Digital Employee Experience

2024. 03. 23.
20:25 Digital Employee Experience: A Definitive Guide for 2024 - AIHR
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Digital Employee Experience: A

Definitive Guide for 2024
Written by Andrea Boatman  14 minutes read
Digital employee experience has become a progressively larger and more

integral part of the overall employee experience, especially with the Subscribe to our
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expansion of remote and hybrid work options. Employees now expect well- Newsletter?
orchestrated technology that enables them to do their jobs easily and
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successfully.
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Let’s explore the benefits and challenges of digital employee experience and
how HR can reinforce one that supports the organization’s business success.
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Contents
What is digital employee Digital employee experience Contents


Digital Employee 
experience? components
Experience: A Definitive
https://www.aihr.com/blog/digital-employee-experience/ 1/17
2024. 03. 23. 20:25 Digital Employee Experience: A Definitive Guide for 2024 - AIHR
Digital employee experience experience Guide for 2024
examples
Creating your digital employee What is digital employee
experience?
What are the objectives of digital experience strategy: 10 tips
Digital employee
employee experience?
experience components
FAQ
Digital employee
Common challenges of
experience examples
prioritizing digital employee
What are the objectives
of digital employee
What is digital employee experience? experience?
Common challenges of
prioritizing digital
Digital employee experience (DEX) reflects how effectively people interact employee experience
with their workplace digital tools, allowing them to be engaged, proficient, Creating your digital
employee experience
and productive.
Relevant

Since both office and frontline employees of essentially every industry must
Articles
use technology to do their jobs, DEX is key to the overall employee

experience, along with factors such as an inclusive environment, meaningful
work, and growth opportunities.
DEX includes interfacing with technologies for:
Workflow and productivity (project management, analytics, customer

relations)
Communication and collaboration (email, instant messaging, phone

calls, video conferencing)
Learning (official trainings and professional development)
HR systems (self-service access to policies, compensation, PTO, and

performance management information, etc.)
People are accustomed to counting on seamless technology in their personal

lives and expect the same level of digital effortlessness in their workspace. If
employees find it taxing to access information or complete daily tasks with
the provided tools, it can negatively influence their rapport with your
organization.
HR’s role is instrumental in shaping a great digital employee experience. HR 
professionals have the opportunity to connect with employees and align with
other business functions. With this exposure to everyone’s views, HR is in the

position to identify and promote where and how digital tools can make a
difference in business outcomes.
Digital employee experience

components
Just having digital tools in place is not enough to create a good digital
employee experience. The tools must be accessible and operate effectively to
generate the kind of interactions with employees that build a positive DEX.
The following digital employee experience components are the key to doing
so:
User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX): DEX starts with how
straightforward and pleasing the workplace technology is to use. Digital
platforms and tools must be intuitive, functional, and visually inviting
for employees to perceive them well.
Just one of these elements is not enough. An app that looks good but
constantly crashes or a platform that has well-organized content but is
confusing to navigate will form negative DEX interactions.
Technology performance: How well devices connect to the internet

and tools perform impacts employee efficiency. Speed, reliability, and
responsiveness are the foundation for user satisfaction and determine
how quickly tasks get done.
Integration and interoperability: Most employees will need to use

more than one digital tool or platform to perform their jobs. The extent
to which these work together seamlessly can streamline work or slow
down productivity. Integration that allows automatic data transfer
between tools reduces errors and means employees don’t waste time
manually entering data.
Personalization and customization: Employees have a better DEX 
when digital tools meet their individual needs and preferences.
Predictive analytics and algorithms that curate personalized

experiences based on an employee’s typical use of the tool reduce the
effort they must put in. Choices that allow employees to tailor the look
and function of their tools also improve the digital employee
experience.
Support and training: If employees don’t know how to use technology

to its full potential, it won’t necessarily benefit them. Training and
support must be available to help employees learn how to navigate
digital tools and take advantage of everything they have to offer.
Digital employee experience

examples
What does DEX look like in practice? Here are two real-life examples of how
digital employee experience management transforms business and impacts
overall EX.
Digital internal communication at Toolstation
Toolstation is a global building materials and tools company that sells

products online and from its various European branches. Internal
communications were a challenge with so many distributed retail and
warehouse employees. Since 80% didn’t have a company email address, they 
didn’t have direct access to information being shared by management.
Intending to have a culture of open and transparent communication,

