What Is An Employee Experience Manager? [2023 Guide]

In today’s competitive job market, employees are no longer satisfied with simply earning a paycheck. They want to work for a company that supports them emotionally and offers them a positive work environment.

That’s where an employee experience manager comes in.

This article will explore what employee experience management entails, why it’s essential, and how it can help your organization create a more engaged, productive, and satisfied workforce.

Let’s jump right in.

Quick Summary

• An employee experience manager is responsible for developing strategies to improve employee engagement, satisfaction, and overall well-being.
• Employee experience managers are becoming essential as more companies transition to remote and hybrid work models.
• Benefits of having an employee experience manager include a productive and engaged workforce, lower employee turnover, positive brand reputation, and a more innovative work environment.

What Is an Employee Experience Manager?

Employee experience managers are responsible for managing and monitoring employee experiences. They consider experiences at every stage of the employee lifecycle, beginning with hiring and onboarding, and ending with employee exit interviews and offboarding.

The role of an employee experience manager is often confused with that of an HR manager. While both help employees and companies run more efficiently, there are two clear distinctions between them:

• Focus: HR managers focus on the legal aspects of an organization’s hiring policies and employee compensation and benefits packages, whereas employee experience managers concentrate on the nature and quality of employee work experiences.
• Scope: While an HR manager’s role is typically limited to the legal and administrative aspects of employment, employee experience managers are concerned with the individual and collective experiences of employees.

Why Are Employee Experience Managers Needed?

Due to the rise of remote and hybrid work environments, there is a much wider range of potential experiences employees can have at work. As a result, the role of an employee experience manager is now more critical than ever.

While employees were often expected to tolerate unfavorable working conditions in the past, the demand for better working conditions has increased significantly in recent years.

Today’s employees want to do meaningful work in a safe and supportive environment, where their well-being is a priority.

In fact, recent survey data revealed three-quarters of millennials and Gen Zs working in remote or hybrid roles would look for a new job if their employer required them to work in the office full-time.

Companies that prioritize employee experiences often provide the following:

• Remote and hybrid work arrangements
• Job security
• Mental health support
• Healthcare packages
• Employee training and development opportunities

Improving employee experiences doesn’t just benefit workers. One study found “organizations that score in the top 25 percent on employee experience report nearly three times the return on assets compared to organizations in the bottom quartile.”

This has resulted in more engaged employees who serve customers better.

The benefits of having an employee experience manager include the following:

• Attracting and retaining top talent
• Improving productivity
• Enhancing employee satisfaction
• Identifying areas in need of improvement
• Crafting a positive work culture

What Does an Employee Experience Manager Do?

Employee experience managers aim to improve employee satisfaction and engagement levels by improving employee experiences at work.

Their main areas of focus center around employee engagement, work environment, and job satisfaction. By addressing each of those areas, employee experience managers can improve the way employees interact with the company and maximize their potential within it.

While the day-to-day responsibilities of an employee experience manager will vary depending on internal policies and company culture, they’re often involved in the following.

Designing and Implementing Employee Experience Strategies

Prioritizing employee experiences can have an enormous impact on an organization. A recent study found that companies that prioritize employee experience are 4.2 times more profitable, on average.

Employee experience managers need to find out exactly what employees think and feel about the organization to do their job effectively.

Employee experience strategies are initiatives that specifically aim to improve experience, morale, and engagement rates among employees. Such strategies could include the following:

• Establishing a split work schedule
• Providing upskill training
• Introducing mentorship or sponsorship programs
• Offering flexible work arrangements
• Identifying new technologies and tools to help employees collaborate more effectively

Gathering and Analyzing Employee Feedback

Gathering and analyzing employee feedback is a fundamental responsibility of an employee experience manager. To excel in their role, an employee experience manager needs to connect with employees on a personal level and truly understand their wants and needs. This matters most for workers hired in hybrid roles as they have various responsibilities.

Obtaining employee feedback is critical — especially for remote and hybrid workers, who may be struggling with the transition from in-office work or feeling disconnected from the rest of the team.

Gathering and analyzing employee feedback involves the following:

• Conducting employee surveys to gather information on topics such as work-life balance and communication between managers and staff members.
• Identifying common themes in the feedback received. Employees may not phrase things in the same way, but problematic policies or processes are likely to impact more than one employee.
• Considering issues from all sides. Aspects of a job that employees feel positive about can have negative implications as well. For example, employees might feel more productive in a hybrid work arrangement, but it can also increase their stress levels.
• Developing strategies to address employee concerns. Managers can use employee feedback to formulate a plan. For example, introducing collaboration and time management tools can help employees communicate more effectively and reduce stress.

