Employee

Experience
Trends
 Introduction
What do your employees expect in 2024? In short: balance. And employees expect to be heard. Some are even very as well as learning and developing, will rise in importance –
willing to open up all means – like their work email and Slack illuminating the need for organisations to address employees’
We’re operating in a world of paradoxes – from artificial messages – to finally be heard. But, with the expectation that ongoing desire for growth.
intelligence (AI) to hybrid work – and employees expect leaders will take action, tell them about it, and make changes
organisations to find balance amongst competing priorities. for the greater good of the organisation, yes – but also to Meanwhile, the factors driving employee well-being have
benefit people first, and foremost. completely changed from a year ago. In 2023, enablement
When we asked nearly 37,000 global employees about their and empowerment through efficient work processes were
preferences in the year ahead, they told us they expect their We see paradox in action in our employee experience key make-or-break for employee well-being. This year, employees
organisations to introduce new technology, but they also want performance indicators (EX KPIs), as well. This year’s KPIs want their jobs to make good use of their skills and abilities; to
to use said tech for good. They expect AI tools to optimise demonstrate stability on the surface, but diving deeper, we see feel respected at work; to feel safe at work; and to work with
their productivity and allow them to focus on work they feel underlying priorities – what’s really driving experiences at work integrity – in that order.
energised by, and to delegate tasks – of their choosing – to – are changing for employees.
machines that can handle them more efficiently. REGISTER FOR OUR LIVE WEBINAR FOR EVEN MORE!
For example, in 2023, engagement was completely dominated Interested in hearing directly from the Qualtrics experts?
Employees also expect leaders to introduce policies and by customer-focused themes, such as employees feeling Register for our Pan-EMEA webinar here and join Sarah
processes that empower them to work from home and the empowered to develop new and better ways of serving Marrs, Director of Employee Experience Strategy, and Simon
office, focus on outcomes (not hours), and build meaningful their customers. In 2024, the driving forces behind Daly, EX Strategy Director, as they decode the findings within
relationships with their colleagues and teams. engagement will look a bit different: meeting career goals, this report and share practical, actionable tips on how you can
refine and optimise your employee experience strategy to drive
people and business results.

2
 THE STABILISATION OF EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE

74%
73%
72% 72% 72% 72%
71% 71%
70%
68%
67%
66% 66%
65% 65%
64%

39%
38%

34%
32% 2021

2022

2023

2024

ENGAGEMENT INTENT TO STAY EXPERIENCE EXCEEDS INCLUSION WELL-BEING

EXPECTATIONS

3
 2024 EX TRENDS REPORT
INTRODUCTION CONTINUED

At every stage of the employee journey, HR leaders can use Working together, HR and business leaders can better
Experience Management (XM) practices to equip business understand what employees expect from their organisation
leaders with the people data and insights they need to make and what drives them. And in turn, guide employees towards
smart decisions; work cross-functionally to connect that data the business outcomes the organisation is striving for.
to specific outcomes; and influence organisational strategy to
impact both top- and bottom-line results. And beyond that: towards a workforce that is happy, healthy,
engaged, and productive – one that intends to stay with
The HR function – no longer just the glue between employees your organisation, advocates for your values, and creates
and the organisation – is a critical growth driver; one that’s as memorable experiences for your customers.
invaluable to the bottom line as marketing, sales, or R&D.

4
 Meet the experts
PRINCIPAL RESEARCHER GLOBAL EDITORIAL BOARD RESEARCH TEAM

Dr. Antonio Pangallo, PhD Dr. Cecelia Herbert, PsyD, XMP Haley Rushing
Principal XM Scientist Principal Catalyst, XM Institute EX Solution Producer

Dr. Benjamin Granger, PhD, XMP Alex Mendoza, MS

Head of EX Advisory Services, Chief Workplace Psychologist XM Scientist

Matthew Evans Jared Shorts, MA

Head of EX Product Science Senior XM Consultant

Sarah Marrs, MSc Banide Ouch, MS

Director of EX Strategy Execution XM Scientist

5
 Contents
7 2024 trends overview

13 Trend 1 // Employees would rather AI assist them than manage them

21 Trend 2 // Frontline employees are the most unhappy, poorly supported, and least trusting

27 Trend 3 // The new-job honeymoon phase has vanished

35 Trend 4 // Employees open up work emails and chats to be fully heard, but are more ambivalent about social media

41 Trend 5 // Some time in the office is better than none — unless it’s 5 days

47 Lessons for leaders // CEOs, CHROs, HR Leaders, and Frontline Managers

52 Regional reports

72 EX predictions from the experts

81 Methodology

6
 Reminder to take
the Q3 Employee
17 Experience Pulse

2024 TRENDS OVERVIEW

Take a look at 2024’s

top employee experience
trends – and the data
that supports them
 TREND 1

Employees would
rather AI assist them
than manage them

65 %

of the C-suite report being

comfortable with AI, versus
46% of managers

Writing
the task employees are most
of engaged employees said they’re comfortable with AI at comfortable (61%) getting AI
work, versus 30% of disengaged employees support from

8
 TREND 2

Frontline employees
are the most unhappy,
poorly supported, and
least trusting

-14 -10
POINTS
POINTS
-9
POINTS

the difference in how fairly frontline the difference in how much frontline the difference in how satisfied frontline
workers believe they are paid versus workers reported trusting in leadership workers are with work processes
non-frontline workers versus non-frontline workers versus non-frontline workers

9
 TREND 3

The new-job
honeymoon phase
has vanished

+ -27 points the difference in intent to stay between new

employees and everyone else (yes, your new hires are
looking to leave)

+ -9 points the importance level HR leaders place on

onboarding versus talent attraction and hiring, according
to our 2023 State of HR Report

MONTHS
the tenure of employees with the
lowest levels of engagement, intent
to stay, well-being, and inclusion

10
 TREND 4

Employees open
up work emails and
chats to be fully
heard, but are more
ambivalent about
social media

+ Email the data engaged employees say they’re most

comfortable (70%) with their organisation using to
improve employee experiences

+ Social the data employees least (41%) want their

organisation to listen to

SOCIAL 41%
+ -40 points the difference between how well individual
contributors (43%) and the C-suite (83%) see action
EMAIL 70%
being taken on feedback

