Performance Matters - The Healthy, High-Performing Cultures Issue - 15

Employee experience (EX) is everything
that happens to and is created by
employees and employers, every day, due
to an employment relationship. It's the full
collection of all our day-to-day interactions
and emotions while at work, including
those we have with other employees, our
leaders, and the greater organization. It
includes how we engage with technology
platforms, processes, and the physical
work environment-as well as the
operational structures and systems
at the core of our ways of working.
That's a lot! Fortunately, we know
that certain moments in the work
journey matter more than others.
If your organization can identify those
moments and concentrate efforts
there, offering what's hoped for
and expected when it counts most,
you'll make the biggest strides.
So, what will it take to deliver the right
experience in those moments to win
the engagement, high performance, and
loyalty of your people? It comes down to
aligned, effective, and compassionate
leadership that cares about making work
a joy-filled experience. Here are a few
ways to help your leaders achieve that.
It starts with a story
Whether it's acknowledged or not, your
organization's leaders are serving as
your EX creators. Are they all creating
the same, highly desired experience you
hope they are? Not likely. According to
Gallup, up to 70 percent of the variance
in an organization's EX is due to direct
managers. At most companies, they
are the primary influencer of something
they've never discussed or learned about.
Awareness and alignment are the first
steps to getting leaders onboard, and
that means putting it down in writing
in a company narrative. This should
be seen as an aspirational reality. The
company narrative captures the truth
of your organization at its best. Start
with curiosity by engaging in a full
assessment of how you meet the needs
of your employee base and where you're
offering them a unique, brand-right,
supportive, growth-oriented experience.
Armed with that insight, what you write
can be so much more than an employee
value proposition. It can encompass your
organization's values, why you exist, and
what's noble about your purpose. It can
highlight your unique cultural realities
and aspirations. (If you want to engage
and retain people, we recommend
highlighting trust, purpose, and growth.)
The company narrative also should
articulate your authentic, difficult realities:
what's hard about your environment,
which high standards aren't easy to
achieve, and why you need employees
who can " bring it. " Capture differentiating
aspects that set your organization
apart from the competition and other
employers, while acknowledging
the high expectations and unique
challenges that your associates face.
When your company narrative paints
this holistic picture, it will serve your
direct managers in building shared
understanding of your culture. It's an
effective alignment tool for them and the
whole organization, helping everyone to
see the expectations everyone has for
and of each other. (To learn how Mom's
Meals crafted a meaningful company
narrative for their leaders, go to page 10.)
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PERFORMANCE MATTERS / PG 15
Performance Matters - The Healthy, High-Performing Cultures Issue

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