Mapping employee journeys: A chat with Joris Luijke
Joris Luijke a seasoned HR leader with experience at companies like Squarespace Typeform and Atlassian believes in the power of employee journey mapping.
In a recent podcast episode Remote’s Chief People Officer Barbara Matthews delves into the world of employee experience within remote and distributed teams with Joris.
They unpack the complexities of organizational culture providing insights and strategies that are essential for any HR professional.
The Birth of Pyn: From Baby Headphones to Employee Journey Mapping
Joris’ journey into the world of employee journey mapping is a fascinating tale.
It started with a simple observation: Facebook with its wealth of user data could target ads with laser precision to optimize its marketing efforts.
Joris realized that companies have even more data about their employees yet they often fail to leverage this information for meaningful communication and support.
This sparked the creation of Pyn a tool aimed at enhancing employee experience through targeted personalized communication.
Imagine this: a new manager is promoted.
Pyn powered by data and rules-based automation can identify this event and deliver tailored information and resources.
Maybe it’s a quick guide on effective team communication or a checklist for running their first one-on-one meeting.
The key is that this information is delivered at the exact moment it’s needed offering just-in-time support and guidance.
This approach is particularly powerful in the context of remote work.
With employees scattered across different time zones and locations it’s tough to stay in touch and provide personalized support.
Pyn steps in to bridge the gap ensuring that every employee receives the information they need when they need it regardless of where they are.
The Shift in Leadership: Navigating the Asynchronous World
Joris highlights the evolving role of senior leadership in this new era of remote work and asynchronous communication.
While the core responsibilities remain – building teams nurturing talent and setting strategic direction – the methods have shifted dramatically.
The challenge lies in fostering effective communication and information flow within a geographically dispersed workforce.
Building a strong company culture becomes more complex when you can’t simply lean over to a colleague and ask a quick question.
Companies like Remote have made strides with comprehensive handbooks while tools like GitLab offer valuable resources but navigating this vast amount of information can be daunting.
This is where Pyn shines.
It serves as a personalized guide helping employees locate the information they need precisely when they need it.
Culture: Beyond Words and into Action
Joris dives into the heart of culture emphasizing that it’s not just about slogans or mission statements; it’s about consistent behaviors.
He suggests that if two-thirds of your team regularly enjoys lunch together on Fridays that’s a clear cultural indicator.
To shape culture effectively you need to influence these behaviors encouraging desired actions in a consistent and sustainable way.
One powerful way to do this is through timely contextual communication.
Just like placing a recycling bin next to a copier encourages employees to recycle Pyn uses targeted nudges to steer employees and managers towards desired behaviors.
For instance when a team member returns from parental leave Pyn can proactively provide their manager with resources on creating a successful return-to-work plan.
By offering support at the critical moment Pyn empowers managers to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for returning employees.
Employee Journey Maps: A Blueprint for Success
Joris’ journey map concept is a game changer for employee experience.
It’s a detailed map that outlines the key moments and touchpoints in an employee’s journey within the company.
This map serves as a blueprint for building a seamless and fulfilling experience for every employee.
However creating these maps manually is a laborious and complex task.
Joris addresses this challenge with Pyn’s journey map designer.
It offers a free easy-to-use tool that acts as a benchmark or template enabling HR teams to quickly build and customize their own journey maps.
By streamlining this process Pyn empowers companies to focus on building personalized experiences catering to specific employee needs and goals.
Ready to level up your employee experience? 🚀 Pyn is like having a personal assistant for your team, helping you deliver personalized communication & resources at the right time. Check out Pyn and see for yourself!
The Rise of the Employee Experience
The growing focus on employee experience is evident in the surge of searches for “employee experience” on Google.
This reflects a shift in organizational priorities with companies recognizing the value of investing in employee well-being engagement and growth.
Joris highlights the limitations of current HR systems which often lack the capability for personalized context-aware communication.
He envisions Pyn as a critical bridge between data and employees offering a layer of personalized communication that enhances the HRIS experience.
Remote Work: Shaping the Future of Work
Joris initially envisioned Pyn as an in-office tool but the pandemic forced a shift towards a remote-first approach.
This ironically became a catalyst for Pyn’s growth as the need for personalized communication in a remote environment became more apparent.
Joris acknowledges the challenges of remote work particularly the need for intentional and deliberate communication strategies.
However he believes that the benefits far outweigh the challenges.
Remote work offers a level of flexibility and work-life balance that is increasingly appealing to many employees.
Ready to level up your employee experience? 🚀 Pyn is like having a personal assistant for your team, helping you deliver personalized communication & resources at the right time. Check out Pyn and see for yourself!
It also opens up a global talent pool allowing companies to recruit diverse perspectives and skills.
The Evolution of Performance Management
Joris raises an important point about performance management in the remote world.
Traditional performance metrics which often focus on physical presence and hours worked can be misleading.
In a remote environment performance is best evaluated based on goals impact and achievements.
Joris and Barbara agree that the focus should shift away from “seat-time” and towards outcomes.
Remote work encourages self-motivation and innovation as employees take ownership of their work and progress towards their goals without constant supervision.
Looking Ahead: A Hybrid Future and Beyond
While the future of work is likely to be a blend of remote and in-office collaboration Joris doesn’t see a mass return to the office anytime soon.
The societal shift towards remote work is already impacting urban landscapes with empty office buildings becoming a common sight.
This trend is poised to create significant changes in how we interact with workspaces and it will be fascinating to see how these changes unfold.
The Power of Remote Collaboration: A World of Possibilities
Joris concludes by highlighting the transformative power of remote collaboration.
The ability for employees to work together from different locations sharing ideas and building innovative solutions has opened up a world of possibilities.
He points to Remote as a prime example demonstrating the potential for global distributed teams to create thriving work environments.
Ultimately Joris’ journey map approach combined with the power of personalized communication and a remote-first mindset paves the way for a future where employees are empowered engaged and connected regardless of their physical location.
Ready to level up your employee experience? 🚀 Pyn is like having a personal assistant for your team, helping you deliver personalized communication & resources at the right time. Check out Pyn and see for yourself!