11
 TREND 5

Some time in the

office is better
than none —
unless it’s 5 days

POINTS
the difference in engagement reported by employees
working 1-3 days from home (76%) versus those
working zero days from home (60%)

+ 79% of employees felt included – the highest rated KPI + 5 the amount of days working from the office that
– when working 1-3 days from home (higher than well- has the (drastically) worst employee experience
being, engagement, and intent to stay)

12
TREND 1

Employees would
rather AI assist them
than manage them
When it comes to AI (i.e., using machines to do tasks that normally
require human intelligence), there’s a clear divide. That is, those who
feel trust at work – such as trust in their managers, or trust in fair
processes – and those who do not.
 TREND 1

‘‘The more positive you feel about your organisation, the more likely you are
to believe that it will use AI for your benefit.’’ SARAH MARRS, MSC
DIRECTOR OF EX STRATEGY EXECUTION

Our research found that the more engaged you are, the more On the other hand, if they’re disengaged, distrust their

Percentage of employees open you are to using AI at work. organisation, or feel (or have been told) their job is replaceable,
they’re more likely to have a negative perception of AI. This
who reported being Likewise, the more senior employees are, the more willing they lends to what many employees believe is the ultimate negative

comfortable with AI:

are to accept AI. Our research shows 65% of the C-suite said impact of AI: replacing jobs entirely. In a separate Qualtrics
they were open to using AI versus 46% of managers. study, more than two-thirds of employees (68%) said they
believed that some jobs are at risk because of AI; 23% believed
“Generally, the more positive you feel about your organisation their own jobs are at risk.
ENGAGED
53% – the more trust you have in it – and the more senior your role,
EMPLOYEES the more likely you are to believe that your organisation will “Engaged employees who have a positive experience will see AI
use AI for your benefit,” said Sarah Marrs, MSc, Director of EX as enhancing that experience, but those who feel a lack of trust
30%
DISENGAGED Strategy Execution. “You also trust that AI will make you more will see it as increasing the poor behaviour and decisions they
EMPLOYEES productive and efficient at your job.” believe they have seen,” added Marrs.

14
 TREND 1

‘‘[We are using] AI in our upcoming

projects for better efficiency and
time management.’’ SURVEY RESPONDENT
AGE 18-24, HIGHER EDUCATION
INDIA

15
 TREND 1

PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYEES WHO AGREE OR STRONGLY AGREE THEY WOULD WANT AI TO PERFORM A GIVEN TASK

Use AI to help employees

do their jobs effectively,
61 %
WRITING
51 %
PERSONAL
46 %
INTERNAL
ASSISTANT WORKPLACE

but on their terms QUERIES

Our research also found that employees are more open to

the types of AI that they can control and direct, but are less
accepting when they’re being evaluated or have higher impact
on their career and livelihood.

“As social creatures, the vast majority of human decision

making is done in a social context. And social decisions carry

37 %
29 %
a heavy emotional component,” said Dr. Benjamin Granger,
PhD, XMP, Head of EX Advisory Services, Chief Workplace
Psychologist. “So for more personal and social decisions –
such as with a job interview – it’s quite natural for employees to PERFORMANCE JOB
APPRAISAL INTERVIEW
be more hesitant about the involvement of technology that is
non-human and non-emotional.”

16
 TREND 1

‘‘To reap the benefits of AI-driven This is particularly true in North America, as well as in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa –
where employees expressed more cautiousness using AI technology than the global average.
technologies, such as enhanced
efficiency and accuracy or improved WHERE ARE EMPLOYEES MOST OPEN TO AI TECHNOLOGY?

decision-making, companies
GLOBAL 42%

will have to learn to use the data AVERAGE

NORTH 36%

and tools in a responsible and AMERICA

EUROPE, THE MIDDLE EAST, 38%

ethical manner and to not depend AND AFRICA

ASIA-PACIFIC 46%

excessively on this technology.’’ AND JAPAN

LATIN 48%
AMERICA
VANESSA KOWOLLIK // EX XM SCIENTIST

17
 TREND 1

There’s one exception to this sentiment: Employees with

disabilities and those who identify as transgender or non-
binary report being more willing to use AI for typically
human-centred activities, such as performance appraisals and VS 29%
job interviews – likely based on the perception that AI is less
biassed than humans. Employees with a physical or mental
disability reported greater comfort (+8
Herein lies an opportunity for organisations to anchor around points) than the global average when it
social justice principles and lean into – and communicate to came to being interviewed for new job
employees – the inclusive nature of using AI. or promotions by AI

18
 TREND 1

‘‘While the world of AI-driven systems may unsettle

some employees, if companies prove they are driving
organisational improvements based on their usage,
the organisation can build trust. By emphasising
transparency, explainability, and communicating
action, organisations will mitigate the risk of coming
across as ‘Big Brother’ and can even see improved
relationships between employees and leadership.’’
MATTHEW EVANS
HEAD OF EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE PRODUCT SCIENCE

19
 TREND 1

Empower your EX program

with AI
Whether it’s enabling your frontline managers to more deeply
understand their team and how they feel in real time, delivering
personalised insights and recommendations that managers
can use to close team experience gaps, or empowering senior
leaders to address attrition risk before it accelerates, AI isn’t
just an essential tool — it helps enhance every employee
experience you deliver.

At the heart of all of this is a desire to make work more human,

and with our AI-powered XM/os2, you can. From analysing
experience data in seconds to understanding employee
sentiment, to knowing what actions will have the greatest
impact on business outcomes, it empowers HR leaders and
managers to deliver a culture that benefits both people and
profitability.

LEARN MORE

20
TREND 2

Frontline employees
are the most unhappy,
poorly supported, and
least trusting
Those caring for your customers? They’re crying out for help.
And if they’re struggling, so is your organisation.

According to our research, frontline workers – that is, employees

who work directly with customers, constituents, patients, or
students – are in the midst of a trifecta of workplace woes.
 TREND 2

FRONTLINE EMPLOYEE WOE #1

They’re not getting their

basic needs met from their
organisations
“These are often challenging, on-your-feet-all-day jobs,”
said Evans. “And yet, we’re seeing the biggest gaps here in
recognition, low satisfaction with financial rewards, and a
lack of growth and development opportunities offered by the
organisation. Frontline workers simply do not feel appreciated.”

