The workplace culture has undergone a massive change in recent years, with hybrid work culture becoming increasingly common. The modern workforce emphasises mental and physical well-being more and expects their employers to provide a good employee experience. When employers offer a great experience the modern workforce willingly works towards business objectives. 86% of employees with great experience are willing to go above and beyond for their employers. However, the great layoffs and the great reshuffle have led to a higher employee turnover and poor employee satisfaction.

The first question that leaders must ask themselves is what is employee experience? Prioritizing employee satisfaction and looking beyond financial compensation will help leaders inculcate a work-life balance for employees. Such a work environment also attracts top talents. Even though the job market is challenging and competitive, employers can win in the talent race if they are willing to make necessary changes to their employee experience strategy.

7 Employee Experience Trends To Look Out For in 2023

About 88% of HR leaders think that their employee experience strategy is very good, while only 65% of employees agree with that. This disconnect has to change and leaders have to dig deeper to understand what employee experience is. As organizations move forward, employers should bridge the gap between employee expectations and benefits offerings. Multiple local and global factors, such as macroeconomic conditions, technology advancements, industry innovation, growing global population, etc., affect the future of employee experience. 

Some of the top employee experience trends are:

1. Invest In Employee Onboarding 

In today's uncertain job market, where layoffs are becoming increasingly common, employee onboarding plays a crucial role in helping new hires feel welcomed and integrated into their new company. Many forward-thinking leaders now recognize that digital onboarding is more than just filling out forms. However, despite these efforts, a mere 19% of global employees feel they have a very good onboarding experience. To attract and retain top talent, organizations must invest in innovative onboarding experiences that leverage virtual and AI-based gamification technologies. However, it's not just about technology - employees today expect a personalized onboarding experience that aligns with their unique needs and preferences. As such, it's the responsibility of HR leaders to create a tailored and engaging onboarding experience that sets new hires up for success from day one.

2. Invest In Employee Journey

Only 29% of global HR leaders are mapping employee journeys and implementing experience strategies based on employee personas. Traditional office communication channels such as meetings and casual, friendly interactions humanized the workplace. The hybrid work culture makes it challenging to incorporate two-way communication. The future of employee engagement will become better when organizations incorporate technology such as AI models. The goal of the employee engagement journey should be to keep the employees satisfied and happy from onboarding till the time they leave the company.

Another essential aspect of an employee engagement strategy is offering the right growth opportunities to help employees thrive. Employees expect both financial progression and career growth. If leaders can't afford vertical growth, they must implement lateral opportunities to allow employees to learn new skills and expand their potential, which will keep them motivated. 

3. Use AI In HR

AI technology is changing work trends globally, and HR is no exception. Many organizations successfully implement AI in hiring, onboarding, training, and performance appraisal. Using AI in employee management makes the process faster, more accurate, and more efficient. The machine models continue to learn, streamlining the strategies for employee experience with each iteration. Employees also benefit from AI-powered HR processes that are transparent and supportive. They can use AI tools to identify skill gaps and deploy training programs to empower employees to acquire new skill sets. 

4. Foster Human-Centric Relationships

Remote working is prevalent in every industry but can affect workplace relationships. Employees will thrive with a sense of community with their colleagues and managers. Employees with a good employee experience are six times more likely to have a great relationship with their manager. To build remote connections, organizations must encourage video conferences. Office parties can also be organized virtually. To build team rapport, leaders can engage employees in non-work activities such as trivia games, team video games, virtual happy hours, virtual birthday parties, peer chats, etc. Such activities will ensure that remote employees, too, feel engaged and connected with their workplace colleagues. 

#5 Prioritise Employee Well-Being

Organizations increasingly offer hybrid workplaces as employees hesitate to return to the office. Leaders are also willing to offer this flexibility because there is no significant productivity loss. This shift in the workplace has helped many companies to stop maintaining traditional office spaces, thus saving costs. However, there is no clear distinction between work and home, resulting in employee burnout and mental health issues. Thus, millennials prefer employers prioritizing mental-wellbeing and offering holistic compensation packages, including financial compensation and mental wellness initiatives. Companies that don’t address these employee needs have to deal with higher employee turnover, especially with the ‘Great Resignation’ happening worldwide. 

6. Offer Flexible Benefits 

In a hybrid workplace, all employees are entitled to equal perks and benefits regardless of their work location. Traditional office perks, such as free meals, on-site entertainment, designated parking spots, etc., are not enough anymore when employees work from home.HR leaders must look beyond financial benefits and create custom benefits programs partnering with retailers and holistic health and wellness providers. They have to innovate new benefits offerings to accommodate the evolving demands for the future of the work environment. Actively measuring employee experience will shed light on the effectiveness of the benefits strategy. 

7. Build Trust With Employee Feedback

Employees feel that their employers listen to them only if the companies are empathetic and caring to understand employee expectations. Even though organizations actively get employee feedback, only 45% of the workforce feels that their employees are acting on it. Taking actions based on feedback builds respect and trust in the employer-employee relationship. Managers and supervisors must actively listen to their team members and encourage them to communicate their concerns before problems arise. 

Conclusion

Organizations must look for innovative ways to implement employee engagement strategies in the hybrid workplace. Creating employee personas and prioritizing employee journeys will help in improving job satisfaction. HR leaders must reshape the workplace by shifting the focus toward a human-centric approach with flexible benefits, holistic employee well-being investments, and empathetic workplace culture.

About Batik

Batik is a comprehensive employee benefits and perks platform that enables employers to provide tailored benefits to their workforce. With Batik, employees can select from a wide range of benefits offerings, including financial assistance, insurance, gift cards, health and fitness programs, and more, that are aligned with their individual needs. 

By prioritizing employee feedback and preferences, organizations can leverage Batik to enrich the employee experience and create a more engaged, loyal, and productive workforce. Through Batik's flexible and customizable platform, employers can achieve higher employee satisfaction and retention rates while demonstrating their commitment to employee well-being.