Employee Experience

Employee experience is the topic of the CERC Dialogue between Rita Men, University of Florida, and Silvia Caccia, Italgas.

An exchange of opinions from two perspectives, academic and professional, around a central theme for employee relations management and internal communication.

The opinion of Rita Men, Ph.D., APR, Professor of Public Relations & Director of Internal Communication Research, University of Florida

1. How to define the concept of employee experience?

Employee experience refers to the holistic experience employees have with their employing organization. It encompasses their cognitive, psychological, emotional, social, and behavioral experiences at work, shaped by everything that happens to employees at work, from organizational culture, technology, and physical environment to leadership and career development. A broader concept than engagement, trust, satisfaction, commitment, or relationship.

2. Since when has employee experience been relevant: historically or currently?

I believe the idea of employee experience has always been relevant, particularly since the humanistic approach to management came to the forefront following the famous Hawthorne studies. At that point, organizations and managers began to recognize employees as individuals with human needs and attitudes rather than machine parts. However, the use of the term employee experience became more prevalent after the 2010s, especially as the concept began to be applied internally.

3. Why is employee experience important?

Employee experience leads to both tangible and intangible outcomes for organizations. Recent Integral Index surveys in the U.S. have provided empirical evidence of the connection between employee experience and supportive employee behaviors. Employees with positive experiences at work are more likely to go the extra mile, mentor others, stay with the organization during tough times, and share positive work experiences publicly.

4. What are the challenges, the controversial aspects?

The biggest challenge is how to measure employee experience effectively. Because the concept is broad and closely tied to other perceptions, attitudes, and psychological states of employees, it’s difficult to draw clear boundaries. Developing a concise, comprehensive, and consistent measure is fundamental to advancing scholarship in this area.

5. How does it relate to internal communication?

Internal communication creates the touchpoints and moments - and fosters the attitudes, emotions, and mental states - that shape employee experience. Research in internal communication has shown its significant impact on trust, satisfaction, commitment, identification, psychological well-being, and more - all of which are antecedents to a positive employee experience. However, internal communication alone is not sufficient. Because experience spans the entire lifecycle, it requires systematic collaboration among HR, leadership, communication, and even technology teams. Still, internal communication remains the backbone, the facilitator, and the enabler of this process.

The opinion of  Silvia Caccia, Head of Employee Experience, Italgas SpA

1. How to define the concept of employee experience?

Employee experience refers to the overall journey a employees have within a company, from the moment they apply for a job, through onboarding, daily work life, development opportunities, and eventually offboarding. It’s shaped by everything they interact with: the company culture, leadership style, physical and digital work environment, HR processes, and the relationships they build.

2. Since when has employee experience been relevant: historically or currently?

The idea of employee experience began to take shape in the early 2010s, influenced by customer experience strategies. Before that, HR focused mainly on processes and engagement, with tools like Gallup’s Q12 survey becoming popular in the 2000s to measure how emotionally invested employees were in their work. Around 2015, companies started designing experiences that consider their entire journey. Since then, employee experience has become a strategic focus, especially with the rise of remote and hybrid work.

3. Why is employee experience important?

Employee experience matters because it directly impacts how people feel, perform, and stay within an organization. A positive experience leads to higher engagement, better productivity, and stronger retention. It also influences how employees talk about the company, which affects employer branding. Research, including Gallup’s engagement metrics, shows that when people feel connected, supported, and valued, they’re more likely to contribute meaningfully and stay longer.

4. What are the challenges, the controversial aspects?

Employee experience is hard to measure, often lacks clear ownership across departments, and can become superficial if focused only on perks. One major challenge is designing experiences that are truly inclusive and personalized. There's also a risk of treating it as a productivity tool rather than a human-centered strategy, which can undermine trust.

5. How does it relate to internal communication?

Internal communication plays a key role in shaping employee experience. It influences how informed, connected, and valued employees feel. Clear, transparent, and engaging communication helps build trust, align people with the company purpose, and create a sense of belonging. Employee experience also depends on leadership, culture, technology, physical environment, HR processes, and how people feel day-to-day. Communication supports all these elements, but it needs to be part of a broader, integrated strategy.