Almost half of US and UK businesses in the dark over how employees get work done

Research released by Scalable Software has revealed that the majority of employers are unaware of how productivity is being impacted by their employees’ experiences of the digital workplace. The research of 400 senior US and UK IT decision makers (ITDMs) found a disconnect between the information provided by IT, and that required to get the best Digital Employee Experience (DEX). Earlier research of knowledge workers revealed more than half (52%) rate the DEX­ provided by their employer as poor or merely adequate, and that DEX is getting worse, not better. Moreover, the new survey finds that almost half (45%) of organizations do not conduct any employee journey mapping, leaving them in the dark about how employees complete their work and what digital friction they face.

“Historically, management of IT services has been technology-centric, with many specialized tools employed to resolve specific technology needs. These tools are now being pressed into service to address employees’ digital experiences,” commented Mark Cresswell, Co-Founder, Scalable Software. “Our analysis clearly shows an emerging disconnect between how useful ITDMs see these traditional tools in the DEX context, and the benefits that employees are receiving. The whole situation is amplified by the shift to hybrid working where traditional management practices can no longer plug the gaps.”

Specifically, current levels of DEX maturity focus on technology-centric Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Business leaders and HR professionals need to be armed with employee-centric KPIs such as Burnout Risk, Employee Engagement, Employee Journeys, Isolation and Sentiment – none of which can be discerned from traditional IT management tools. Additionally, the research finds only 56% of ITDMs can easily share data with HR teams, and 88% admit there is a need for greater communication between IT and HR.

“Accurately assessing digital employee experience in the modern hybrid workplace is complex and critically important,” said Cresswell. “It’s no longer acceptable to retrofit IT management tools to fill a gap in DEX knowledge. Organizations need purpose-built DEX analytics that deliver insight into the digital experience “black box” – showing how teams accomplish tasks, highlighting inefficiencies and digital friction. As hybrid working becomes business as usual for most knowledge workers, employers must cultivate an employee-centric view of the digital workplace. ITDMs can lead the way in this endeavor by ensuring HR and business leaders have actionable DEX analytics to drive beneficial outcomes for employees.”