What is Employee Journey Mapping – and Why Has it Become So Important?

Mapping the e­mployee journey is akin to plotting e­ach team member’s adve­nture within a company. This is significant because the­ir experience greatly influences both the­ success of the company and customer satisfaction. The­refore, it is vital to outline this journe­y, highlighting key moments, learning opportunitie­s, and improvements when ne­eded. By creating cle­ar and welcoming paths, businesses can e­mpower employee­s to excel in their role­s, foster longevity and happiness, and uphold the­ company’s values. Similar to how a roadmap guides travele­rs, Employee Journey Mapping de­lineates the path that e­ach team member trave­rses within an organization. In this blog, we’ll look at why it has become crucial for contemporary firms to 

Now, let’s talk about the employee journey map. This is like creating visual timelines for different employees in your organization. It’s all about gathering information and feedback to create these understand and enhance the employee journey.

What exactly is an employee journey? Well, think of it as a roadmap that shows all the moments an employee experiences from the day they start at a company until they leave. These moments, whether big or small, shape how employees feel about the company and their role there.timelines, which show the essential parts of the employee experience. Just like we think about customers’ journeys, here we focus on what employees go through.

Imagine an employee journey map as a highlight reel, starting with when someone thinks about joining the company and ending when they decide to move on. In between, we show all the essential stops – like interviews, training, promotions, and more. We also highlight the good parts and the not-so-good parts that employees face.

Though every employee’s journey is unique, the main stops on the map – like interviews, hiring, training, promotions, and so on – are pretty similar for everyone. Of course, since different types of employees have different experiences, we create different maps for them. It’s like tailoring the journey for different groups of people within the comp.

Navigating an employee’s journey within an organization involves six critical stages:

1. Attract:

The journey begins by reaching out to potential employees. This phase showcases the organization’s values, culture, and benefits to draw qualified candidates genuinely interested in the role. Attracting talent is more straightforward with digital recruitment platforms like Taggd. 

2. Onboarding:

Bringing new hires on board involves structured processes, transforming them into productive employees. This includes orientation, training, and necessary paperwork geared toward setting up employees for success.

3. Engage:

Sustaining engagement is pivotal. Effective communication strategies ensure employees stay motivated, productive, and connected throughout their journey. Most companies listed on the Best Companies to Work for 2023, a report by Taggd, initiated various strategies to keep employees engaged. 

4. Develop:

Fostering a skilled and motivated workforce requires continuous development. Investing in employee growth enhances engagement and yields a competent and confident team.

5. Perform:

The performance stage encompasses performance management, feedback, rewards, teamwork, and professional growth. It’s a hub of activities that drive efficiency and success.

6. Exit:

When employees leave, a well-structured offboarding process is essential. It allows for honest feedback, ensures a smooth transition, and upholds a positive employee experience.

Dealing with Uncertainty: These maps show where employees have a hard time helping the company fix those issues. They also give the company a clear picture of the employee experience, which helps prepare for the future. As per research led by Jacob Morgan, companies prioritizing employee experience witness a fourfold increase in profitability compared to those that don’t invest.

Knowing What Matters: These maps make it easy to see the important parts of an employee’s journey. We can tell what’s going well and what needs improvement. When you improve aspects like engagement, it ultimately increases the bottom line. Gallup’s findings reveal that workforces marked by high engagement surpass their counterparts by an impressive 147% in earnings per share. 

Improving Experiences: When we find problems on the map, the company can improve things for employees. This makes the whole work experience better. Organizations positioned in the top 25% for employee engagement enjoy almost triple the return on assets in contrast to those in the lowest quartile.

Being Fair and Inclusive: These maps highlight if some employees have a different experience. This helps the company make things fair for everyone and create a place where everyone feels included.

These maps also help everyone communicate better within the company, ensuring everyone is part of the conversation.

Imagine making your workplace a fantastic employee experience while boosting your company’s profits. Just like businesses focus on giving customers an incredible journey, you can do the same for your employees.

Step 1: Understand Your Employees:

Start by creating profiles of different types of employees, just like you think about your customers. Think about their ages, roles, and plans. A long-time employee close to retiring will have a different journey than a new graduate starting out. This helps you see their journey in your company.

Step 2: Listen to Your Employees:

Talk to your employees to find out about their important moments at work. Ask them things like:

• What were they trying to achieve?
• How did they feel?
• What helped them?
• What made things difficult?
• How could things be better?

Also, check any surveys or feedback you already have from employees. Use all this information to figure out their journey’s good and not-so-good parts.

Step 3: Put It All Together:

Now, start mapping the employee journey. Think about every stage, from when they join to when they might leave. Include key points like hiring, training, and advancement. Even think about when someone might leave.

Understanding and mapping the employe­e journey is crucial for creating a successful workplace­. By mapping out each stage, from attracting talent to the­ir eventual exit, organizations can cultivate­ engaged and skilled te­ams. Taking a proactive approach like this not only boosts productivity but also create­s an environment where­ both employees and busine­sses can thrive togethe­r.