Ensuring Consistency Across Departments

Employee experience managers collaborate with different teams, such as HR, IT, and marketing, to ensure that policies and practices are being implemented consistently throughout the organization.

For example, employee experience managers can work with other departments to ensure in-office workers aren’t treated preferentially over remote workers.

Managers need to have strong communication and interpersonal skills to succeed in this role, as they’ll be liaising with different team members simultaneously.

Employee experience managers collaborate with other departments to:

• Recommend areas for training and development programs: they may work with the IT department to recommend training on cyber security best practices to address the risks of remote and hybrid employees using company devices on their home networks.
• Ensure employee benefits and compensation are on par with industry averages: they work with HR and finance departments to ensure employee benefits and compensation packages are competitive.
• Foster a sense of community: in a hybrid work environment where employees work both remotely and in person, managers can work with marketing and IT departments to create online events and virtual team-building activities so that everyone feels included.

Promoting a Positive Company Culture

Promoting a positive company culture is a critical responsibility of employee experience managers.

They play a key role in cultivating a workplace environment that supports employee growth and development, helping organizations succeed and attract top talent.

Managers can promote a positive company culture by:

• Organizing team-building activities and networking events
• Helping employees navigate work-related or personal challenges
• Celebrating diversity and inclusion
• Encouraging mentorships and sponsorships within the organization

Monitoring Employee Engagement

Monitoring employee experiences and engagement levels are key responsibilities of employee experience managers. They’re interested in seeing how employees are interacting with co-workers, supervisors, and managers, and whether there are opportunities for improvement.

If employee engagement is low, an employee experience manager can develop a training program that helps improve communication and collaboration between managers and employees.

What Impact Can Employee Experience Management Have on a Business?

Whether employees work from home, in the office, or on a beach somewhere far away, strategic employee experience management can create a positive and supportive work environment

When employees feel comfortable speaking openly and making mistakes without being nervous about the repercussions, they’re more likely to provide honest feedback.

Creating this type of supportive, safe environment can result in more confident employees, increased productivity, and higher-quality deliverables.

Additional benefits include the following.

A More Engaged, Productive Workforce

When employees are committed to and enthusiastic about their work, they’re more productive, creative, and motivated.

Employee experience managers can help improve engagement by encouraging collaboration across departments, organizing work challenges that inspire and motivate employees, and celebrating innovation.

For example, since 2004, Google has allowed its employees to spend 20% of their time working on any project they believe would benefit the company.

Reduced Employee Turnover

Retaining top talent has become one of the main challenges for organizations in today’s competitive business world. Between February and May 2023, around 4 million Americans quit their jobs each month.

Employee experience managers can play a major role in improving talent retention by ensuring that employees have room to grow and are provided with opportunities to expand their skill set.

For example, AirBnB is enticing employees to stay by offering perks like travel credit and generous healthcare inclusions.

Positive Brand Reputation

Reputation really is everything in business, and there’s nothing worse than being labeled as a company that doesn’t care about its employees.

Take Amazon, for instance. With reports of shockingly low wages and excessively long work hours, their reputation has suffered.

On the other hand, having a reputation for treating employees with kindness and respect can be a significant advantage — especially when scouting new talent or investments.

Hiring an employee experience manager who focuses on creating a positive workplace culture demonstrates to future candidates that you’ll value their contribution to your company.

More Innovation

Employee experience managers are constantly observing how the office runs and seeking ways to improve the procedures and processes that impact employees.

As a result, they can bring innovative ideas about how to enhance the workplace environment and support employee well-being to the table.

This focus on innovation encourages a culture of creativity and experimentation, where employees are asked to think outside of the box with their ideas.

Improved Employee Well-being

Employee well-being is a critical component of a productive and healthy workplace. According to the World Health Organization, 12 billion workdays are lost annually due to depression and anxiety.

Employee experience managers can have a massive impact on how employees perceive their work environment, whether it be remote-centric, office-centric, or something in between.

They do this by implementing workplace strategies that support employee well-being, such as allowing workers to have more control over their time and workload and providing opportunities for them to enjoy their personal life.

