How HR Analytics is Changing the Everyday Employee Experience in 2023



There seems to be a new term every few weeks in the people practices space. The latest one seems to consider the term of quiet quitting, while we are not looking at quiet quitting in this article, we are looking at something that is often seen as the cause of quiet quitting – and that is the importance of employee experience. Alongside that we are focusing on how HR analytics can make decisions affecting employee experience better for everyone.  

As an organisation concerned with their employees, one of the primary responsibilities is to ensure that they have a positive experience while working. This is often referred to as employee experience, and it is becoming an increasingly important factor in the success of businesses today.

The importance of prioritising employee experience, beyond the trends, is also to improve productivity, reduce turnover, and enhance satisfaction. However, with so many factors contributing to employee experience, it can be challenging to know where to focus your efforts. This is where HR analytics can be useful. In this article, we will explore how HR analytics can be used to prioritise employee experience and improve overall organisational performance.

What is Employee Experience?

Employee experience refers to the sum of an employee’s interactions and perceptions of their workplace. It includes everything from the work environment to company culture, management style, benefits and compensation, and overall job satisfaction. When employees have a positive experience, they are more likely to be engaged, productive, and committed to their jobs.

What are HR Analytics?

HR analytics is the practice of using data to inform HR decision making. It involves gathering, analysing, and interpreting data related to HR metrics, such as employee engagement, turnover rates, and compensation, to help organisations make more informed decisions. Organisations can identify trends and patterns using HR analytics, and by use this information to make data-driven decisions that can have a significant impact on employee experience.

Why is Prioritising Employee Experience Important?

There are several reasons why prioritising employee experience is critical for the success of any business. Here are just a few:

Increased Productivity

When employees have a positive experience, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated, which leads to increased productivity. In fact, a many studies have found that highly engaged teams are more productive than their less-engaged counterparts.

Reduced Turnover

When employees have a positive experience, they are less likely to leave their jobs, which can save a company significant time and money on recruitment and training costs.

Improved Brand Reputation

Companies that prioritize employee experience often have a better reputation in the market, which can help attract and retain customers, as well as top talent.

 

Why Use HR Analytics to Prioritize Employee Experience?

There are several reasons why HR analytics can be an effective tool for organisations that are prioritising their employee’s experience:

Provides Objective Data

HR analytics can provide objective data that can help HR leaders identify areas of the organisation where employee experience may be lacking. For example, if data shows that employee turnover rates are high in a particular department, HR leaders can investigate the cause and take action to improve the situation.

Improve Decision-Making

By using HR analytics, HR leaders can make more informed decisions about where to focus their efforts to improve employee experience. This can lead to more effective programmes and initiatives that have a greater impact on overall organisational performance.

Measure the Impact of Programmes and Initiatives

HR analytics can be used to measure the impact of programmes and initiatives on employee experience. By tracking metrics such as engagement, retention, and productivity, HR leaders can determine whether their efforts are having the desired effect and make adjustments as necessary.

How to Use HR Analytics to Prioritize Employee Experience

Here are some steps that businesses can take to use HR analytics to prioritise employee experience:

Identify Key Metrics

The first step is to identify the key metrics that will be used to measure employee experience. This may include metrics such as engagement, turnover, absenteeism, and productivity.

Gather Data

HR leaders must gather data related to these key metrics. This can be done through employee surveys, performance evaluations, and other data sources.

Analyse Data

Once the data has been collected, it must be analysed to identify trends and patterns. This may involve using statistical analysis tools or working with data analysts to interpret the data.

Use Data to Make Informed Decisions

Organisations must use the data to make informed decisions about where to focus their efforts to improve employee experience. This may involve developing new strategies and initiatives, adjusting existing ones, or investing in training and development opportunities.

Final Thoughts

Prioritising employee experience is critical for the success of any business. By focusing on the needs and using HR analytics to address the concerns of employees, organisations can help create a positive workplace culture, improve productivity, reduce turnover, and enhance customer satisfaction.

