Workplace expectations post-pandemic have seen a significant shift. Employees are more empowered than ever, having had to become more autonomous and self-directed. Many people want more flexibility in their careers, and the demand for an enhanced workplace experience continues to intensify.
The COVID 19 pandemic has provided organisations with an opportunity to review and replace old operating models and introduce new working methods that may not otherwise have been possible.
Meeting and even exceeding employee expectations will be a significant challenge in the months ahead. Those organisations that differentiate themselves from competitors will be the ones that provide employees with access to the right technologies and platforms to enable them to do their work more efficiently and effectively. Technology will need to facilitate learning in the flow of work, open and fluid communication, and simplicity in accessing information and services.
This article presents ideas on how you can prepare to meet your new employee expectations.
1. Simplify your HR-Employee Interactions
The key to simplifying your HR-employee interactions will be providing an integrated HR platform that provides a “one-stop-shop” for employees to access self-service functionality and take more control of their working lives. Employees are looking for simplicity in interactions with management and HR and seamless and timely flows of information and servicing of requests.
2. Provide Access To Useful Information
Employees want to be able to access information that helps them to be more self-directed and self-sufficient. Perhaps more importantly, access to more information on the organisation can increase employees’ ability to make decisions that help to meet goals and support overall productivity.
3. Maintain Open Channels Of Communication
One of the most significant changes in the workplace has been the use of technology to promote open communication. Before the pandemic, even organisations with internal online platforms such as MS Teams or Skype found it challenging to get employees to engage this way. The use of online platforms for meetings and general communication has now become the norm, and employees have discovered the benefits of being able to quickly connect to others in remote locations and across all levels in their organisations. The demand for open communication is likely to continue to drive employee engagement.
4. Revisit Your Benefits Policies and Packages
People have reviewed their lives and priorities, and many are looking for organisations to reflect new needs in their employment packages. Employees are demanding flexibility and more focus on health and well-being as a standard for engagement. Not only do organisations need to take care of the remote workforce, but they need to consider personalisation in benefits that take into account employee preferences. Benefits for some may include more focus on family-related issues such as childcare and health, whilst for others, they may focus on financial services, or well-being and fitness, for example.
Meeting employee expectations in the new world of work needs careful planning and consideration. Those who rise to the challenge will continue to attract and retain the best talent, while those who fail to adapt will struggle.
Contact our team at HRBluSky to learn about how we can support you in enhancing your employee experience.