‘‘No matter how good [a service] our 50 %

60 %
61 %

organisation provides to the public,

if it is not fair to the employee, the ARE HAPPY WITH THEIR ARE SATISFIED WITH FEEL SUFFICIENTLY
PAY AND BENEFITS THEIR CAREER RECOGNISED
organisation still has a deficiency.” DEVELOPMENT

SURVEY RESPONDENT -14 POINTS -9 POINTS -9 POINTS

AGE 35-44, EDUCATION NON-FRONTLINE NON-FRONTLINE NON-FRONTLINE
PHILIPPINES EMPLOYEES EMPLOYEES EMPLOYEES

22
 TREND 2

61% 62%

FRONTLINE EMPLOYEE WOE #2 49%

They lack the support

they need to do a great
job and a voice to drive
improvements
“The most common gap I see in survey follow-up is not in
inaction, but in a lack of communication,” said Evans. “Leaders DISCUSSED OR SAW FEEL PREPARED TO ARE SATISFIED WITH
must be intentional about communicating to frontline workers POSITIVE CHANGES ADAPT TO CHANGES WORK PROCESSES
so they know their voices have been heard.” FROM SURVEY RESULTS AT WORK

“If these issues go unchecked, and you have no idea it’s going -13 POINTS -9 POINTS -9 POINTS
on, it could turn into a burnout problem, a turnover problem, NON-FRONTLINE NON-FRONTLINE NON-FRONTLINE
and customer experience problem,” added Dr. Granger. EMPLOYEES EMPLOYEES EMPLOYEES

23
 TREND 2

FRONTLINE EMPLOYEE WOE #3

They’re less trusting

of leadership, and
don’t feel empowered
to speak their mind
“Your employees know what they need to serve your TRUST
customers. Ask them what the barriers are,” said Marrs.
“Likewise, zoom in on customer pain points to understand
LEADERSHIP
what’s happening with your employees.” -10 points
non-frontline employees
This is a call to action for leaders: Pay attention to your
frontline employees. Talk to them. Ask what they need.
They are closest to your customers and products. Seek to
understand their lived experiences and ideas for innovation
to tap into their powerful insights.
+ 53% feel able to challenge the traditional way of doing things to + 58% feel psychologically safe at work
And don’t just follow through on those insights, tell your reach a better outcome for their customers, clients, or patients (-9 points non-frontline employees)
people about the changes you’ve made because of them. (-9 points non-frontline employees)

24
 TREND 2

‘‘Some of the most important drivers of EX

for frontline workers – such as having the
tools and resources to do the job and feeling
psychologically safe – might seem small,
but it’s oftentimes the non-obvious aspects
that drive customer experience metrics.’’
DR. BENJAMIN GRANGER, PHD, XMP
HEAD OF EX ADVISORY SERVICES
CHIEF WORKPLACE PSYCHOLOGIST

25
 TREND 2

CrossXM
Tuning into the needs of your frontline employees presents
a unique opportunity: understanding the needs of your
customers, too.

Because your customer experience will never exceed your

employee experience. And the more CX and EX leaders talk
to one another, the more organisations can understand the
specifics as to why – and drive positive change.

From employees to customers to brand, CrossXM brings

together data from every experience to find connections
between your programs, and show you which levers to pull that
will keep your customers happy – and your people engaged.

LEARN MORE

26
TREND 3

The new-job
honeymoon phase
has vanished
Last in, first out? It’s becoming more common.
 TREND 3

According to our research, employees with less than six

months of tenure have the lowest intent to stay (three years
or more) at their organisation: just 38% versus 65% overall
– a 27-point difference and three points lower than last year.

More than a third (39%) of employees indicated they would

leave their employer within the next 12 months, a six-point
increase from last year, and the largest change in intent to
stay compared to last year.

In fact, new hires report worse KPI scores than tenured

employees across the board.

‘‘Management should more openly ENGAGEMENT WELLBEING INCLUSION INTENT TO STAY

talk to new employees, especially

with employees who have
disabilities like me.”
SURVEY RESPONDENT // AUSTRALIA
AGE 45-54
PHARMACEUTICALS/BIOTECHNOLOGY/LIFE SCIENCES

< 6 MONTHS 65% < 6 MONTHS 66% < 6 MONTHS 66% < 6 MONTHS 38%
In years past, employees would remain at an elevated level
of engagement for at least a year in a new job. So, what’s ALL OTHERS 68% ALL OTHERS 72% ALL OTHERS 73% ALL OTHERS 65%

ruining the romance? It’s a multi-pronged issue.

28
 TREND 3

1_ Onboarding needs to be
reprioritised and rebuilt
Rewind to just a few years ago, and many organisations were the same location as them?’ How often are we checking in with
hiring in high volumes. And as such, were hyper-focused on new hires to see if they’re feeling included and like they belong?
the candidate experience. Now, fewer hires are being made Then create new policy and structure to support a better
across many industries, and organisations are focusing experience.”
resources elsewhere.
An effective onboarding program ensures that new employees
Our new world of hybrid work plays a role, too. are set up for success to deliver value to the organisation.
However, employees with less than six months of tenure are
“Organisations need to take a closer look at their post-COVID often excluded from annual engagement surveys – underlining
candidate and onboarding experience,” said Marrs. “Think the importance of the onboarding process having its own
through: ‘How are remote hires being welcomed and enabled listening program.
to build relationships? Have our leaders been taught the
necessary skills to onboard new employees that may not be in

29
 TREND 3

PERCENTAGE OF CHROS FOCUS

But there’s a persistent disconnect: According

to our 2023 State of HR Report, focus for
50 TALENT
%
41 %
ONBOARDING
CHROs on onboarding was nine points below ATTRACTION
talent attraction and hiring. & HIRING

VIEW THE 2023 STATE OF HR REPORT

30
 TREND 3

‘‘The new hire experience is a

critical journey within the broader
employee journey – one that sets
the path of success for employees.
Organisations must take stock
of the important moments in the
2_ Employers must align onboarding journey, finding ways
new employee experiences to measure and improve them. It’s
with expectations no longer just about ticking the
To close this experience gap, organisations must align (and and ramp up effectively, make connections, and learn how to boxes on an onboarding checklist.
perhaps redesign) their new employee experience programs to navigate new cultural norms.
ensure they meet the expectations of incoming talent. The social aspects need to be
Collectively, these pivotal experiences represent the first There’s financial benefit to retaining new talent, too. Losing a
impression employees form of the organisation and what it’s new hire is, frankly, expensive – more so than losing a tenured operationalised, too.’’
like to work there. employee because you haven’t recouped the value of the hire.
Then, add to that the cost of recruiting and hiring yet another DR. CECELIA HERBERT, PSYD, XMP
That includes the social aspects of the onboarding experience new employee, and your department budget is dwindling. XM INSTITUTE/PRINCIPAL CATALYST
– whether employees are working in the office, remotely, or Instead, focus on getting the new employee experience right so
a mix of the two. Socialising helps new starters acclimate you can retain the talent you worked hard to attract.

