25 Powerful Ways to Improve the Employee Experience
In this blog, we’ll explore why a great employee experience is critical for business success and then dive into 25 powerful, research-backed ways to improve the employee experience.
We’ll discuss categories like work environment, leadership, growth, culture, wellbeing, technology, and employee voice.
Along the way, we’ll include statistics, expert insights, and practical examples.
You’ll also see how Loving Life’s workshops can act as additional support to improving the employee experience.
Finally, we’ll cover how to measure employee experience (with key metrics and feedback methods) and offer a free Employee Experience Survey template to help you assess your organisation.
Contents
Why Is Employee Experience Important?
25 Powerful Ways to Improve Employee Experience
- Work Environment
- Leadership and Management
- Growth and Development
- Rewards and Recognition
- Culture and Values
- Wellbeing and Work-Life Balance
- Technology and Tools
- Employee Voice and Involvement
How to Measure Employee Experience
Free Downloadable Employee Experience Survey Template
What is Employee Experience?
Employee experience refers to the journey an employee takes with an organisation.
The sum of all interactions from recruitment to exit.
It encompasses everything from the daily work environment and management support to growth opportunities and company culture.
In short, employee experience (EX) is how employees perceive and experience their workplace in every aspect.
Why Is Employee Experience Important?
According to an employee experience survey by WTW, 92% of employers say enhancing employee experience will be a top priority over the next few years.
This is driven by major trends shaping workplaces:
- the rise of remote and hybrid work
- increased emphasis on work-life balance and wellbeing
- new expectations from Millennial and Gen-Z employees for purpose and growth.
Technology is also transforming how we work (think AI tools and digital workplaces), forcing organisations to adapt and personalise the employee experience.
Leading companies now recognize that employee experience is the connective tissue for business performance.
In fact, according to the WTW survey, the majority of organisations view employee experience as a key value driver in engagement (81%), wellbeing (80%), productivity (79%), and overall business performance (78%).
25 Powerful Ways to Improve Employee Experience
Every organisation is different, but there are common areas that shape an employee’s day-to-day experience.
Below, we’ve grouped 25 improvement strategies into categories like Work Environment, Leadership, Growth & Development, Culture, Wellbeing, Technology, and Employee Voice.
Each strategy is backed by research or expert insight to show why it works.
Work Environment
A huge part of the employee experience is the environment in which your people work.
This includes the physical workspace and the flexibility of work arrangements.
Here are ways to improve employee experience through the work environment.
1. Create a Positive, Comfortable Physical Workspace
Don’t underestimate the impact of the office layout, equipment, and vibe on your team’s morale and productivity.
Clean, well-lit, and ergonomic workspaces keep employees comfortable and show that you care about their wellbeing.
Research shows that ergonomically designed offices can boost productivity by 15% by reducing discomfort and distractions.
Things like ergonomic chairs and keyboards, standing desks, good lighting, plants, and breakout areas can make day-to-day work more pleasant.
Aim to provide spaces that support different work modes (collaborative areas for teamwork, quiet zones for focus, lounges for breaks).
A positive physical environment also includes basic needs like temperature control, clean facilities, and a touch of personalisation.
When people feel comfortable and safe in their workspace, they are happier and more engaged.
2. Offer Flexible and Hybrid Work Options
Rigid 9-to-5 schedules in the office are becoming a thing of the past. Embracing flexibility in where and when work gets done is one of the most powerful ways to improve an employee’s experience.
This can include options like remote work (full or part-time), flexible hours, compressed workweeks, or job-sharing arrangements.
When employees have more control over their work schedules, it greatly improves work-life balance – and they notice.
In research by Global Workplace Analytics, 80% of employees said they would work from home if they could.
Flexible work arrangements show you respect employees’ lives outside of work, leading to higher morale and often higher productivity.
Ultimately improving their experience within the organisation.
Leadership and Management
3. Develop Empathetic, Supportive Managers
Invest in training and coaching your managers to become better “people leaders.”
Not every manager intuitively knows how to motivate and care for a team, but these skills can be learned.
