The world is rapidly transforming – and with it, how your employees perceive work and office culture. While the beginning of the pandemic was marked by layoffs and furloughs, the current circumstances have oscillated to the other extreme: “The Great Resignation” or “The Big Quit.”

Companies across industries are strategizing to reduce churn and retain top talent. After all, employees remain the biggest assets. Not only are they the face of your company, but they can drive innovation to deliver a brand experience that leaves an impact.

As the global situation changes and employee turnover increases, it raises the question: Why?

The reason is simple. There is a clear gap between what employers believe their people want versus what employees really want. So how do you bridge the employee experience gap? While employee engagement and team building are essential, they don’t always address the current situation.

Here are five ways to understand and bridge the employee experience gaps across your organization.

Get authentic insights

You can’t solve a problem you don’t know you have. The first step is to ensure candid feedback, every step of the way. Use anonymous surveys to get honest answers and to understand what is affecting your employees.

Moreover, stress the importance of feedback – especially upward feedback. When employees feel comfortable voicing their opinion, not only do you get better insights and ideas, but you also encourage an atmosphere of trust, thereby improving communication.

After all, employees who feel valued, respected, and safe are not only more loyal, but these are also the employees who will tell you exactly what needs to be done, addressing growing concerns early on.

Reshape expectations

Not every expectation can be met, but employee concerns can be addressed.

Once you have the insights you need to assess and evaluate the experience gap, you can begin working on a strategy to evolve expectations and meet the company’s needs, all while ensuring your employees feel heard.

By simply communicating expectations while also offering a compromise, you can reshape these to meet the needs of the company, rally loyalty, and encourage a cohesive working space.

For example, if your employees are looking for a completely remote working arrangement, but that affects the way company culture translates, it might be a good idea to be honest with your employees. Let your people know the importance of having a more cohesive, in-person culture. Make it easier for your employees to be present and make a compromise, such as hybrid or flex-time work offerings.

Make it custom

There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to your employees. Everyone’s motivations are different, as are the priorities.

The best way to effectively bridge engagement gaps is by diving into the nuances. While it might not always be possible to focus on individuals, segmenting employee feedback would give you a good idea the different needs required across departments. It would also allow you to maximize impact through a more tailored strategy focused on understanding and addressing these unique needs based on team demands.

Factor change

Employee expectations are rapidly changing. The pandemic has drastically altered people’s needs and wants, and this in turn impacts the way you need to address their expectations.

Since these remain ever-evolving, it’s important to conduct regular pulse checks and feedback surveys. Keep your ear to the ground, listen to what your employees are really saying, and deliver relevant solutions that make a difference.

After all, change is inevitable. It’s how well (and how timely) you address it that makes all the difference in the world. Conducting a bi-annual or quarterly employee feedback assessment to understand what matters is a great way to capture insights and incorporate changing expectations into your employee engagement strategies.

Evaluate market offerings

What are other workplaces offering their employees? Employee expectations, after all, are often set based on what they hear other businesses are offering.

This also makes it easy for an employee to take up competitive offers, especially when it’s a workspace that meets their expectations. When your goal is retention and loyalty, you need to ensure that you’re offering a competitive workspace with a focus on your people.

This makes it inconsequential for employees to look elsewhere. After all, looking for another place is an investment in time and effort. So when you’re offering all they’re looking for in the first place, you’ll nurture a fiercely loyal team.

Final words

Understanding what matters to your employees is the first step toward creating a work culture that people love. Start with anonymous surveys. What are your people saying?

We ensure fully anonymous surveys – complete with the seal – so your people know that their opinions will remain absolutely confidential.

Once the experience gaps are identified along with the key engagement drivers, you can get started on nurturing a work culture that resonates with your employees – boosting productivity and loyalty.

Looking for the perfect tool to bridge experience gaps? Discover how SoGoEX can add value for your organization as you identify and bridge experience gaps! Reach out today to get the conversation started!