31
 TREND 3

What organisations are getting right –

and wrong – in the eyes of new employees

HIGHEST RANKED ITEMS LOWEST RANKED ITEMS

+ Physical Safety + Growth & Development

+ Respect + Psychological Safety

3_ Employees need growth

+ Performance & Accountability + Pay & Benefits

from day one + Resources + Innovation

Another underlying issue is new employee sentiment towards

+ Training + Survey Follow-up
growth and development at their organisation.

Year over year, growth and development remains one of the

most important areas for employees, but currently ranks
near the bottom (#20 out of 25 themes) in terms of how well
organisations are acting on this desire.

32
 TREND 3

Growth and development is the challenge to solve with so

many organisations working to reskill their workforces. These
opportunities, whether it’s formal development programs or ‘‘While growth and development is a top driver of EX outcomes like
in-the-moment feedback, are the career success currency all –
but especially new – employees crave. engagement, intent to stay, and (avoiding) burnout, employee
Going forward, organisations need to be more intentional sentiment tells us growth and development opportunities for new
about helping new employees build connections, as well
providing clear pathways for growth and development. Getting hires are scarce to nonexistent.’’ DR. ANTONIO PANGALLO, PHD
the new employee experience right is key to organisational and
PRINCIPAL XM SCIENTIST
employee success into the future – thoughtfully redesigning
the onboarding process could very well be a powerful strategic
lever that delivers sustained competitive advantages.

33
 TREND 3

People Lifecycle
Understanding the moments that matter in the new employee
experience will help your organisation meet employee
expectations, leading to higher engagement and greater intent
to stay.

With People Lifecycle, connect silos by consolidating all your

feedback, automatically identify trends and risks amongst
employee segments (e.g., your new employees) at scale, and
take action to improve experiences for every employee.

LEARN MORE

34
TREND 4

Employees open up
work emails and chats
to fully be heard, but
are more ambivalent
about social media
Surprise: Your employees want you to listen to them. And we don’t
just mean via surveys.
 TREND 4

HOW OPEN EMPLOYEES ARE TO THEIR ORGANISATION USING THE FOLLOWING DATA

80%

WORK EMAIL
56%

75%

SURVEY OPEN-TEXT
RESPONSES 47%

76%

WORK SYSTEM AND

PROCESSES 44%

74%

VIRTUAL MEETING
​​ decades, HR teams have relied on active listening, like
For TRANSCRIPTS 45%

surveys, and while the technology now exists to listen to every

source (something known as passive listening), many HR 72%
leaders have been hesitant because of the potential reaction DIRECT MESSAGES
45%
from employees.

The good news: Our research shows employees are very willing 64%

– indeed, more willing than you might expect – to open DIGITAL WORKSPACES
40%
GROUP MESSAGES
up their private work communication channels (such as email,
Slack, and so on) if it means helping shape a better employee
51%
experience.
ANONYMOUS SOCIAL
MEDIA POSTS 28%
ENGAGED
We also found that there is a clear link between engagement
(similar to our research findings related to AI) and openness 53% NEUTRAL/DISENGAGED

to the myriad ways their organisations might collect data via NON-ANONYMOUS
SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS 26%
private work communications versus those who said they are
neutral or disengaged at work.
20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

36
 TREND 4

This is reflected in employee sentiment around the globe, WHERE ARE EMPLOYEES MOST OPEN TO PASSIVE LISTENING? WHAT EMPLOYEES ARE SAYING

where most regions score near the global average (56%) for
openness to passive listening.
GLOBAL
AVERAGE
56%
‘‘Stop implementing
That’s more good news as organisations continue to
supplement their employee listening programs with passive NORTH
AMERICA
57%
so many changes.
listening. By leveraging a wide breadth of employee data,
organisations can unearth valuable insights from feedback EUROPE, THE MIDDLE EAST,
AND AFRICA
54%
See the forest, not
that already exists, and gain a deeper understanding of what’s
positively and negatively impacting employees’ lives. ASIA-PACIFIC
AND JAPAN
57%
the trees.”
59%
“If you’re just looking at surveys, you’re leaving a lot of insights LATIN SURVEY RESPONDENT
AMERICA
on the table,” advised Evans. “Plus, your employees are ready AGE 45-54

to be heard beyond surveys. They want a better experience RETAIL

UK
providing feedback. Start with a clear vision of what you want
to get out of your listening program and think through how
you’ll use different types of data to complement each other.”

37
 TREND 4

‘‘But some of us would prefer

you keep your hands off our
socials.” - Your employees
Employees draw a harder line with personal social channels,
signalling the separation people want between work and
personal life. Only half of engaged employees are comfortable
with organisations using data from anonymous social media
OF ENGAGED
posts, even fewer are comfortable when the posts are not EMPLOYEES
anonymous. And comfort levels drop even further for neutral or
are comfortable with organisations gathering data
disengaged employees.
about them from their personal social media
This rings true in every region around the world.

38
 TREND 4

“Employees are very clearly saying: ‘Here is our boundary.’

And organisations have to respect that in order to maintain
psychological safety in the workplace,” said Dr. Herbert.
“Because if you destroy it, not only will it push employees to
use other channels in order to maintain their privacy, they
might stop sharing their ideas altogether. The value gained
‘‘Employees are very clearly saying: ‘Here is our boundary.’
from unsolicited insights should not come at the cost of
innovation and creativity that rely on employees feeling safe to
And organisations have to respect that.’’ DR. CECELIA HERBERT, PSYD, XMP
XM INSTITUTE/PRINCIPAL CATALYST
share their perspectives.”

The use of employee data may raise concerns among

employees about transparency, control over their data, and
potential misuse. Building trust through clear communication,
transparency about data usage, and involving employees in
decision-making processes is vital to alleviate these concerns.

