In recent years, employee experience has taken center stage as a primary indicator of organizational success. As a result, HR and business leaders increasingly want to understand which employee experience concerns are top of mind for today’s workforce.
Gone are the days when a stable job with a reasonable salary was the only key to employee satisfaction and retention. Now, employers recognize that a more holistic approach yields numerous benefits. For example:
- Satisfied employees tend to be more productive, innovative, and loyal.
- Employees who are committed and engaged, become powerful company advocates, not just internally, but among public circles, as well. This kind of support leads to a more positive employer brand.
- A strong employee experience helps attract and retain top performers.
Recently, we conducted a survey to explore today’s biggest employee experience concerns and their underlying factors. Based on input from more than 10,000 employees at nearly 100 technology companies, this employee experience report paints a comprehensive picture of how people feel about their jobs and work environments.
Whether you’re an HR professional seeking to improve your organization’s talent strategy or a business leader aiming to provide a more fulfilling work environment, these findings can help you drive positive change. Specifically, the survey revealed 5 issues that deserve more attention…
Top 5 Employee Experience Concerns in 2023
1. Compensation is Lacking
Fair, competitive salaries are essential to attract and retain top talent. However, many organizations don’t seem to meet expectations. In fact, 46% of survey participants told us they deserve a salary increase.
If financial constraints make it difficult to offer direct salary increases, creative alternatives may fill the gap. Strategies like these may help:
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Expand Benefits Choices
Adding more options can make a significant difference. For instance, practical perks such as meal vouchers, childcare discounts, and transportation subsidies are highly appealing to some staff members. Diverse choices add flexibility to your compensation framework while helping more employees feel valued and supported.
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Emphasize Intangible Benefits
Quality of life is deeply important to many employees. You can appeal to their interests with solutions that address post-pandemic work-life challenges. For instance, develop a formal remote work or hybrid work program, try implementing a 4-day workweek or flexible work schedule, or offer extra vacation time as a company-wide bonus option.
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Manage Private Healthcare Coverage More Effectively
Healthcare coverage is the cornerstone of a holistic compensation package. It promotes employee health and wellbeing, while serving as an attractive incentive for job candidates. However, as healthcare costs continue to rise, access to quality care is at risk. Negotiating better insurance packages on behalf of your staff can position your company as an industry leader.
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Facilitate Training Scholarships
Many employees recognize the value of continuous learning and skill development. Adding subsidies for professional development and continuing education to your compensation scheme encourages professional growth while preparing team members for the future of work.
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Encourage Performance-Based Bonuses
Does your organization have a well-defined bonus program? Fair, equitable financial incentives are a dynamic mechanism that motivates people and reinforces achievement. By linking goals to rewards, you inspire employees to excel while advancing your organization’s agenda.
In summary, salary remains a critical concern. However, because employee experience is complex, a multifaceted compensation strategy makes sense. Think of creative ways to circumvent internal constraints so you can keep your workforce motivated, satisfied, and engaged.
2. Stress is Overwhelming
Persistent stress erodes physical and psychological wellbeing. As a result, unrelenting work stress drains employee motivation, productivity, engagement, and performance.
Remarkably, 33% of employees told us they suffer from work-related stress. Employers can’t afford to ignore this issue. But what actions are helpful?
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Invest in Wellness of All Types
Employee wellbeing touches all facets of life, including mental, physical, emotional, financial, social health, and beyond. Ideally, all these dimensions work together to support people throughout their professional lives. By offering a variety of wellness programs, you can help employees build the strength and resilience they need to adjust and move through personal and professional challenges.
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Promote Awareness and Education
If people don’t understand what causes work stress, they’re likely to struggle. Raising awareness about warning signs and skills to deal with these challenges helps people act on their own behalf. For instance, you can offer classes and resources about mindfulness and stress reduction, as well as time management, communication, and delegation techniques. By developing skills like these, employees learn how to recognize and respond to factors that trigger stress.
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Establish Channels for Open Dialogue
Healthy cultures foster open communication. This includes opportunities to acknowledge employee issues and actively address those concerns. Collaborative conversations about stress and its causes not only lead to better solutions but also strengthen the bonds between employees and the organization.
The ramifications of chronic stress transcend the individual experience, casting a shadow over workforce productivity and morale. By fostering a culture of wellness, you can ease stress for individuals and create an environment where employees thrive.
3. Work-Life Balance Doesn’t Exist
Healthy work-life integration drives employee commitment, motivation, and performance. At the same time, it relieves work stress, which can increase job satisfaction.
Our survey revealed that 26% of employees think work encroaches on their personal life. That’s not ideal. How can employers reduce this statistic?
As heated return-to-office debate continues, post-pandemic organizations have reached a critical crossroads. Standard work models may seem “safe,” but many employees no longer think they’re realistic.
In terms of work-life balance, flexibility helps people thrive professionally without compromising personal priorities. This can reduce work stress and elevate job satisfaction. If your company is still on the fence about return-to-work mandates, carefully weigh the potential consequences of ignoring work-life balance.
4. Employers Impose Too Many Needless Rules
Managing internal mandates consumes valuable time. Even worse, they can undermine your team’s ability to perform at its best. At least this is what we heard from 25% of employees who say their company enforces too many rules that serve no purpose.
Clearly, this gap needs attention. A possible solution is to involve employees in decisions about policies and procedures. By actively seeking input, you’re more likely to uncover redundant or needless standards. In addition, you can confirm which rules are crucial to operational excellence and gain broader support for enforcement.
When streamlining processes, constructive feedback is a powerful tool. It can help improve organizational efficiency. At the same time, it cultivates a sense of ownership among employees, which can foster a culture of continuous improvement.
5. Recognition is in Short Supply
When people aren’t recognized enough for their effort and results, their motivation and satisfaction levels suffer. And unfortunately, too many employers are missing the mark. In fact, 31% of respondents told us they prefer more frequent recognition.
Overcoming this challenge requires proactive measures. One strategy is to develop a formal process that encourages managers to share more meaningful recognition on a more consistent basis.
For example, programs that incorporate gamification techniques have proven highly effective. Some organizations also include peer recognition in their programs. This adds a dimension of mutual appreciation while reinforcing a sense of teamwork and camaraderie.
By prioritizing interpersonal workplace dynamics, recognition programs can boost morale and strengthen organization-wide engagement and performance.
Employee Experience Concerns Matter
Today’s post-pandemic workplace is shifting in multiple ways. Employee expectations and career aspirations are changing rapidly. It’s essential for companies to understand and respect these dynamics.
As you consider the 5 employee experience concerns we’ve outlined, what should you keep in mind? Organizations that prioritize these issues and respond thoughtfully are better equipped to attract and retain talent. Also, they’re creating cultures that thrive on adaptability, appreciation, and wellbeing. In short, they’re preparing now for continued success.
If you build your workplace on this foundation, you can look forward to being much more successful in the years ahead, as well.
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