Digital

Article

Technology & Operations

In a Hybrid World, Your

Tech Defines Employee
Experience
by Brad Anderson and Seth Patton
HBR / Digital Article / In a Hybrid World, Your Tech Defines Employee Experience

In a Hybrid World, Your Tech

Defines Employee Experience
by Brad Anderson and Seth Patton
Published on HBR.org / February 18, 2022 / Reprint H06UYB

Illustration by Sophie Douala

Over the past half decade, executives and leaders have thrown around
the phrase “every company is a tech company.” In 2022, this statement
hits even closer to home as the digital employee experience becomes
just as important as the physical one; with the pandemic putting more
pressure on aspects of work like well-being, culture and training, at a
time when the competition for talent is fierce.

Last year, The Great Reshuffle came into focus and put the employee
experience at the top of many corporate priorities this year. In January,

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HBR / Digital Article / In a Hybrid World, Your Tech Defines Employee Experience

the Labor Department shared that workers quit at a record level in

November 2021. They are now searching for the right job at the right
company with no rush to go back. Contrast this against more than 10
million job openings, and it’s clear that companies need to place more
emphasis on culture and employee experience.

One of the big questions many leaders are facing now is: how can we
meaningfully communicate, collaborate, and connect in a hybrid (or
remote) environment?

These new needs are driving the creation of new technology categories
to support workers — that go beyond the video call. And while
technology isn’t the only solution, it will have an important role to play
as companies look for new ways to win the competition for talent and
create a workplace where well-being and culture thrive.

This technological transition will require a mindset shift for IT and

business leaders alike — to consider how existing and emerging
technology can be used to rebuild culture in a remote and hybrid world.

Technology Defines the Employee Experience

As hybrid work becomes more prevalent, and employees become less

physically centralized, the traditional emphasis placed on in-office
perks is quickly diminishing. This dynamic is reshaping how companies
operate. Microsoft’s 2021 Work Trend Index found that 46% of the
workforce is relocating because they can now work remotely. And
employees feel so strongly about remote work that Qualtrics research
has shown that 35% of employees would be more likely to search for a
new job if they were required to return to the office full-time — further
putting pressure on employers to adapt accordingly.

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HBR / Digital Article / In a Hybrid World, Your Tech Defines Employee Experience

As this trend persists, the technology experiences that employers

provide will more or less define the employee experience — technology
and workplace tools are, for all intents and purposes, the new
workplace. As such, they’re becoming central in attracting and retaining
new talent, fostering workplace culture, creating productivity, and
more.

Yet, many employees are underwhelmed by their current technology

and remote work experiences. Qualtrics research found only 30% of
employees say their experience with their company’s technology
exceeds their expectations. Microsoft found that after a year of working
from home, 42% of employees say they lack essential office supplies at
home, and 1 in 10 don’t have an adequate internet connection to do
their job.

How employees communicate, collaborate, and connect are

fundamental qualities of the employee experience, and it’s critical that
employers get it right when it comes to how they facilitate these
interactions with technology. Employees are 230% more engaged and
85% more likely to stay beyond three years in their jobs if they feel they
have the technology that supports them at work, according to Qualtrics.
There is a range of downstream benefits that come from implementing
the right technology in the workplace, including fostering a culture of
inclusion, enabling organizations to adapt, and retaining top talent.

So where should employers begin their journey for improving digital

workplace experiences?

Understand the Experience Gaps

Experience data — measuring and understanding how employees feel

about a range of topics — is essential to building a productive and
attractive workplace in this new era. By pairing privacy-protected

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HBR / Digital Article / In a Hybrid World, Your Tech Defines Employee Experience

operational data, such as time spent in meetings per week or number of

messages sent, with experience data, employers can better understand
the full scope of the employee experience to make informed decisions
about how to improve the overall workplace experience. This approach
applies to digital experiences, too.

The first step is to understand what is impacting employee productivity

and collaboration.

Employers should start by asking employees if they have the right tools
and technology to do their jobs, especially in a hybrid or remote work
environment. Never assume. Microsoft’s Work Trend Index showed that
over 46% of employees say their companies do not help them with
remote work expenses — which should be a fundamental step in
helping employees be productive.

IT leaders should collaborate with HR on regular employee sentiment

pulses that are conducted at least quarterly. Add questions into these
pulses to ask what people think about the tools and software they use to
do their jobs effectively, and what other technology can help them be
more productive, whether from home or in an office. Once that
experience data is analyzed, there could be opportunities to modify
existing resources or processes, or invest in new ones that help different
teams feel more connected and engaged.

In addition to making sure employees have the right tools and tech, it’s
also important that companies understand if employees are at risk of
virtual meeting fatigue or burnout. An employee experience platform
can be used in this scenario to surface and analyze aggregate
operational and experience data to help leaders encourage healthy work
habits, and nudge employees to take action like incorporating more
focus time throughout the workweek.

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HBR / Digital Article / In a Hybrid World, Your Tech Defines Employee Experience

Take Action

A key finding of Microsoft’s recent Work Trend Index report

highlighting insights from frontline workers is that most say culture and
communication need to be better prioritized from the top. All
employees have valuable insights and feedback to share that could
improve the collective workplace experience, so it’s critical leaders look
at the complete picture rather than making decisions in a silo.

Employees want to know their feedback is valued and actively

considered, and they notice when employers are “talking the talk” but
not “walking the walk.” Therefore, once employers understand
opportunities to improve digital experiences, it’s key they also take
action toward closing any gaps. Furthermore, they need to be
transparent on priorities and progress along the way. Together,
communication and transparency create a positive feedback loop
moving forward.

To accomplish this, consider leveraging an employee experience

platform that seamlessly integrates with existing tools to digitally
reimagine company culture — creating connections, surfacing
knowledge and insights, capturing feedback, and providing
recommendations (and nudges to take action) — all in employees’
natural flow of work. Employee experience platforms, while not the only
answer, play a vital role in communicating culture across the
organization, increasing access to learning and supporting workers’
well-being.

It’s important to recognize that whatever changes are made likely won’t
be permanent. As the pandemic has shown us many times, change is
fluid and flexibility is key. Employers should continue to listen to what
their employees want and need — what’s working and what isn’t — and
adjust accordingly.

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HBR / Digital Article / In a Hybrid World, Your Tech Defines Employee Experience

Keep the Door Open

The technology we use changes frequently, so it’s critical employers

keep pace by giving employees a forum to provide feedback, continually
understanding how they are engaging with the tools offered to them,
and where to make improvements.

By showing employees that leaders consistently follow through on

opportunities to improve their digital workplace experiences, employers
set themselves apart as a great place to work amidst the war for talent,
thus improving recruiting and retention efforts.

If the pandemic has reminded us of anything, it’s that the future truly is
uncertain. But, by following the data, listening to our employees and
customers, and incorporating flexibility into everything we do, we
believe we can build a world of work that is better than any that’s come
before.

Brad Anderson is the President of Products and Services at

BA Qualtrics.

Seth Patton is the General Manager of Microsoft 365 and Microsoft

SP Viva.

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