39
 TREND 4

Continuous Listening
You can know exactly what your people need – even if they
don’t tell you directly. By leveraging employee data from
various sources, including feedback that already exists, you
can gain deeper insights on the experiences your people are
having at work.

Continuous Listening gives HR leaders powerful new employee

sentiment analysis tools that enable them to listen to what
employees are saying, wherever they’re saying it.

LEARN MORE

40
TREND 5

Some time in the office

is better than none —
unless it’s 5 days
Nearly four years after the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped the way we
work, organisations are still sorting out the best approach to return to
office (RTO) policies.
 TREND 5

EX KPI SCORES LOWEST WHEN EMPLOYEES WORK IN THE OFFICE EVERY DAY

80% 79%
Our research shows that employees who work five days in 77%
75%
an office or on-site location had the lowest EX metrics 71%
73%

across the board. Conversely, those who work a hybrid 68% 67%
65% 66%
63%
schedule had the highest EX indices overall. 60%

This sentiment was consistent across all regions we

researched.

It seems that as much as they value it, employees don’t want

to fully immerse themselves in remote work. This could be
for a number of reasons: the desire to socialise with others in
person; the desire to draw harder boundaries between work
and home; or simply the desire to have a reason to get dressed
and get out of the house every day.

For new employees especially, a fully remote work

arrangement limits their interaction with colleagues and ENGAGEMENT INTENT TO STAY INCLUSION WELL-BEING
supervisors, and may lead to a sense of detachment from the
team – especially if they are rarely (or never) seeing them. This
O DAYS IN THE OFFICE 3 DAYS IN THE OFFICE 5 DAYS IN THE OFFICE
lends to that onboarding and new employee retention problem
we mentioned earlier.

42
 TREND 5

So not only do employees find some time in the same location

as their colleagues better than none, time spent together also
benefits new employees who want to bond with new colleagues
and leaders.

On the other hand, some individuals thrive in remote work

environments and find that it reduces their stress levels. But Employees who work in the office
even for these employees, a day or two in the office might have 1-3 days a week report higher
positive outcomes: our research shows that employees who levels of inclusion and well-being
work in the office one to three days a week report higher levels (approx. +12 points each) than
of inclusion and well-being than those who work fully remote. those who work fully remote

43
 TREND 5

Hybrid it is, then. But what would that look like at your
organisation?
‘‘My organisation ensures we have a healthy work-life balance;
“The bottom line is there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to
work anymore,” said Dr. Pangallo. “Employers need to be more
this does not just include working from home, but also when
nuanced and flexible – in all senses of the word – to how
employees work best.”
other issues arise.’’ SURVEY RESPONDENT
AGE 45-54
Start by empowering managers and leaders to develop flexible
ENERGY
work plans for their teams. Setting minimum expectations, US
along with the autonomy to make adjustments that work for
them, will ensure the best outcomes for both employees and
the organisation.

44
 TREND 5

Other data points to consider? Outcomes.

“Look at the outcomes of the current work styles in your

‘‘The bottom line is there’s no one-size-fits-all
organisation,” said Evans. “Look at the behaviours employees
are displaying – like collaboration and attrition – and compare
approach to work anymore.’’ DR. ANTONIO PANGALLO, PHD
them to specific outcomes to see what’s working and what’s
PRINCIPAL XM SCIENTIST
not.”

Determine what amount of time people need together to drive

the outcomes your team needs. Create workplace policies and
structure that allow employees to achieve those outcomes.
Then, revisit them. What’s working now might change before
the end of 2024.

45
 TREND 5

Employee Pulse Surveys

Staying attuned to your employees’ changing needs takes
asking them – and acting on their feedback. And making it
an iterative process. Because plans might change; processes
might only work for some; and what was once a nice to have
might become a can’t live without.

With employee pulse surveys, you get fast, actionable insights

and trends on how your people feel and what they value –
without burning them out – in just a few clicks.

LEARN MORE

46
Lessons
for leaders
Our research revealed where both new experience gaps are emerging
– and old ones persist. Now, let’s talk about some effective ways to
close those gaps and move the needle on the EX KPIs that matter
most to your organisation.

Here are some recommendations from our team of experts, broken

down by leader type so you can skip right to the insights that matter
most to you.
 LESSONS FOR LEADERS

CEOs
CEOs, a clear set of principles – and with them, an
effective communication strategy, especially when
it comes to AI – sets the tone for your organisation’s
ability to adapt to the changes ahead.

Focus on the benefits and assess the risks of AI Be (more) visible Close the gap on survey follow-up

+ Recognise and address employees’ fears: Dedicate time + Take the time to understand what your employees + Communicate changes: According to our research, 83%
to trialling new AI technology in a safe environment. Be open are going through: Whether for frontline workers, new of the C-suite say their company takes action on employee
and transparent about how it’s used. Include employees in the employees, or in-office staff, take the time to personally feedback; just 43% of individual contributors agree.
journey. And demonstrate how the organisation will use AI to connect with employees – especially about the impact Communicate changes and provide context (i.e., business
empower teams, add value, and enable the workforce to focus of their feedback – to make them feel seen, trusting of rationale) consistently and effectively to ensure employees
on more strategic or important initiatives. leadership, and aligned with your culture of listening. know their voices have been heard.

48
 LESSONS FOR LEADERS

CHROs and HR executives

HR executives, in your roles, you guide the vision for what
comes next in EX. Now more than ever, your leadership is the
driving force behind organisational growth, innovation, and
efficiencies.

BONUS:
DOWNLOAD THE 2023 STATE OF HR REPORT FOR EVEN
MORE ACTIONABLE INSIGHTS

Connect EX to organisational growth Ready your organisation for the next era of EX Nurture cross-functional collaborations

+ Always show ROI alongside employee data: + Develop the vision for the future state of EX where new + Strengthen your partnerships, especially with CX and IT.
Communicate value and business outcomes by creating types of listening tools and AI complement one another. Demonstrate how customer outcomes at your organisation
and sharing ROI models that show how employee Then, craft a roadmap to bring this vision to life. Keep in connected to employee experience. Bring together data
experiences are inextricably linked to the organisation’s mind that you’ll be most effective when your organisation is – and people – from all experiences to find connections
economic and strategic outcomes. At the end of the day, engaged and there’s a culture of trust. between your programs. Seek out stakeholders across the
HR executives balance people and profit -- and sharing organisation to own and implement changes.
more than employee data turns this into the language of
the organisation.

