One of the trends that is clear for end users when looking at employee experience technologies is that there is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Company size, budget, employee base, and demographics are all considerations, as are factors such as where EX initiatives are housed within the organization. There is nothing that is “typical” yet in this emerging area. Since the idea of EX has broadened, there are more team-based efforts that are not solely based in HR. Buyers’ groups and sponsors within an organization can consist of HR, operations, IT, research, and others.
Currently, large companies have a lot of solutions available to them. At the other end of the spectrum, there are not as many options for small and medium businesses (SMBs) even though those organizations often have the same types of problems. For both groups, there is everything from full-service, end-to-end solutions as well as simpler, do-it-yourself options.
To be set up for success, companies should invest time in exploring what is really needed and why, choosing a technology vendor that not only meets those needs but will be a good partner. Internally, organizations must ensure the structure is in place to act on whatever data is received via the technology chosen.
Preparation Work
A key factor in success is making sure a large part of your pre-work is done, even before contacting a technology vendor. One of the most crucial factors is making sure there is strong buy-in from the top levels of the organization, as well as clear ownership. Technology vendors report seeing a lot of interest in EX technologies over the past couple of years and often a company wants to implement EX technology quickly. However, what vendors are often not seeing is an ideal internal structure to launch, support, and “own” the process from start to finish.
If implementing EX technologies is not something a company has the internal resources for, this is a segment where many technology vendors offer services and consulting, or some companies go right to consultants who are white labeling technology.
Successful organizations put a lot of thought and energy into first assessing their needs, getting buy in across stakeholder groups and making sure the effort is aligned with company culture.
Potential actions:
- Identify the subpopulations within your company and know that needs will vary
- Identify primary employee pain points
- If it is related to feedback, make sure the organization understands where the organization is culturally in giving and getting feedback – be realistic
- Gather cross-functional stakeholders and sponsors, making sure to include employee viewpoints
- Communicate to employees the “why” behind any technology changes or listening programs
Questions an organization should consider:
- Do you need a tailored solution?
- Can you build onto something you already have?
- Do you have the bandwidth to take action?
- Is it something that is sustainable?
- Will there need to be internal data expertise, or will the tool be sufficient?
- How much help will you need? Will this be a DIY, or will support be needed?
End users interviewed by Dash Research suggested that when rolling out a new technology or program, a company should try to balance not taking on too much at once, versus looking toward future needs. Too much change to systems and processes can be hard for some employees and in turn, difficult for managers to oversee change management. However, the ability to invest in a system that can help you get to where you want to be in 2, 3, or 5 years could pay off, even if not all capabilities are being rolled out at once.
Choosing a Vendor
The employee experience technology ecosystem is broad, with a wide variety of providers and technology types.
Delving into employee experience needs a nuanced approach with, ideally, expertise in behavioral science or organizational psychology to help face the challenges currently occurring in the market.
The vendor relationship could prove to be an especially important one, and end users stress that a technology provider should be chosen that will be a partner that will provide attention past the sales process. Ease of use was also critical and those looking for a solution should have a good feel for what the user experience (UX) will be like both for their employees and the groups managing the systems.
Questions to consider include:
- If it is an off the shelf technology?
- Can it be customized for the right language and flexibility for a specific organization?
- Will the vendor support your internal processes, or try to fit you into theirs?
- Are there case studies and reference customers?
- Will there be a dedicated customer support representative?
- What is onboarding like and what ongoing training will be provided?
- What is the pricing structure for products and support services?
- How much is included in the offering versus what is an add-on?
- If it is a survey or listening tool, is it an unlimited response model?
- Can direct and indirect information come together?
- How open is the platform? Can you bring data in from other sources?
Taking Action and Post-Implementation Follow-Up
In the end, the success of the solution rests on what actions are taken and if the learnings are leveraged. Not pursuing action will erode trust and decrease engagement.
These programs and technologies can be iterative in nature, scaffolding off successes or failures in initial rollouts. Creating success centers for the chosen tool that offered ongoing training are extremely helpful to end users, as well as user communities (both internal and external).
Some post-implementation actions should include:
- Communicate to employees – follow up on what the initial intent was and provide frequent status
- For listening programs, give frequent readouts, particularly noting progress made or areas for improvement
- Ensure workflows are working expediently and people are getting the data they need
- Do not let programs stagnate – programs such as recognition & reward, social groups, and volunteering always get a great initial boost but need continued nurturing and visibility
Again, EX is not one-size-fits-all when it comes to technology, both for the company implementing it and for employees themselves. The market is still in earlier stages of maturity, and some companies will (and should) be tackling their primary focus areas with select tools, rather than end-to-end solutions. This makes the research, vetting, purchasing, and implementing processes wildly different for each enterprise but the points outlined above should remain true. A lot of EX efforts, while well-intended, are falling short due to poorly-defined objectives, lack of continuous internal support, or choosing a vendor that is not a great partner. Upfront work and ongoing commitment will help put companies on a path to success.
Author Information
As a detail-oriented researcher, Sherril is expert at discovering, gathering and compiling industry and market data to create clear, actionable market and competitive intelligence. With deep experience in market analysis and segmentation she is a consummate collaborator with strong communication skills adept at supporting and forming relationships with cross-functional teams in all levels of organizations.
She brings more than 20 years of experience in technology research and marketing; prior to her current role, she was a Research Analyst at Omdia, authoring market and ecosystem reports on Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and User Interface technologies. Sherril was previously Manager of Market Research at Intrado Life and Safety, providing competitive analysis and intelligence, business development support, and analyst relations.
Sherril holds a Master of Business Administration in Marketing from University of Colorado, Boulder and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Rutgers University.
