ebook

Delivering engagement
through experiences
Why it’s time to change focus
Contents
Overview: Is your team too busy to get any work done?  1

The way we’re working isn’t working 2

Everyone’s talking about experiences – or so they think  3

The business case for experiences 6

Getting the experience right 8

Unlocking experiences through technology 14

Conclusion: Give your workforce the experiences they deserve 16

Uncover the six ways to build better experiences 17

Links to all sources 18

Overview: Is your workforce too busy to get
any work done?
In today’s workplace, it’s harder than ever to be productive. In fact, over a
third of employees admitted they’re productive for less than 30 hours1 a
week in research we conducted with over 3,500 workers. That’s a whole
day each week that they’re in work, but not working.
The answer, our research found, lies in workforce experiences. A positive
work experience has a huge impact on productivity, according to 78 percent
of respondents, and that jumps to 92 percent for the younger generations.1
Experiences, it seems, is the latest buzzword for HR and People teams.
However, what does it really mean? How can organisations build
experiences that matter, and truly get their people engaged and productive?
In these pages you’ll uncover everything HR and People leaders need
to know. You’ll find out why everyone’s talking about experiences, what
it means for HR teams today, and how to take your next steps towards
creating a great experience for your people.

By the end of this eBook you’ll understand what this means for your
Does a positive work experience impact productivity? organisation today, and how you can make an impact as a result.

78% of 92% of younger

78% respondents
said yes
92% generations
said yes

Delivering engagement through experiences 1

 The way we’re working isn’t working
Everyone knows all too well the feeling of being so busy at work that The impact on productivity as a whole here is huge. The table below shows
its, ironically, hard to get any work done. It’s a familiar feeling to many the productivity decline in the past decade - with growth rates of output per
employees in today’s always-on world of work. hour halving from an average annual rate of 2.3 percent in the period 2000-
2007 to 1.2 percent from 2010-2017 and down further to 0.8 percent in 20183.
Over the years, businesses have invested heavily in productivity tools in a
bid to positively influence engagement and productivity, but despite this,
4%
levels of both have remained stubbornly low.

Staggeringly, just 16 percent of employees globally are fully engaged

2.3%
at work. That is, those who are involved in and enthusiastic about their
work, versus 84 percent who are emotionally disconnected and who 1.2%
0.8%
aren’t working to their full potential. That’s huge.2 0%
2000-2007 2010-2017 2018
Our own research also found that, on average, employees admitted to
feeling productive for just 30 hours1 a week – that’s a whole day each Furthermore, a recent research report found3 that over 90 percent
week they’re in work, but not feeling like they’re getting any work done. of respondents claim there is solid evidence linking engagement to
performance and productivity. So the questions business leaders need
to be asking here are: what are their engagement levels and how are
they trending? What are they doing to improve engagement levels to
drive performance?
It’s clear what most organisations are doing today isn’t working. Many
businesses are failing to engage their workforce and are suffering the
consequences.

Delivering engagement through experiences 2

 Everyone’s talking about
experiences – or so they think
To answer this problem, the concept of ‘experiences’ has emerged.
Growing significantly in popularity over the last few years, the phrase
‘employee experience’ is now firmly in the HR spotlight, ranking as a top
global human capital trend for 2019, according to Deloitte4.

With an increasing number of research reports, articles and even dedicated

‘employee experience’ roles emerging – its arguably the biggest buzzword

62%
since engagement. However, there seems to be some confusion over what
it really means, and the relationship between experiences and engagement.

Engagement is the effect

Engagement is a well-established concept that looks at the relationship
between an organisation and its employees. Most tactics focus on
measuring engagement scores gathered at a specific time, usually annually
or quarterly.
62% of organisations have not seen
However, this is a ‘lag measure’ – meaning it’s backwards looking. It’s point an improvement in engagement in
in time and so often provides little assistance in helping organisations the last two years5
understand the true motivations of its employees – which is needed to make
long-term improvements to engagement, performance and productivity.

Delivering engagement through experiences 3

 Strategies like customer journey mapping
Experience is the cause are pretty mainstream now and help
brands understand how it ‘feels’ for a
Forward thinking companies who want to succeed and grow have realised
that measuring engagement alone simply won’t cut it.
customer to interact with them at every
Rather, we must look deeper into what drives employee motivation and touchpoint, enabling them to iterate and
provide great workforce experiences that resonate if we are to positively improve the overall experience.
influence engagement. Many organisations who are taking this seriously
are looking to customer experience strategies as an answer.

