Employee Experience isn’t about Technology

We’re in a fascinating market right now regarding the employee experience.

Finally!

For years, and still to this day, the priority of organizations has been Customer first. And rightfully so. Customers are the lifeblood of any organization. If not for customers, there’s no business model to support the organization's mission.

On the other hand, there’s no organization without employees.

You matter, your team matters and your department matters. Without you, organizations can’t become Customer first. It starts with Employee first. I’m a big believer that the employee experience drives the customer experience.

While it might seem contradictory to my day job, I’m also a believer that a technology purchase alone doesn’t solve the employee experience challenge. Technology can be a catalyst, the digital embodiment of your mission and culture, but it’s just one piece of the puzzle. There are many benefits in leveraging technology (see me after class) but technology won’t fix a bad culture, in fact it amplifies it. The opposite is also true, technology can amplify a great culture.

If you’re exploring ways to improve the employee experience, it’s the right moment in time to make sure your organization’s leadership team is fully onboard. Culture starts from the top and permeates the organization downward. Buying software won’t fix your culture, however it will force a meaningful dialogue - a necessary dialogue - about the type of organization you are today and the type of organization you want to be in the future. The purchase decision requires a solid understanding of your employee experience challenges. And that decision requires a group of cross-functional employees that will have a unique perspective on how to address those challenges.

It’s the process, to make a decision, that can provide the greatest insight into how an organization can improve their employee experience. Modernizing tools and technology might be a solution, but so might be nurturing a work environment that celebrates empathy, collaboration and transparency.

The employee experience goes beyond technology, it’s the manifestation of every interaction and touchpoint an employee has with the organization. It matters. Getting it right matters. And finally - the market is starting to understand the value of YOU.