“No one ever thought that a function like HR that deals with human interaction, might need to move to virtual mode – including employee interaction, training sessions, exit interviews and even first day induction”,  shared Sushant Patnaik, Head-HR, Aeris Communications, in conversation with People Matters, further adding that all functions requiring in-person interactions are looking at alternate ways of doing business.

It has been a while since the world was, as the International Monetary Fund calls it, put under a “Great Lockdown”, indicating the economic impact that is to follow in the footsteps of the Great Depression, possibly beating the numbers of the Great Depression. While organizations, leaders and employees have been striving to settle in the new normal, the focus so far has been only on sustenance. However, to survive the present times and build capabilities to bounce back once the circumstances improve, what’s key is the experience. 

Implementing a remote working was the only way out to keep operations running despite the lockdown, however, are organizations fully prepared to leverage flexible work as a strategic approach to mitigating risk? Are organizations prepared to adopt work from home as a working model instead of a mere flexi work policy? Several questions like these arise in the minds of leaders and across several virtual war rooms. What is the way forward? How to mitigate risk? How to translate the organizational culture into a digital culture? How to ensure the least negative impact on productivity, engagement and the overall experience?

EXWeek has been conceptualized with an intent to enable you to find the answers and get a peek into how leaders across industries and organizations are combating the current circumstances, with experience at the centre of it all. Find out below why you cannot miss People Matters and SAP Success Factors EXWeek.

What’s lined up for you?

The COVID 19 pandemic has quickly re-prioritized the employee expectations, today, employees need to have access to the digital tools and technologies to get work done, they also need a supportive workplace culture to help them navigate new business realities. Delivering on the promise of great employee experience will be a key differentiator.

Amid the volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity lies a hidden opportunity - Technology. Technology is playing an integral role  in determining the success of the new ways of working and is revolutionizing the employee experience.

How businesses leverage technology, respond to the situation at hand and navigate will have a lasting impact on brand and employee behavior including engagement, productivity and commitment.

To help you get up to speed on the current trends, challenges, best practices and thought leadership, here is what the week has in store for you:

• People Matters and SAP Research Launch (5th May): Kick-starting the EXWeek with the launch of India’s largest study on employee experience, Mind the Gap: 2020 Outlook for Employee Experience, People Matters and SAP will reach your screens through LinkedIn Live and Webcast. Mind the Gap is an extensive study covering over 509 organizations highlighting the current state of the employee experience in India, opportunity areas to enhance the employee experience, measuring the success of your employee experience strategy and helping you understand where do you stand in the employee experience index - Empathy stage, Create stage, or Materialize stage?

Click here to attend the launch of India's largest research on employee experience.

• Tweetchat: COVIDex: Find and fix the moments that matter (6th May): This 30minute tweetchat will invite industry speakers to answer some of the most burning questions pertaining to creating an employee experience strategy around various functions of an employee life-cycle, namely TA, L&D, Performance Management, etc. in the times of COVID-19. The overarching theme for the tweetchat would be around “moments that matter”, with an emphasis on how organizations that have used a “moments that matter” approach improve employee experience and their perceptions of HR.

Block your calendars here, to participate in this tweetchat, COVIDex: Find and fix the moments that matter.

• Virtual Panel Discussion: Enhancing employee productivity and performance in times of COVID 19 (May7th): With the rise in remote work, companies are faced with a new conundrum. How do you measure employee productivity? And how can you support the performance of employees? In the quest to improve experience of employees, companies need to have access to the right tools and data to empower their workers. This panel will cover the various dimensions of improving productivity and performance,  with a focus on improving employee experience. You can join the live panel discussion on Streamyard.

Join leaders in this exciting panel discussion as they come together to relook at decoding employees' performance and productivity conundrum in the times of COVID-19.

• Podcast: Delivering on employee needs using technology in times of COVID 19 (8th May): Accessible on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Anchor, Breaker, Radio Public, Pocket Casts as well as People Matters website, the podcast will feature experts talking about the role of HR in addressing employee needs in the current scenario, how technology can bridge the needs of employees and what are some key cultural factors that would be critical to navigate these uncertain times. 

What’s in it for you?

The above details solely focus on what all is available for you to attend. The answer to why you must attend People Matters and SAP EXWeek is these five takeaways:

• Update yourself with the latest practices, challenges and approach to EX across industries
• Develop suitable solutions for the gaps in your existing EX strategy by leveraging insights and ideas shared during EXWeek 
• Hear what experts have to say about navigating the rough tides brought on by the global pandemic and create a roadmap for your organization’s EX strategy
• Share your views with industry leaders in the tweetchat and get a glimpse into their approach to EX amid COVID-19
• Find out how to tackle the productivity and performance concern by understanding how to create a relevant and flexible EX and performance management strategy, aligned with the overarching short-term and long-term organizational goals

Time is of the essence. So without further ado, get your teams together and prepare to reimagine EX like never before. Registration is mandatory for all sessions. Refer to the links shared above to block your seat and calendar!