49
 LESSONS FOR LEADERS

HR leaders
HR leaders, you helm the ship when it comes to new ways of
working. In partnership with your peers, create and execute
new policies and structure to help employees thrive wherever
they are working.

Focus on growth and development Close the gap in the new employee experience Provide operating frameworks

+ Connect employees (but especially new hires) with + Align your new employee experience programs + Create new structures for hiring, onboarding, training,
existing growth and development programs and to ensure they meet the expectations of incoming talent. and more in a hybrid world of work. Model clear
opportunities. Work to understand and accommodate Help new employees acclimatise and ramp up effectively, competencies; establish strong levelling guidelines; map
the development needs of all employees with employee make connections, and learn how to navigate new cultural out what performance – at each level – looks like. Then,
listening tools. norms – especially if employees work remotely or a hybrid train business leaders on these new people processes.
schedule.

CHECK OUT OUR GUIDE:

GET THE CANDIDATE EXPERIENCE PLAYBOOK FOR
IN-DEPTH GUIDANCE ON THIS TOPIC

50
 LESSONS FOR LEADERS

Frontline managers
As a frontline manager, you know your team – and how they
work – best. That means you’re in the best position to support
your people and help them adapt to new tools and ways of
working in 2024.

Engage employees in conversations about AI Practice two-way communication Support employee growth and development

+ And keep the dialogue open as new developments + Ask employees what’s in their way from doing their + Get to know your employees’ unique skills and
emerge. You won’t have all the answers – and that’s okay. job and what you can do, as their manager, to help. Enabling abilities. Work with your employees to find ways to apply
Our research shows individual contributors, junior level employees with processes that help them effectively meet these skills and abilities in their roles.
workers, and new employees are the least comfortable with customers’ needs will help drive engagement – especially
AI. Start by simply asking people what their concerns are, + Encourage your team to share ideas on new and better
for your frontline workers.
and talk about potential ways AI can make their jobs easier. ways of doing things.
+ Drive and communicate action based on what
your employees are telling you. Help frontline workers
understand the changes that have been made based on
their feedback.

+ Advocate for your people: Represent your employees’

viewpoints in the business by communicating their needs
to leadership.

51
Regional
reports
 Meet the experts
REGIONAL EDITORIAL BOARD

Marcus Wolf, MA Laura Harding, MSc Shinya Ishizaki, MSc Yesenia Cancel, MSc
Senior XM Scientist Senior EX Product Scientist XM Consultant Senior XM Scientist
North America Europe, Middle East, and Africa Japan & South Korea Latin America

Dr. Crissa Sumner, PhD Yukiko Yoshita Mikito Ichikawa

Head of Advisory Services, APJ Senior XM Scientist Senior Director, Solution Strategy
Asia-Pacific Japan & South Korea Japan & South Korea

53
REGIONAL REPORT

Europe, the Middle East,

and Africa
 REGIONAL REPORT

Europe, the Middle East,

and Africa

What’s shaping employee experience

in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa in 2024

Despite continued instability and threat of economic fallout,

employee experience metrics in Europe, the Middle East,
and Africa (EMEA) have either remained stable or slightly
improved. In times of uncertainty, employees seek support,
stability, and leadership to help navigate through. This can
foster both stronger connections within organisations –
and improvements in core performance metrics.

Let’s take a closer look at the key themes our research

revealed about employee experience in EMEA.

55
 EUROPE, THE MIDDLE EAST, AND AFRICA

EX KPIs improve, Managing change and Advances in

including engagement empowering employees employee listening
and intent to stay are keys to improving EX and AI gaining traction
In 2024, our five EX KPIs showed positive gains (or stability), When the macroeconomic environment is unstable, employees Early signs of employee sentiment towards new ways of
including the region’s highest engagement score in four seek clarity and control. According to our research, feeling working (i.e., passive listening and AI technology) show
years. supported to adapt to changes and believing the organisation some positivity, but EMEA employees are yet to
does a good job of helping employees understand how be convinced.
Rewind to just two years ago, and employee engagement changes will affect their work are critical to lowering the risk of
looked much different in EMEA. This year, engagement is at burnout, creating a sense of inclusion, and improving intent to More than a third (38%) of EMEA employees are open to
66% – up six points from 2022. Intent to stay has increased, stay. Our findings stress the value of transparency and open AI-driven functionality supporting them at work. Results
as well – up two points year over year. communication with employees in order to involve them as show greater openness for tasks such as writing (57%),
much as possible in the change process. but less willingness when it comes to being interviewed
With all of the external circumstances of recent years, (27%) – sentiment we also see on the global level.
organisations have continued to place greater emphasis on Our findings also show that during times of change, employees These results highlight the importance of putting data
understanding and improving the employee experience (for seek to have as much control over their environment as they management practices and ethics at the center of any AI
example, we have seen an increase in focus on well-being can. When there is disruption, employees want to be able to program in EMEA.
– another KPI that’s up two points this year). And because challenge traditional ways of doing things and feel empowered
of this increased focus, employee experience metrics have to develop new and better ways to serve customers. These Employees in EMEA are generally more open to passive
either remained stable or improved. results highlight that providing employees with the freedom listening (54%). In the region, employees’ openness
to make improvements to the way they do their work drives to passive listening is significantly influenced by their
engagement and inclusion while also lowering the risk of judgement of how well their organisation has taken action
burnout. on previous survey results – highlighting that openness is
dependent on whether they believe good will come from
the program or not.

