As the world continues to evolve, so does the workplace. Companies are constantly adapting to new technologies, trends, and societal changes to create a work environment that is inclusive, engaging, and productive. Workplace culture is no exception. Businesses must align all aspects of their operations with revenue growth in a high inflationary environment and an impending global slowdown. To optimise performance and ensure efficient business growth, it is crucial to create a highly fulfilling employee experience.

Here are five workplace culture trends around employee experience that will impact customer experience and unlock greater revenue in the future.

Fostering greater trust

In the post-pandemic work environment, employees view their relationship with managers as an indication of their association with the organisation. However, managers have been slow to evolve into guardians of trust and affinity, regardless of their industry experience. As such, it's crucial to improve manager capability and accountability to enhance the employee experience. Business needs to provide training sessions, leadership development programnes, and events to help managers build their leadership skills, enabling them to play a crucial role in building a sustainable work culture.

Offering personalised flexibility

To prioritise employee experience, companies must offer team-wise and individual-wise fluidity instead of one-size-fits-all policies, which require managers to collaborate with their teams. Flexible work arrangements are essential for balancing professional and personal pursuits, and tools like Slack can enhance productivity and enable managers to understand their team's evolving needs. By prioritising employee experience, companies can retain top talent and create a productive work environment.

Developing a broader view of inclusion

As the workplace becomes more flexible and fluid, our understanding of effective inclusion will also evolve. This will require a greater acceptance of different working styles and schedules to bring parity and unlock maximum potential. Effective inclusion will no longer be limited to making space for women returning to work after pregnancy; they should have access to the same resources and opportunities as everyone else. To achieve this, organisations will need to re-evaluate their technology and workplace design. 

Technology can be instrumental in driving effective collaboration, breaking down silos, and enabling easier communication. It can also enable organisations to track employee sentiment and receive feedback to improve the efficacy of initiatives. However, it all comes back to the manager's capability to engage their team, listen to their needs, and create an enabling environment. This way, programmes, and processes can be successfully implemented, ensuring a culture of inclusion and growth.

Redesigning benefits and perks

Recognition is a critical element in creating an engaging employee experience in the post-pandemic business environment. Benefits and perks will need to evolve from frills to core components that make employees feel valued. However, employee needs and wants are continually changing, making it challenging to determine what benefits to offer.  

Organisations need to create communities that serve as safe spaces and encourage team-building activities like volunteering. Platforms that celebrate individual passions and hobbies can also contribute to employee engagement. To accomplish this, organizations need to invest in leveraging employee data to keep up with changing expectations. However, it's important not to react hastily and move all resources to one aspect of benefits. As we shift between different work models, the benefits that employees expect will also keep changing.

Offering meaningful employee experiences

In the future of work, top talent will seek out organisations that offer meaningful employee experiences and opportunities for growth. This means companies need to focus on enhancing their work culture, upskilling employees, and leveraging technology to increase productivity and simplify work processes. Using technology can help foster a sense of connection and engagement can be powerful. 

Companies can also create equality groups for employees to connect over shared beliefs or causes. By prioritising purpose and growth, organisations can attract and retain top talent.