Employee Experience Simplified #1: Why small actions matter more than you think

Hey! Welcome to the very first edition of Employee Experience Simplified.

Before we get started, here are two quick questions for you:

1. Are you responsible for any part of the employee experience in your organization?

2. Are you struggling to find practical ideas on how to work with your employee experience? You know, the kind of simple takeaways that you can go home and implement today, without a big budget or a 100-slide presentation?

If you answered ‘yes’ to both of these questions, then this newsletter is made for you.

Because the above questions are actually the two main reasons why this newsletter was sent out into the world in the first place: so you can find some actionable advice on how to work with your employee experience, without the jargon and corporate lingo.

Advice that works – whether you’re leading a small team or managing the employee experience for a multinational organization.

In each edition, you’ll walk away with a few simple actions to create a better work environment, without overcomplicating things.

That was a teaser. If you’re still here, we hope we’ve piqued your genuine interest.

Now, let’s dive in!

Edition #1: Why small actions matter more than you think

You’ve probably heard it before: “If you want to improve something, you need a strategy.”

Sure, that’s true. But strategies don’t have to be complex. They don’t even have to be fully baked when you’re just starting out.

Sometimes, one small win is all it takes to create positive momentum.

Imagine this: You’re leading a team, and engagement feels… meh.

You don’t have time to launch a company-wide initiative or overhaul your processes. But what if you asked your team one simple question today? One that could spark immediate change?

It’s not magic. It’s action.

The beauty of small actions is that they don’t require months of planning. They’re like planting seeds: each one can grow into something bigger with the right care. But the first step is planting that seed.

And yes!

We’ve seen this work, time and time again. Leaders who focus on quick, meaningful action often see the biggest long-term transformations because they build trust along the way.

Here’s a though example:

Let’s say you’ve noticed that your team has been feeling disconnected lately. Zoom fatigue is hitting hard. Emails go unanswered for hours. The energy in meetings feels as flat as the Monday morning coffee that's been standing untouched on the desk for a bit too long due to the usual beginning-of-the-week inbox management.

What’s one little thing you could do today to shift that feeling of disconnection?

Maybe you shoot them a Teams message asking, “If you could change one thing about the way we work, what would it be?”

Or you could pause during your next team meeting and say, “Before we move on, what’s something that’s been frustrating you recently?”

Simple, right? But just one question can reveal insights you’d never get from formal surveys. Or maybe you could, but you’d have to wait until the next survey was scheduled.

So how about 3 simple steps you can take – right now?

1.?Ask your team one question: “What’s one thing we could change that would make your workday better?” You can do this in a team meeting, by email, or in a quick poll. Whatever approach feels most natural, based on your typical way of communicating. The key is to show that you’re genuinely interested in their answers.

2.?Spot recurring themes: As responses come in, look for common pain points. Are people frustrated by meeting overload? Unclear project deadlines? Or is it something unexpected, like the office temperature (yes, it happens)?

3.?Take action and communicate it: Pick just one thing you can act on right now. For example:

Shorten meetings by 10 minutes to give people breathing space.        

Set clear weekly priorities so no one’s has to guess what to focus on.        

Create space for “no-meeting afternoons” to allow for deep work.        

Once you’ve made the change, tell your team: “We heard you, and here’s what we’re trying.”

The follow-up is crucial. It shows that their input has actually been acted upon.

Why small wins build trust (and momentum):

When employees see quick changes based on their feedback, they feel valued. They realize their voices actually matter. And when trust is built, engagement follows.

You don’t have to fix everything all at once. Small, meaningful improvements are like dominoes: each one triggers the next. THAT’S how you create lasting impact, without burning out or overwhelming your team.

? Pro tip of the month:

(an attempt to wrap up the newsletter with one simple quote you can work with)

Don’t be afraid to try, fail, and adapt. If the first thing you do doesn’t have the desired effect, you can tweak it. Working with employee experience is not about perfection.

It’s about progress.

So, this marks the end of the first edition of Employee Experience Simplified.

We hope you enjoyed it – enough to want to hit the subscribe button, so you can be notified when the next edition comes out!

If you have any feedback or a success story to share from today’s tip, feel free to drop a comment! We’d love to hear about your experiences! ??

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