New Microsoft + Qualtrics study reveals the impact of breakthrough technology experiences on employee engagement

We’ve all been there, sat in front of a laptop, ready to get our teeth into a project when it happens… the tech fails on us. From software updates to hardware failures, bad IT experiences can be incredibly frustrating. Our latest study in conjunction with Microsoft shows just how impactful the technology experience is on the employee experience.

The study looked at the impact on employee experience from using Microsoft Managed Desktop versus other technology and devices, and how avoiding IT  hiccups entirely or minimizing downtime impacted employees.

The results showed that when people’s tech set up works well, they’re more engaged, more productive, and happier at work.

It found the group which entrusted Microsoft to keep their devices and software up to date through its platform reported 15%  more pride, advocacy, and achievement at work and were:

• 31% more likely to say that they have the necessary tools and technology to get their work done effectively.
• 59% more likely to agree that their PC experience lets them better serve their customers and work more productively.
• 121% more likely to feel valued by their company as a result of their PC experience.

It demonstrated a clear link between IT effectiveness and the employee experience, putting the onus on IT leaders to double down on eliminating frustrating technology experiences as organizations look to develop better workplace cultures.

“At Microsoft, we’ve transformed our culture by helping employees maximize their productivity with the tools and resources they need to do their best work,” said Brad Anderson, corporate vice president of commercial management experiences, Microsoft.

“These findings on the connection between technology experiences and employee engagement demonstrate, more than ever before, the critical role IT plays in shaping workplace culture and employee sentiment.”

How IT leaders can improve the employee experience

On the surface, it might seem like a no-brainer — particularly to HR leaders who’ve known for almost a decade that having the necessary tools, being able to serve customers better, and feeling valued by your employer are all key drivers of the employee experience.

But initiatives to improve those areas have typically been seen as ‘an HR thing’.

The C-suite knows it too. In fact 90% of c-suite execs say they pay attention to the needs of employees when rolling out new technology.

However, ask employees and just 50% of them agree.

So it’s clear we have some way to go to build truly people-centric IT experiences.

It’s why we’ve launched a new way for IT leaders to close the gap and understand where to invest to have the biggest impact on their internal customers.

EmployeeXM for IT is the latest in our suite of tools designed to help create better workplaces.

It provides IT leaders with the tools to measure and improve the tech experience for employees, helping them to build internal IT services that have a positive impact on engagement, productivity and sentiment in the workplace.

4 ways to optimize the technology experience

Employee XM for IT has been designed and built to help you do four key things to improve the technology experience for your people:

1. A complete understanding of the workforce technology experiences. Through annual or quarterly studies, you can understand people’s current relationships and experiences with existing technology, tools, and services. Your IT and HR teams can then use the insights to identify the gaps and prioritize improvements.
2. Better IT support. You get real-time insights into people’s experiences with your IT Help Desk, so you can understand their needs and how you can improve both the quality and efficiency of the service.
3. Improve new implementations and project rollouts.  You can monitor employee feedback during a new internal project rollout, gathering feedback from the teams responsible for the implementation and the employees impacted. It helps you understand sentiment pre-, post-, and during implementation so you make improvements in real-time.
4. Make the right investments in your technology infrastructure. You’ll be able to put people at the heart of future RFP processes to help ensure that you’re investing in technologies that genuinely improve the way your teams work.