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The Value of the Digital Employee Experience
Vanson Bourne, a global technology market research company, conducted The Value of Digital Employee Experience survey in partnership with VMware in March-April 2019. The survey revealed employees not only expect their organization to implement cutting-edge technologies, but that HR and IT should work together to deliver an improved digital employee experience.
A total of 6,400 employees, IT and HR decision makers from 19 countries were asked about the overall success of their organization and their current digital employee experience related to 10 main factors. Based on their responses, the survey reported these five key findings.
1. Digital employee experience is linked to competitive position, company growth and employee sentiment.
There is strong correlation between a good digital employee experience and business success, as well as employee happiness at work and likelihood to recommend their organization to others. Leader/pioneer organizations are more likely to have more digital employee experience factors than those that are followers.
2. In a tight talent market, employee experience matters. Employees are far more likely to recommend their company (net promoter score) if it provides a greater digital experience.
Better digital experiences are important in attracting top talent as 73 percent of employees and HR respondents agreed having flexibility of tools would influence their decision to apply or accept a job. Organizations seen as promoters provide their employees with more digital experience factors than detractors.
3. There is a perception gap. Although employees believe IT could do more, IT is focused on delivery speed over employee satisfaction.
IT and employees have differing perceptions on what is being done to improve the employee experience. For instance, 95 percent of IT decision makers say they provide employees with the digital tools they need to be successful in their job, but only 42 percent of employees agree. There are conflicting priorities between IT and employees, specifically when it comes to speed of technology deployments and overall employee satisfaction.
4. The majority of respondents agree digital employee experience projects are rising in priority, but challenges exist and communication is lacking.
Digital employee experience projects are expected to continue to rise within the next 12 months, but 84 percent agree there are obstacles that still exist along the way. The top three challenges IT and HR identified were funding, time and lack of understanding about what employees want and need.
5. Employees want a voice, HR is an ideal conduit for expanding digital employee experience and next steps are clear.
The results show an overwhelmingly agreement that HR should play a larger role in the digital employee experience moving forward. However, respondents recognize HR can't do it alone with 89 percent saying IT and HR could work better together to improve the digital employee experience.