing the workplace technology is to use. Digital platforms and tools must be intuitive, functional, and visually inviting for employees to perceive them well.
Just one of these elements is not enough. An app that looks good but constantly crashes or a platform that has well-organized content but is confusing to navigate will form negative DEX interactions. - Technology performance: How well devices connect to the internet and tools perform impacts employee efficiency. Speed, reliability, and responsiveness are the foundation for user satisfaction and determine how quickly tasks get done.
- Integration and interoperability: Most employees will need to use more than one digital tool or platform to perform their jobs. The extent to which these work together seamlessly can streamline work or slow down productivity. Integration that allows automatic data transfer between tools reduces errors and means employees don’t waste time manually entering data.
- Personalization and customization: Employees have a better DEX when digital tools meet their individual needs and preferences. Predictive analytics and algorithms that curate personalized experiences based on an employee’s typical use of the tool reduce the effort they must put in. Choices that allow employees to tailor the look and function of their tools also improve the digital employee experience.
- Support and training: If employees don’t know how to use technology to its full potential, it won’t necessarily benefit them. Training and support must be available to help employees learn how to navigate digital tools and take advantage of everything they have to offer.
Digital employee experience examples
What does DEX look like in practice? Here are two real-life examples of how digital employee experience management transforms business and impacts overall EX.
Digital internal communication at Toolstation
Toolstation is a global building materials and tools company that sells products online and from its various European branches. Internal communications were a challenge with so many distributed retail and warehouse employees. Since 80% didn’t have a company email address, they didn’t have direct access to information being shared by management.
Intending to have a culture of open and transparent communication, Toolstation leaders wanted to keep all colleagues informed and updated. The company implemented an internal communication app specifically for deskless workers that everyone could access and engage with. It’s also used for onboarding, chat, surveys, and events.
Now, with over 90% of employees connected to a centralized communication source for essential information, Toolstation has a more engaged and informed workforce.
Embracing DEX at Accenture
Accenture is an Irish-American Fortune Global 500 company specializing in IT services and consulting. Leaders wanted to inspire employees to embrace the ways of a digital workplace and provide them with a seamless, tailored digital experience.
This meant the following:
- Prioritizing the digital employee experience by developing a Digital Experience Score to spur conversations and actions that can improve the experience and using video productions to communicate with digital workers.
- Providing versatile options for technologies, tools, and support to meet the varying needs of Accenture’s 721,000 employees.
- Adopting a robust approach to change centered on behavior. This means explaining why certain technology is necessary and how it delivers value so users are more inclined to adopt changes in their workflows.
Accenture’s approach to DEX has resulted in widespread adoption of technologies, including:
- Internal digital worker site: 24,000 monthly visits
- Mobile devices: 518,000 in use
- Support portal: 1.1 million monthly visits
- Streamed videos: 3.8 million minutes per month
People across the organization are using the available resources to automate their work and find solutions on their own to be more productive.
What are the objectives of digital employee experience?
Improving digital employee experience empowers your employees and benefits your organization. When employees’ digital interactions make their tasks simpler, they are more satisfied and productive to better support achieving business goals.
The benefits of a good DEX include:
Enabling the remote and hybrid workplace
Many companies have embraced a remote or hybrid work model and are sticking with it. A recent State of the Digital Workplace study showed that “mostly or entirely” remote businesses have increased to 13% from 10% in the past year. Meanwhile, the share of businesses operating in a hybrid environment has been 60%.
People now expect flexible and remote work options but still want to feel connected and valued. They need tools and technologies that allow them to work from various locations using multiple devices with secure and fast connections. A solid DEX is necessary to reinforce this.
Improved overall employee experience
As mentioned above, DEX impacts the overall EX and can support employee engagement. Research by Forrester Consulting showed that 53% of US remote workers wish to continue working virtually at least part of the time.
Staff who have access to useful digital tools are more likely to stay with the company. This boosts your retention rate.
What’s more, satisfied employees who offer word-of-mouth recommendations that your company is a great place to work can boost your reputation as an employer of choice.
Don’t forget that digital interactions must be available to all employees. For example, tools that can only be used on a desktop computer located in the office will alienate employees who spend their day on the road or in a manufacturing assembly line capacity. A DEX that offers access to resources employees need via mobile devices ensures that no one feels excluded or encumbered.
Enhanced productivity
Many factors influence your employees’ productivity, but certainly, having sufficient tools to perform their jobs is one critical aspect.
Without technology that simplifies and streamlines tasks, employees must devote time and energy to navigating inadequate systems, waiting for IT help, or concocting ways to complete daily tasks. This causes frustration and slows down their output.
According to the Forrester research, 64% of organizations with a mature DEX strategy have reduced service desk ticket volumes. This frees up IT teams to focus on more value-adding business needs.
