Employee engagement is a concern for most business leaders, posing an even bigger challenge for those with an out-of-sight remote team.   The demand for strategies to engage distributed employees is clear as new studies continue to emerge, and conferences, like Running Remote 2019 which attracts remote CEO’s from around the world, grow in popularity. Focusing on the overall ‘employee experience’ may be key to attracting and retaining an engaged remote workforce.  

The Employee Experience is the sum of the perceptions employees have about their interactions with the company in which they work.  

It is developed over time from day-to-day experiences that relate to the overall positive or negative perception of an organization.  These experiences may include frustration with an unreliable internet connection or trying to work on an outdated Windows XP computer.   It impacts the way employees think about the work they do and the people they do it for.  

Here are 3 reasons more companies are choosing to focus on improving their Employee Experience:

1. Talent shortage

Employer’s are facing unfilled roles and decreased productivity as qualified talent gets increasingly harder to come by. In today’s virtual hiring environment, appealing to candidates takes more than easy to implement perks (like cake on your birthday) or a set of HR employment benefits.  Differentiating your company by prioritizing Employee Experience gives you an advantage in recruiting, and retaining, top talent.

1. Changing workforce

It is important to understand what matters most to the modern workforce.  Millennials (the majority of the workforce) want their career to be more than ‘just another job’, but a part of their holistic self. A recent study by LinkedIn shows that 86% would consider a pay cut to work for a company whose mission and values aligned with their own. Prioritizing an experiential workplace over financial rewards may help you to attract and engage them.

1. Access to information

Candidates want to know what they are signing up for prior to submitting a resume.  With the help of review sites, such as Glassdoor, potential applicants have the resources and know-how to learn about the work lives of your current and past employees. It should come as no surprise that having documented positive employee experiences increases the likelihood of applications being submitted.

There is no denying that standing out as an employer of choice in a virtual work environment is no easy feat.  Meaningful work, recognition programs and choice of workspace are just a few ways to begin improving the Employee Experience in your company.  Consider additionally surveying current employees, researching successful remote-first companies, and attending a focused event, like Running Remote, which covers every facet of building and managing a remote team. With the special promo code transformify, you get 20% off the ticket price.