The Josh Bersin Company

Rethinking Employee Experience: Lessons from The BBC and Schiphol Airport

May 3, 2024

Dive into the evolution of employee experience, moving beyond standard engagement practices. Discover how the BBC and Schiphol Airport implement innovative strategies that prioritize employee empowerment and operational excellence. Learn about the essential elements like training, inclusion, and benefits that shape a fulfilling work environment. The concept of employee activation reveals how empowering staff to make changes enhances their own work experiences, ultimately driving organizational success.

27:11

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Quick takeaways

The evolution from employee engagement to employee experience requires a holistic understanding of employees' needs and continuous feedback mechanisms.

Innovative strategies, such as the five-level framework from the BBC and centralized hiring at Schiphol Airport, significantly enhance employee satisfaction and performance.

Deep dives

Evolution of Employee Experience

The podcast highlights the evolution from traditional employee engagement paradigms to a more holistic view of employee experience. Initially, employee engagement focused on creating a comfortable psychological environment for workers, stemming from historical practices rooted in industrial efficiency. Over time, the conversation has shifted to encompass a broader understanding of employee needs, reflecting how their experiences influence not only their performance but also the overall organizational success. This shift includes moving from annual surveys to continuous feedback mechanisms, allowing for real-time insights into employee satisfaction and the operations behind their experiences.

Intro

10min

Innovative Approaches to Employee Experience Across Diverse Roles

3min

Innovative Approaches to Employee Experience at Leading Organizations

9min

Enhancing Employee Experience Through Operational Excellence

6min

This conversation explores the concept of employee experience and its evolution from employee engagement. The case studies of the BBC and Schiphol Airport demonstrate innovative approaches to creating inspiring employee experiences. The discussion emphasizes the operational aspects of employee experience, including training, inclusion, belonging, pay, and benefits. It also introduces the concept of employee activation, where employees are empowered to make local changes to improve their work experience directly. Keywords employee experience, employee engagement, case studies, operational aspects, training, inclusion, belonging, pay, benefits, employee activation, BBC, Schiphol, T-Mobile, AirBNB, Kaiser Permanente

Takeaways

Employee experience is a more expansive and refreshed approach compared to traditional employee engagement.
Understanding the specific needs and experiences of different employee groups is crucial for creating inspiring employee experiences.
Operational aspects such as training, inclusion, belonging, pay, and benefits play a significant role in employee experience.
Employee activation empowers employees to make local changes to improve their work experience.

Sound Bites

“Employee experience is the core mission of HR”
“Self-directed and coach-oriented career development is a massive driver of organizational performance”
“Be careful not to threaten employees inadvertently with AI”

Additional Resources

Employee Activation: An Essential Big Idea For 2024

Why The 4-Day Week? Because 33 Year-Olds Now Run The World.

Surprising Results From The World Happiness Report: What It Means To You