A recent Gartner survey of HR leaders revealed that 47 per cent believed that employee experience will be a top priority for 2023. The survey results confirm that employee expectations have drastically shifted over the past two years. Workers now firmly place employee experience as a primary driver in businesses attracting and retaining top talent.

But what is employee experience, and why is it important? The answer is this: employee experience is the journey a candidate takes within your organisation, beginning with their first impression through to onboarding and their career development.

Many critical factors come into play when shaping employee experience. Considering Australia is experiencing a ‘jobseekers’ market’ with record low unemployment of around 3.4 per cent and high demand for staff, it’s now more important than ever for employers to get the employee experience right from the very first interaction. How we view an organisation plays a greater part in our decision-making than we know and if the first impression isn’t a positive one, it’s very hard to repair.

Listening to and learning from your staff is the first step in identifying any shortcomings and beginning the problem-solving process.

According to a report from intelligent experience management consultancy Tivian, 85 per cent of HR leaders believe they are listening to and using employee feedback to improve the employee experience. However, the Tivian survey found only 50 per cent of staff agree with those leaders.

The job market is saturated and now that employees have the balance of power when searching for a new job, what are they looking for? From flexible working arrangements and prioritising employee well-being to diversity, inclusion, and equality, organisations need to continue to evolve with employees’ expectations. Here are some of the top wish-list items jobseekers are looking for.

  • Employee well-being: prioritising mental and physical health isn’t just something that the younger generations have embraced. Employees are now putting themselves first, sending a message to businesses that promoting initiatives that focus on self-care and mental health support services will help them stand out, attract talent, and retain staff.
  • Diversity, inclusion, and equality: employees are actively seeking out employment opportunities that not only promote diversity and inclusion in their workplace and recruitment process but also make them feel they’re being treated equally regardless of gender, race, religion, etc.
  • Growth opportunities: whether it’s improving skills, personal growth, or career development, employees are on the lookout for opportunities that will challenge and encourage them to be the best they can be.
  • Meaningful work: finding greater purpose in our jobs isn’t just a pipe dream anymore. Employees want to feel connected to their work and know that their work serves a greater purpose than just being part of their job description.
  • Flexible working arrangements: flexibility is what got us through a pandemic, and it’s here to stay. Employees want to work remotely, have flexible hours, and have a better work-life balance.

Understanding these vital factors is the first step in meeting employees’ expectations, attracting top talent, and retaining key staff. A recent study conducted by Gallup found that organisations that improved their employee experience also saw a 10 per cent boost in customer ratings and a 20 per cent increase in sales.

Use this digital tool to give staff a great experience when they have to interact with HR

Managing each step of the employee lifecycle seamlessly is a key part of ensuring your business is providing the best possible employee experience from recruitment and onboarding to performance management and termination. With enableHR’s cloud-based software, you’ll have access to workflows and checklists that guide you through smart, legally compliant HR processes without any headaches.

Get a demo and see how enableHR allows you to easily manage your people.

Looking to take your HR to the next level? Our team is happy to answer all your questions. Call us on our toll-free number 1300 120 469, or fill out this form for a prompt call-back.