Best Practices Every Employee Experience Manager Should Follow

Here are four best practices that every employee experience manager should follow:

• Listen and act upon employee feedback
• Foster a sense of community
• Prevent employee burnout
• Keep all lines of communication open

Implementing the above best practices can help ensure the fair and equitable treatment of all employees, no matter where they are working. The right tools, like a workplace experience app, can help employee experience managers streamline that process.

Can an Employee Experience Manager Help Your Business?

Hiring an employee experience manager demonstrates to your employees that you care about their well-being and are committed to creating a positive work environment for them.

With the rise of hybrid and fully remote work, understanding and optimizing employee experience is critical to any organization’s success.

That being said, it’s important to remember that managing employee experience can be complex. Therefore, it’s also essential to have the right tools and resources to succeed. provide your employee experience manager with the tools and resources to succeed.

OfficeRnD Hybrid is an easy-to-use, yet powerful hybrid workplace management solution that empowers employee engagement and collaboration.

Start for free with OfficeRnD Hybrid and see how it can boost employee engagement, collaboration, and productivity within your organization!

FAQ

What Does an Employee Experience Manager Do?

An Employee Experience Manager is responsible for creating a positive and engaging work environment for employees. Their role is to ensure that the employee journey, from onboarding to exit, is as seamless, engaging, and positive as possible.

Why do you Need an Employee Experience Manager?

An Employee Experience Manager is crucial for fostering a positive work environment and enhancing employee engagement. They design strategies to improve the overall employee journey, from onboarding to exit, ensuring that employees feel valued and satisfied. Their role directly impacts employee retention, productivity, and ultimately, the company’s success.

What is the HR’s Role in Employee Experience?

Human Resources plays a pivotal role in shaping the employee experience. They design and implement policies, from recruitment to retirement, that directly impact employees’ work lives. HR also manages benefits, compensation, training, and development, and ensures a safe, inclusive, and positive work environment, all of which significantly contribute to the overall employee experience.

How do you Manage Employee Experience?

Managing employee experience involves understanding and improving all interactions employees have with the organization. It starts with creating a positive onboarding process, providing opportunities for growth and development, and fostering a supportive work culture. Regular feedback collection and action, along with promoting work-life balance and recognition programs, are also key strategies.

What Should I Do if My Employee Experience Management Isn’t Up to Scratch?

If your employee experience management isn’t up to scratch, use the following steps to figure out what the problem is and solve it.

First, identify the problem’s root cause.

Do this by:

• Reviewing employee feedback
• Assessing recent productivity reports
• Evaluating leadership and management practices

Breaking down each aspect of your business makes it easier to identify why management seems to have broken down.

One common issue is a lack of effective hybrid work management, which can lead to increased stress and burnout among employees.

Second, develop an action plan.

Do this by:

• List down everything that needs to be addressed, including specific goals and objectives.
• Evaluate whether there are any technologies or innovative solutions that could help address the issues identified. For example, introducing a hybrid work scheduling tool to automate processes and organize team meetings.
• Assign responsibility for specific tasks, and establish a timeline for implementation.

Continue by communicating with employees

Do this by:

• Being open and honest about the changes being made
• Using both in-person and remote channels to communicate updates
• Listening to feedback and being willing to implement it
• Providing ongoing communication

Then, measure progress.

Do this by:

• Regularly checking in with employees and assessing how well the system is working
• Using a workplace management system like OfficeRnD Hybrid to track key metrics, like how much office space is being utilized by employees and how often employees prefer to work from home

This valuable data can help you identify areas for improvement and ensure that you’re meeting your employees’ needs.

What Are the Elements of Employee Experience?

Employee experience encompasses all aspects of an employee’s journey within an organization, from recruitment to off-boarding.

The quality of employee experience is judged through different aspects of a company, including the following:

• Leadership: Good leaders motivate their employees to strive for excellence and encourage them to learn from their mistakes.
• The importance of work: When employees feel that they’re working toward something of value, they’re more likely to feel engaged and motivated.
• Company culture: A good company culture helps foster a sense of belonging, collaboration, and mutual respect among employees.
• Work flexibility: Employees value the ability to work from home or in the office when it suits them.

What Is the Average Salary of an Employee Experience Manager?

The average base salary of an employee experience manager is $87,594.

This role has gained significant attention in recent years, with LinkedIn listing it as number 5 on its Jobs on the Rise 2023 report.

Companies in San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles are currently looking for employee experience managers with three to five years of experience.