Challenging the
GUCCI-fication of EX
Lee Smith
Minutes
18 June 2024
Employee Experience
Professionalising EX
Professionalising EX
“Roll up in a Bentley
I want Christian, I want Fendi
I want Prada, ah, ah…”
So sings the incredibly talented RAYE in the hit song Prada.
People love labels don’t they?
And, judging by what I’ve been seeing on LinkedIn and at various work-focused conferences in recent months, an increasing number of people operating in our space like the label ‘EX’ or ‘employee experience’.
For a growing professional community like ours, that’s great news.
It means people see value in the tag and want to associate themselves with it.
It means there’s a growing army of EX ‘revolutionaries’ equipping themselves to change the world of work.
It means there’s a hunger for the knowledge, tools and professional development we offer.
Or does it?
Labels are often coveted, but they have to be authentic to have real value.
Right now we’re seeing a lot of people add ‘employee experience’ to their job titles – bolting it on to an existing job title, like 'head of internal communication [and employee experience]'.
Right now we’re seeing a lot of people add ‘employee experience’ to their job titles – bolting it on to an existing job title, like 'head of internal communication [and employee experience]'.
Lovely as it is to see more people want to embrace EX, I’m not convinced this necessarily represents progress. Or at least not the right sort of progress.
How we communicate, in its broadest sense, is of course a vital element of the overall employee experience. How managers and leaders connect with employees, how employees connect and collaborate with each other, the stories people tell – all this is at the heart of what makes an organisation tick, and it’s inherently human.
If you work in IC then you’re no doubt helping shape part of the overall employee experience. Depending on how you do your job and your overall philosophy and approach, you might well be doing this in a very human-centric way, involving people, listening and co-developing solutions.
Or you might just be posting stuff on the intranet.
Or you might just be posting stuff on the intranet.
My point is the use of the tag has to be accompanied by a shift in how you think about and approach your work, and reflected in what you actually do each day.
For some, the EX label is wholly appropriate. These pioneering practitioners understand what it means to be human centric and are committed to co-creating solutions rather than doing it to employees.
They have a broader, holistic perspective and an ‘experience mindset’. They are intentional in what they do, they listen and they are tuned into employee emotions. They are curious and want to learn, grow and develop new skills, for the new world of work.
They have a broader, holistic perspective and an ‘experience mindset’. They are intentional in what they do, they listen and they are tuned into employee emotions. They are curious and want to learn, grow and develop new skills, for the new world of work.
For others though, the EX label is just a bit of added gloss and has no real bearing on what they do or how they do it.
Like wearing a fake Gucci cap.
This isn’t an attack on internal comms either – I’m very proud to call myself an internal comms pro and there are many IC people who are now making the leap into EX for all the right reasons. If you’re one of them, I applaud you. 🙌🏻
We’re also now seeing a lot of HR related technology labelled as ‘employee experience’. It’s all the rage!! If you’ve been to any of the HR focused events this year you’ll know exactly what I mean.
Thing is though, there’s no such thing as an ‘employee experience platform’ - as technology is just one element of the overall experience people have at work. Of course the ‘digital experience’ is increasingly important, but so too is the physical workplace (wherever that is) and the social dimension. Tech is just one of many touchpoints.
Sorry folk, but a survey tool is not an ‘employee experience platform’. As important as listening is (and a survey is just one small part of the listening ecosystem) it is not employee experience. Just because you collect data doesn’t mean you’re using it to make a positive difference to the lives of your employees. Just because you collect data doesn’t mean you’re listening. And just because you’re listening doesn’t mean you’re creating great experiences for your people.
Don’t get me wrong, I love that there’s a growing interest in the topic, that people want to be part of our world, that they want to associate themselves with EX, but THE LABEL HAS TO HAVE MEANING.
If you’re going to use the tag, then please take the time to understand what EX is and isn’t, and to develop your knowledge and skills so you can do what you do in a more holistic and genuinely human-centric way.
And if you’re serious about EX and you haven’t already, join our EX Space professional community and get stuck in! We have a wealth of resources, tools, cutting-edge learning and ground-breaking research on offer and you can join right now for free.
We can all go to Turkey and fill our suitcases with rip off designer goods, but it’s not quite the same is it? Just because it carries the label doesn’t mean it’s genuine. And if it isn't, the chances are it'll fall apart in no time.
I want Prada, ah, ah…
Lee Smith
Co-Founder, The EX Space
If you’re going to use the tag, then please take the time to understand what EX is and isn’t, and to develop your knowledge and skills so you can do what you do in a more holistic and genuinely human-centric way.
And if you’re serious about EX and you haven’t already, join our EX Space professional community and get stuck in! We have a wealth of resources, tools, cutting-edge learning and ground-breaking research on offer and you can join right now for free.
We can all go to Turkey and fill our suitcases with rip off designer goods, but it’s not quite the same is it? Just because it carries the label doesn’t mean it’s genuine. And if it isn't, the chances are it'll fall apart in no time.
I want Prada, ah, ah…
Lee Smith
Co-Founder, The EX Space
Don’t get me wrong, I love that there’s a growing interest in the topic, that people want to be part of our world, that they want to associate themselves with EX, but THE LABEL HAS TO HAVE MEANING.
If people are going to use the tag, then our hope is that they take the time to understand what EX is and isn’t, and to develop knowledge and skills to do what they do in a more holistic and genuinely human-centric way.
We can all go to Turkey and fill our suitcases with rip off designer goods, but it’s not quite the same is it? Just because it carries the label doesn’t mean it’s genuine. And if it isn't, the chances are it'll fall apart in no time.
I want Prada, ah, ah…
Lee Smith
Co-Founder, The EX Space
If people are going to use the tag, then our hope is that they take the time to understand what EX is and isn’t, and to develop knowledge and skills to do what they do in a more holistic and genuinely human-centric way.
We can all go to Turkey and fill our suitcases with rip off designer goods, but it’s not quite the same is it? Just because it carries the label doesn’t mean it’s genuine. And if it isn't, the chances are it'll fall apart in no time.
I want Prada, ah, ah…
Lee Smith
Co-Founder, The EX Space
