10 Inspiring Employee Experience Examples

Despite popular belief, Employee experience (EX) is not just about providing free snacks or cozy bean bags in the office; it is a comprehensive approach encompassing all aspects of an employee’s journey.

Willis Towers Watson’s 2021 Employee Experience Survey found that 92% of organizations have prioritized enhancing employee experience over the next three years, marking a significant increase from 52% before the pandemic. 

The nature of work is undergoing a significant shift, and the contemporary workforce has set new expectations and goals that require a fresh perspective on employee experience. Supporting employee mental health in the post-COVID era, accommodating work-from-home models, and creating hybrid workspaces are just a few solutions employers are now considering.

It’s evident that the traditional ways of thinking about work are no longer sufficient. Companies must reexamine how they approach employee experience to remain dynamic in the ever-evolving business arena.

Despite a shift in priorities, WTW reports nearly 79% of organizations have not yet transitioned to their new reality and still have temporary pandemic-related policies and procedures in place, with no return to the workplace.

In this article, we will delve into the concept of employee experience and showcase ten companies setting the standard for developing remarkable new experiences for their workforce.

1. Walmart

Since 2016, Walmart has actively invested in its people and created an enhanced employee experience. One of their key initiatives is the MyWalmart dashboard, which provides transparency into workforce-related activities, including hiring and training. The dashboard also offers interactive tools to help store associates better understand their roles and responsibilities.

Walmart is devoted to rewarding and recognizing its employees with exclusive savings, special discounts, spot awards, and other incentives. They are also dedicated to supporting employees who participate in community service initiatives by offering them generous financial backing, paid time off work for those projects, plus flexible working hours.

Donna Morris, Executive Vice President and Head of People at Walmart, says, “I think the most important element is how you provide a pathway of growth and opportunity for individuals. We have a really large workforce, and we’re a diversified business. If we can provide unparalleled growth opportunities for our associates, it will enable their future”.

The Bottom Line:  Walmart’s commitment to its employees is evident in their focus on providing robust training and development opportunities, a transparent dashboard, and generous rewards programs.

2. Apple

Apple strives to create an effective work environment emphasizing innovation, productivity, and collaboration. Apple is committed to building a culture that promotes work-life balance with flexible work schedules, generous vacation policy, and wellness benefits.

Apple offers its employees a variety of perks, from free lunch to access to cutting-edge technology and tools such as the Apple Store App. In addition, virtual seminars concerning topics ranging from business planning to leadership development are also available for added support. 

Apple also provides tuition reimbursement scholarships and job shadowing opportunities to help their staff reach their professional ambitions.

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, says, “We collectively, to get things done, work together as a team. Because the work happens horizontally in our company, not vertically”.

The Bottom Line: The Bottom Line: Apple is devoted to its personnel and exemplifies this commitment by cultivating a workplace atmosphere that encourages collaboration, creativity, and innovation.

3. Amazon

Amazon prioritizes customer satisfaction and extends this same care to its employees. They boast a plethora of benefits, such as competitive salaries, flexible working hours, and an inspiring work atmosphere that promotes collaboration.

Amazon has established the Amazon University program to help employees learn and grow in their careers by providing workshops, seminars, and training sessions. Additionally, with remote work options available for staff members, Amazon strives to promote a reasonable balance between career development and family life while encouraging productivity from its team.

Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, says, “I think one thing I find very motivating — and I think this is probably a very common form of motivation or cause of motivation — is… I love people counting on me, and so, you know, today, it’s so easy to be motivated because we have millions of customers counting on us at Amazon.com. We’ve got thousands of investors counting on us. And we’re a team of thousands of employees, all counting on each other. That’s fun.”

The Bottom Line: Amazon’s focus on providing employees with a positive experience is evident in their generous salaries, career development opportunities, and flexible work arrangements.

4. Microsoft

Microsoft has long been recognized as an employer of choice, emphasizing employee well-being and professional development. The company provides various perks, such as generous parental leave policies, flexible work hours, sabbaticals, and tuition reimbursement.

Microsoft is dedicated to cultivating a diverse, inclusive environment through mentorship programs and unconscious bias training. It recognizes the importance of work-life balance by providing employees with opportunities for personal growth, such as leadership development courses. For those seeking to prioritize their health, “Take Care of Yourself” offers access to physical activity resources, stress management advice, and more.

Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, says, “So, the concept of work, how we collaborate together, how we innovate, is constantly changing as businesses evolve, as technology changes, as employees have a different kind of attitudes and empowerment.”

The Bottom Line: Microsoft is dedicated to its workers, manifesting in its efforts to cultivate a collaborative and progressive work environment.

5. IBM

IBM has long been committed to creating an engaging workplace culture where employees are rewarded for excellence and innovation. The company offers comprehensive benefits such as educational assistance, wellness programs, flexible work-from-home policies, and 401(k) plans.

In addition to these initiatives, IBM provides mentoring programs, coaching resources, and access to its global networks for employees’ professional growth. They also encourage employees to take part in volunteer opportunities and subsidized childcare services to help them achieve a healthy work-life balance.

Arvind Krishna, CEO of IBM, says, “You have to do innovation across many, many fronts – across employees, customers, across your back-end processes, across how do you really get rid of things that are unnecessary.”

