19.12.2019

UK businesses are struggling to create a clear and compelling employee experience strategy says study

Against a backdrop of Brexit, political turmoil and a global talent war, retaining the best staff to deliver a competitive advantage has become a crucial priority for many UK business leaders - however few know how to create and deliver the best employee experience, according to new research from Kincentric, a Spencer Stuart company.

According to the largest survey of its kind, spanning 1,300 HR professionals across 43 countries, Kincentric’s 2019 Global Employee eXperience (eX) Report assesses how organisations are taking steps to understand and improve their employees’ experiences across the employment lifecycle.

Its findings reveal that eight out of ten (79%) organisations believe that creating a great employee experience directly correlates to improved business performance – yet less than a third (28%) feel equipped to effectively plan and deliver this.

The report also suggests that as interest outpaces readiness, we can expect that more companies will be investing time and energy to improve their employee experience. More than 90% of organisations say it’s important, and just under half (44%) of respondents are currently working on improving the experience across key stages in the employee lifecycle, but these organisations need to close gaps in strategy, measurement and delivery to achieve the experience they want to create.

More than a quarter (28%) of the extraordinary organisations that lead by example are taking an agile approach to strategy, measurement and delivery of the employee experience, to design one that aligns to their business needs. Findings on these extraordinary organisations revealed:

As many as 84% have identified the employee segments and experiences that matter most to their business strategy
Over two thirds (67%) clarify their hypotheses, decision and actions before jumping into measurement
The key to success is to develop an experience strategy that focuses on business, behaviours and change readiness
Nearly three quarters (74%) are clear on the HR governance, roles and decisions to support the organisation in delivering the desired experience

Ken Oehler, Senior Partner and Leader of Kincentric’s Global Culture and Engagement Practice, said: “It’s time for organisations globally to get serious about their employee experience strategy. High-performing cultures come from highly engaged employees having meaningful experiences throughout the employee lifecycle.”

Jenny Merry, Market Leader for UK at Kincentric, said: "The current economic and political uncertainty in the UK means that attracting and retaining the best employees has never been as critical – or posed as many challenges – as it does today. Organisations also have to factor in the impact of digital transformation on current employees and always have an eye on what the future of work is going to mean in terms of the roles and skills needed to be successful.

“Companies are generally ready to invest significant amounts of time and budget in developing and implementing their customer experience strategies, yet are falling short when it comes to doing the same for their teams. By understanding and responding to the moments that matter to individual employees, such as their first day in the job or their first day back from parental leave, organisations can really create an engaged and productive workforce. Our findings have shown that despite widespread recognition of this, many businesses are failing to place this high on the corporate agenda or understand the approach and tools they can use to deliver it.”

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