Provide leadership training to teach skills like effective feedback, active listening, emotional intelligence, and conflict resolution.
Emphasize the importance of empathy.
At Loving Life, we have an Embracing Empathy Workshop that is great for this.
When bosses show they genuinely care (asking “How are you doing?” and meaning it), it builds trust.
Empathetic managers also make time for one-on-ones to discuss career goals and remove roadblocks.
Remember, front-line managers shape the daily reality of work for employees, so help them shape a positive one.
Managers who learn to support and empower their teams see higher engagement and performance.
Data from the State of Recognition Report found that companies who trained managers to improve engagement saw an increase in productivity and a boost in quality outcomes.
Don’t assume managers know how to be coaches, actively help them to develop these skills.
4. Encourage Open, Transparent Communication from Leaders
Employees have a much better experience when they feel “in the loop” and can rely on leaders to be honest.
Encourage your leadership (from executives to line managers) to communicate openly and frequently.
This means sharing company news, updates, and rationale for decisions promptly.
Even when the news is tough.
When leadership is transparent about challenges and changes, employees feel respected rather than blindsided.
Managers should also set clear expectations (so employees know what “success” looks like) and give regular feedback, not just annual reviews.
When leadership shares a vision and keeps everyone informed, employees feel like valued insiders rather than just another employee.
This sense of trust and alignment greatly improves the day-to-day employee experience.
5. Make Leadership Accessible and Engaged with Employees
In many organisations, there’s a wide gap (physical and relational) between top leadership and the front-line employees.
Closing that gap can significantly improve employee experience by building connection and breaking down hierarchy barriers.
Encourage your leaders to be visible and approachable.
This could mean executives regularly walking the floors or hopping on Zoom calls with different departments, holding “ask me anything” sessions, or even something as simple as eating lunch in the same cafeteria.
When employees see and interact with leaders, it humanizes the leadership team and makes employees feel seen.
The goal is to create a culture where it’s normal for an intern to chat with the CEO and for a customer service rep to share ideas with a VP.
When leadership shows genuine interest in employees’ perspectives and wellbeing, it boosts morale.
For example, sharing positive customer feedback or company wins directly with front-line teams (and thanking them for their role) can be very motivating.
Loving Life often emphasizes leadership engagement in our leadership workshops because a connected leadership team leads to a more engaged workforce.
When your people feel valued by those at the top, it instills pride and loyalty, improving their overall experience.
Growth and Development
One of the most consistently important aspects of employee experience is growth and the opportunity to learn, develop skills, and progress in one’s career.
If employees feel like they’re stagnating, their experience (and engagement) suffers. Here are ways to improve employee experience through growth and development initiatives:
6. Provide Continuous Learning Opportunities
Create a culture of learning by offering training programs, workshops, courses, and other learning resources to employees at all levels.
Beyond the mandatory job training, think about skill-building that employees want.
Whether it’s technical upskilling, personal development, goal-setting workshops, or other initiatives.
Consider establishing a learning management system (LMS) or providing access to online course libraries (like LinkedIn Learning or Coursera).
You can also host lunch-and-learns, bring in guest speakers, or enroll employees in external seminars.
Investing in employee learning sends a strong message that you value their growth.
According to Clear Co, 94% of employees would stay at a company longer if it invested in their learning and development.
When continuous learning becomes part of the employee experience, people feel like they’re advancing rather than stuck in a dead-end job.
That feeling of progress is immensely motivating and satisfying.
7. Establish Clear Career Paths and Advancement Opportunities
Few things boost an employee’s experience as much as knowing they have a future at the company.
Sit down and map out potential career paths or growth trajectories for roles in your organisation.
Then, communicate these paths clearly.
During onboarding and performance reviews, managers should discuss how an employee can grow from their current position.
What skills they need, what the timeline might look like, and what support the company will provide.
If your company can’t offer traditional promotions frequently (due to flat structure), think of advancement in broader terms.
This could be new projects, expanded responsibilities, job rotations to gain new experience, or internal mobility to other teams.
