The Critical Role of the Workplace Experience Manager

The pandemic reshaped how we work across the globe, ushering in an era of remote or hybrid arrangements, increased flexibility, and a greater emphasis on the needs of employees. At the heart of this new era resides an improved workplace experience, designed to drive business success and keep talented individuals with their employers over the long term.

Fortune and Deloitte’s 2022 CEO Survey found that 96% of CEOs plan to focus on employee experience going forward to attract and retain talent. To aid in understanding the needs of their employees, organizations are hiring Workplace Experience Managers to deliver a more engaging culture and help create better lives for workers.

“The Workplace Experience Manager, with the capacity and capability to proactively orchestrate the interaction with our employees and create unique experiences, has been a gamechanger for this company,” said the vice president of a global technology organization. “[That process] is the result of passionate people who know their purpose.”

The workplace represents the work environment in total, including what drives strategy and business outcomes. Workplace Experience Managers emphasize seamless service delivery, developing and implementing activities that promote employee engagement and improve their ability to collaborate. These skilled professionals are becoming a vital part of any organization seeking to keep quality hires and support their well-being. Through their holistic approach and alignment with integrated facility management, Workplace Experience Managers curate the workday and help connect people to places.

The Power of Experience and Engagement

According to Gallup, only 21% of employees are actively engaged at work. Low workplace engagement costs the global economy $7.8 trillion each year and creates difficulties for companies as they look for the right people to round out their teams. With such low engagement, leaders are exploring new ways to create value and provide employees with meaningful opportunities for growth.

Workplace Experience Managers provide memorable experiences and facilitate employee engagement. By observing company culture and how the workplace environment operates, these experts formulate high-level plans to select services, activities, and events for employees and visitors. Offerings are tailored to the needs of the organization and encourage a close-knit office culture, like creating new collaboration spaces and adding workplace amenities based on employee feedback. Workplace Experience Managers also help deliver operational consistency and strategic advice, boosting productivity, well-being, and value for the businesses that hire them.

As of September 2022, office occupancy rates in North America rose to 47.5% — or half of pre-pandemic levels. While this is promising news for proponents of in-office work, most high-growth companies have adopted hybrid work models, forcing leaders to reassess how to meet the needs of both in-person and remote employees.

A Tailored Journey Through the Workplace

To drive office attendance, Workplace Experience Managers develop an understanding of a company’s strategy and goals before cultivating consistent touchpoints of experience. Touchpoints include everything from small interactions across the workday — a warm welcome from the reception team or your regular coffee order waiting for you at the company café — to more involved aspects like conference room set-ups, technology implementation, event organization, and resolving unexpected workplace difficulties. Over time, Workplace Experience Managers build strong relationships and gain a deep understanding of company culture, allowing them to tailor specific strategies for more productive and collaborative environment.

While these updated office environments still contain focus areas and individual workspaces, with hybrid or remote-first workplace models, many offices are prioritizing cooperation opportunities, re-tooling their spaces to be a destination for teams to brainstorm. For remote workers, Workplace Experience Managers help facilitate opportunities for socialization with colleagues and drive their involvement with the company, as well as explore technology and communication options to enable hybrid work and keep people connected.

Onboarding is a key for a tailored workplace experience, especially for hybrid or remote workers, as it lays a foundation for an employee’s tenure and acts as a springboard for their long-term success. While they may miss some in-person experiences like happy hours or guest speakers, an impactful workplace experience allows remote employees to learn the details of their roles and get acquainted with colleagues through online social events, robust virtual training, professional development opportunities, and other options for direct engagement.

Regardless of a company’s goals and aspirations, Workplace Experience Managers support the employee journey across the organization, creating a dependable, scalable experience that aligns the cultural, physical, and technological aspects of the workplace.

Aligning How We Work

Workplace Experience Managers create new service concepts that transcend simply reducing costs and increasing efficiency, helping the workplace align culture, space, and technology; they also champion better working lives for employees and find novel ways to promote company values. Through their efforts, organizations grow in vital areas like employee satisfaction, productivity, operational efficiency, and innovation.

Over the past three years, demand for Workplace Experience Managers has grown by more than 300%, indicating that companies are serious about building their employer brands and boosting engagement with their teams. Flexible work is here to stay, and workplace experience is proving to be invaluable for retaining top talent and achieving meaningful growth. As a result, capable Workplace Experience Managers can transform an organization’s culture and help create an engaging environment where people can advance their careers and do their best work.

Workplace Experience Managers create environments that help people stay happy, motivated, and engaged.

Download our brochure to learn more about how they deliver amazing outcomes for ISS clients.