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Building effective employee experiences is necessary for high levels of employee engagement, innovation and collaboration. But right now, in 2022, we find ourselves in a unique position at work.
Firstly, there are now up to four generations in the workplace: Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials and Generation Z. Secondly, the lasting effects of the pandemic, which forced the hand of many employers when it came to working from home, or indeed from anywhere.
This rapid shift has seen employees in their droves demand more flexibility over where, how and when they work. Something many organisations are still getting their head around as Covid restrictions endure into a third year.
But move forward we must, while keeping in mind that the current workforce is more diverse and varied than ever. Each generation brings to work with them their own ethics, personal values, ambitions, goals and expectations. If you are in the business of designing employee experiences, it is important to acknowledge these nuances, and factor them into decisions around processes and technology within the business.
Digital Natives Vs Digital Immigrants
One of the biggest differentiators, particularly in the workplace, between generations is technology. There are three generations currently who have lived through a technological revolution. Since 1990, technology has come on leaps and bounds very quickly, from the heady days of dial up internet and text messages to 24/7 access to anything and everything we could ever need.
While Baby Boomers, Generation X and Millennials have lived through this change, Generation Z is unique in the way that they expect on demand access to technology as standard. They are used to picking up technology and using it straight out of the box without having to refer to any instructions or ask for help. They are natural multitaskers, early adopters and intuitive learners whose brains have been actively shaped by technology.
On the other hand, generations before Gen-Z have had to adopt and adjust to technology advances. Technology isn’t necessarily a given to them. Instead, they can be slower to adopt new tools, and sometimes take longer to absorb how the benefits of a certain technology will apply to them.
Multigenerational Employee Experiences
All of the above tells us a lot about how we should be designing the employee experience for different generations in the workplace. While it’s true there are outliers (lots of millennials are early adopters, too), having a better understanding of the nuances between digital natives and digital immigrants can help us to create workplace experiences that hit the mark for everyone - not just the chosen few.
Let’s take digital transformation as an example. Over the last two years, organisations have taken on more technology than ever ranging from instant messaging apps to video conferencing tools. As we look to the future, technology such as virtual reality and the metaverse present even more scope for digital transformation that is worlds apart from where we were a decade ago.
In planning for that digital transformation, it is crucial to consider how that new technology will impact the employee experience. Who will your super users be? Who will need more training and guidance? Who might feel alienated or intimidated by new technology and why? Considering these factors with a multigenerational workforce in mind is the key to creating diverse and inclusive employee experiences that meet everyone where they are at, regardless of their date of birth.
If you’re looking to enhance the employee experience in your business HulerHub is the world’s best looking, fully personalised employee experience platform. The intuitive, flexible user experience is easy to use and enjoyable to engage with, ensuring users come back time and time again. It brings together all of your cloud-based systems and content, maximising ROI on your tech investments, supercharging employee engagement and enabling easy collaboration from anywhere. Book your free demo today to see it in action.