The key is to avoid the scenario where an employee asks, “What’s next for me here?” and the answer is fuzzy.
A lack of growth path is a major reason people leave.
When employees see a future, they’re more likely to emotionally invest in the company.
Remember, “Develop your people or watch them leave.” Showing that you want to promote from within and help employees reach their career goals will significantly improve their experience and commitment.
8. Implement Mentorship and Coaching Programs
A mentoring culture can greatly enhance the employee experience, especially for new or junior employees.
Pairing employees with a mentor (inside or even outside the organisation) provides them guidance, support, and someone to learn from.
This relationship can help employees navigate their career paths, build skills, and feel more connected to the organisation.
Consider launching a formal mentorship program and solicit volunteer mentors from leadership or senior staff.
Then, allow employees (or new hires) to be matched with a mentor based on their goals or interests.
Mentors can meet with mentees monthly to discuss anything from professional development to workplace challenges.
Coaching is another powerful tool.
You might offer executive coaching for high-potential leaders or train managers to take a coaching approach with their teams (asking guiding questions rather than just directing).
When employees receive individualised support and knowledge transfer through mentoring/coaching, they feel valued.
9. Give Regular Feedback and Performance Support
Employees crave feedback and often want to know how they’re doing and how to improve.
An environment with frequent, constructive feedback will outperform one with silence or only once-a-year critiques.
Make continuous feedback a norm.
Train managers to have ongoing performance conversations, not just formal reviews.
This could be quick monthly check-ins on goals, project post-mortems to discuss what went well/could be better, or simply encouraging employees to ask for feedback when they need it.
But, remember, feedback should be a two-way street.
Encourage employees to voice their needs or concerns about work processes and act on that input.
When employees feel supported in their performance (and not afraid of “messing up”), they have a far better experience and more confidence in their role.
According to Gallup, 80% of employees who receive meaningful feedback are fully engaged.
Rewards and Recognition
Feeling valued and appreciated at work is fundamental to a positive employee experience.
Here are two high-impact ways to strengthen employee experience through rewards and recognition:
10. Offer Competitive Compensation and Benefits
At the most basic level, employees expect to be paid fairly for their work.
If they feel underpaid or that their benefits are lacking, it will overshadow other positive aspects of their experience.
Ensuring your salaries are competitive (or at least equitable) for the role and industry is step one in creating a positive employee experience.
To ensure compensation is fair, conduct market benchmarking regularly and correct any major gaps.
Also, communicate your compensation philosophy so employees understand how pay is determined.
Benefits and perks are also a big part of the equation.
Health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off are baseline expectations in many industries.
Enhancing benefits like mental health support, childcare assistance, or workplace wellbeing initiatives can significantly boost satisfaction.
In fact, 72% of employees said that having more work benefits (like wellness or flexibility benefits) would increase their job satisfaction.
People have a better experience when they feel their employer cares about their financial security and health.
If raises or bonuses are limited, even small gestures can help.
While money isn’t everything, financial stress is a huge distraction, and competitive pay and good benefits alleviate that.
Overall, this allows employees to focus on doing great work.
Plus, it shows respect.
Employees who feel well compensated are more likely to be engaged and to stick around.
11. Create a Culture of Recognition and Appreciation
Beyond formal compensation, the day-to-day appreciation employees receive has a massive impact on morale.
People want to be seen and acknowledged for their efforts.
Make recognition a habit in your organisation.
Celebrate wins big and small.
This can take many forms, but a simple “thank you” email from a manager or a shout-out in a team meeting for someone who went above and beyond can be a great start.
The key is to be specific and timely with recognition.
Call out what the person did and its impact, and do it soon after the fact.
A great way to create a culture of recognition and appreciation is with a “Harnessing Gratitude Workshop“.
It’s a workshop designed to give employees the time to think about the things they’re grateful for at work.
It’s a moment for colleagues to share appreciation.
As providers of this workshop, every time we deliver it, it brings heart-warming moments.
Culture and Values
Company culture underpins the entire employee experience.
Culture is “how we do things here”.
