A holistic approach to employee experience

The last 18 months accelerated the need to provide tailored, connected, and on-demand employee experiences. As organisations return to work, some employees will phase back into physical locations, while others will continue to work remotely.

As these business environments evolve and change, so too will the expectations, needs, and preferences of the workforce. In short, it is time to modernise how organisations approach employee experience to meet the present and future needs of employees. This is good for workers, and for a company’s bottom line.

The workforce was changing even before the pandemic

It may seem like most of the changes in the workforce only happened in the past year, but there are many instances of change occurring even before the pandemic. Business critical workplace priorities such as payroll compliance, data privacy, pay equity, wage theft and underpayment all precede the pandemic, and must be addressed when creating a positive employee experience.  

Technology has a key role to play in helping organisations tackle these workplace priorities that have become table stakes in the war for talent. Employers need to think about how they are interacting with their employees, from before they are hired to after they leave the company, and about the value they’re providing in between.

Delivering a unified employee experience in the new world of work

The dispersed workforce – which includes remote employees and those working in physical locations – promises greater access to talent and more individual flexibility. Technology is critical to ensure a level playing field for all employees, and a consistent experience regardless of where an employee works.

According to Ceridian’s 2021-2022 Executive Survey, 71% of respondents say they will hire more remote employees in the next two years, with 63% saying that they will hire outside of their country. It is clear the work ’place’ is changing. Employers need to provide a unified and consistent experience for all. One way to do this is by using a central hub to better communicate with employees about company policies and updates to ensure everyone is well informed. 

Forward-thinking leaders must approach the employee experience in a holistic way, rather than in parts. This is where an integrated human capital management (HCM) solution comes in. For example, many organisations have already implemented recruitment and onboarding systems to hire and welcome employees remotely.

“Forward-thinking leaders must approach the employee experience in a holistic way, rather than in parts.” – Rob Squires, VP Regional Head of Sales, Asia & Japan, Ceridian

Organisations can take it a step further with a modern Learning Management System enabling their employees to take part in educational training and upskilling opportunities, including necessary certifications, from anywhere at any time.

Leveraging a holistic workforce management system, managers can easily keep track of time, attendance, scheduling, and payroll, ensuring employees get paid accurately and on time, reducing the risk of underpayment.

An integrated HCM platform addresses gaps between HR processes by making sure all systems work together seamlessly while giving employees a unified experience. Because all parts are connected, business leaders get a full view of their employee lifecycle, helping them identify and mitigate risks.

Leading toward the future

Employees are expecting a better-designed experience and, importantly, are paying attention to how these experiences are delivered. Mobile technology is a key part of building a tailored and connected experience for employees and will continue to be an imperative in the future as workforces become more remote.

Leaders who respond effectively to meet changing employee needs and build valuable experiences for their workforce will benefit from the ability to more easily attract, engage, and retain top talent.

By Rob Squires, VP Regional Head of Sales, Asia & Japan, Ceridian. Join Ceridian at HR Tech Festival Asia Online 2021 on Wednesday, September 22 at 12.10pm (SGT), where they will be making a presentation titled Winning the War for Talent: Modernising Employee Experience Through Technology.