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_"If you want to remain competitive in today's marketplace, investing in people is no longer a nice-to-have, but rather a must-have."_ - Tiffani Bova

Its a common belief that customer experience dictates the success or failure of a business. However, Global Growth Evangelist at Salesforce, Tiffani Bova warns that a siloed focus on customer experience, without taking into account the impact on employees, **actually harms business growth**.

In her new book, _The Experience Mindset: Changing The Way You Think About Growth_ Bova highlights the strong connection between positive customer and employee experience.

To be successful, businesses need to adopt an experience mindset that takes into account the sentiment of both customers **_and_** employees.

In light of [_Tiffani Bovas 2023 masterclass_](https://www.thegrowthfaculty.com/event.php?eventId=a1J9g000000PshfEAC) with Growth Faculty in July 2023, well look at how positive employee experience has a flow on effect to customers and the success of your business.

Well also show you some helpful ways to boost employee experience in your workplace.

**The Link Between Customer Experience & Employee Experience**

_If a business cares for its people, and they feel engaged and empowered, in turn, they will care for the customers of that business._ - Ian Golding.

Employee experience \(EX\) encompasses every interaction an employee has within an organisation, from their first day to their last. Customer experience \(CX\), on the other hand, is the overall perception customers have of your business based on their interactions with it.

It takes into account every step of the customer journey, from initial awareness to post-purchase support.

Employees are the face and voice of your business  they answer the phones, serve customers and design the products. So, it should go without saying that customer experience is often a **direct reflection of how your employees feel about their work**. Their happiness has a flow on effect to your customers, and your overall business growth.

To be successful, Tiffani Bova emphasises that businesses need to prioritise the experiences and wellbeing of their employees.

She says; _Employees are now the most important stakeholder to long term success and expect the same level of ease and convenience in their experiences as customers do._ 

In short, a workplace with positive EX goes hand in hand with high employee satisfaction, productivity, engagement and ultimately, happy customers.

**3 Ways Positive Employee Experience Drives Business Growth**

_You need to think beyond the customer. If you want to accelerate growth, you need to focus on the employee experience_ - Tiffani Bova.

Employee experience has always been an important consideration for organisations, but it hasn't been seen as a primary growth driver _until now_.

Businesses today are realising that to achieve positive CX, you need to **focus on your employees first**.

As Tiffani Bova highlights; _The link between happy employees, happy customers and revenue is not new; the direct link between increased revenue is._ 

In fact, Salesforces recent [_The Experience Advantage report_](https://www.salesforce.com/form/pdf/the-experience-advantage/) highlights that improving employee experience can boost business revenue by **50% or more**.

Heres 3 specific ways positive employee experience impacts business growth:

**1\. Improves Customer Satisfaction**

When you motivate and empower your employees, you better equip them to handle customer interactions effectively. Employees are more likely to be empathetic to a customers needs, take ownership of their tasks and go above and beyond to ensure the happiness of the customer.

When customers receive positive, personalised service, theyre more likely to be repeat customers and recommend your brand or products to their family and friends. Afterall, [_64% of companies_](https://cxtrends.zendesk.com/gb?_ga=2.189042600.2086829558.1687325682-1525811072.1687325682&_gl=1*iukjrl*_ga*MTUyNTgxMTA3Mi4xNjg3MzI1Njgy*_ga_FBP7C61M6Z*MTY4NzMyNTY4Mi4xLjEuMTY4NzMyNTY4Mi42MC4wLjA.) agree that quality customer service has a positive impact on their businesss bottom line.

On the flip-side, a team of disengaged and unhappy employees has a serious impact on your customers satisfaction, and ultimately your bottom line. In fact, more than [_60% of consumers_](https://cxtrends.zendesk.com/gb?_ga=2.21816891.1620306998.1687914688-973141729.1687914688&_gl=1*1j2bjjw*_ga*OTczMTQxNzI5LjE2ODc5MTQ2ODg.*_ga_FBP7C61M6Z*MTY4NzkxNDY4OC41LjEuMTY4NzkxNDY4OC42MC4wLjA.) will seek out a competitor if they receive a bad customer experience. Even worse, gaining a new customer, or replacing a lost one, can cost businesses [_roughly_**_500% more_**](https://hbr.org/2014/10/the-value-of-keeping-the-right-customers) **** than maintaining an existing one.

**2\. Attracts & Retains Top Performing Employees**

Amid the 'Great Resignation, attractive salary packages are no longer the main drawcard for top talent. High-performing candidates now seek out businesses that prioritise employee experience and company culture when looking for a new job role.

Not only does positive EX help you attract talent, but also retain it. In fact, [_studies show_](https://www.gallup.com/workplace/236927/employee-engagement-drives-growth.aspx) that businesses who engage and empower their employees through mentoring, training and development programs have **18-43% lower** turnover rates. Even worse, it can cost businesses anywhere from [_ to 2x the employees' annual salary_](https://www.gallup.com/workplace/247391/fixable-problem-costs-businesses-trillion.aspx#:~:text=The%20cost%20of%20replacing%20an,to%20%242.6%20million%20per%20year.) to replace and train a new staff member, which has a serious impact on your bottom line.