Toolstation leaders wanted to keep all colleagues informed and updated. The
company implemented an internal communication app specifically for
deskless workers that everyone could access and engage with. It’s also used
for onboarding, chat, surveys, and events.
Now, with over 90% of employees connected to a centralized communication

source for essential information, Toolstation has a more engaged and
informed workforce.
Embracing DEX at Accenture
Accenture is an Irish-American Fortune Global 500 company specializing in IT

services and consulting. Leaders wanted to inspire employees to embrace the
ways of a digital workplace and provide them with a seamless, tailored digital
experience.
This meant the following:
Prioritizing the digital employee experience by developing a Digital

Experience Score to spur conversations and actions that can improve
the experience and using video productions to communicate with
digital workers.
Providing versatile options for technologies, tools, and support to meet

the varying needs of Accenture’s 721,000 employees.
Adopting a robust approach to change centered on behavior. This

means explaining why certain technology is necessary and how it
delivers value so users are more inclined to adopt changes in their
workflows.
Accenture’s approach to DEX has resulted in widespread adoption of

technologies, including:
Internal digital worker site: 24,000 monthly visits
Mobile devices: 518,000 in use


Support portal: 1.1 million monthly visits
Streamed videos: 3.8 million minutes per month
People across the organization are using the available resources to automate
their work and find solutions on their own to be more productive.
What are the objectives of digital

employee experience?
Improving digital employee experience empowers your employees and
benefits your organization. When employees’ digital interactions make their
tasks simpler, they are more satisfied and productive to better support
achieving business goals.
The benefits of a good DEX include:
Enabling the remote and hybrid workplace
Many companies have embraced a remote or hybrid work model and are
sticking with it. A recent State of the Digital Workplace study showed that
“mostly or entirely” remote businesses have increased to 13% from 10% in
the past year. Meanwhile, the share of businesses operating in a hybrid
environment has been 60%.
People now expect flexible and remote work options but still want to feel
connected and valued. They need tools and technologies that allow them to
work from various locations using multiple devices with secure and fast
connections. A solid DEX is necessary to reinforce this.
Improved overall employee experience
As mentioned above, DEX impacts the overall EX and can support employee
engagement. Research by Forrester Consulting showed that 53% of US
remote workers wish to continue working virtually at least part of the time.
Staff who have access to useful digital tools are more likely to stay with the
company. This boosts your retention rate.
What’s more, satisfied employees who offer word-of-mouth

recommendations that your company is a great place to work can boost your
reputation as an employer of choice.
Don’t forget that digital interactions must be available to all employees. For
example, tools that can only be used on a desktop computer located in the
office will alienate employees who spend their day on the road or in a
manufacturing assembly line capacity. A DEX that offers access to resources
employees need via mobile devices ensures that no one feels excluded or
encumbered.
Enhanced productivity
Many factors influence your employees’ productivity, but certainly, having

sufficient tools to perform their jobs is one critical aspect.
Without technology that simplifies and streamlines tasks, employees must 
devote time and energy to navigating inadequate systems, waiting for IT help,
or concocting ways to complete daily tasks. This causes frustration and slows
down their output.
According to the Forrester research, 64% of organizations with a mature DEX

strategy have reduced service desk ticket volumes. This frees up IT teams to
focus on more value-adding business needs.
Providing easy-to-use technology brings efficiency to your employees’ day,

resulting in more work getting done. For instance, a Dutch shipping company
Anthony Veder Group implemented an online dashboard for managing its
vessels to replace a paper-based process. Employees can now see everything
they need in real-time on one screen, saving considerable time.
Higher profitability
Happy employees are more productive, and productive employees ultimately

help your business make more money. In fact, an analysis done by Fortune
showed that companies with employees who enjoy working for them show
stronger financial performance.
Enhancing your DEX will contribute to an engaged workforce, positively