The Bottom Line: IBM’s commitment to its employees is evident in its emphasis on creating an engaging workplace culture that rewards excellence and encourages personal development and innovation.

6. Google

Google is a leader in creating an innovative and collaborative workplace culture that encourages people to grow and succeed. Google offers competitive salaries, generous vacation, and healthcare packages, and stock options for employees who stay longer than one year.

Google also provides access to its extensive library of online courses and seminars and its in-house Google Academy, which offers courses on topics such as coding and machine learning. The company also helps employees achieve work-life balance by providing flexible working hours and subsidized childcare services. 

Sundar Pichai, Ceo of Google, says, “As a leader, it is important to not just see your success but focus on the success of others.”

The Bottom Line: Google has a clear commitment to its employees, which is evident in its emphasis on cultivating an inspiring environment for collaboration and innovation. This workplace culture fosters each employee’s professional development and success.

7. LinkedIn

LinkedIn is dedicated to creating a workplace culture that values collaboration, creativity, and flexibility. The business and employment focus social media platform has been voted one of the best places to work by numerous publications.

LinkedIn encourages its employees to embrace the many opportunities available through its “Career Paths” program and its “Linkedin Learning” platform. By utilizing these resources, individuals can sharpen existing skillsets, uncover potential job prospects and build meaningful relationships within their network. Through this initiative, employees can access a wide range of professional development courses laying a clear career growth roadmap. 

Ryan Roslansky, CEO of LinkedIn, says, “We saw an opportunity to rise to the moment by adapting and trying new things. For us, this meant rolling out new features to help members who suddenly found themselves out of a job and in need of support, unveiling a new approach to hybrid work where our employees are empowered to work however is best for them and their teams, and even re-evaluating and enhancing our company values to ensure our culture truly reflects the current needs of employees”.

The Bottom Line: LinkedIn exemplifies its dedication to employees by fostering an interactive working environment that rewards cooperation, creativity, and adaptability.

8. Zoom

Zoom has created a groundbreaking Wellness Coach app that offers users desk-friendly exercises, stretches, productivity-improving mindfulness tips, and guided meditations.

With the Wellness Coach app, employees not only get tools to improve their mental health and well-being but also have the opportunity to form meaningful connections with colleagues. The app allows users to participate in virtual yoga classes, meditation sessions, and other activities that help foster collaboration and build morale within the workplace. 

Zoom fosters its employee experience by providing various activities and groups designed to encourage collaboration, teamwork, engagement, and connection. From virtual coffee talks to book clubs and discussion sessions, Zoom offers an array of options for employees to interact with each other and gain meaningful insight into the work culture.

Eric Yuan, CEO of Zoom, says, “My number one priority is to make sure Zoom employees are happy. I believe if you have happy employees, you’re going to have happy customers.” 

The Bottom Line: Zoom’s commitment to its employees is evidenced in their multiple initiatives that promote health and wellness. Zoom goes above and beyond to create a healthy workplace culture that helps employees stay productive and balanced.

9. SAP

SAP is a German enterprise software manufacturer that strives to cultivate a positive and collaborative environment for its employees. The company supports its international workforce by offering flexible working hours, remote work options, and highly competitive salaries to accomplish this.

At SAP, career growth is encouraged and supported through access to online resources like programming, data science, and software engineering courses and seminars. Various wellness programs are available to help employees stay physically active and mentally healthy with services such as mindfulness classes or ergonomic assessments.

SAP CEO Christian Klein says, “From innovative, intuitive tools to enabling continuous learning and embedding D&I firmly in people processes, the focus is delivering the best employee experience.”

The Bottom Line: The flexible work option at SAP  and its commitment to employee development show a dedication to creating an enjoyable work environment for all of its employees. The company’s impressive wellness program demonstrates its determination to create a healthy and balanced workplace culture.  ​

10. Salesforce

Salesforce is a renowned leader in customer relationship management (CRM) and enterprise software solutions. The company offers competitive benefits such as unlimited vacation time and flexible work hours to foster an engaging work environment.

In addition to encouraging employees to take advantage of “work-from-anywhere” options and other employee programs, Salesforce prioritizes their physical and mental health. The company offers stress management classes, mindfulness activities, yoga sessions, and ergonomic assessments for employees who need to take a break from the stressful world of tech.

Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, says, “The most important thing is to make sure that our employees feel like they are coming to work in an inspiring environment.”

The Bottom Line: Salesforce demonstrates its commitment to employee well-being through its generous benefits, such as unlimited vacation time and its plethora of wellness programs designed to help them stay healthy, balanced, and productive. ​

Employee Experience: Getting It Right

Employee experience (EX) is important to any company’s success.

By understanding employees’ needs, businesses can create an environment where they can be productive and engaged while feeling valued and supported.

Through initiatives like providing flexible work hours, training courses, and wellness programs, companies such as Zoom, SAP, and Salesforce have demonstrated that they understand the importance of creating a positive work culture.

Having such initiatives in place not only helps to create an environment where employees can thrive, but it also shows them that their employer truly cares about their wellbeing and values their contributions—ultimately leading to increased collaboration, productivity, and job satisfaction.