Employee Digital Experience, a non-negotiable issue

Why investing in the ‘Digital Employee Experience’ (DEX) is no longer negotiable, and how to get on with it. Just a few years ago, ensuring a strong digital employee experience (DEX) was basically about allowing workers to connect to the company’s local area network, granting them access and proper firewalls.

How things have changed in such a short time!

Adapt or fall behind

The so-called ‘great resignation’ caused a large number of companies to focus on finding the best talent. The looming crisis has everyone – employers, employees and job seekers – in the same situation, wondering how to get ahead in this new stage. In a recession it may be a little easier to recruit talent, but ‘great talent’? That’s another history.

One thing is certain: when the workplace is not limited by geography, the most loyal and talented professionals will choose to work in companies where they can make a difference and not put work to their development.

Perhaps the easiest way to remove these obstacles is to improve the digital experience for employees.

So what is stopping some companies from investing in DEX? In large part, the reason is a misalignment of priorities. On the one hand, they feel overwhelmed and intimidated by the technological update and, on the other hand, the feeling that there is not enough time or staff to do it. According to a recent Ivanti study, more than a quarter of employees say that lack of access to the right applications and technology tools is reason enough for them to decide to leave the company and change jobs.

Greater satisfaction and productivity

Right now, the world is immersed in a global productivity crisis. In the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the productivity of non-farm businesses fell 7.3% in the first quarter of the year, as production fell 2.3% and hours worked increased 5 ,4%.

This is the largest decrease since 1947. Compared to the second quarter, there was a decrease of 4.6%, as production decreased by 2.1% and hours worked increased by 2.6%.

Investing in the digital experience of employees is not just about making the company an attractive and happy place for employees. It’s a fact that if they don’t have the right tools to work effectively in a remote or hybrid environment, both their productivity and morale will take a serious hit.

What’s good for you, benefits everyone

Companies have to pay their employees’ salaries, whether they are satisfied, inspired and doing an exceptional job, or whether they spend their days contacting IT helpdesk trying to solve their access problems.

Why investing in the ‘Digital Employee Experience’ (DEX) is no longer negotiable, and how to get on with it

The main advantage of having a good ‘digital employee experience’ is that it frees IT people from the most routine and tedious help desk tasks, and allows them to play a more strategic role, contributing to the development of the company.

The IT department is motivated by problem solving and other technical routines, but it doesn’t know how to reconcile it with the accumulation of new priorities that it is unable to manage: the shortage of staff, the excess of support requests and the absence of context and of resources to offer effective solutions. Simply because the company does not give the priority it should to a critical factor today, such as the digital employee experience (DEX).

Burn the house!

Today, only 21% of IT managers consider digital user experience as a top priority when choosing new technology tools. And it is not because they are not concerned about user satisfaction (they are concerned, and a lot, among other things because it means fewer support tickets for them).

The reason is that DEX is not yet among the top management’s priorities, so they lack the necessary incentive. In fact, nearly two-thirds (62%) of CXOs (Chief Experience Officers) acknowledge that senior management values ​​profitability over employee experience.

Expecting IT to favor DEX when it’s not top of mind for the business is like asking a firefighter to douse a fire with water guns. IT will continue to put all its efforts into solving the many small routine tasks, instead of betting on technology that solves the problem quickly and efficiently. Meanwhile, the house burns down.

security everywhere

The example of the fire is dramatic, but the truth is that not prioritizing the DEX not only poses a threat to employee productivity and retention; it is also a serious security threat. In fact, almost half of CXOs (49%) admit to having requested to bypass one or more security measures in the last year.

Today more than ever employees use their personal devices to work, connecting to company data and resources outside the traditional perimeter. This means opening the door to an extreme level of vulnerability, which is complicated when the company does not have a complete and clear vision of what devices are being used, by whom and for what information to access. Simply put, you can’t protect what you don’t know.

In conclusion, the biggest obstacle to the digital experience of employees is that senior management does not finish assuming its importance and necessity, something that is both to their own detriment and that of the employees, and that is also not something that is especially complicated.

Where to start?

To collaborate. Work closely with the areas of Human Resources, Operations, Marketing and, above all, with IT. Position IT as a strategic partner, not just a problem solver.

To size. Know the current situation, the starting point, and set goals.

Map. Adopt a comprehensive device management program to understand what is being enabled and protected, and for whom. A good DEX means access that is both seamless and secure, with device management that locates, maps, secures, and even self-heals and self-serves devices, wherever they are. So employees know that wherever they are, they can work the way they need to without waiting for IT to fix their problems or worrying about security.

To integrate. The best security experience is one that the end user barely sees. Security should be deeply embedded in the DEX, not something that employees have to choose and actively manage. Linking security to the DEX is a benefit for IT, employees and the organization as a whole.

Get participation. Ask stakeholders what they need. Position this change as something that affects the company as a whole and is positive for everyone.

Author: Daniel Wood. Regional Sales Director. IVANTI