What is employee experience?

Employee experience is a worker’s perceptions about his or her journey through all the touchpoints at a particular company, starting with job candidacy through to the exit from the company. The company’s physical workspace, culture and technology are all important components of the employee experience, which is often abbreviated as EX.

Just as customer experience (CX) is the catch-all term that covers all consumer experiences with a brand, EX covers any and all employee experiences at an organization. Essentially, employees are now seen as the “customers” of an organization. This is particularly true in departments that are responsible for elements of company culture, like communications, HR and IT.

Why is employee experience important?

Designing a powerful employee experience isn’t simply a box to check for the HR team — it can also have a significant impact on many aspects of an organization. Company leaders recognize this influence, which is why nearly 80 percent of executives rate employee experience as very important or important. Below is an overview of areas that are affected by employee experience.

The most successful organizations attract and retain top talent. When the economy is good, the competition for top talent is highly competitive and the need for effective talent acquisition and retention grows. During difficult times, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and recession, attention to employee experience can help companies become more competitive and prevent the worst repercussions.