More and more businesses are beginning to understand a simple yet powerful truth: when employees are happy, customers tend to be happy, too.
Companies that excel in nurturing their workforce and improving employee experience (EX) usually see a direct, positive impact on customer satisfaction and customer experience (CX).
Everything from the general work environment, access to continuous learning, transparent communication, adequate support, professional development opportunities, productivity tools, and overall empowerment contributes to shaping EX. When all of these are leveled up, employee performance and engagement get a boost, and CX becomes better than ever.
So what’s the catch? Well, for businesses that value their employees and their customers equally, there is no catch, only upside.
Let’s take a look at the benefits of elevated EX (and how to start improving it today).
EX Benefits: Reasons to Lay the Groundwork
Enhanced employee engagement leads to a more productive workforce brimming with creativity and obsessed with customer-centricity. When this level of positivity exists, customer interactions just improve naturally. Plus, a contented work environment enhances teamwork and collaboration, strengthening team dynamics crucial for efficient problem-solving and delivering top-notch customer service.
Similarly, positive EX contributes to reduced turnover, enabling companies to cultivate a more seasoned and knowledgeable team adept at fulfilling customer needs. The longer employees stick around, the more likely they are to foster innovation, thinking outside the box to elevate the CX through improved services and more efficient customer service strategies.
Moreover, companies with a reputation for treating their employees well often enjoy a favorable public image, attracting both top-tier talent and customers who value ethical business practices.
Strategic Steps to Great EX
Smooth onboarding and training is one thing, but creating an environment where open communication is the norm and employees have the resources and autonomy they need to excel should be the end goal.
To get started, conducting employee feedback surveys will help to understand everybody’s needs and concerns. This regular feedback will continuously enable you to pinpoint areas that need enhancement from the employees’ perspectives. Equally, fostering a culture of open communication where employees freely share ideas and feedback can lead to substantial improvements across the board.
Investing in employee development through continuous learning, training programs, and clear career paths is also a no-brainer for nurturing professional growth. Additionally, implementing recognition programs acknowledges and rewards employee efforts, significantly boosting their morale and motivation.
On the cultural side, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives are invaluable, positioning employees to better understand and cater to a diverse customer base with meaningful, consistently high-quality interactions. Plus, employees want assurance that their company will maintain its commitment to these priorities, so DEI consistency is vital.
Additionally, investing in cutting-edge technology platforms can significantly boost an employee’s ability to deliver exemplary customer service. Tools like secure video calls, self-service chatbots, and automated workflows serve to enhance EX and create a game-changing ripple effect on CX.
Lastly, and by no means least, fair compensation through competitive salaries and benefits is essential, demonstrating the company’s commitment to valuing and supporting its workforce. At Activus Connect, for example, we’re proud to offer all our employees in the US and beyond a fair living wage and a 100% work-from-home opportunity, along with other great perks.
5 Quick Questions to Get You Started
If you’re unsure how to kick off a new EX improvement strategy, here are some helpful questions to ensure your business gets off on the right foot:
- What methods, tools, and processes do we have in place to measure and enhance employee engagement?
- What improvements could we make to create a more collaborative, frictionless work environment?
- Are we designing and implementing comprehensive employee listening, engagement, and recognition programs?
- How attractive and employee-centric are the company’s career development and upskilling opportunities?
- What are we doing to prioritize corporate social responsibility and foster a culture of belonging through DEI initiatives?
Once you have the answers to these questions, the next step is to put EX improvement measures into action.
EX Wins: The Way Forward
There’s no question that happy employees directly impact customers through their interactions, effort, emotions, and problem-solving skills, leading, more often than not, to increased sales leads, customer lifetime value, and overall company revenue.
As such, adopting the EX improvement strategies we’ve explored here is a necessity for businesses aiming to improve their CX and stand out from the competition—it’s all about recognizing the unbreakable connection between happy employees and happy customers.
Neglecting EX can have severe consequences for employee retention and, by extension, customer satisfaction, so it’s simply not worth the risk to put it on the back burner.
We’d love to have a conversation with you about how Activus Connect can elevate your team’s experience. Contact us to learn more about our services and how we can support your business.
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