While HR analytics can be a powerful tool for businesses to prioritise employee experience and improve overall organizational performance it is also not the be all and end all of how organisations should approach the needs of their employees. By using data to identify areas where employee experience may be lacking and make informed decisions about where to focus their efforts. There is still a human aspect to understanding employees through traditional methods like listening and reaching out to them to understand strategies to improve their organisation.

As an HR leader, incorporating HR analytics into your decision-making process can help you stay ahead of the competition and ensure that your organization remains competitive in the marketplace but it is not the only thing that should be considered when making these decisions. A great leader will know how to balance these aspects to find the best for their employees.

Purpose and Employee Experience Take Center Stage at the APAC Top Employers 2023 Certification Celebration in Singapore



Top Employers from 22 Asia Pacific countries gathered at the ST Regis in Singapore on February 9 to celebrate their Top Employer 2023 Certification. This annual event recognises the commitment of these companies’ HR teams to create a world-class HR environment.  

In his keynote talk, Billy Elliott, Regional Director for Asia-Pacific Top Employers Institute, shared that 22 Asia Pacific countries were honoured as Top Employers. These countries, including China, India, South Korea, Australia, Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Philippines, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Myanmar, have companies that have created and implemented best in class HR strategies and practices. This has resulted in a positive impact on the lives of approximately 2,574,089 employees. 

The companies recognised as Regional APAC Top Employers (for having been certified in a minimum of five countries in region) were UST, Sanofi, SABIC, Novartis, Airbus, Worldline, and Ingredion. The companies recognised as Global and Regional Top Employers were Alstom, BAT, Boehringer Ingelheim, CHEP, DHL Express, HCLTech, DHL Global Forwarding, Infosys, JTI, Pepsico, Phillip Morris International, Puma, Saint-Gobain, Takeda, and TCS. 

With both regional and global companies recognised as Top Employers, it is evident that creating a positive employee experience is a top priority for many organizations, which was the focus of the first panel discussion held:  

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Employee Experience becomes Super-Personalised 

The importance of personalising employee experience has become a critical focus area for organizations. To better understand this topic, a panel discussion was held with three leading HR executives – Sanjiv Agarwal, Head of Human Resources at Swiss Re, Satish Kannan, Vice President & Head HR of Global Markets, Europe & MEA at Infosys, and Patricia Lam, HR Director and APAC HR Performance & Integration at Alstom and moderated by Ammara Naeem, Head of Client Success at Top Employers Institute. Here are some key takeaways from the discussion.  

  • Employee experience covers the entire employee journey – During the panel discussion on employee experience, Sanjiv of Swiss RE emphasised that the concept of employee experience and morale is not new, but rather something that has always existed in the workplace. Employee experience encompasses all aspects of the employee’s journey, from the moment they apply to the company to their experience during the interview process and throughout their time with the organization. Employee experience should not be solely driven by HR but should be considered a part of the organization’s culture.  
  • Three drivers for an employee experience framework – Satish of Infosys discussed three key drivers for their employee experience framework, which include adapting to a hybrid work model, leveraging technology for a unified experience, and creating an inclusive culture. To measure digital maturity of talent, they introduced the “Digital Quotient,” which involves building competency, gaining exposure, and delivering value, with scores for each component. This approach allows employees to customize their digital career journey by identifying learning and product opportunities to improve their scores. 
  • The importance of consistency in employee experience – In the discussion, Patricia of Alstom emphasized the importance of consistency in employee experience and how to achieve it through digitalization. They have established a global learning organization and a digital platform that provides various learning opportunities for employees to drive their career development. Patricia also highlights a digital career path portal that allows employees to assess their competencies and match them with available jobs in the organization.  

  

Purpose, Straight from the Heart 

The second panel, “Purpose, Straight from the Heart,” brought together three HR leaders from major multinational corporations to discuss the importance of purpose-driven organizations in today’s business landscape. Kelly Tay, Head of Talent Leadership Organization for Southeast Asia and South Korea at Boehringer Ingelheim, Meng Hwee Teoh, Asia Talent Head at Sanofi, and Fred Barou, Senior Vice President of Customer Success Management at Amadeus. Here are the key takeaways. 