impacting your bottom line.
Better customer experience
J.W. Marriott, the founder of hospitality giant Marriott International, has said,
“Take care of associates, and they’ll take care of your customers.”
Research shows that employee experience and customer experience are

interlinked, so companies with great EX outperform their competitors. When
employees feel empowered and valued, they are more inclined to believe in
your brand. Then their encounters with customers are bound to, directly and
indirectly, reflect an optimistic attitude. This leaves customers with a more
satisfying interaction and a favorable view of your company.
Common challenges of prioritizing

digital employee experience 
Implementing a positive digital experience isn’t an easy process. Being aware

of the obstacles you’ll face can help you prepare for it.
The challenges associated with addressing an organization’s DEX include:
Cost
Creating a good DEX requires a significant financial investment, and it also

demands time and effort. To obtain the necessary budget and resources, you
will have to justify how the upfront investment will result in short and long-
term payoffs.
The previously mentioned State of the Digital Workplace study reports that
40% of the 1,350 executives and practitioners surveyed rated “budget
constraints” as the most significant barrier to a digital workplace. This is up
from 29% in the previous year.
Stakeholder buy-in
You may need to overcome the natural resistance to stray from the legacy of
how things have always been done. Convincing leadership that digital
transformation is necessary enough to approve the budget is one hurdle.
You may also have to do some selling to employees initially until they learn
how to use the technology effectively enough to make their work easier.
Building the right tech stack
You need to select suitable technology that will support both your employees
and organizational goals. The tools and systems must also integrate to
streamline, not complicate, your employees’ digital experience.
Change management
Multiple changes and shifts will accompany digital implementation. Not only
will employees need to be trained, but workflows and business processes will
have to be modified. This organizational transformation will require careful
planning and adaptability.

Creating your digital employee

experience strategy: 10 tips
Each organization will have its own path to unlocking a great digital employee
experience, and there are many components you’ll need to focus on.
Consider the following best practices as you plan for and proceed with the
digital transformation at your organization:
1. Adopt a user-centric design approach
Embrace a design-thinking approach that prioritizes the best interests of

employees. Digital tools are there to serve the employees, not the other way
around. To put it differently, successful digital employee experience platforms
should address employees’ pain points. There should be an emphasis on
intuitive, user-friendly interfaces that support work processes but also
generate a satisfying user experience.
Start the digital transformation journey by gathering employee feedback to

understand the pros and cons of their current daily experience. Also, study
any relevant analytics at your disposal and use surveys, focus groups, or
interviews for staff from each department. What is working for them with the
tools they already have, and what isn’t? What would equip them to work more
efficiently?
By involving employees in the design and testing phases you can ensure that
the technology meets their needs and expectations and makes their lives
easier. Any digital initiative that doesn’t prioritize a positive impact on the
employee experience will fail to achieve its intended purpose.
2. Define what you want to achieve
You need to create a vision for the direction of your DEX and how it fits within
the broader EX at your organization. This starts with the right questions to
establish what the goals are:
How will DEX support your business goals?


What digital tools are needed?
What type of technology do you want to implement? (Add self-service

functions, automate processes, improve asynchronous communication,
etc.)
What type of training will employees need to be able to use the tools?
How will the changes that affect workflow be handled?
What are the indicators of success, and how will they be measured?
Your organization will need to make many decisions to deliver a sound DEX,
so a clear roadmap will help you evaluate options and challenges as they
occur throughout the process.
[IMAGE]
3. Communicate your vision
A new DEX requires the investment of both financial and human resources, as
well as interdepartmental coordination. This means you will need to get buy-
in at all levels. Even the most thoughtfully constructed digital employee
experience strategy can fail when there is cynicism and a lack of support
throughout the organization.
Starting with support from senior leadership can speed up decision-making