The shared values, norms, and behaviours that characterise your organization.
To improve employee experience, you often need to shape the culture in positive ways.
A culture of trust, inclusion, and purpose makes work far more meaningful and enjoyable for employees.
Here are some culture-focused strategies:
12. Promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
An inclusive culture, where everyone feels they belong and are treated equitably, is essential to a positive employee experience.
Employees who feel respected for who they are, regardless of gender, race, age, background, etc., have higher engagement and satisfaction.
To improve in this area, assess your current state.
Do all levels of your workforce reflect diversity?
Are there any glass ceilings or bias in promotions?
Gather feedback (perhaps via anonymous survey) on whether employees feel the culture is inclusive.
Then, take visible action.
Implement unconscious bias training, establish employee resource groups (ERGs) for underrepresented communities, and ensure policies (like parental leave, religious holidays, facilities for disabilities) accommodate everyone.
Celebrate diversity through cultural heritage days or diversity months, and invite employees to share their experiences.
According to studies by Mckinsey, companies with more diverse leadership are up to 36% more likely to outperform their less-diverse peers financially.
When your people feel they can be themselves and have equal chances to grow, morale and retention improve.
13. Strengthen Team Bonds and Collaboration
Work is more enjoyable when you have strong, positive relationships with your colleagues.
In fact, Gallup noted that employees with a best friend at work are 7 times more likely to be engaged in their job.
While you can’t force friendship, you can create opportunities for employees to connect on a personal level and build camaraderie.
Host team-building activities, team-building quizzes, social events, or off-site retreats that allow people to interact outside of their day-to-day tasks.
Even small rituals like a weekly casual coffee chat or a “Donut” rotation (randomly pairing colleagues for a 30-minute chat) can help people get to know each other.
At Loving Life, we offer Team Away Day Workshops, which many companies use to inspire connection and collaboration among their teams.
These fun, meaningful, off-site sessions let employees bond and return to work more united and motivated.
14. Connect Work to Company Mission and Purpose
Employees experience a deeper level of fulfilment when they find meaning in their work.
A critical cultural element is reinforcing why the work matters.
Consistently communicate your company’s mission, vision, and values.
Additionally, show how each employee’s role contributes to them.
When people see the purpose behind what they do, it fuels engagement.
Research indicates that employees who feel their work is meaningful are 2.7 times more likely to stay with their company.
Millennials and Gen Z, in particular, are known to seek purpose, but really, all generations appreciate meaningful work.
Don’t let your mission statement just live on a wall poster.
A strong sense of purpose can be a huge differentiator in employee experience and is often what sustains people through challenging times at work.
15. Ensure Psychological Safety and Trust
Psychological safety means employees feel safe to speak up, share ideas, and admit mistakes without fear of embarrassment or punishment.
It’s a critical component of a healthy culture.
When people are afraid to voice concerns or hide errors, it creates stress and stifles engagement.
To build psychological safety, encourage respectful debate and make it clear that all voices are welcome regardless of rank.
Leaders and managers should model vulnerability by admitting when they don’t have all the answers or when they were wrong.
This signals to employees that it’s okay to be human.
If someone brings up a problem or differing opinion, reward that behaviour by thanking them and addressing it thoughtfully rather than reacting defensively.
Train managers to respond to bad news or feedback calmly and constructively. For employee experience, psychological safety is foundational.
It means people can be genuine and take interpersonal risks, which fosters learning and a sense of belonging.
Teams that trust each other also have better conflict resolution and collaboration (people focus on solving the problem, not self-protection).
16. Encourage Community Involvement and Social Impact
Today’s employees (especially younger generations) often want their company to stand for something and contribute to society.
Facilitating ways for employees to get involved in the community or support causes can boost pride and fulfilment.
Consider starting a volunteer or community service program.
This could be offering employees a certain number of paid volunteer hours per year to work with a charity of their choice or organising team volunteer days.
Many companies partner with local non-profits for volunteering or fundraising events.
Not only do these activities do good in the community, but they also serve as team-bonding experiences.
Community involvement is also great for your employer brand as it demonstrates corporate social responsibility in action.
