It’s cold, but we can't let it be an EX Winter
Carolyn Clark
VP Communications & EX @ Simpplr | Consultant @ After Ever Communications | Mama to Everleigh
As I work remotely in North Carolina with an eye out my window to the icy landscape, I'm reminded of a word I keep hearing this month: EX Winter.
Forrester defines "EX Winter" as a period where employee experience (EX) investments are expected to freeze or significantly decrease.
So, as the world grapples with economic uncertainty and market pressures, many organizations are cutting budgets, often at the expense of their employee's experience (EX). And as an employee experience and comms professional, I’m worried.
Organizations that choose to push EX to the back burner are like those who fail to insulate their homes ahead of winter. They will inevitably find themselves on the wrong side of history, especially considering the looming talent shortage. Companies risk their brand reputation and their ability to attract and retain talent. And if they can’t hire people, they can’t grow, profit, or increase impact.
And yes, being prudent is crucial—especially in uncertain times. But ignoring the human aspect of your organization is incredibly risky. Harvard and Gallup studies have made it clear: strong company cultures aren’t just nice-to-haves—they are directly linked to increased revenue, fourfold in some cases. This isn’t happenstance. A nurturing culture translates to better work, longer tenure, and, consequently, higher revenues.
The American Psychological Association’s 2023 Work in America Survey paints a worrisome picture: 77% of workers are burdened by job stress, over half feel its repercussions in various aspects of life, and 31% are left emotionally depleted.
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Preserving and enhancing employee lives shouldn't be discretionary. It’s about ensuring that the hearth of your organization burns bright, offering warmth and light to those who gather around it.?
It must be a strategic imperative, or organizations are introducing great risk.
There’s an urgent need for organizations to reconnect with their employee base. It’s time to recognize that the workplace isn’t just a physical space. It’s a community, a culture, a living ecosystem that requires nurturing and care. And yes, much of that can be done digitally.
As an employee experience and communications nerd, I think we do stand on the edge of a potential EX Winter. And to me, the choice is clear.
We can either brace for a prolonged period of coldness and disconnection, or we can choose to stoke the fires of a vibrant, warm, and engaging experience for employees. The latter is not just the path of compassion and empathy. It’s a strategic choice that will define the future of work and the legacy of organizations in these turbulent times.
And I won't let my fellow EX friends off the hook. The reason we're getting budgets cut? Because we still aren't taking credit for our function's impact on revenue, retention, and productivity.
Here's a webinar I did recently, but it is just the tip of the iceberg.
I'd love to hear what you think and what you're hearing. Together we can elevate our game and showcase our function's undeniable strategic advantage.
Brand and Loyalty Experience Leader | Driving Awareness, Engagement, and Retention Through Meaningful Connections
9 个月You're exactly right, Carolyn. We can choose to be disconnected or we can stoke up the fire of engaging experiences for employees. I'm a firm believer that both EX and CX are connected. We cannot have happy and satisfied customers without engaged and happy employees.
Executive HR leader who embraces human-centered leadership approach
10 个月Very well written and on point. Companies cut the EX activities because they think it is easy and is a nice to have. As you pointed out so eloquently, that is not the case, EX is connected to company success. Take care of your employees and they will take care of your customers and deliver results. Very simple equation that many companies lose site of.
Change the way we live and work
10 个月Cuts are a necessity in hard economic times but the "soft side" of the business typically takes an inordinate beating. There is nothing new in that philosophy. However.... the short term perspective has a tendency to significantly impact the culture of the company to a point where it cannot recover. The impacts of such a strategy become pretty obvious in the rating of an organization through channels such as Glassdoor. The previously stellar reputation of a company can disappear rather quickly making retention and hiring difficult when the economy rebounds. Economics is a numbers game and there is no cell on an Excel spreadsheet that considers the broader implications of reduction/elimination of internal employee strategies that ultimately drive the success of any company. It takes smart leaders who understand human psychology and behavior to counter the need for cost reduction against the risks of alienating the most precious asset of all - people.
Senior Digital Strategist & Mentor | Women in Technology WI - Board Member
10 个月Burr - an EX Winter, that's even worse than a Wisconsin one!?Carolyn Clark, I choose to stoke the ??.?? New hire attraction costs are widely known, measured, and acknowledged. But as you note, unless there is equal diligence in recognizing the revenue, retention, and productivity benefits of a curated employee experience, that's just like leaving the barn door open - very chilling indeed.
Executive Coaching & Team Development
10 个月Carolyn--thank you for this. I hadn't heard the term 'EX Winter' and it really resonates. It feels more important than ever that the right employee experience investments are seen as critical given the impacts that some of these choices (budget cuts, big shifts in strategy, layoffs, etc) can have on culture and morale. Keeping that "hearth" burning is so so important.