throughout the process. You also need transparent communication down to
the grassroots level to ensure the success of your DEX.
Come up with an “elevator pitch” of one clear, concise sentence that sums up
your DEX strategy. Getting this narrative spread throughout the company can
familiarize everyone with the concept and get them talking about it.
Being clear about the benefits of DEX for employees and what it will
accomplish for the company will build consensus. With communication and
collaboration to update everyone at each stage of the process, they will
understand what is changing, why it’s changing, and ultimately, how the
change impacts them.
4. Assemble a cross-functional team 
A holistic view of your workforce provides a better understanding of where

opportunities exist to better equip employees through digital tools. For this
reason, a cross-functional team of individuals who offer different
perspectives should take ownership of executing the DEX improvement
strategy in an effective and timely manner.
The team can include HR as the lead, internal communications to promote

the process, IT to implement the tools, and key employees to test the tools
and advocate for the digital experience throughout the company.
A cohesive team can align competing priorities and bring results that improve
DEX instead of leaving gaps that are obvious to your employees. Indeed, 89%
of employees think that “IT and HR could work better together to improve the
digital employee experience.“
5. Research and choose the technology
Introducing new technology affects workflow as everyone adapts to it. In

other words, you need to make sure that the tools you’re implementing serve
their purpose and are worth the time and money invested. A digital
workplace that enables efficiency but isn’t too complicated is ideal.
Mobile technology makes communication and information accessible to

everyone and creates a more cohesive work environment. This is especially
important if your organization has deskless workers who may not feel
connected otherwise.
Compare several alternatives and do demos and trials before making the final
decision. Protecting your employee’s data is crucial. Therefore, be sure to
understand how vendors approach data privacy and security.
It is equally important to look for options that allow customization and

personalization to suit the needs of various teams. Additionally, your tools
should integrate to provide a seamless user experience.
Coordinating the research and selection of the technology doesn’t have to be

up to HR alone, but you should certainly be involved.

6. Don’t expect to transform everything at once

Trying to rush digital innovation can cause confusion and resistance. You can
balance efficiency with preserving DEX by breaking changes down into
smaller portions.
Don’t implement all the new tools at once; just start with one. Go project by
project with ample support and a degree of flexibility. This allows you to learn
as you go through your employee’s real-life use of the tools. Also, it enables
you to manage your HR budget effectively.
7. Provide sufficient training
Set employees up for success from the start. Support them during training
with technical assistance and an environment where making mistakes is
acceptable and asking for help is welcomed. It will speed up the technology
adoption process. Without proper training, there’s a risk that your employees
won’t be able to navigate the new system and end up discouraged.
Here are some ideas to consider for supplying your employees with the kind
of training that supports DEX:
Choose an appropriate training format: Find which methods have

functioned well in the past and provide choices for varying technical
skill levels. It may work well to train one person from each team who
can manage and customize the training for their fellow team members.
Have well-organized rollout methods with realistic deadlines: Help

employees understand precisely what you expect of them while giving
them enough time to adapt to the new way of doing things.
Prioritize training: Enhance employee skills by providing

comprehensive training on new technology. Ensure that this training is
part of their work schedule, rather than an additional expectation on
their personal time.
Incentivize training: Find rewards that you know will motivate your
employees to complete the training. For example, you can offer prizes,
time off, or free meals.

8. Measure digital employee experience
The best way to determine the success of your DEX strategy is by getting your
employees’ honest feedback. If employees are having difficulties, strive to
understand them. You will be able to identify the problems that employees
believe need to be addressed most, and they will appreciate the steps taken
to make improvements.
Again, you can use pulse surveys, interviews, and other feedback methods to
measure your DEX.
Determine what your baseline is and benchmark your data. Measure this
regularly, so you can identify:
Areas of the digital investment that work
Any areas that are underperforming, and why
Adjustments to the DEX strategy you need to make
When you can deliver improvements.
Another method for assessing your DEX is to monitor technology

performance. Tracking end-user and system data can help you be proactive in
identifying potential problems that may impact employees’ experience with
the tools. Factors to consider may include app performance and latency time.
LEARN MORE
Measuring Employee Experience: A Practical Guide for 2024
9. Work on improvements
Your data will help you not only see the pain points but also identify what you
can enhance or fine-tune. Of course, DEX is a process that goes well beyond
the implementation phase. So don’t focus only on creating the experience but
also on managing and improving your digital workplace.
Technology is bound to continue evolving, so you will need to progress and

