Why the Digital Employee Experience Is the Key to Empowering the Workplace

You probably already know that happy employees are an excellent asset for a company, but have you ever wondered why, exactly? Recent studies have demonstrated that people are 12% more productive at work when they feel happy, satisfied, and appreciated. Happier staff also tend to remain in their jobs for longer, whereas up to 75% of unhappy workers often consider leaving their position, thus contributing to higher turnover rates. 

So, what’s the key to a happy, empowered, and fulfilled workforce? Well, there’s more than one answer to this question, but a crucial element to consider is your employee experience – more specifically, your digital employee experience.

But what is this all about, and what are its main benefits? Let’s find out more.

Understanding the digital employee experience

When talking about a topic such as digital transformation, many business owners often focus on the client’s perspective. While this is, of course, a vital aspect, there’s much more to digital transformation than offering super-advanced AI-powered customer service and similar solutions.

Yes, we are talking about your employees. They, too, should be one of the main recipients (and users) of cutting-edge technologies that boost their performance, assist them in their daily tasks, and take some of the burden of lower-value, busy work off their shoulders.

And that’s what we mean by “digital employee experience” (DEX): the ability of a company to empower its staff with the digital tools it needs to perform at its best. The beauty – and importance – of DEX is that it can be implemented across your entire organization.

Whether it’s about installing new ACD systems for your contact center people, financial analysis software for your accounting team, or advanced tracking solutions for your logistics department, technology can help in a myriad of ways – and a solid DEX can take your company to the next level.

Key pillars of DEX

If you’re thinking: “Well, I have lots of digital tools in place, yet my workforce doesn’t seem motivated or productive enough”, then we have some bad news. Technology alone won’t enable you to create a stellar DEX.

What you need is a range of features to go with your tools, and the ability and willingness to support your staff throughout each phase of the process.

Specifically, these are the most crucial elements of a great DEX:

• User interface and user experience: Before implementing a new tech tool, you need to carefully consider things such as its usability, user-friendliness, intuitiveness, and functionality.
• Personalization: We all love it when things fit us like a glove. The same applies to your employees and the digital tools they use. Ensure that they’re easily customizable so they can truly support every single one of them.
• Integration with other tech: There’s no point implementing a fantastic digital solution if it then takes your staff twice as much time to complete a task because that solution is not integrated with the other platforms they use. Bear this in mind when selecting your tech stack.
• High performance and reliability: Again, just because a specific solution seems to currently be trending, or just because your competitors are using it, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you should follow suit. Before making your decision, consider whether the tool works as it should, performs to high standards, and is as reliable as possible.
• Training and support: Whether you are upgrading an existing solution that your employees are already familiar with, or implementing a brand new tool such as a cloud calling service by Vonage, you can’t expect your staff to be completely proficient overnight. Make sure that you offer them plenty of training and support, so everyone can make the best use of whichever digital tool you are introducing.

Top benefits of DEX

Now you know what DEX is and what its key features are, it’s time to check out some of the most impressive benefits that it can help you achieve.

Boosting employee productivity

One of the main advantages of a fantastic DEX is the possibility to dramatically boost your employee productivity. The reasons include:

• Better (and faster) task management: Some daily activities – whether perceived as low- or high-value – need employees to set aside considerable time for completion. That’s where technology can come into play, allowing staff to greatly improve the way they handle tasks, as well as the outcomes they achieve.
• Quicker issue resolution: Gone are the days when employees needed to wait for a colleague to physically get over to their desk whenever an issue arose, whether related to IT, admin, or specific projects. With technology like a cloud telephone system or an online communication platform, employees across different departments – and, sometimes, even different locations – can interact and fix problems quickly and efficiently.
• Focus shift: If, in the past, your employees’ to-do list included a seemingly never-ending array of low-value tasks (such as admin, note-taking, and manual updates to documents or databases), the right type of technology can allow for a huge focus shift. This means that staff will now be able to dedicate themselves fully to what matters most – such as customer support and communication, product development, and the personalization of upcoming marketing campaigns. Ultimately, this enhances overall productivity, while also making employees feel more valued, satisfied, and instrumental to the company’s success.

Strengthening your company’s brand identity

The use of digital tools to support and empower your workforce can have a positive ripple effect not only on your employee experience, but on your company’s brand identity, too. Consistent, authentic, and memorable branding is essential for a company to be successful.

For this to happen, it’s vital to employ a range of digital tools that allow you – and your entire workforce – to ensure that the same message, tone of voice, and values are expressed consistently across all your different channels.

As we mentioned earlier, though, it’s paramount to offer your staff adequate support and training when it comes to using these technologies to their best. Only doing so will help them transform from simple, “neutral” employees into brand ambassadors for your company, empowered to showcase your uniqueness to the world.

Supporting remote and hybrid practices

If you’re like most companies in the US and elsewhere, the chances are that at least a portion – if not all – of your employees work either remotely or follow a hybrid model. Arguably, one of the greatest challenges when managing a remote workforce is the ability to foster connection and authentic communication amongst your staff.

Digital tools can support you with this, from recruitment all the way to training and development of existing members of the staff. Leveraging a skills management platform in this context can streamline the alignment of talent development with strategic business objectives, facilitating a more agile and responsive workforce.

Consider implementing technologies for digital onboarding, as well as communication and collaboration tools, workflow and project management platforms, and time management trackers.

Driving stellar customer experiences

It may not be immediately obvious, but when your employees are happy, that makes your customers happy, too. A motivated, empowered, and fulfilled employee is a lot more likely to provide valuable, empathetic, and high-quality service to customers.

If your entire workforce feels more positive about the work they do, this will enable you to create an excellent customer experience across all the different touch points.

Enhancing competitiveness and profitability

A solid DEX strategy will put you at the forefront of digital changes and innovations, enabling your team to get familiar with the latest and greatest technologies. As a business with not only the best technologies, but a skilled and committed workforce who knows exactly how to make the most of those technologies, you’re in a great place to overtake your competitors.

In a similar fashion, when employees are proficient in the use of technologies that empower and support them, they tend to be more productive. The bottom line? Your profitability levels may increase significantly.

Digital employee experience: Key takeaways

Great digital experiences are not just limited to your customers: they should be incorporated to benefit your workforce, too.

From sharpening your competitive edge to enabling exceptional customer service and experience, there are plenty of reasons why you should create an exceptional digital employee experience within your company.

In our article, we reviewed some of the most compelling ones, as well as helping you understand what the most crucial features of a DEX are. Get ready for boosted profitability, happier employees, and an overall thriving business, with a stellar digital employee experience supporting your organization!