EX2025 and Beyond: The Employee Experience Revolution, Transform-CX’s five-person panel virtual event that was held live on September 19 last year, sparked a crucial dialogue about how organizations can address the inadequacy of the traditional methods of employee engagement, and how organizations can effectively engage employees in today’s rapidly evolving landscape.

​

The virtual event was livestreamed on LinkedIn Live, drawing HR professionals, operations managers, and anyone interested in employee well-being. Moderated by Tim Keefe, Chief Executive Officer of Transform-CX and Founder of SDSS™ Global Limited, the panel discussion was joined by Transform-CX Chief Experience Officer Andreas Wieman, Refractor EQ Executive Coach Diana Chu, Johns Hopkins Medicine Vice President Kevin Shields, and advisor to several Fortune 500 companies Trent Salvaggio.

​

The discussion delved deep into the current trends in shaping and enhancing employee experience, with a focus on the role of technology, employee well-being, and the impact of AI on employee engagement.

​

In his opening statement, Keefe recognized the importance of the individual employee and their ability to engage in their work and with the company that they work for. “We believe we are entering the age of the employee,” noted Keefe. “[Employee] disengagement is not only a multi-trillion dollar business problem but also affects how we interact with society and how companies interact with their employees.”

​

Salvaggio illustrated how the relationship with work today is much more complex when one tries to model out what it means, what work and how work infiltrates employees’ daily lives. As he understands it, “It's about organizational alignment, about being a part of something bigger than yourselves. One thing that we see when we start talking about employee experience is the need for cultural and values alignment with who you work for.”

​

Adding to that, Wieman brought up defining and articulating success to the individuals that make up the whole organization. “I give them a goal of saying: ‘Here's what success is. We need to improve this. It's objectively measurable. We can measure it now. I want you to figure out what are new ways that we can do this. And that way, we had that collaboration.’”

​

Thoughtfully, with regards to AI incorporation across different departments, Chu advised to do so without it feeling threatening to employees by highlighting the urgent need for inclusivity. “With the use of technology, we can tailor the experience in different ways to include different needs, cultures, and their ability to work. For example, their time zones might be different. Some people are night owls, some are morning birds. How can we use that to our advantage in productivity by giving them what they want and understanding their needs?”

​

Shields observed how most organizations have a mix of all three work models (remote work, RTO, and hybrid), agreeing with the need for flexibility in supporting employee preferences. He punctuates his point with, “We need to remember the mantra: people, process, tools, and ensure that we always lead with people.”

For attendees of EX2025 and Beyond, the discussion underscored the importance of organizations striking a balance between technological advancements and human-centered engagement strategies. 

​

Further conversations regarding this will be featured in the upcoming panel discussion SDSS™ AI+EX Forum "How AI Is Redefining the Employee Experience", a free virtual event hosted by SDSS™ Global and powered by BalanceWise IQ, which will be held live on April 30, 2025.