If companies can successfully attract and [_retain high-value employees_](https://www.thegrowthfaculty.com/blog/retentionofhighvalueemployees) , exceptional customer experiences and better business outcomes will naturally follow.

**3\. Boosts Productivity**

When employees are happy and love what they do, theyre more productive and driven to perform at their best. In fact, a [_2019 study_](https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3470734) conducted by Oxford University's Sad Business School demonstrated that happy employees were **13% more productive** than those who are discontent with their role.

A positive work environment also fosters better collaboration between colleagues. When teams collaborate and communicate more efficiently, they solve problems faster and complete tasks to a higher standard.

**5 Leading Strategies To Improve Employee Experience**

_When your employees are engaged and enabled to do their best work, customers notice and respond with their money and loyalty._ - Tiffany Bova.

The COVID-19 pandemic forever changed the way we work and the way we view work. Todays workforces demand more recognition, flexibility and positive experiences from their employers, and arent afraid to jump ship if theyre not satisfied.

Without a team of happy, motivated employees, you cant expect to see productivity, innovation, agility and resilience, let alone satisfied customers.

So, as the power shifts from employer to employee, heres 5 helpful strategies leaders can use to improve employee experience:

**1\. Lead With Empathy**

The relationships employees have with their coworkers and managers is the **single biggest factor** in determining their happiness in the workplace. In fact, nearly [_50% of employees_](https://workplaceinsight.net/half-of-people-have-quit-job-due-to-poor-work-relationship-with-boss/) will leave their job if they do not have a positive working relationship with their boss.

To foster a positive employee experience, leaders need to shift their focus from business outcomes to [_mastering soft skills_](https://www.thegrowthfaculty.com/blog/softskillsinworkplace) like empathy. Soft skills are people skills that help us [_build strong workplace relationships_](https://www.thegrowthfaculty.com/blog/buildingstrongworkplacerelationships) , establish trust and respect  without them youll end up with a [_toxic workplace_](https://www.thegrowthfaculty.com/blog/Toxicworkplaceculture).

Leaders with a high level of [_emotional intelligence_](https://www.thegrowthfaculty.com/blog/emotionalintelligence) have greater self-awareness, are able to understand the emotions of their employees and adjust their leadership style to suit the situation.

_If staff feel that their managers understand their problems and issues, recognize their abilities and talents...the quality of relationship between manager and staff will be increased._  \(Soleimani & Einolahzadeh, 2017\)

**2\. Prioritise Communication & Feedback **

Tiffani Bova emphasises that creating a trusting environment where employees feel empowered starts with **transparent leadership, communication and feedback**.

Employees must be given the opportunity to voice any feedback or concerns about new product offerings, both from a functionality standpoint and how it will impact their day-to-day tasks.

Leaders can do this by scheduling regular check-ins, performance evaluations and feedback sessions to ensure employees feel heard and supported. Employees are also more likely to accept change if they know why youre implementing it.

This creates a [_psychologically safe workplace_](https://www.thegrowthfaculty.com/blog/psychologicallysafeworkplaces) and gives employees a place to voice any concerns, roadblocks or issues they may be facing.

**3\. Reward & Recognise**

Creating a [_culture of accountability_](https://www.thegrowthfaculty.com/blog/accountabilityproductivity) and recognition is a great [_strategy to engage and empower your teams_](https://www.thegrowthfaculty.com/blog/5strategiestoempowerteams).

It fosters a positive, supportive workplace culture and motivates employees to work hard knowing leaders will recognise and appreciate their contributions.

Leaders can do this by celebrating employees' achievements, big or small, such as a successful brand deal, a promotion or a sellout event. It might surprise you how much itll boost morale.

**4\. Ensure Seamless Company-Issued Technology**

Tiffani Bova notes that in todays digital first environment, employee productivity and satisfaction will suffer without the necessary tools to complete tasks. And while [_52% of executives_](https://stevesanduski.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/the-experience-advantage.pdf) believe their corporate technology is up to scratch, **only 32%** of employees agree.

To create a positive employee experience, businesses need to ensure company-issued technology works together seamlessly.

This could be anything from sourcing new laptops, eliminating redundant processes or updating company interfaces. This will reduce the effort required to complete tasks and gives employees more time to focus on the actual work and helping customers.

**5\. Shower Them With Professional Development**

The right type of training at the right time builds a more knowledgeable, empowered and motivated workforce. By [_investing in training and development programs_](https://www.thegrowthfaculty.com/blog/benefitsoftraininganddevelopment) , youre committing to maintaining and evolving the skillset of your employees, and the success of your business. In fact, [_93% of employees_](https://learning.linkedin.com/resources/workplace-learning-report-2018) will stay longer at an organisation if they receive quality training and development.

Investing in professional development can be done in numerous ways, such as training programs, mentorship initiatives or sponsoring employees to attend industry conferences or workshops.

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Why Improve Both Customer Experience & Employee Experience?

How Customer Experience & Employee Experience Drive Business Success

Keep informed
Stay Inspired

Why Improve Both Customer Experience & Employee Experience?

How Customer Experience & Employee Experience Drive Business Success

Keep informedStay Inspired

Keep informed
Stay Inspired