Wow, it’s no wonder Employee Experience has become an increasingly popular topic in the last few years — a recent Gartner survey found that — just 13% of employees are fully satisfied with their employment experience. In this fragile and uncertain, post-pandemic government landscape, experience is a growing priority for both Federal employees and organizational leaders. But for all of the recent attention on customer experience (CX) in the federal government from Executive Order 14058, we’re still left asking ourselves, just what is Employee Experience? Is it just a rebranding of some other concept like employee engagement? Well, no — and here’s what you need to know about EX.
What is EX?
This Gartner research identifies EX as The interactions employees have throughout all touchpoints in their day-to-day work and the contexts that influence those interactions. In reality, there is no shortage of uniquely broad definitions for EX — as a field of knowledge, empirical study of the subject is still in its infancy and there is no consensus on a common definition. However, most characterizations agree on a couple of things: one, It’s the aggregate of employee interactions, perceptions, or views of the work experience and two, unlike some other concepts like satisfaction and engagement, EX places employees at the center of the innovative design process. Still, it can be difficult to distinguish experience from other very closely related concepts like satisfaction and engagement.
In reality, there is no shortage of uniquely broad definitions for EX — as a field of knowledge, empirical study of the subject is still in its infancy and there is no consensus on a common definition.
How Is EX Different From Engagement?
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management defines engagement as An employee’s sense of purpose that is evident in their display of dedication, persistence and effort in their work or overall attachment to their organization and its mission. In other words, engagement is the result or outcome of any number of contributing factors — those influences or inputs are defined by the employee’s unique experiences. We can consider increased engagement as the outcome of an improved experience.
The 3 Critical EX Characteristics
1. The North Star
Study after study has linked higher employee experience measures to better business performance. For example, this McKinsey study correlates improved EX to higher productivity, performance, and satisfaction. Meanwhile, Qualtrics posits that organizations that invest more in EX are:
- 11.5 times as often in Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work
- 4.4 times as often in LinkedIn’s list of North America’s Most In-Demand Employers
- 2.1 times as often on the Forbes list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies
- Twice as often in the American Customer Satisfaction Index
However, as identified in the definition, EX is a tremendously broad and nuanced concept. Therefore, efforts to improve EX should be systematically approached and any application of experience for business performance must begin with a North Star, as we ask ourselves, “EX for what?” Federal organizations must focus on a core theme or objective; they may want to improve financial performance, customer satisfaction or experience, or even become a “best place to work” in the Federal government. The North Star guides the organization’s experience activities by defining the need for specific employee actions and journeys, including pain points or moments that matter.
Therefore, efforts to improve EX should be systematically approached and any application of experience for business performance must begin with a North Star, as we ask ourselves, “EX for what?”
2. The Moments That Matter
EX demands a culture in which an empathy-focused perspective places employees at the center of the problem-solving process. Federal leaders can do this by conceptualizing inflection points in the employee’s journey, over a relevant period, e.g., recruiting and hiring, onboarding, training and development, rewards and recognition, or transition. Moments that matter will vary significantly based on the business objective, organization and employee. The key is to ensure that the voice of the Federal employee is solicited, heard and taken into consideration when mapping moments that matter and crafting solutions to iterate and scale.
3. Systematic Change
The results of the EX process will propel changes to operating models that drive key differences in the Federal government’s performance — so, it’s critical to maximize the tools and resources available to assess Federal employee and business data, measurements, systems, and capabilities. For example, a series of smaller solution iterations might lead to engaging employees to map and redesign moments that matter, resulting in a full-on process for improved experiences organization-wide.
Regardless of the agency, organization, or service, government agencies can create meaningful EX strategies by clearing defining and understanding a North Star and how employees’ experiences support and impact the business goals. Federal leaders should also apply rigorous analytics and empathy to understand the employee’s perspective, moments that matter, and solutions that resonate with the organization. This process is critical to approaching the workplace with an employee perspective, encouraging a more positive and fulfilling experience. A successful approach to EX can help government attract the best talent, motivate employee, and increase loyalty and retention in these uncertain and pivotal times.
A life-long learner and mentor, Gerome Q. Banks is a Doctor of Education, Federal talent management strategist, senior government analyst, author, Master Career Coaching Professional, and researcher with nearly 20 years of professional public sector experience, strategic HR experience, and affinity for leader development and federal talent.
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