Most business companies in the world today understand the importance of their customer experience as a parameter that predicts sales and market share. Everyone praises investing in the value of their customer experience and it has become an accepted success variable.
The premise is that if your customer is satisfied, with your product / service, the probability is high that he will return and purchase the same products / services. And will become a loyal customer – a first-rate economic asset for any business company.
But what contributes to an empowering customer experience?
In recent years, awareness of the phenomenon of burnout at work has increased. which gives its signals in the business sector in Europe and the USA. Therefore, the managers chose to focus on the parameter of the “employee experience”, i.e.: an employee who is in a state of burnout resulting from overwork (long working hours during the week and on the weekend), undersleeping (a situation in which sleeping hours less than the optimum) and all will project his mental state to the company’s “internal” customers (his co-workers) and external ones (customers, suppliers).
The burnout causes an increase in the number of days of the employee’s absence, a decrease in his productivity until he leaves the workplace in extreme cases. A Stanford University study found that stress at work caused $190 billion in expenses for the US economy as well as 120,000 deaths. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates the loss of productivity at work as a result of stress at a trillion dollars.
Burnout at work is a global epidemic. So how do you prevent burnout?
By strengthening the “Employee Experience EX”)
Its definition: How does the employee perceive his experience as an employee in the company from the moment he submits his job application until he leaves? We have a need as humans to go through positive experiences and realize our potential, and the workplace is a platform for self-realization. Therefore, it requires us to manage the experience that the employee has in the workplace.
What are the causes of burnout at work?
A survey conducted by the Gallup Institute among 7,500 full-time employees in the US found that over sixty percent of respondents experienced burnout always or often. The study identified five main reasons for creating burnout among employees:
1. Irrational treatment of an employee that includes discriminatory treatment, inconsiderate company policy, wage conditions that do not comply with the norms
2. Extreme uncontrollable workload
3. The lack of a clear job definition
4. Lack of support from the executive level
5. Unreasonably demanding schedules
Effectively dealing with the phenomenon of burnout requires a long-term holistic view that focuses on the employee’s experience.
How do you enhance the employee experience over time?
By adopting a managerial school of thought that advocates investing in a well-being program for employees/managers with the goal of enhancing the employee’s experience and satisfaction with the work environment. The resulting action is increasing the employee’s productivity.
The premise is:
A satisfied employee influences the creation of a satisfied customer
The corona crisis has highlighted the importance of well being in the list of important issues that preoccupies company management.
45% of employers increased the well being benefits of their employees in the last year
53% of employees believe that benefits that improve well being are important
60% of companies offer virtual solutions such as virtual fitness workshops for employees who function at home
50% offer programs to promote proper nutrition
what does that mean
1. The employee experience appears to be a critical parameter today in achieving the company’s goals
2. The plan is only successful if the company defines it as a long-term strategy
3. An effective well being program requires its implementation among managers and leaders in the organization and their transformation into change makers and opinion leaders
I know a senior manager at a leading international organization who took it upon himself to be a change maker in the organization by personally adopting the principles of the wellness program that his organization adopted through a specialized consulting firm in the field of wellness. He limited his working hours to nine hours a day, stopped working on the weekends , adopted proper nutrition habits and lost weight significantly, disconnected from the screens after the work day, made sure to go to bed every night at 10 pm, adopted a physical fitness program and more.
The bottom line is that he has become a role model in his organization.
The managers of the company must themselves implement their messages to their employees due to well being, what is called:
Walk your talk
And the change starts within you, employees are currently looking for authentic role models. Otherwise it will fai
4. Measurement over time. The effectiveness of the well being programs and how it affects the employee’s experience must be measured through periodic surveys. Improving the well being of the organization’s employees cannot be a matter of “routine and forget” but a systemic effort and long-term commitment
Burnout is not a disease but a phenomenon caused by systemic operative conditions in the workplace. Instead of accepting the attrition as a decree from heaven, one should focus on creating a positive employee experience.
The questions every employee and manager should ask are:
1. What is my work experience? Am I experiencing early signs of burnout at work?
2. What are the causes of my burnout at work?
3. What are the personal prices I pay due to attrition?
4. Are my managers aware of the problem? And if so, what is their strategy for reducing the attrition experience?
5. Is there awareness in society of the well being school?
6. Are there individual plans for implementing the well being of the employees?