It’s no secret that the customer experience is one of the most important elements of a successful business. Organizations spend thousands of dollars and countless hours trying to perfect this experience. However, what many businesses overlook is the importance of prioritizing employee experience as well. The two are interconnected and cannot be separated. The way an organization treats its employees directly affects how those employees interact with customers. The story of Disney is a perfect example of this lesson; even though they had always been known for exceptional customer experiences, their lack of employee appreciation caught up with them in a major way this year.
Organizations spend thousands of dollars and countless hours trying to perfect this experience. However, what many businesses overlook is the importance of prioritizing employee experience as well.
Disney’s History with Employee Experience
Disney has long been known for their commitment to providing amazing customer experiences. But all the while, they failed to recognize the importance of creating quality employee experiences. Disney has a reputation for paying its employees less than competitors and relying on the privilege of being selected to work at Disney. To work at one of the most well known organizations in the world yet struggle financially or working long hours with little recognition or compensation contributes to burnout. Eventually, an employee cannot mask the exhaustion, dissatisfaction, and burnout.
The Impact on Customers
It comes as no surprise that when organizations fail to prioritize their employee experience, it can have a direct impact on customers as well. An organization can spend all the money in the world trying to enhance their customer service initiatives, but if their employees unhappy—or worse yet, are actively unhappy—then those efforts will be in vain. Organizations must put just as much effort into creating quality employee experiences as they do customer experiences if they want to succeed in today’s market. Afterall, in today’s market, the truth is only one Google search away. Resting on the laurels of decades old reputation is simply not enough.
For too long, companies have focused solely on perfecting customer service initiatives without considering how employee satisfaction factors into overall performance and productivity in terms of quality and quantity.
Disney serves as proof that organizations cannot prioritize one experience over another when both ultimately impact business success. For too long, organizations have focused solely on perfecting customer service initiatives without considering how employee satisfaction factors into overall performance and productivity in terms of quality and quantity. Investing time and money into creating positive employee experiences is key for any organization looking to build trust with customers and maintain loyalty over time. By now it’s clear that investing in your people pays off exponentially, so it’s important for organizations to embrace cultures that prioritize the employee experience as they build forward.