Much like customer experience (but unlike engagement), the employee

experience considers all of the touchpoint’s individual employees have with
their organisation over the entire employment lifecycle; from the point they
first consider applying for a job, all the way through to offboarding.

We’re all familiar with both good and bad customer experiences, and the
impact it has on our perception of a company. That’s why businesses have
worked hard over the years to get the customer experience right, so they
can positively influence loyalty.

Put simply, the employee experience is the perception employees have

about their experiences at work, in response to their interactions with
the organisation.

Delivering engagement through experiences 4

Experiences for your whole
workforce – not just employees
61% of executive decision
61%
makers expect the use of
contract labour to grow
over the next five years6
Delivering engagement through experiences
The evolving nature of the workforce means that companies are no longer
employing people solely based on permanent employment contracts.
The workforce is increasingly made up of many different types of worker,
all of whom have more choice and expectations about how, when and
where they work.
Company-employed workers might be working on any type of contract—
full-time, part-time, temporary, at-will, leased or even job sharing with other
workers. Then there is the contingent workforce who are paid for their time,
and gig workers who are paid by task, project or job.
Failing to get experiences right for these types of workers can have serious
consequences – if they’re hired to work on a specific task but are lacking in
motivation and purpose, this could let the whole project down. Integrating
them into a company quickly and effectively, and making them feel part of
a team and a purpose, is an imperative. The same can also be said for
those outside of the organisation who collaborate on projects, such as
partners, vendors and agencies - their personal experience with a brand can
determine whether or not they choose to work with them again in the future.
With the increasing presence of the contingent worker, how effective will
your programme be if you only focus on engagement for your employees?
The term ‘workforce experience’ is therefore much more suitable than the
‘employee experience’.
5
 The business case for experiences
The economic factor
Although still relatively new, there’s already strong evidence to suggest that
workforce experience strategies have an impact not only on the workforce,
but on financial performance too. 78% revealed great
Productivity growth is failing to improve despite significant investment in 78% workforce experiences
tools that are supposed to make us more productive – but when looking impact their productivity
at organisations who have embraced a workforce experience strategy, it’s a
different story.

Furthermore, a recent report found direct correlations with positive

experiences and the bottom line. Organisations scoring in the top quartile
for experiences report nearly three times the return on assets and double
That jumps to 92% of
the return on sales, compared to those in the bottom quartile7.
92% respondents polled for
In fact, 78 percent of respondents we polled revealed great workforce younger generations
experiences impact their productivity, something that jumps to 92 percent
for the younger generations, a demographic that will make up 50 percent of
the workforce by 20201.

Delivering engagement through experiences 6

 The wellbeing factor Organisations offering
flexible and remote working
conditions
Workforce experiences can positively impact overall health and wellness
too, by helping employees better manage their work-life balance and reduce
work related stress and burnout. 38% 49%
Adopted now Adopting in 1 year
Healthier employees take fewer sick days,
are more productive when they’re in work,
and are much more willing and able to go Organisations offering
wellness programmes such as
the extra mile. health and financial wellbeing

By offering things like holistic wellness programmes and flexible working

conditions, leaders can support the physical and mental health of their
37% 47%
Adopted now Adopting in 1 year
workforce, as well as reduce absenteeism and improve productivity and
retention. So, this isn’t just a wellbeing argument, it’s an economic one too.
Source: The changing face of HR, Sage8

Delivering engagement through experiences 7

 Getting the experience right
The workforce is increasingly complex. It’s multi-generational, multi-
cultural, and everyone has different preferences and perceptions about
what makes a great place to work. Leaders therefore need to think
carefully when designing great experiences – what constitutes a good
experience for one, doesn’t necessarily apply to another.
Understanding what does – and doesn’t –
In fact, 40 percent of business owners believe games in the office and fringe
benefits are important to employees, but 53 percent of employees feel
they’re more of a distraction in the workplace1.
Rather than perks (or distractions), employees were far more positively
impacted by recognition and being valued, with 66 percent feeling that was
the most important aspect of their day-to-day employment.

impact experiences is a good place to start.

40% 53% 66%

It’s not just about perks
Quite often the first port of call is to try and make employees happy
through perks. However, perks alone do not create great workforce 40% of business owners 53% of employees 66% of employees feel
experiences. While ping pong tables, casual Fridays and free soda believe games in the office feel they’re more of a that recognition and being
machines can be nice to have, they soon become the norm, lose their and fringe benefits are distraction in valued is an important
appeal and simply don’t create a better experience in the long run. It’s important to employees the workplace aspect of their day-to-day
important to remember that a happy workforce doesn’t necessarily employment

create a productive one – some people may be perfectly happy doing

very little if they can.