56
 EUROPE, THE MIDDLE EAST, AND AFRICA

When we dive deeper

into our country data,
we find:

GLOBAL EMEA FRANCE GERMANY ITALY NETHERLANDS POLAND* SOUTH AFRICA SPAIN SWEDEN SWITZERLAND TURKEY* UAE UK

ENGAGEMENT 68% 1PT 66% 1PT 58% 4PT 61% – 62% – 70% 3PT 62% 79% 4PT 69% 2PT 65% 1PT 61% 1PT 74% 83% 1PT 65% 3PT

INTENT
65% 1PT 66% 2PT 67% 2PT 69% 3PT 75% 3PT 69% 2PT 68% 67% 5PT 71% 3PT 51% 1PT 59% 1PT 75% 66% 2PT 57% 3PT
TO STAY

EXPERIENCE VS
38% 1PT 36% – 29% 2PT 34% 1PT 31% 4PT 42% – 23% 40% 6PT 40% 1PT 32% 5PT 36% 2PT 40% 55% 2PT 35% 3PT
EXPECTATIONS

INCLUSION 73% 1PT 73% 1PT 71% 1PT 71% 1PT 66% 2PT 83% 5PT 76% 79% 1PT 73% 1PT 71% 2PT 71% 2PT 74% 83% 2PT 72% 5PT

EMPLOYEE
72% 1PT 71% 2PT 65% 6PT 66% 1PT 75% – 73% 2PT 73% 75% 7PT 71% – 72% 4PT 69% – 80% 84% 2PT 66% 3PT
WELL BEING

OPEN TO AI
42% 38% 33% 34% 41% 26% 40% 49% 41% 28% 33% 62% 60% 31%
TECHNOLOGY AT WORK

OPEN TO
56% 54% 51% 46% 60% 48% 49% 68% 49% 46% 48% 67% 71% 56%
PASSIVE LISTENING

YEAR-OVER-YEAR CHANGE FROM 2023

* NOTE: FIRST YEAR SAMPLING EMPLOYEES FROM THESE COUNTRIES

FOR MORE REGIONAL INSIGHTS AND EMEA METHODOLOGY,

VISIT QUALTRICS XM INSTITUTE

57
REGIONAL REPORT

North America
 REGIONAL REPORT

North America

What’s shaping employee experience

in North America in 2024

Career growth is back in a big way. According to our research, Organisations should be cognisant that employees need
people in North America are focusing on the career runway support through more than just in-house change – though that
they have in their current organisations. It’s a top driver for all plays a major role for people right now. Employees are seeking
KPIs in the region this year. Comparatively, it wasn’t nearly as support from their organisation in navigating changes outside
present last year. of work, too.

Values are playing a big role for Americans and Canadians in As such, leaders who support employees by connecting them
the year ahead, as well. Three of our five KPIs – inclusion, intent with career growth and development opportunities, embody
to stay, and expectations vs. experience – are all driven by a the values of the organisation (and encourage their teams
belief in an organisation’s values. to do the same), and help employees navigate change will
continue to foster workplace environments where employees
Being supported through change drives KPIs like inclusion, feel included, have their expectations met, and want to stay.
expectations vs. experience, and employee well-being.

59
 NORTH AMERICA

Americans more willing to work Leaders in North America most

with AI than Canadians; both still open to passive listening at work
fall below global average Our global research shows employees are very willing to open up their
private work communication channels (such as email, Slack, and so
When it comes to AI – i.e., using machines to do tasks that normally require on) to serve the betterment of their employee experience, but are more
human intelligence – there’s a clear divide between employees. In North ambivalent about personal social media.
America, the divide is between individual contributors and their leaders:
individual contributors report an average of 24% openness to AI at work, However, our research revealed differences amongst employee groups,
while managers report nearly twice that at 41%. And the more senior you both in work level and tenure. When it comes to passive listening, individual
are, the more willing you are to use AI tools: top-level executives reported contributors reported the lowest levels of trust with being listened to;
63% openness – a 39-point difference from individual contributors. leaders were the most open to it. Likewise, those with the least amount of
tenure at an organisation reported the lowest levels of trust with regards to
Overall, employees in the region expressed more cautiousness to using AI passive listening.
technology than the global average. Indeed, both the U.S. and Canada are
less open than employees globally, but Canada is much lower.

60
 NORTH AMERICA

When we dive deeper

into our country data,
we find:

GLOBAL NORTH AMERICA UNITED STATES CANADA

ENGAGEMENT 68% 1PT 72% 1PT 73% 2PT 67% 1PT

INTENT
65% 1PT 62% – 62% – 64% 2PT
TO STAY

EXPERIENCE VS
38% 1PT 46% 3PT 49% 4PT 34% 2PT
EXPECTATIONS

INCLUSION 73% 1PT 77% 4PT 78% 4PT 71% 1PT

EMPLOYEE
72% 1PT 73% 1PT 74% 2PT 66% 4PT
WELL BEING

OPEN TO AI
42% 36% 38% 30%
TECHNOLOGY AT WORK

OPEN TO
56% 57% 58% 53%
PASSIVE LISTENING

YEAR-OVER-YEAR CHANGE FROM 2023

FOR MORE REGIONAL INSIGHTS AND AMR METHODOLOGY,

VISIT QUALTRICS XM INSTITUTE

61
REGIONAL REPORT

Asia-Pacific and Japan

 REGIONAL REPORT

Asia-Pacific and Japan

What’s shaping employee experience

in Asia-Pacific and Japan (APJ) in 2024

While the region offers a lot of variance when it comes to EX values (as it drives inclusion, experience vs. expectations, and
metrics, there are a few consistencies, too. intent to stay); and managing change (as it drives inclusion and
experience vs. expectations).
This year, four out of five EX KPIs ticked down slightly; just one
– engagement – remained consistent. To drive improvements Organisations should also recognise the key role managers
across the APJ region in 2024, organisations should focus on: will play in workforce well-being in 2024 – and take note of the
growth and development (as it continues to drive engagement, pivot away from systems, processes, and work enablement
intent to stay, well-being, and reduced burnout risk); living the being the key drivers of well-being as in the past two years.

63
 ASIA-PACIFIC AND JAPAN

Australia and New Zealand Southeast Asia Japan and South Korea
In Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), most EX KPIs went As a whole, the Southeast Asia (SEA) region is outperforming Consistent with many other countries across the region,
backwards year over year, continuing the gradual decline we global 2024 norms for employee engagement, inclusion, well- most KPIs dipped year over year in Japan – namely,
have seen in the region since the 2022 peak. The ANZ region being, and intent to stay. However, most EX KPIs fell slightly employee engagement, intent to stay, inclusion, and well-
is underperforming against 2024 global norms for employee year over year. being. Organisations in Japan will also want to focus on work-
engagement, well-being, inclusion, intent to stay, and overall life balance since our research shows it’s an increasingly
experience vs expectations. There are also significant variations across different countries important EX driver in 2024; it drives inclusion, well-being,
in the region. Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines, for intent to stay, and (reduced) burnout risk.
The only EX KPI that showed positive improvement across example, tend to be higher performers, while Malaysia and
the ANZ region is burnout risk. Inclusion is an area of relative Singapore tend to be lower performers. In contrast to Japan, a number of EX KPIs showed slight, but
strength for ANZ, despite dropping slightly year over year. positive improvements year over year in South Korea; these
Intent to stay is the biggest gap – and concern – versus include intent to stay, burnout risk, and inclusion. In addition to
global results; the region scored 12 points lower than the the above drivers, managing stress will be the key to workforce
global average. well-being, reducing burnout risks, and intent to stay for
employees in South Korea in 2024.

