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The secret of growth? Reimagining employee experience
5-MINUTE READ
July 13, 2021
A lot has been said and written about Employee Experience (EX) over the years. So much, in fact, you may wonder what remains to be said. Indeed, when it comes to HR systems and processes the topic has been well covered. However, HR systems and processes are only the very tip of the EX iceberg.
The far larger proportion lies below the water and comprises people’s day-to-day lived experiences. The technology they use and their ability to use it is a big factor. Recent research undertaken for our report, Honing your digital edge, found that 54% of a person’s ability to be agile comes down to their fluency with digital tools.
But there are other factors too. The support people receive from peers and managers is important, as is whether they identify with the corporate purpose. In fact, there are a broad range of factors that impact the holistic working experience. Yet these broader experiences have all too often been overlooked.
Thanks to COVID-19, this situation is beginning to change. Employers realize that the nature of work is shifting. Big questions are being asked about where work should take place, how safety can be addressed and how a distributed workforce can feel connected and purposeful. These questions all affect the employee experience. But more than that, they demand an expansive definition of EX to help enterprises rebuild and grow.
At Accenture, we’ve been working closely with clients to develop just such a definition, and here it is:
We define employee experience as the design and delivery of a personalized work environment that inspires people to be their best, amplifies human potential and helps companies to flourish.
There are several key words within this definition that require closer scrutiny:
Our new definition of EX elevates the concept beyond HR processes into an expansive approach to driving business performance by unleashing the full potential of workers. How can this definition be put into practice?
In the second blog in this series, I will outline a suggested framework for EX excellence. It’s my firm belief that by applying the principles of this framework, businesses will be able to drive breakthrough growth. Indeed, as I shall show, some are already doing just that.