Employees often feel proud to work for a socially conscious company.
Wellbeing and Work-Life Balance
Employee wellbeing is at the core of a great employee experience.
If employees are burnt out, stressed, or unhealthy, their day-to-day experience (and performance) will suffer greatly.
Here are key strategies to improve employee experience by prioritising wellbeing and work-life balance:
17. Promote Work-Life Balance
In the always-connected modern workplace, burnout is a real risk.
Employers must actively encourage a healthy balance between work and personal life.
This starts with reasonable workload expectations.
Workplaces should ensure teams are staffed adequately so that individuals aren’t regularly working 12-hour days or weekends.
Encourage employees to take their full annual leave and actually disconnect.
Leaders should model balance by not emailing at all hours or by openly taking time off themselves (employees take cues from the top).
You can implement policies like no emails after hours or designated “quiet hours” with no meetings to help employees have focus time and personal time.
Flexible schedules (as discussed in point 2) also contribute to balance by letting people handle personal needs.
Some companies have also instituted “wellbeing days” or company-wide shutdown days.
Ultimately, a balanced employee is a more engaged employee, and this improves their experience.
18. Invest in Wellbeing Programs and Resources
Supporting your employees’ health and wellness yields a strong ROI in employee experience (and productivity).
Wellbeing programs can take many forms, from physical health (exercise, nutrition), mental health, social health, and even financial wellbeing.
Some initiatives include subsidised gym memberships or on-site fitness classes, healthy snack options in the office, and regular wellbeing seminars or workshops.
Our employee wellbeing workshops are an example.
These sessions educate and empower employees on topics like coping with stress, improving physical health, creating life-changing habits, and more.
They can be done in person or delivered online.
These workshops address real issues.
For instance, in the UK, approximately 50% of all working days lost are due to stress, depression, or anxiety.
This staggering figure shows how important employee wellbeing is.
Over time, investing in initiatives like these greatly enhances the employee experience by making employees feel supported as individuals.
19. Support Mental Health and Stress Management
Employee mental health has (rightfully) become a major focus in recent years.
High stress, anxiety, or burnout can devastate someone’s work experience and life.
To improve the employee experience, companies need to actively support mental wellbeing.
Start by reducing stigma and talking openly about mental health days, stress, and burnout as real issues.
Encourage employees to take mental health days off when needed (some companies even provide a few dedicated mental health PTO days).
Train managers to recognise signs of burnout or distress in their team and to approach those conversations with empathy, not judgment.
Regularly share reminders about available resources, such as crisis hotlines, meditation apps, or even mindfulness breaks during the day.
Some companies have created quiet rooms or relaxation spaces in the office where employees can take a breather.
Others bring in wellbeing speakers or host panel discussions to keep the conversation going.
By proactively addressing mental health, you create an environment where employees feel safe to ask for help.
Employees who feel supported will be more loyal and productive.
The WHO estimates that for every $1 invested in mental health treatment, there’s a $4 return in improved productivity.
Even beyond ROI, it’s simply the right thing to do.
Healthy minds are as important as healthy bodies for a great employee experience.
20. Proactively Prevent Burnout and Encourage Time Off
Burnout is characterised by chronic exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced effectiveness, and it has become disturbingly common.
To improve employee experience, companies must take burnout seriously and intervene before employees hit the breaking point.
One strategy is to monitor workloads and hours.
If certain employees or teams are consistently logging long hours, have managers address it.
Sometimes, simply reassigning tasks or hiring additional help can relieve an overstretched team.
Another powerful practice is encouraging employees to use their annual leave and fully disconnect when they do.
Many workers feel guilty taking time off.
Leadership should counteract that by explicitly encouraging time off.
Some companies even have a minimum PTO usage policy or periodic company-wide holidays to ensure rest.
But, make sure the workload is covered so people aren’t penalised with a mountain of work when they return.
Remember, a sustainable employee experience is one where people can perform and have a life.
They shouldn’t have to sacrifice their health or family to do their jobs.
