Redefining the Employee Experience for Today’s Workforce

Date:: 14 April 2021

The past few months have seen the world separated by travel bans and social distancing rules. Fortunately, thanks to technology, ChapmanCG has been able to facilitate a series of roundtable-style HR Leader Networking gatherings, bringing together hundreds of our HR friends—based in Singapore, China, Hong Kong SAR, Southeast Asia, and Australia—virtually to share best practices and trends on redefining the employee experience for today’s workforce.

Thank you to our partners Stephanie Nash, Co-Creator of Thrive HR Exchange, and Professor Alex Christou, Managing Director Asia Pacific at Thrive Global, who provided the thought leadership and research to stimulate the discussions.

The events of 2020 have disrupted business models, priorities, and plans as organisations were forced to navigate a rapidly changing environment. In response, HR was at the forefront, driving a wide-range of transformational initiatives to address areas such as employee well-being, HR operating models, and workplace equality.

We have identified the following Top Priorities for Redefining the Employee Experience in 2021:

Listening and Acting

During the pandemic, many organisations recognised the value of checking in with employees on a regular basis to stay connected and to inform decision making. The potential of this rapid feedback means employee pulse surveys are now an essential part of a leader’s toolkit.

To improve employee experience during these unprecedented times, we first need to define what shapes their experience. We need to better understand the challenges they may face in this new working environment. Implementing a company-wide survey is an ideal way to achieve this as it gives us the information we need to better support our employees and prepare them for success. The key is to act on the insights from this data to improve the employee experience, and therefore foster engagement during challenging times.

Connected Leaders with Strong EQ

Employees want to feel support and encouragement from those who are leading the company, and to have a better understanding of the impact that the external crisis has on the organisation. Leaders need to be authentic and honest to ensure trust and build a positive employee experience. Sustaining this authentic style of communication will help get people onboard with reshaped plans to embrace more change to come. At a time of low morale, leaders can also keep spirits and engagement high by leveraging a newfound relationship with employees.