Providing easy-to-use technology brings efficiency to your employees’ day, resulting in more work getting done. For instance, a Dutch shipping company Anthony Veder Group implemented an online dashboard for managing its vessels to replace a paper-based process. Employees can now see everything they need in real-time on one screen, saving considerable time.
Higher profitability
Happy employees are more productive, and productive employees ultimately help your business make more money. In fact, an analysis done by Fortune showed that companies with employees who enjoy working for them show stronger financial performance.
Enhancing your DEX will contribute to an engaged workforce, positively impacting your bottom line.
Better customer experience
J.W. Marriott, the founder of hospitality giant Marriott International, has said, “Take care of associates, and they’ll take care of your customers.”
Research shows that employee experience and customer experience are interlinked, so companies with great EX outperform their competitors. When employees feel empowered and valued, they are more inclined to believe in your brand. Then their encounters with customers are bound to, directly and indirectly, reflect an optimistic attitude. This leaves customers with a more satisfying interaction and a favorable view of your company.
Common challenges of prioritizing digital employee experience
Implementing a positive digital experience isn’t an easy process. Being aware of the obstacles you’ll face can help you prepare for it.
The challenges associated with addressing an organization’s DEX include:
Cost
Creating a good DEX requires a significant financial investment, and it also demands time and effort. To obtain the necessary budget and resources, you will have to justify how the upfront investment will result in short and long-term payoffs.
The previously mentioned State of the Digital Workplace study reports that 40% of the 1,350 executives and practitioners surveyed rated “budget constraints” as the most significant barrier to a digital workplace. This is up from 29% in the previous year.
Stakeholder buy-in
You may need to overcome the natural resistance to stray from the legacy of how things have always been done. Convincing leadership that digital transformation is necessary enough to approve the budget is one hurdle.
You may also have to do some selling to employees initially until they learn how to use the technology effectively enough to make their work easier.
Building the right tech stack
You need to select suitable technology that will support both your employees and organizational goals. The tools and systems must also integrate to streamline, not complicate, your employees’ digital experience.
Change management
Multiple changes and shifts will accompany digital implementation. Not only will employees need to be trained, but workflows and business processes will have to be modified. This organizational transformation will require careful planning and adaptability.
Creating your digital employee experience strategy: 10 tips
Each organization will have its own path to unlocking a great digital employee experience, and there are many components you’ll need to focus on.
Consider the following best practices as you plan for and proceed with the digital transformation at your organization:
1. Adopt a user-centric design approach
Embrace a design-thinking approach that prioritizes the best interests of employees. Digital tools are there to serve the employees, not the other way around. To put it differently, successful digital employee experience platforms should address employees’ pain points. There should be an emphasis on intuitive, user-friendly interfaces that support work processes but also generate a satisfying user experience.
Start the digital transformation journey by gathering employee feedback to understand the pros and cons of their current daily experience. Also, study any relevant analytics at your disposal and use surveys, focus groups, or interviews for staff from each department. What is working for them with the tools they already have, and what isn’t? What would equip them to work more efficiently?
By involving employees in the design and testing phases you can ensure that the technology meets their needs and expectations and makes their lives easier. Any digital initiative that doesn’t prioritize a positive impact on the employee experience will fail to achieve its intended purpose.
2. Define what you want to achieve
You need to create a vision for the direction of your DEX and how it fits within the broader EX at your organization. This starts with the right questions to establish what the goals are:
- How will DEX support your business goals?
- What digital tools are needed?
- What type of technology do you want to implement? (Add self-service functions, automate processes, improve asynchronous communication, etc.)
- What type of training will employees need to be able to use the tools?
- How will the changes that affect workflow be handled?
- What are the indicators of success, and how will they be measured?
Your organization will need to make many decisions to deliver a sound DEX, so a clear roadmap will help you evaluate options and challenges as they occur throughout the process.
3. Communicate your vision
A new DEX requires the investment of both financial and human resources, as well as interdepartmental coordination. This means you will need to get buy-in at all levels. Even the most thoughtfully constructed digital employee experience strategy can fail when there is cynicism and a lack of support throughout the organization.
Starting with support from senior leadership can speed up decision-making throughout the process. You also need transparent communication down to the grassroots level to ensure the success of your DEX.
Come up with an “elevator pitch” of one clear, concise sentence that sums up your DEX strategy. Getting this narrative spread throughout the company can familiarize everyone with the concept and get them talking about it.
Being clear about the benefits of DEX for employees and what it will accomplish for the company will build consensus. With communication and collaboration to update everyone at each stage of the process, they will understand what is changing, why it’s changing, and ultimately, how the change impacts them.