Technology and Tools
21. Equip Employees with the Right Tools and Technology
Few things are more frustrating than being unable to do your job effectively due to poor tools.
Ensure that employees have high-quality, up-to-date equipment and software to perform their work.
This includes everything from reliable hardware (computers, monitors, mobile devices) to productivity software, collaboration platforms, and job-specific tools (design software, CRM systems, etc.).
Get feedback and ask employees if there are tools that would help them work better.
Invest in technology that removes friction.
It’s an investment directly into productivity and employee experience.
When companies upgrade outdated technology, employees are not only more productive but also less stressed.
Think about how annoying a slow computer or constantly dropping video call can be.
Eliminating those pain points makes the workday smoother and improves the employee experience.
Give your people the right tools, and they will reward you with better work and a more positive attitude.
22. Improve the Digital Employee Experience
Beyond the physical tools, consider the overall digital experience employees have when interacting with your company’s systems.
Things such as HR portals and workflow software.
Is it easy for them to find information, submit requests, collaborate, and get work done digitally?
If logging a simple PTO request requires navigating a confusing 10-step system, that’s a poor digital employee experience.
Aim to streamline processes and adopt user-friendly platforms.
Additionally, provide clear documentation or training for tools so employees can fully utilise them.
Organisations should also involve employees in testing new tools.
A pilot group can give feedback to ensure a new software will actually help rather than hinder.
Today’s employees are used to slick consumer apps, and if internal systems feel archaic, it can be a let down.
By making workplace tech as seamless as possible, you remove a major source of frustration.
As a result, employees can collaborate more easily and spend their energy on work, not on figuring out how to work.
Employee Voice and Involvement
Employees want to be heard.
Feeling like your opinions count and that you can influence your workplace is a critical aspect of a positive employee experience.
Organisations that actively seek and act on employee feedback tend to have more engaged and satisfied teams.
Here’s how to strengthen employee experience by elevating employee voice:
23. Solicit Employee Feedback Regularly (and Listen)
One of the simplest ways to improve employee experience is to ask employees what’s working and what’s not.
Establish regular feedback mechanisms beyond the standard annual engagement survey.
Pulse surveys (short, frequent surveys, e.g., monthly or quarterly) can gauge sentiment on specific issues in real time.
Provide channels for continuous feedback like suggestion boxes (physical or virtual), an intranet forum, or regular focus groups.
Managers should also ask for feedback in one-on-ones: “What can I do better to support you?”
This empowers employees to voice concerns directly.
Modern employees expect their company to seek their input.
It’s part of a collaborative culture.
By tapping into the collective wisdom of your workforce, you not only get ideas to improve operations, but you improve their experience by validating their opinions.
Employees think, “My voice matters here.” That feeling is immensely valuable, and it drives engagement, innovation, and loyalty.
24. Act on Feedback
Asking for feedback is step one, but step two is taking action on it (or at least seriously considering it).
Nothing kills trust faster than employees giving feedback that disappears into a black hole.
To improve employee experience, build a robust process for responding to feedback.
After surveys or listening sessions, analyse the results and share key findings with employees openly to show you’ve heard them.
Then, outline an action plan for issues that came up.
What will the company or leadership do?
Even if the action is “more investigation needed” or “developing solutions now,” communicate that.
When employees see their feedback leading to visible changes, their confidence in leadership and willingness to speak up in the future grows.
It creates a culture of continuous improvement in partnership with employees. Keep in mind that not every suggestion can or should be implemented, but you should still explain the constraints or reasons for it.
24. Involve Employees in Decision-Making and Problem-Solving
Beyond surveys and feedback, another way to value employee voice is to include employees in decisions that affect their work.
Whenever feasible, shift from top-down decision-making to a more inclusive approach.
For example, if you’re implementing a new software system that a certain department will use daily, involve a few members of that department in the selection process or as beta testers.
This not only produces a better outcome (because it’s informed by on-the-ground reality) but also makes employees feel respected and empowered. When employees help shape solutions, they are more committed to making them succeed (psychological ownership).