Delivering engagement through experiences 8

40% of business owners
believe games in the
office and fringe
benefits are important
to employees, but 53% of
employees feel they’re
more of a distraction in
the workplace.1

Delivering engagement through experiences 9

 It’s the moments that matter “Candidates assess future
employers from the very
Creating great workforce experiences starts with insight – that is, truly
understanding the end-to-end employment journey and how it feels for
start of the talent acquisition
an employee at each stage. experience and make quick
Candidates make assessments and develop memories about an judgments about what life
organisation from the moment they first interact with them, right the
way through to when they leave, and every step in between. Understanding
will be like for them in
which moments have the most impact is vital. the organisation, based
More than ever, the experience inside your organisation is visible to those on how they interact with
outside your organisation. Sites such as Glassdoor, LinkedIn and other social the enterprise during the
media or alumni networks give your people the freedom, power and medium
to share their views and experiences. Get it wrong, and you’ll struggle to recruiting cycle.”
compete for quality talent, but get it right, and your employees will do your
employer marketing for you. – Josh Bersin
Journey mapping can be a great way to really understand what the
employment journey feels like – from discovering process breaks to
determining the moments that really matter – and finding out how
each stage impacts the overall workforce experience.

Delivering engagement through experiences 10

 Understanding the employment
journey
To get a true understanding of the workforce experience, organisations must
make gathering and interpreting insight a priority. They need to regularly
capture feedback through surveys and conversations, and use analytics to 34% of organisations said
validate information, then work with people to design better solutions. they intend to hire in non-
34% traditional HR profiles to
Even then it’s not once and done – it’s a continuous cycle of asking, listening, plug their current skills gap
re-designing, testing, learning and iterating. For HR and People teams, this
means equipping them with the skills and know-how to effectively facilitate
this. Just as we’re seeing new skillsets such as analytics, communication and
being tech savvy play an increasingly prevalent role in the HR function, the
ability to think creatively, be curious, and design new ways of working are fast 40% of organisations intend
coming into the fold too. to build cross functional
40%
In fact, to deal with future skillset requirements and HR priorities, over project-based teams
one third (34 percent) of organisations said they intend to hire in non-
traditional HR profiles to plug their current skills gap, while 40 percent
intend to build cross functional project-based teams8.

Delivering engagement through experiences 11

 The end-to-end employment journey

Freelancers Gig workers

Contractors Meetings & Contingent
teamwork workers

Feedback Company-
Agencies / Feedback Feedback
Technology & Contribute & employed
Partners digital tools perform workers

Improve
Improve

Improve

Review
Review

Review
START END
Candidate Employee Leavers
Experience Experience Experience Re-enter
Job vacancy talent pool
Conversations Learning &
& Reviews development
It e r a t e It e r a t e It e r a t e
Alumni /
Onboarding Decision Community
Screening to leave

Interview Selection Reward & Exit Off-boarding

recognition interview

Delivering engagement through experiences 12

 HR can’t do this alone
82% of businesses believe
82% immediate supervisors are
responsible for engagement
To build great workforce experiences effectively, HR and People teams can’t do this
alone. They need complete buy-in from the management team.
While HR can set the framework for great workforce experiences, they can’t control the
day to day in every team and so manager commitment and influence is vital.

Do 40 different managers mean there are as many

different experiences across the organisation? After
all, as the saying goes, people don’t quit companies,
70% of businesses believe top they quit managers.
70% leadership are responsible for
engagement
However, whilst each line manager has their individual style of managing which will
inevitably result in different employee experiences, a good HR function will train, coach,
guide and consult with line managers to make sure that they are operating within
an agreed framework which encapsulates the company’s values, and offers the best
Source: The state of employee engagement, 2019 HR.com research institute5 possible experience for employees.

Delivering engagement through experiences 13

 Unlocking experiences through
technology
Useful technology, or clean bathrooms – what’s more important to your
people? Interestingly, employees rated tech tools as more important than
clean bathrooms in a recent study9 – a clear indication that technology plays
a vital role when it comes to experience, and one which organisation’s must
have at the top of their HR agenda.
Furthermore, as our digital experiences in the consumer world continue to
evolve at quite a pace, we expect similar capabilities at work. Employees are
so used to being able to order a cab, or takeaway, at the touch of a button
that they rightly expect a similar level of immediacy and effectiveness of
digital tools in the workplace.

