‘Employee experience’ in the spotlight as companies eye post-pandemic growth

THE PERCENTAGE of firms prioritizing employee experience has jumped to 95% as organizations look to post-pandemic growth, advisory firm Willis Towers Watson said, citing the results of a survey.

The 2021 Employee Experience Survey of 91 Philippine firms in April found that enhancing employee experience over the next three years has become important for more organizations, compared to just 65% before the pandemic.

Most organizations believe that positive employee experiences will drive engagement, productivity, overall business performance, and employee well-being.

Willis Towers Watson said that organizations quickly moved to remote work and made job and pay cuts during the pandemic, which the advisory firm said took a toll on employee experiences for many organizations. More than half reported the negative impact of the pandemic on employee experience.

“Whether it’s due to employer actions such as pay reductions and layoffs or because of virtual work and personal hardships for some, the pandemic exposed shortfalls in the employee experience at many organizations. Many employers are not equipped to deal with these challenges,” Willis Towers Watson Philippines Employee Insights Leader Lemuel P. Briones said.

“Our study reveals that 40% of organizations have undefined or a basic approach to the employee experience that is not aligned to the business strategy.  Enhancing the employee experience has therefore become an imperative for organizations and it’s one that will take time.”

Willis Towers Watson said that many organizations are not ready to meet new challenges.

While 87% of employers recognize that a hybrid work model will be needed for many roles, only 61% are flexible about where or when work gets done. A total of 70% are reimagining careers in response to changes in how work is done.

To improve the employee experience, 76% of the organizations said that they must change leadership competencies over the next three years. Just 42% of organizations identify senior leadership effectiveness at managing change as a major strength.

The surveyed firms represent around 483,000 employees. — Jenina P. Ibañez