It also breaks down the “us vs. them” mentality between staff and management.
This practice taps the collective intelligence of your workforce and often surfaces innovative ideas that leadership might miss.
A famous example is Toyota’s suggestion system, where front-line factory workers’ ideas contributed to countless efficiency improvements.
By involving employees, you not only get better decisions, but you also signal deep respect for your employees’ expertise.
When employees feel trusted to help steer the ship, they transform from passive passengers to active crew members, greatly enriching their employee experience.
How to Measure Employee Experience
Improving employee experience is an ongoing journey, and to know if you’re on the right track, you need to measure it regularly.
Just as you track revenue or customer satisfaction, tracking employee experience metrics helps you identify what’s working and where to improve. Here are some key employee experience metrics and how to measure them:
Employee Engagement Surveys
Engagement is a strong indicator of employee experience.
Measure it via surveys that include an engagement index or questions like “I am enthusiastic about my work.”
Many organisations use standardised survey instruments to get an engagement score.
Higher engagement means better employee experience.
Look at questions like: Does the employee feel proud to work here?
Would they recommend the company?
Do they feel motivated to go above and beyond?
Track engagement over time and across teams, and if certain departments have lower scores, their experience might need attention.
Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS)
eNPS is a simple but powerful metric to measure employee experience.
They ask: “On a scale from 0-10, how likely are you to recommend this company as a place to work to a friend or colleague?”
Those who answer 9-10 are Promoters, 7-8 are Passive, and 0-6 are Detractors. Subtract % of detractors from % of promoters to get your eNPS (which ranges from -100 to +100)
For example, if 50% are Promoters and 10% are Detractors, eNPS = +40 (excellent). eNPS is easy to administer via quick surveys and is closely tied to overall satisfaction.
If your eNPS improves quarter over quarter, it’s a good sign that employee experience initiatives are working.
If it’s low or declining, investigate the reasons (the follow-up “Why?” question is crucial here).
Measure Employee Retention Rates / Turnover Rates
These hard metrics reflect employee experience as well.
Calculate retention rate (the percentage of employees who stay over a period) and turnover rate (percentage who leave voluntarily).
High turnover, especially in the first year of employment, can signal a poor experience or misaligned expectations.
You can also track new hire retention and high-performer retention specifically.
As you implement employee experience improvements, you’d expect voluntary turnover to decrease.
Keep an eye on exit interview feedback, too.
If patterns emerge (e.g., many cite lack of growth or burnout as reasons for leaving), those are issues to address.
Employee Absenteeism
Track the rate of unplanned absences or sick days.
High absenteeism can be a sign of poor employee wellbeing or disengagement. Calculate absenteeism percentage per month or year (number of absence days divided by total work days).
If stress and burnout are reducing thanks to your employee experience initiatives, you might see absenteeism rates fall.
For instance, after introducing a wellness initiative, check if average sick days per employee drop.
Internal Promotions / Career Progression
Tracking the number of internal promotions or lateral moves is useful.
If EX is strong, employees stay and grow.
A rising count of internal promotions or a high percentage of vacancies filled internally suggests employees are developing and see a future in the company (a positive sign).
Conversely, if people aren’t advancing, they may leave for growth elsewhere, indicating a development/employee experience gap.
Employee Performance/Productivity Metrics
Although influenced by many factors, productivity improvements can signal better employee experience.
For example, if your employee experience changes reduce friction in processes, you might see project delivery times improve or sales per employee increase.
Be cautious about tying this too directly, but it’s part of the overall picture. Productivity upticks alongside improved survey scores strengthen the case that initiatives are boosting output.
Likewise, customer satisfaction can indirectly reflect employee experience.
Happy employees often lead to happier customers.
Free Downloadable Employee Experience Survey Template
Investing in your employees’ experience is one of the most impactful decisions your organisation can make.
At Loving Life’s, we work with organisations and tailor workshops to help improve the employee experience.
Get in touch today, and let’s work together to create a workplace experience employees love and want to be a part of.
Author
Tyler Lowe
Workshop Facilitator and Wellbeing Speaker
