Full disclosure: This article was sponsored by 1E and written by EY Kalman.
The last (almost) two years have, in some ways, changed the way that the modern workspace is defined. Though we’ve always had remote workers, the shift to total home-based remote work for all but the most essential of workers has become the norm for practically all organizations.
The whole office culture has shifted. From previously being able to catch coffee or water cooler breaks where we’ve caught up with colleagues to find out what’s happening, everything has now shifted to a digital interface for us.
Introducing the Digital Employee Experience
With our newfound reality comes a new experience called Digital Employee Experience (DEX). It encapsulates what it’s like to interact digitally with clients or with colleagues.
For many (including myself), the pandemic-forced experience shift has had a major impact on their lives. Being able to use digital tools to support what they’re doing is the immediate need, along with pivoting where tooling & systems aren’t properly enabling them.
Recognizing Your Digital Employee Experience Trailblazers
Our new digital experience has allowed one type of employee to come to light, and be at the forefront of their organizations; the digital trailblazers found in some organizations. Though it may have been around before, I feel that this ‘new’ role of ‘Digital Employee Experience Trailblazer’ is an important role in its own right and one that organizations should adopt.
<aside> 🔥 Due to a newfound focus on remote work and digital experience, 1E has announced the first annual digital experience (DEX) awards. This program awards people for the impact that they’ve had on their organizations.
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Together with all of the other challenges that businesses face, being able to have these champions of technology present is an absolute tangible business benefit.
Imagine, for a moment, that your employees are trying to do their daily work, but having issues with the tools, or not understanding the processes properly. The current processes may not translate well to a proper digital experience; filling out paper forms, for example. These processes can reduce productivity and efficiency.
Dealing with out-of-day processes can frustrate employees, feel that they’re not being supported properly, and will result in less-than-optimal productivity.
Enter the Digital Employee Experience trailblazer.
Trailblazers might be from an IT background, but again, they may not be. What they do excel in is being able to understand business needs as well as systems, and bring the two together to work in synergy.
Trailblazers can offer support and training, and help with the adoption of anything new that’s required during the process. They’re able to explain simply & clearly, and ultimately empower & enable organizations to overcome challenges that may be in place currently.
I feel that teams with such people in place, who are able to look through current limitations & challenges and work to overcome them, are set up best to succeed. These teams will drive organizations forward in a clear way compared with organizations that do not have such people in place.
Nominate Your Trailblazer!
I have a challenge for you, dear reader. Check your pulse. Do you think you’re a trailblazer and if not, what could enable you to be? Imagine how you could help your team overcome challenges in this way, and go for it!
Do you know someone in your organization that should be recognized for being a trailblazer? Nominate them (or yourself) for 1E’s DEX awards!
