Internal Communication | Insights
Chris Lee , VP, Employee Communication – Canada
20 Apr, 2021 · 6 -minute read

Have you Googled ‘EX’ lately? I have, and I was surprised to see 278,000,000 search results that actually told me very little – well, other than the fact that EX means ‘employee experience’.

Unfortunately, it seems that EX has become the high-level ‘label du jour’ for anything relating to workplace culture, employee wellbeing, internal communication, HR, tech, WoW mechanisms… the list goes on. In fact, the only real common thread running through the first few pages of search results is that there is no ‘real’ common thread.

EX seems to have a bit of a ‘jack of all trades, master of none’-style definition problem at the moment – something that needs addressing if we’re actually going to use it to make a difference to the way people feel about work.

So what does it mean? Put simply, EX is the result of every interaction a person has with your organisation as an employee, from hire to retire – any one of those 278,000,000 search results will tell you that.

What they won’t tell you is how to tackle it – or where to start.

Do you know why? Because implementing EX is hard. It involves breaking down well-established organisational silos and asking for cross-functional collaboration in order to make it work.

It seems like a daunting task – it is. And that’s because, in reality, you’re never actually going to ‘nail’ your organisation’s EX.

Essentially, EX is an organic entity: made to grow, always evolving and never fully formed. At it’s core, it relates to living matter – people; and people, by design, are supposed to constantly reinvent, redefine and rebuild.

Essentially, EX is an organic entity. It relates to living matter – people; and people, by design, are supposed to constantly reinvent, redefine and rebuild.

And this is why it’s so important to understand that the best you can really do is nurture, cultivate and harvest your EX, using the outcomes of your labour to help you move through the life cycle of your strategic vision.

It’s also important to understand the size of the task at hand. EX is the sum of a lot of moving parts –addressing all of them at once isn’t going to be easy, especially in the current climate.

That’s why, here at Gallagher, we’ve had a go at developing a model that tells you how to do it; breaking it down into eight manageable workstreams designed to help you address the singular reality concerning today’s employees – the ‘what’s in it for me?’ factor.

Whichever area you decide to tackle first, remember that a whole-organisation approach is crucial here – and that means looking beyond your traditional remit and learning to collaborate.

And because change is currently a constant, you need to future-proof everything you do. So look ahead to where your organisation needs to be in five years’ time – it’ll help you tailor your communication approach to reflect how EX impacts wellbeing, advocacy, innovation and the bottom line.

Gallagher’s eight influencers of EX

Strategy & change management
  • The employee view: My organisation’s purpose, and how change is communicated to me.
  • Who to collaborate with: HR
  • The communication approach: Organisational response to the incredible events of 2020 means that communicating change is going to be big business this year – you told us as much in our State of the Sector survey. The truth is that nothing can change without communication; and because change communication centres on the emotional, rather than the intellectual, it’s important to remember that saying nothing is still saying something.
Leadership & culture
  • The employee view: The climate that exists within the organisation; how I am led and managed.
  • Who to collaborate with: HR / C-suite
  • The communication approach: Socially responsible organisations promote positive connections and create cultures where employees can thrive – and conscientious employees want to know that they contribute to more than just the bottom line. Our State of the Sector findings have told us that a particular area of focus for this year is going to be culture change – and, specifically, the role that leaders have in implementing this. So make sure your C-suite is clear about what it needs to do - and that they are equipped to inspire their people to feel better about work.
Environment & ways of working
  • The employee view: The surroundings in the place where I choose to work, and how I interact with others.
  • Who to collaborate with: HR / operations / IT
  • The communication approach: Remote working, flexible working, home working… There’s no denying that the events of 2020 have had a huge impact on traditional ways of working. People have embraced the digital revolution, and are expecting increasingly to work without borders, choosing to work from home, and meeting colleagues and clients virtually in ‘future workplaces’. Your organisation needs to embrace this too. Right now.
Technology
  • The employee view: The technology and communication channels which I use in my role.
  • Who to collaborate with: IT
  • The communication approach: For many of us, it’s safe to say that remote working is here to stay – which means it’s probably time to take a good look at you organisation’s digital experience and ask if it’s really fit for purpose. ‘Good enough’ isn’t really good enough here, particularly when it comes to giving your people what they need. So use the insights you have at your disposal to drill down into what your employees want, then develop a content strategy that enables you to communicate with clarity.
Career wellbeing
  • The employee view: My skills, my development and the career opportunities in my organisation.
  • Who to collaborate with: HR
  • The communication approach: We’ve said it before, but employee engagement is more crucial than ever right now. This is no longer just about being ready to adapt and respond to today’s constant journey into the unknown; it’s about making sure you keep your people involved, motivated, and engaged. Providing better places to work creates a corporate community to be envied – which, in turn, leads to increased productivity, reduced attrition and better overall organisational wellbeing.
Physical & emotional wellbeing
  • The employee view: The effect my physical and mental health has on my wellbeing and performance.
  • Who to collaborate with: HR
  • The communication approach: Whatever the subject, wellbeing communications need to give employees that ‘reason to believe’ in your organisational philosophy. And if you talk from the heart, to the heart, people will engage emotionally and intellectually enough to make really good use of what you have to offer. Think authenticity first here – this has to be relatable.
Reward & benefits
  • The employee view: My salary, my rewards and my total benefits package.
  • Who to collaborate with: HR / reward and benefits
  • The communication approach: Employees are now organisational consumers – it’s time to start meeting their expectations. We all know that an attractive benefits and rewards package is a vital piece of the puzzle when it comes to employee engagement; and, for today’s switched-on workforce, being part of the big picture is as important as feeling great about work. So articulate what you’ve got to offer to help your people realise the value of what they ‘get’ from working with you – and give them the confidence to bring their best self to work.
Financial wellbeing
  • The employee view: My personal finances as they stand today, and my ability to plan and control my future financial situation.
  • Who to collaborate with: HR / pensions team / reward and benefits
  • The communication approach: Many employees don’t fully appreciate or understand the money-saving benefits on offer to them at work, so think about refreshing your benefits comms. Providing a personalised financial wellbeing action plan based on individual circumstances is the most effective way to adapt a strategy that will meet the exacting needs of your people.

As internal communicators, if there’s one thing you know better than most it’s people. Which is why you have the power to influence your organisation’s EX and change the way your leaders think about communication and the people agenda. Make this a success and you’ll see a marked improvement in overall organisational wellbeing, with happier, healthier employees working at a place they are proud to be part of.

That’s got to be worth widening your in-house network for, hasn’t it?