What will the 2023 employee experience look like?

While HR can’t predict next year’s experience, you can most definitely help define it. And you’ll likely want to make it better than ever.

The key will be to act on employees’ emerging expectations and underlying needs that changed dramatically over the past several years.

“Just because employees are now choosing to stick around doesn’t mean that they’re suddenly going to be highly engaged, highly motivated employees,” says Jabra SVP Holger Reisinger. “To reverse the years-long trend in decreasing employee engagement, leaders must begin to show more recognition – for the financial challenges employees are facing, for the changing role that work is playing in people’s lives, and simply for a job well done.”

To move forward with that as a guidepost, here are five of the top 2023 employee experience expectations and trends – and how you can meet them.

1.Need for assurance

Nearly everything has been unsettling in the past few years – pandemic, work and home upheavals, social concerns and the economy. Perhaps the most important workplace trend in 2023 will be creating a greater sense of security.

Employees are looking for assurance that their job and their employer are on solid footing, according to the Qualtrics 2023 Employee Experience Trends Report.

“Employee expectations have fundamentally changed, and the progress we’ve made cannot be undone,” says Qualtrics Chief Workplace Psychologist Dr. Benjamin Granger. “But as the economic picture shifts and people focus on their basic needs, clear and open communication are essential. Employees want reassurance that their jobs are secure, and that they’ll get some relief from burnout after the disruption brought on by the confluence of COVID, an economic downturn and geopolitical events.”

To reassure employees in 2023, transparency is critical. Ask leaders to regularly give employees a bigger view of company performance and goals going into the new year.

Then, ask managers to talk with their teams about where they fit in for hitting goals. Finally,

require managers to have at least quarterly one-on-ones with employees to review performance, recognize accomplishments and set new goals.

2.Focus on communication to avoid conflict

Poor communication is the No. 1 cause of conflict at work, according to research from Myers-Briggs. And employees spend about four hours a week dealing with the conflict.

It’ll be important to decrease conflict to improve the experience. Focus on clearer

communication to accomplish it in 2023. Myers-Briggs Head of Thought Leadership John Hackston suggests these tips:

• Give front-line managers time, answers and backup to communicate HR policies and corporate information directly to employees
• Listen to employees more throughout the year. Take pulse surveys, reviewing subjects that are critical to employees and your business, and adding topics that you hear in the undercurrent.
• Solicit feedback. Ask employees how they feel about policies, procedures and the workplace experience. Give them outlets – townhalls, anonymous email, office hours, etc. – to share their ideas that might improve the workplace.

3.Maintained work/life balance

This employee experience expectation isn’t going away after years on the priority list. In fact, satisfaction with work/life balance dropped to 71% from 73% in the past year, the Qualtrics survey found.

But here’s the catch: 63% of employees who feel they have a good work/life balance are willing to go above and beyond for their company. So it pays off to help employees continue to achieve the balance.

The best way: Regular check-ins. Work/life balance is usually found and maintained at the team level. Give front-line managers time, direction and tools for healthy, regular check-ins where they gauge and level the balance.

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Information provided by: HR Morning