Panelists on the 2023 Apartmentalize session, “Becoming an Employee Experience (EX) Organization” discussed the evolving needs of employees in the rapidly changing work environments and explored some fresh strategies for fostering EX cultures.
“Until the last couple of years, companies weren’t actually focusing on employee experience,” says Wesley Aleshire, Vice President, Learning & Development at South Oxford Management. “When problems existed, employers addressed them with employee engagement, but that’s not a replacement for EX.”
Aleshire notes that multifamily is in the midst of the “Great Employee Experience Awakening,” and many companies have indicated EX is a top priority over the next three years.
Not to be confused with the shorter, sweeter employee engagement, EX is all about long-term benefits and how employees are treated and cultivated within a company. Modern employees want to feel valued, respected and that they have a voice. These are foundational components of a positive workplace culture.
Six stages exist within the employee experience lifecycle: attract, hire, onboard, engage, develop, exit. To create a successful EX organization, it’s critical to assess each step in the employee journey and be intentional about how to execute a strategy that aligns with and highlights the company culture.
“The hiring process can give either a really good taste or a really bad taste to potential employees right off the bat,” says Heather Jones, President & Founder at GROW. “Money isn’t everything, and I can say that based on personal experience. If employers create a really good corporate culture and are intentional about it, employees are going to be personally and professionally fulfilled, and they’re going to want to stick with a company long term.”
Jones and Aleshire agree the best workplace cultures are intentional. A key piece of that intentionality is delving into the granular details of how to engage and develop employees to keep them motivated and excited about work.
Employers can’t just talk the talk – modern employees will see right through that. Employers also need to walk the walk, and that’s how they can make a substantial difference within a company and create the type of workplace environment that stimulates and fulfills employees.
Ultimately, both employee engagement and experience translate into employee retention. Jones notes it’s important to always ask for feedback in each phase of the EX lifecycle and create something measurable with that data. And the exit interview is far more important than the first interview and will reveal much more about the employee experience.
“We’ve got to adapt to people – not expect them to adapt to us,” Aleshire says. “Employees need that flexibility, adaptability and purpose. If they have that, they’ll be more likely to be happy with a company and stay.”
Morgan Dzak is an Account Manager for LinnellTaylor Marketing.