Organizations that adopt these corporate culture are convinced that having a long-term, positive relationship with their users depends largely on what has been called the “employee’s journey”. In other words, the policy of keeping a staff with happy, motivated professionals who feel identified with the project is not only beneficial in terms of attraction and retention of talent; it also consolidates the relationship with customers, therefore improving the company’s profitability. Moreover, the advocates of this strategy also highlight its positive effects in terms of reputation, since those professionals become brand ambassadors as well.
Micah Solomon, one of the most prestigious corporate-culture consultants, authors and speakers in the USA, summarizes the principles of this philosophy as follows: “the best service organizations in the world strive to treat employees the same manner they treat their customers”. Accordingly, he quotes the motto of the professionals working for the Ritz-Carlton hotel group: “We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen”.
The implementation of an employee-centric strategy entails a remarkable challenge for any company. And in such work, decisions taken by HR departments are of crucial importance. In order to facilitate their job, Meta4, global leader in digital solutions for human capital management and development, published a guide called 10 keys to improve employee experience.
One of the lines of action gathered in this decalogue for the adoption of Employee Centricity is active listening on the part of managers towards professionals under their command, so as to know their expectations, interests, perceptions and needs, regarding issues such as job quality or development opportunities within the company.
Among other steps, the aforementioned manual also bets on involving employees in the plans of the company; enabling customized talent programs for every professional; taking advantage from new technologies and promoting innovation through agile methodologies (design thinking, e.g.).
Other HR experts also place great value on the need to generate positive experiences for professionals since they join the staff until they leave the company. During that positive “employee journey”, it’s crucial to bear in mind that staff members are, after all, the ones who know best what’s effective to enhance customer experience. It’s not only about providing them with a voice, but with credibility as well.