shape your DEX on an ongoing basis.
10. Maintain a balance between automation and

human interaction 
Preserving a human element during digital transformation efforts goes a long

way toward providing a constructive DEX. Ensure that digital tools don’t
isolate employees or teams from each other. Encourage both face-to-face
video conferencing and in-person interactions.
People also need to know who to contact with questions. Being able to speak
to someone directly and be heard can ease frustration and bring resolution
through a supportive human connection.
Summing it up
When technology supports and empowers people to do their jobs, it has a

positive impact on their employee experience and your business. Investing in
DEX is crucial for keeping up with the demands of a rapidly evolving digital
landscape and meeting employees’ needs.
HR’s role is indispensable in delivering an employee-centric DEX that inspires

an engaged and productive workforce. In the long run, such a workforce is
ready to help your organization achieve its goals.
FAQ
What is the digital experience of employees? 
How can digital employee experience be improved? 
How to measure digital employee experience? 
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to stay up-to-date with the latest HR news,
trends, and resources.
Andrea Boatman
Andrea Boatman is a former SHRM certified HR manager with a degree in English


who now enjoys combining the two as an HR writer. Her previous positions were
held with employers in the education, healthcare, and pension consulting

industries.
Learn more
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2024. 03. 23.

20:25 Digital Employee Experience: A Definitive Guide for 2024 - AIHR

Home / Employee Experience / Digital Employee Experience: A Definitive...

Digital Employee Experience: A

Digital employee experience has become a progressively larger and more

What is digital employee Digital employee experience Contents

Digital employee experience experience Guide for 2024

use technology to do their jobs, DEX is key to the overall employee

DEX includes interfacing with technologies for:

Workflow and productivity (project management, analytics, customer

Communication and collaboration (email, instant messaging, phone

Learning (official trainings and professional development)

HR systems (self-service access to policies, compensation, PTO, and

People are accustomed to counting on seamless technology in their personal

HR’s role is instrumental in shaping a great digital employee experience. HR 

other business functions. With this exposure to everyone’s views, HR is in the

Technology performance: How well devices connect to the internet

Integration and interoperability: Most employees will need to use

Personalization and customization: Employees have a better DEX 

when digital tools meet their individual needs and preferences.

Predictive analytics and algorithms that curate personalized

Support and training: If employees don’t know how to use technology

Digital employee experience

Digital internal communication at Toolstation

Toolstation is a global building materials and tools company that sells

didn’t have direct access to information being shared by management.

Intending to have a culture of open and transparent communication,

Now, with over 90% of employees connected to a centralized communication

Embracing DEX at Accenture

Accenture is an Irish-American Fortune Global 500 company specializing in IT

This meant the following:

Prioritizing the digital employee experience by developing a Digital

Providing versatile options for technologies, tools, and support to meet

Adopting a robust approach to change centered on behavior. This

Accenture’s approach to DEX has resulted in widespread adoption of

Internal digital worker site: 24,000 monthly visits

Mobile devices: 518,000 in use

Streamed videos: 3.8 million minutes per month

What are the objectives of digital

The benefits of a good DEX include:

Enabling the remote and hybrid workplace

Improved overall employee experience

What’s more, satisfied employees who offer word-of-mouth

Many factors influence your employees’ productivity, but certainly, having

Without technology that simplifies and streamlines tasks, employees must 

According to the Forrester research, 64% of organizations with a mature DEX

Providing easy-to-use technology brings efficiency to your employees’ day,

Happy employees are more productive, and productive employees ultimately

Enhancing your DEX will contribute to an engaged workforce, positively

Better customer experience

Research shows that employee experience and customer experience are

Common challenges of prioritizing

Implementing a positive digital experience isn’t an easy process. Being aware

The challenges associated with addressing an organization’s DEX include:

Creating a good DEX requires a significant financial investment, and it also

Building the right tech stack

Creating your digital employee