4. Assemble a cross-functional team
A holistic view of your workforce provides a better understanding of where opportunities exist to better equip employees through digital tools. For this reason, a cross-functional team of individuals who offer different perspectives should take ownership of executing the DEX improvement strategy in an effective and timely manner.
The team can include HR as the lead, internal communications to promote the process, IT to implement the tools, and key employees to test the tools and advocate for the digital experience throughout the company.
A cohesive team can align competing priorities and bring results that improve DEX instead of leaving gaps that are obvious to your employees. Indeed, 89% of employees think that “IT and HR could work better together to improve the digital employee experience.“
5. Research and choose the technology
Introducing new technology affects workflow as everyone adapts to it. In other words, you need to make sure that the tools you’re implementing serve their purpose and are worth the time and money invested. A digital workplace that enables efficiency but isn’t too complicated is ideal.
Mobile technology makes communication and information accessible to everyone and creates a more cohesive work environment. This is especially important if your organization has deskless workers who may not feel connected otherwise.
Compare several alternatives and do demos and trials before making the final decision. Protecting your employee’s data is crucial. Therefore, be sure to understand how vendors approach data privacy and security.
It is equally important to look for options that allow customization and personalization to suit the needs of various teams. Additionally, your tools should integrate to provide a seamless user experience.
Coordinating the research and selection of the technology doesn’t have to be up to HR alone, but you should certainly be involved.
6. Don’t expect to transform everything at once
Trying to rush digital innovation can cause confusion and resistance. You can balance efficiency with preserving DEX by breaking changes down into smaller portions.
Don’t implement all the new tools at once; just start with one. Go project by project with ample support and a degree of flexibility. This allows you to learn as you go through your employee’s real-life use of the tools. Also, it enables you to manage your HR budget effectively.
7. Provide sufficient training
Set employees up for success from the start. Support them during training with technical assistance and an environment where making mistakes is acceptable and asking for help is welcomed. It will speed up the technology adoption process. Without proper training, there’s a risk that your employees won’t be able to navigate the new system and end up discouraged.
Here are some ideas to consider for supplying your employees with the kind of training that supports DEX:
- Choose an appropriate training format: Find which methods have functioned well in the past and provide choices for varying technical skill levels. It may work well to train one person from each team who can manage and customize the training for their fellow team members.
- Have well-organized rollout methods with realistic deadlines: Help employees understand precisely what you expect of them while giving them enough time to adapt to the new way of doing things.
- Prioritize training: Enhance employee skills by providing comprehensive training on new technology. Ensure that this training is part of their work schedule, rather than an additional expectation on their personal time.
- Incentivize training: Find rewards that you know will motivate your employees to complete the training. For example, you can offer prizes, time off, or free meals.
8. Measure digital employee experience
The best way to determine the success of your DEX strategy is by getting your employees’ honest feedback. If employees are having difficulties, strive to understand them. You will be able to identify the problems that employees believe need to be addressed most, and they will appreciate the steps taken to make improvements.
Again, you can use pulse surveys, interviews, and other feedback methods to measure your DEX.
Determine what your baseline is and benchmark your data. Measure this regularly, so you can identify:
- Areas of the digital investment that work
- Any areas that are underperforming, and why
- Adjustments to the DEX strategy you need to make
- When you can deliver improvements.
Another method for assessing your DEX is to monitor technology performance. Tracking end-user and system data can help you be proactive in identifying potential problems that may impact employees’ experience with the tools. Factors to consider may include app performance and latency time.
9. Work on improvements
Your data will help you not only see the pain points but also identify what you can enhance or fine-tune. Of course, DEX is a process that goes well beyond the implementation phase. So don’t focus only on creating the experience but also on managing and improving your digital workplace.
Technology is bound to continue evolving, so you will need to progress and shape your DEX on an ongoing basis.
10. Maintain a balance between automation and human interaction
Preserving a human element during digital transformation efforts goes a long way toward providing a constructive DEX. Ensure that digital tools don’t isolate employees or teams from each other. Encourage both face-to-face video conferencing and in-person interactions.
People also need to know who to contact with questions. Being able to speak to someone directly and be heard can ease frustration and bring resolution through a supportive human connection.
Summing it up
When technology supports and empowers people to do their jobs, it has a positive impact on their employee experience and your business. Investing in DEX is crucial for keeping up with the demands of a rapidly evolving digital landscape and meeting employees’ needs.
HR’s role is indispensable in delivering an employee-centric DEX that inspires an engaged and productive workforce. In the long run, such a workforce is ready to help your organization achieve its goals.
FAQ
The digital experience of employees is how they regard their interactions with digital tools in the workplace.
Improving DEX is about ensuring that digital tools and platforms are accessible, helpful, reliable, and meet employees’ needs and expectations.
Measuring digital employee experience is done by gathering feedback from users and monitoring digital tool performance by analyzing system data.
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