Decoding Digital Employee Experience: Strategies and Solutions

According to the Harvard Business Review, 87.5 percent of digital transformations fail.

Why is that?

There are many reasons for that. One of the main reasons is the fact that many companies overlook the digital employee experience (DEX).

And in a post-pandemic world that encourages hybrid work arrangements, companies can no longer afford to overlook DEX. It is now an essential part of the employee experience.

In this article, we present strategies, solutions and practical steps for effective DEX management - with examples from companies that have undergone successful digital transformation.

You'll learn everything you need to know to create a digital experience that engages your employees and inspires them to perform at their best.

What is a digital employee experience?

To understand DEX, it is helpful to have a clear idea of what is employee experience and what is work experience.

While all of these terms sound similar, work experience refers to a person's professional background.

Employee experience, on the other hand, refers to how a team member feels during various interactions with a company - from pre-boarding to offboarding.

DEX evolved from this as companies began to rely on digital technologies to complete their tasks. DEX is the experience a person has when interacting with digital tools in your company. It also refers to the support they receive in using the technology. Examples of digital tools include email and video conferencing applications, HR systems for booking PTO, learning platforms, and any other application that helps a person in their daily work.

Digital employee experience management

DEX management can have a significant impact on various aspects of your business:

• Productivity. When your employees have access to digital tools that make their work easier, their productivity increases.

• Engagement. A seamless digital experience means your employees are likely to feel engaged and fulfilled in their work.

• Collaboration. A good DEX helps your team members collaborate - whether they work from home or in the office - thereby promoting innovation within your company.

• Employee retention. A poor DEX can leave professionals feeling frustrated, which contributes to high turnover.

• Employer brand. A company that focuses heavily on DEX will have happy employees who promote its employer brand.

• Customer experience. When your employees are happy, it impacts your customers and improves their interaction with your company.

• Revenue. Due to its impact on productivity, customer retention and customer experience, DEX also impacts your revenue.

So how do you ensure your employees have a digital experience that benefits all aspects of your business?

Good DEX requires a smart strategy to be successful. By implementing the following practical strategies, you can create a DEX that meets the needs of your employees and contributes to the success of your company:

• The needs of your employees come first. This means giving your team members the tools they need to do their best work. Consider the needs of employees who work from both home and office.
• User-oriented design. Favor digital tools and applications with user-friendly interfaces. Providing your employees with easy-to-use tools will contribute to a positive DEX.
• Personalization. Create personalized dashboards tailored to individual roles and preferences. Data analysis is helpful here to understand user behavior and adapt digital experiences.
• Inclusion and accessibility. Make sure everyone in your company has easy access to the digital tools they need to do their work and collaborate with other team members. Make sure the applications are also responsive and compatible with mobile devices.
• Training and support. Offer comprehensive training programs that show team members how to use appropriate digital tools. Make sure your employees can easily access technical support if they have any problems.                                              • Continuous feedback and improvement. Collect regular feedback from your employees through surveys and sessions to gain insights into their digital experiences. Make improvements if necessary.
• Collaboration platforms. It is especially important to enable collaboration between team members in a hybrid work environment. Use platforms that make it easy for your employees to stay connected and manage projects, whether they work at home or in the office.
• Digital Wellbeing Programs. These days we spend an average of around seven hours a day in front of a screen, so it's important to promote digital wellbeing. Encourage breaks and consider implementing policies that support a healthy work-life balance. Establish initiatives that address the well-being of field team members, as they can easily fall through the cracks.
• Cybersecurity awareness. Since most work takes place in a digital environment, your company and its employees are at greater risk of cyberattacks. Educate your employees about cybersecurity best practices, ensure the use of digital tools, and implement thorough security measures to protect sensitive data.
• Integration of tools. Lack of integration is one of the main reasons why DEX can suffer. Make sure your employees can easily work with the different tools they need by ensuring all applications are compatible.

The employee experience and digital transformation

Similar to HR transformation, digital transformation is about a company making significant changes by incorporating digital technologies into all areas of its business.

Unfortunately, as we mentioned at the beginning of this post, most digital transformations fail. One of the main reasons for failure is that companies don't prioritize their employees' digital experience.

A successful digital transformation makes work easier for your employees, which is why considering DEX is essential for the digital transformation process.

Ultimately, the goal of digital transformation is to make processes more efficient and effective and thus contribute to the prosperity of the company.

Focusing on DEX can even accelerate digital initiatives. By considering your employees' needs first, you implement digital tools that are useful for them and their work and make them open to transformation initiatives.

Practical examples of successful digital transformations
Let's take a look at some companies that have undergone successful digital transformation (and are also a good example of company culture):

International Rescue Committee

What do you do when your team members live in 40 different countries, speak 19 different languages, and tend to work away from their desks?

This is the situation facing the International Rescue Committee (IRC). The IRC is a charity that helps people in conflict and disaster areas.

The biggest problem in the IRC's work was the isolation of departments. Since team members are spread across the world and regularly travel to refugee camps, communication and collaboration were an issue.

To solve this problem, IRC undertook a digital transformation. The organization improved Internet bandwidths and introduced an intranet that allowed employees to stay in touch and access translation services.

The result? The transition broke down communication silos between departments, allowing them to continue their important work while staying connected.

zoom

One of the challenges of hybrid work is ensuring employee well-being.

The video conferencing software company Zoom has taken on this challenge and launched the Wellness Coach app.

The app allows team members to access desk exercises, mindfulness tips, and guided meditations. She also encourages recreational activities by connecting team members through book clubs and virtual yoga and meditation classes.

With this solution, Zoom is able to take care of the well-being of its employees and address the feeling of isolation when working from home. This has created a positive employee experience that helps employees feel comfortable and perform at their best.

Mono

Team members at Mono, a creative agency, found it difficult to rely on different communication platforms to write emails, text messages, and call clients.

They implemented a communication platform that allowed them to integrate all different forms of communication in one place so that both customers and team members could easily stay connected.

Exploring Digital Employee Experience Software Solutions. Although managing DEX can seem overwhelming, there are software solutions that make the job easier.

A DEX platform, for example, helps you identify and resolve technical issues affecting your employees. It allows you to monitor devices and applications and optimize the user experience, resulting in a more productive and happier workforce.

Employee experience platforms (EXPs) can also help you improve aspects of DEX. These are software platforms that help you track and improve employee well-being, engagement, and satisfaction.

With an EXP, you can perform core HR operations, create surveys, manage performance, and create an engaging onboarding experience for new employees.
EXPs and DEX platforms give you everything you need to create a great employee experience in the office and virtual workspaces.

The Role of DEX in Promoting a Positive Workplace Culture DEX plays a pivotal role in promoting a positive workplace culture. DEX focuses on making the most of technology to improve the various aspects of an employee's belonging to a company.

One of the main priorities of DEX is the integration of various digital tools and platforms. This makes it easier for your employees to access all the tools at their disposal and improves communication, collaboration and work efficiency.

A solid DEX can also promote continuous learning and development for your employees. Learning programs that incorporate DEX strategies are more engaging for team members and improve the effectiveness of your learning initiatives.
As demand for hybrid work arrangements increases, a good DEX can also bring a positive company culture into your employees' homes.

DEX supports flexible working by providing your team members with digital tools for remote collaboration, fostering a culture that values work-life balance.
And by introducing digital initiatives that care about your employees' well-being, no matter where they work, you'll contribute to a culture that inspires your employees to perform at their best.

By prioritizing DEX, you can create an environment where technology supports, rather than hinders, your employees' well-being and job satisfaction, contributing to a positive workplace culture.

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