Technology to get the job done The influence of technology is vitally

important and cannot be ignored.
Whilst culture, the physical environment, leadership, managers, and
connection to company purpose, all play a crucial role in shaping the The problem many organisations have is that their HR systems weren’t
perceptions of workforce experiences, the influence of technology is designed with experiences in mind, rather, they were simply designed to
becoming increasingly important and cannot be ignored. automate HR processes, many of which are now outdated. Organisations
now need to think differently and consider how technology can deliver better
Whether it’s enabling people to work more flexibly and remotely, connecting
experiences, not just create efficiencies, if they are to succeed.
colleagues across the globe, or supporting learning and development with
accessible, integrated systems, many employees today are simply unable
to get their job done effectively without technology. Take onboarding for
example – this key part of the employee journey requires a range of systems
including HR, payroll, benefits, IT, security and finance to be integrated to
support a seamless experience and to get new employees ramped as quickly
as possible.

Delivering engagement through experiences 14

Technology can make it
difficult for people to switch
off which can lead to stress The work-tech balance
and burnout. When considering their tech stack, business and HR leaders
must tread with caution and be mindful of the challenges – and
responsibility – that comes with technology in the workplace.

Overwhelming employees with too much tech is a real risk, and

in fact research from Sierra Cedar found that the average number
of HR systems has increased from eight to eleven10 – creating a
more complex environment for employees to navigate and likely
being counter-productive in the long run. Furthermore, it creates
challenges for HR in terms of having one source of truth and with
new regulations and legislation like the GDPR and CCPA.

There’s also the impact on work-life balance. Technology can

make it difficult for people to switch off which can lead to stress
and burnout.

Technology should be a focal part of any effective workforce

experience strategy, especially as the workforce becomes
increasingly global, expectant and competitive, but striking
a balance and not overwhelming people is essential.

Delivering engagement through experiences 15

Conclusion: Give your workforce
the experiences they deserve
Building great workforce experiences today
Organisations who put their people at the centre of what they do will find
their workforce becomes their biggest asset for growth. That’s because
building amazing workforce experiences that really matter will enable
people to thrive, which in turn will motivate your people to do the best they
can and your organisation will benefit in return.
However, building these experiences across your workforce requires a
concerted effort. The right technology, buy-in across the organisation,
support for managers and actionable insights are just some
of the things that HR and People teams need, just as a basis.
The six steps to building great workforce experiences
For HR and People teams looking to implement great workforce
experiences, the good news is that there are several areas they can look
at across the employee journey to create those all-important moments
that matter. From memorable and clear onboarding updates, to tailored
Delivering engagement through experiences
and automated communications, our six steps to creating great workforce
experiences sets out tangible ways HR and People teams can build better
experiences for their people in organisations today.
Get your people productive to perform at your best
We all know the impact of experiences which surprise and delight. Imagine
the power of your workforce experiencing those moments that matter every
day, and the impact on their wellbeing, and your organisations as a result.
This matters because, ultimately, if more companies engage their people
better by creating great employee experiences, more people will love going
to work, and will be more effective and productive when they’re there.
Not only does this mean a happier workforce, but it makes good business
sense too. It boosts a company’s engagement and, in turn, adds to
workplace productivity. So, get the experience right, and the rest will follow.
16
Uncover the six ways to build
better experiences
Your next steps
Download the eBook Six ways to create amazing
workforce experiences to uncover how HR and People
teams can take their next steps in transforming the
employee experience in their organisation.

Or, if you’re ready to, explore Sage People in your own time
with our Interactive product tour that puts you in control.

About Sage People

Sage People enables mid-size, multinational companies
to manage their workforce through a global, cloud HR and
People system, transforming how organisations acquire,
engage, manage, develop and retain their employees.
Implemented quickly and simple to use, the award-winning
system increases workforce visibility, HR productivity and
provides better experiences across the entire workforce.

Delivering engagement through experiences 17

Links to all sources
1 Why your workforce isn’t working 6 Sourcing and managing talent in a gig economy
2017, Sage People 2019, The Economist Intelligence Unit

2 The Global Study of Engagement Technical Report 7 The Financial Impact of a Positive Employee
2019, ADP Research Institute Experience
2018, IBM and Globoforce
3 The Conference Board Productivity Brief
2019, The Conference Board 8 The changing face of HR
2019, Sage People.
4 Global Human Capital Trends 2019
2019, Deloitte 9 Employee Engagement Playbook 2019
2019, Randstad
5 The State of Employee Engagement in 2019
2019, HR.com 10 The Employee Experience Platform Has Arrived
2019, Josh Bersin

Delivering engagement through experiences 18

www.sagepeople.com

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