How an employee experience platform can support your return to work efforts

As the number of COVID-19 vaccinations grow, a “great resignation” may be upon us.

Many organizations are asking employees to return to the office, but some workers may continue to demand the flexible work arrangements they’ve become accustomed to since late 2019. In the absence of flexibility, employees may resign and seek out new opportunities that offer the flexibility they desire. As we’ve learned, flexible work requires organizations to change the way they engage their employees.

This is one reason why organizations are adding an employee experience platform, like Willis Towers Watson’s Embark, to their digital ecosystem.

According to Willis Towers Watson’s 2021 Employee Experience Survey, two of three organizations say digital technology like an employee experience platform will transform their employee experience over the next three years. This is up from three of ten employers today.

Digital technology will transform the employee experience

Ways an employee experience platform helps employers reconnect with employees

Establishing a new employee experience gives organizations three distinct opportunities to reconnect with their employees both during this transitional time and as the new reality takes shape.

1. 01

   Listening to employees

   Establishing a new employee experience requires data on what’s working and not working for your employees. Implementing an ongoing listening strategy within an employee experience platform can help you gather the employee feedback you need to drive sustainable engagement. Using listening tools, like targeted pulse surveys and virtual focus groups, to gather insights on how new ways of working are supporting employee productivity and wellbeing is a critical step in measuring the employee experience. Employee survey results combined with site analytics from your employee experience platform allow you to quickly pivot and adjust in real time.

2. 02

   Communicating effectively with employees

   Effective communication is key to providing inspiration, driving growth and fostering collaboration. Personalized and segmented communication tools are designed to drive behavior change and reach diverse employee populations. Employers can use analytics to target at-risk groups to reengage them and increase productivity.

3. 03

   Engaging employees

   Flexible work requires a rebalanced Total Rewards program as well, quite often with a stronger focus on wellbeing. Personalized communication combined with the right tools and resources can help establish the right culture and empower employees to get the most out of their benefits. As the Total Rewards program evolves to reflect a new employment deal, organizations will use their platform to enhance the employee experience, embed a commitment to inclusion and diversity, and equip managers with resources to better support their team.

So why invest in yet another system? The answer is simple. The resources your employees need – HR applications, case management software, benefit administration systems and other third-party vendor solutions—will only continue to grow.

But these transactional systems were not designed with a holistic employee experience in mind. They were designed for the transaction they serve best. Adding an employee experience platform integrates the entire digital HR ecosystem to simplify the employee experience, help organizations communicate personally to each employee and evolve with agility as conditions change.

Now is the time to take the employee experience to the next level. By promoting wellbeing, connecting employees with or easy-to-use resources and fostering engagement in a personal way, organizations can position themselves to retain their needed talent and avoid the great resignation.

Author

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Michael Tyukodi

Senior Director, Employee Experience

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