The role of internal comms in shaping employee experience

The concept of the Employee Experience is still a pretty new one and because of that it can mean different things to different people. Those of us schooled in HR and Internal Comms thinking might use phrases like the ‘employee lifecycle’ to describe it. But according to one survey, the definitions workers use are far more broad: it’s jargon, it’s the general atmosphere in the office or (a very literal interpretation) it’s the employee’s own experience which they’ve brought to the job.  And because it’s still relatively new, there’s a lot of debate about who should take responsibility for the Employee Experience. So, who does own it and what is the role of Internal Comms in its delivery?

What is the Employee Experience?

The idea of the ‘customer experience’ has been around for a long time and is what the employee experience is based on; how someone feels about working for an organisation, from the day they apply for a job, to the day they complete their exit interview. It includes things like performance management; day-to-day encounters with co-workers, managers, senior leadership and customers; the physical space they work in and the technology they use to do to their job.

The idea is that by understanding the organisation from the employees’ point of view, employers can design and foster an experience that makes employees want to come to work. And that this in turn will improve retention, performance and, ultimately, profitability.

The key ingredients for a good Employee Experience

According to a recent SHRM survey of HR professionals and workers, while working space and technology make a difference, the most important factors behind a good employee experience are:

1) Being part of a team.

2) Having a sense of purpose.  

3) Being treated fairly.  

4) Being valued for your contributions.

Whose responsibility is it?

It’s clear from the above that it’s the culture of an organisation which makes the biggest difference to the employee experience and that’s perhaps why a lot of Internal Comms people feel so much responsibility falls on their shoulders. Gallager’s most recent State of the Sector survey found that employee engagement (admittedly not as all-encompassing as the Employee Experience) was the most important success indicator for nearly three-quarters (74%) of IC professionals. And a third (32%) said that lack of engagement among employees was their biggest barrier to success. Yet much of what falls into the Employee Experience is HR’s domain and when you think it also encompasses physical space and technology it’s clear it’s not just HR or even Internal Comms who are responsible – it’s IT, Facilities, and, as the biggest influence on culture, the leadership too. 

What should IC’s role be?

Internals Comms role should be a supportive one, ensuring its departmental objectives fit with the wider business objective to improve the employee experience. But what does this look like in practice? Here are a few suggestions:

·        Onboarding: giving new employees a positive first experience sets the tone for the rest of their employment with the organisation, so you’re looking to provide an appropriate amount of communication and easy access to information.

·        Make new starters feel welcomed as an individual.

·        Focus on logistics first – don’t expect the manager to remember everything, because not all will. Getting the right equipment, passwords, key contacts etc – it’s all important when someone is new. 

·        Introduce them to the senior leadership team. This doesn’t have to mean in person, as it won’t be suitable for all roles, but you can use technology – an introductory video from the CEO, for example – to give them a sense of who the leadership is and what they believe in.

·        The first six months: You want to ensure these newer employees feel connected to the organisation and other employees, as well as promote a sense of belonging. 

·        Personalise your comms by role, department or time in their role.

·        Make sure your comms reach all employees, especially the deskless ones, with mobile-first communications. 

·        Let employees have a voice and provide them ways to connect with each other.

·        Encourage two-way communication by enabling employees to react and offer feedback to messages from the CEO and wider leadership team.   

·        The settled phase: People might have their routine sorted at this point, but they still need to feel they can progress their skills, that they’re being recognised and you need to make sure they feel that greater sense of purpose which will keep them motivated.

·        Provide easy ways for employees and management to acknowledge the contributions of others.

·        Facilitate and encourage user-generated content so teams can share news and updates with the wider organisation or give praise where its due. 

·        Personalise your training communications to a specific role or goal.

·        Survey your employees to make sure you and the leadership know where and how things could be improved. 

Internal Comms has a vital role to play in ensuring a positive employee experience as we can ensure that messaging is clear, consistent and meaningful at all touchpoints in the ‘employee lifecycle.’  Yet, in reality, everyone who’s employed in an organisation contributes towards other employees’ experience in one way or another and that’s why responsibility for making it a good experience should fall to all of us.