During the opening statement of the Purpose, Straight from the Heart panel, the audience was presented with a provocative statement – “Purpose is fluff not much action” – and asked to agree or disagree. The results were unexpected, with 37% of the audience agreeing and the rest disagreeing. The panellists went on to discuss the implications of this divide and how organizations can move beyond seeing purpose as a mere buzzword and translate it into concrete actions. Here are key takeaways of that panel discussion:  

  

  • Connecting Individual and Organizational Purpose for Employee Engagement – Meng Hwee Teoh from Sanofi discussed how the company’s purpose statement, “to chase the miracles of science, to improve the lives of our people, the communities and our own employees,” is not just a plaque on the wall, but a rally call for employees to live out in their everyday lives. Before launching the purpose statement, the company identified behaviours that are important to gear towards the purpose and set up a set of “play to win” behaviours. Additionally, the company redefined performance to help employees focus on areas where they could create an impact and linked it closely to the employee’s everyday life.  
  • Communicating Purpose to Customers and Employees – Fred, a commercial leader from Amadeus, a B2B travel and tourism company, spoke about the challenge of effectively communicating the company’s purpose to customers and ensuring that employees can connect with it daily. The company’s original purpose was to “shape the future of travel,” which has since been updated to “create better journeys for everyone,” reflecting the company’s commitment to opening travel to everyone and improving the travel experience. The purpose serves as a guiding principle for employees and creates a sense of connection to the company’s mission, particularly during the pandemic when the travel industry was severely impacted.  
  • Purpose is not just a one-time event or training – Kelly from Boehringer Ingelheim believes that purpose is about actions from the past, present, and future, and that it’s important to create events and opportunities for reflection in order to connect employees with the company’s purpose. As an example, during their “Valued Through Innovation Day,” they invited an artist to speak about how she uses her purpose to create art, and employees were given the opportunity to reflect on their own purpose and create artwork representing it as a team. This exercise helped employees connect emotionally with the company’s purpose and led to meaningful stories being shared. 

The Top Employer Certification is an important recognition for companies that care about their employees and are dedicated to and are dedicated to creating a better world of work for their people. The celebration of this achievement is a time to reflect on the hard work and dedication that went into achieving the certification, as well as a time to recognise the accomplishments of the HR teams. If you are interested in becoming a Top Employer and and participating in this year’s Certification Programme, get in touch with the APAC Top Employers Institute team at apac@top-employers.com. 

How the Workspace Can Improve Employees’ Experience

Learning from NN Group’s Design Innovations 

The work environment has a huge impact on employees’ daily experience. It is everything that contributes to people’s experience of a physical space – the art on the walls, the floor plan, furniture, communal areas. A pleasant and comfortable office space improves productivity, helps with talent acquisition, and fosters the team’s overall sense of well being. The physical space creates an atmosphere that influences company culture and how employees interact. 

With this in mind, NN Group’s Hungarian office began planning a new workspace to reflect the needs and preferences of its employees and to cultivate an agile way of working. NN Group is a financial services company with offices in 11 countries and an impressive history that spans 175 years. They provide retirement, insurance, and investment services to 18 million customers with a team of 15 000 employees. The Hungarian team spent 16 years in their previous office and welcomed the opportunity for a fresh start. 

Employee feedback was one of the primary inputs guiding the design process. This feedback was gathered through workshops and questionnaires. More areas for collaboration and a more colourful, bright space were among the top requested changes. In response, the new building features large windows and numerous colourful communal areas.

The company also engaged employees with the project in creative ways throughout construction. Through a webcam, team members saw construction happening in real-time. Periodically, a member of the HR team filmed a tour of the construction site. Employees tested furniture options in the previous space, voting for their favourite ones. 

Reflecting the company’s values of sustainability and community was also an important part of the project. The design team reduced water use by including a rainwater collection system to flush the toilets. Positioning the new office near public transportation decreased employees’ reliance on cars. Furniture from the old office space was donated to a local children’s hospital.

