Outdated UX is suffocating employee experience strategies

Between 2022-2023 engagement and "culture energy" fell from 41% to 37% and Forrester predict that 2024 will see a continued decline, with employee engagement dipping to 34% and culture energy to 55% globally. Employee disengagement is an escalating problem as large enterprises become increasingly dispersed, employee expectations evolve, and audiences become even more diverse.

Adopting the right platforms is fundamental to the success or failure of large enterprises in engaging workforces and driving Organizational Velocity. A 1960s study by Ohio State University uncovered the now commonly cited understanding of how different groups adopt new technologies – The Diffusions of Innovations Theory (E.M Rogers, 1962). The study found that when it comes to adopting new systems and technologies, the 'Early Majority', 'Late Majority', and 'Laggards' make up 84%. 'Late Majority' and 'Laggards' make up 50%. Essentially, the folks who are eager to try new things only make up 16% of humans. The rest are the 'Majority' and they’re difficult to win over.

Another study 20 years later called the Technology Acceptance Model (Davis et al, 1989) discovered that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use are the primary factors in technology acceptance. Perceived ease of use can be understood and improved by understanding the user experience (UX) that digital solutions provide to users.

UX plays a critical role in making new systems easy to use and as such, is essential to their adoption. Good UX is crucial for the successful implementation of new platforms, but why is modern UX so important in EX?

What was once the Ringo Star of the organizational tech stack – the intranet, is now the key player in the Organizational Velocity movement. Modern intranets evolved into Employee Experience Platforms (EXPs) and finding the right EXP is now top of the to-do list for every large enterprise looking to engage employees, break free from lethargy, and drive productivity. But, to move the needle across these areas, employees need to be actively engaged in the platform. This is why modern UX is so critical. It’s the plant filled, open office, where everything works, with contagious good energy vs. the grey-cubicle walled, instant coffee-filled, 90s strip lighting office where nothing works, and no one knows where anything is (think a SharePoint intranet). We know which one is going to keep talent and get good work done.

Employees are becoming increasingly discerning

Modern UX has never been more important in retaining talent and driving engagement, productivity, and velocity. Today’s employees expect the platforms they use at work to be as intuitive and efficient as those in their personal lives.

According to Forrester, the quality of digital employee experiences directly impacts overall productivity and engagement. When employees encounter an intuitive, modern UX, they are more likely to engage with a platform, access the necessary information faster, and collaborate with colleagues more effectively. Accessibility and inclusivity are also essential aspects of UX. A platform must be usable by everyone in the organization, regardless of role or ability.

A positive user experience supports talent retention. In a competitive job market, employees are drawn to companies that provide seamless, empowering digital tools. A well-designed EXP can make all the difference in employee satisfaction, ultimately impacting productivity and Organizational Velocity. On the other hand, a poorly designed, outdated UX can frustrate employees, reducing their productivity and engagement and increasing employee turnover.

Modern UX isn't static

Modern UX design is not a one-and-done effort. It needs to adapt continually to evolving user expectations, workplace demands, and technological advancements. This dynamic nature is particularly crucial for large enterprises with diverse and shifting workforces.

As new technologies and standards emerge, the expectations of employees also evolve and as such, technologies can quickly feel outdated if they don’t stay ahead. Organizations need to remain agile and responsive to the changing needs of their workforce, especially when it comes to digital tools. Keeping up with advancements - such as governed ai, great search experiences, personalized content, or seamless mobile access - ensures employees continue to engage with the platform. In contrast, a stagnant UX will lead to disengagement and underutilization of the platform.

Moving fast and being agile are essentials for modern enterprises to succeed in today’s volatile business environment. This agility extends to UX. Enterprises should look to an EXP that combines plug and play, ever-evolving OOTB features and functions, with the flexibility to customize and configure the platform to meet any unique requirements.

First impressions count

Outdated UX will cause an EXP launch to fail with costly repercussions. As with any project launch involving lots of stakeholders, you often only get one chance. First impressions matter.

Clunky, outdated UX will result in low adoption rates and the damage can be immediate. To make matters more acute, Gen Z will soon make up 30% of the workforce and these digital natives expect the platforms they interact with to be fast, personalized, intuitive, and sleek. 94% of first impressions are design related (Toptal), so a platform that looks bad is going to cause a costly, quick and embarrassing end to an EX-strategy. There’s also no hiding behind poor UX – most people know when something looks bad.

Once a movement has lost its hype, it’s impossible to bring it back. If employees find a new platform difficult to use, it will quickly become one that they avoid. The long-term consequences of launching a platform with poor UX can be severe, requiring significant investment to fix the issues and rebuild employee trust.

Conclusion

Modern UX plays a critical role in driving the adoption and success of employee experience strategies within large enterprises. Today’s employees expect a seamless, user-friendly experience that helps them work efficiently and productively.

By continuously adapting UX to meet evolving standards and placing a strong emphasis on first impressions, enterprises can ensure that their EX strategies deliver fast and tangible business value through increased engagement, productivity, and agility. In the race toward Organizational Velocity, companies that prioritize modern UX in their digital workplace strategies will stay ahead of the curve.