The benefits of a thoughtfully designed office space cannot be overstated. When employees like their workspace, they are more productive, energised, happy, and healthy. Many positive ripple effects result. Employees are more likely to refer new potential employees, company performance metrics improve, and employees feel valued. 

 

In addition to these benefits, NN Group Hungary was also nationally recognized for their innovations. The office was a finalist for Hungary’s ‘Office Space of the Year’ competition. See the space and hear more of the company’s design innovations in this video hosted by Krisztina Hársfalvi-Tóth, HR Business Partner for NN Group Hungary.

Inside the Mind of the HRD on … the employee experience



Over many years, we have become used to data showing us how disengaged employees are at work. According to Gallup, for example, only 15% of employees worldwide are engaged in their work, while 85% are either passively or actively disengaged. In attempting to convert the latter into the former, however, the HRD first needs to understand the difference between engagement and the employee experience.

Engagement vs the employee experience

The employee experience is a broad and increasingly powerful weapon for the HR Director. It means nothing less than the long-term resdesign of the organisation, with people strategy at its core.

It is effectively the sum of all the touchpoints that a potential employee has with his or her employer, from the starting point of being a candidate to becoming part of an organisational alumni upon departure. It gives HRDs the opportunity to work with the business on organisational design to give a fair chance of employees feeling engaged enough to want to make a difference.

It’s taken most organisations a long time to get to this level of understanding. A century ago, the workplace wasn’t a place people went to to be happy or engaged – it was simply a means to an end.

Fifty years ago, the focus was on productivity, with companies openly looking to get “more for less” from their people. In the last twenty or so years, employee engagement (augmented by attractive benefits and incentives) came to the fore. It is only much more recently that the needs and wants of the workforce have come to be seen through the more holistic idea of the employee experience.

What makes the biggest difference?

Research by Josh Bersin earlier this year “Employee Experience: The Definitive Guide” in partnership with one of our Top Employers, Microsoft, reveals that the modern employee experience is driven by many factors, but with trust, transparency, inclusion and caring to the fore.

That’s why is so important for leaders and HRs to be able to read employee insights.

Among the specific factors that Bersin found, the most significant included:

  • A mission and purpose beyond financial goals.
  • Transparency, empathy and integrity of leadership.
  • Continuous investment in people.
  • Inclusive, diversive and sense of belonging and community.

The impact of a great employee experience

Another study by Jacob Morgan of 252 organisations found that only 15 companies (6%) are doing a great job at creating employee experiences. Rewards for the few organisations that achieve this are signficant in terms of business, people and innovation:

  • Business Outcomes
    • The successful are 2.2 times more likely to exceed financial targets than the unsuccessful.
    • 4 times more likely to delight customers.
  • People Outcomes
    • 1 times more likely to create a sense of belonging.
    • 2 times more likely to be a great place to work.
    • 1 times more likely to engage and retain employees.
  • Innovation Outcomes
    • 7 times more likely to adapt well to change.
    • 3 times more likely to innovate effectively.

How to get started

One of our Top Employers, Accenture, published research in 2020 showing that winning the war on talent means that the HRD must improve the employee experience in three ways:

  • Co-creating the experience. Customers are regularly engaged re their desired experiences and companies must do the same with their employees. There must be a co-creation of what the experience means, through human, physical and digital lenses.
  • Reimagining the model. Traditional levers like compensation and benefits are not enough. There must be clear single accountability for all of the people processes, experiences and tools to achieve the desired outcome.
  • Empower both humans and machines. This is necessary to deliver new models at scale and speed. Expanding in this way can unlock new sources of value through innovation.

Top Employers and the Employee Experience

Finally, our Top Employers Certification Programme gives us a unique perspective on the employee experience because it begins with our HR Best Practices survey covering every aspect of an organisation’s people practices. To help HR Directors in their thinking on this important subject, we have brought together what best practice looks like in a three-part series of e-books, Optimising the Employee Journey.