64
 ASIA-PACIFIC AND JAPAN

India Greater China

India is outperforming global 2024 norms across the board; Overall, Greater China is performing below global 2024 norms
only engagement dipped slightly (down one point year over for employee engagement, inclusion, well-being, and intent to
year). stay. However, just two EX KPIs dipped year over year within
the region: well-being (down one point) and experience vs
Similar to the APJ region as a whole, organisations in India expectations (down eight points).
can strengthen their positive gains by focusing on growth and
development, living the values, and managing change. Similar to the APJ region as a whole, organisations in Greater
China can improve the employee experience by focusing on
growth and development, living the values, and managing
change.

65
 ASIA-PACIFIC AND JAPAN

APJ reports higher AI openness India most open to passive

than global average, just Japan listening; Japan and Taiwan
and ANZ lag behind (China) the least
When it comes to AI – i.e., using machines to do tasks that normally require Our global research shows employees are very willing to open up their
human intelligence – employees in Asia-Pacific and Japan expressed more private work communication channels (such as email, chats, and so
openness to it than the global average. However, there was a lot of variance on) to serve the betterment of their employee experience, but are more
between countries. India, for example, expressed the highest level of ambivalent when it comes to personal social media.
openness (69%), while Japan (27%) and Australia and New Zealand (30%)
reported the lowest. This is reflected in employee sentiment around the globe, where most
regions scored at or above the global average (56%). Employees in APJ are
slightly more open (57%).

At the country/region level, India is once again the most open (77%); Japan
(43%) and Taiwan (43%) tie for the least.

66
 ASIA-PACIFIC AND JAPAN

When we dive deeper into

our country/region data,
we find:
HONG KONG
GLOBAL APJ AUSTRALIA (CHINA) INDIA INDONESIA JAPAN MALAYSIA NEW ZEALAND PHILIPPINES SINGAPORE SOUTH KOREA TAIWAN (CHINA)* THAILAND VIETNAM*

ENGAGEMENT 68% 1PT 66% - 66% 3PT 56% – 89% 1PT 86% 3PT 38% 2PT 67% 13PT 65% 1PT 83% 5PT 67% – 53% – 60% 76% 6PT 73%

INTENT
65% 1PT 63% 1PT 54% 4PT 61% 1PT 66% 4PT 79% 5PT 64% 1PT 57% 7PT 51% 1PT 70% – 56% – 69% 3PT 67% 76% 6PT 72%
TO STAY

EXPERIENCE VS
38% 1PT 37% 1PT 36% 3PT 29% 6PT 60% 3PT 35% – 24% 2PT 28% 20PT 33% 1PT 49% 2PT 34% 3PT 34% – 23% 47% 11PT 34%
EXPECTATIONS

INCLUSION 73% 1PT 69% 1PT 72% 1PT 62% – 88% – 89% 2PT 44% 4PT 68% 13PT 71% 1PT 88% – 69% – 54% 1PT 63% 82% 5PT 72%

EMPLOYEE
72% 1PT 69% 1PT 67% 3PT 65% 1PT 91% – 88% 2PT 47% 4PT 68% 15PT 66% 3PT 82% 2PT 69% 2PT 59% – 67% 75% 9PT 77%
WELL BEING

OPEN TO AI
42% 46% 31% 51% 69% 60% 27% 45% 29% 53% 49% 46% 52% 62% 59%
TECHNOLOGY AT WORK

OPEN TO
56% 57% 54% 48% 77% 75% 43% 52% 51% 69% 60% 44% 43% 70% 56%
PASSIVE LISTENING

YEAR-OVER-YEAR CHANGE FROM 2023

* NOTE: FIRST YEAR SAMPLING EMPLOYEES FROM THESE COUNTRIES

FOR MORE REGIONAL INSIGHTS AND APJ METHODOLOGY,

VISIT QUALTRICS XM INSTITUTE

67
REGIONAL REPORT

Latin America
 REGIONAL REPORT

Latin America

What’s shaping employee experience

in Latin America in 2024

In short, employees in Latin America (LATAM) are saying: struggles. Brazil, the top scoring country in this area in 2023
“Help us help you.” dropped seven points this year; despite the drop, it remains
the top country for recognition. Meanwhile, Mexico gained two
And that means supporting employees’ career growth so they points year over year – the only country in the region to do so.
can better serve their customers. According to our research,
people in LATAM reported that being able to meet career goals Another year-over-year change? In 2023, overall compensation
at their organisation is a top-three driver for multiple KPIs was the key driver of experience vs. expectations. This year,
(engagement, intent to stay, well-being, and burnout risk). while it’s still important to ensure employees have benefits
(and their basic needs met), employees are signalling
Employees also want to be recognised for their contributions, that it’s also important to not only help them understand
yet recognition is an area where every country in the region organisational changes, but to allow them to contribute to
those changes, too.

69
 LATIN AMERICA

EX KPIs tick down in the LATAM employees more Employees in Mexico and
region, still exceed global open to AI than global Brazil embrace passive
averages average, Chile dips below listening
This year, all five EX KPIs dipped in the region. Engagement When it comes to AI – i.e., using machines to do tasks that Our global research shows employees are very willing to
(76%) is the lowest it’s been since the pandemic, but still fares normally require human intelligence – LATAM employees open up their private work communication channels (such
eight points higher than the global average. are more open to using it at work than the global average. In as email, Slack, and so on) to serve the betterment of
particular, Brazil and Mexico are the most willing across the their employee experience, but they are ambivalent about
There are a few factors at play here. Chile, debuting in this region; Chile is the least open to the use of AI. personal social media.
year’s report, reported scores lower across all areas compared
to other countries in this region. In addition, the drivers of This is reflected in employee sentiment around the globe,
engagement (e.g., growth and development) are scoring lower where most regions score at or above the global average
this year compared to last year, especially for Argentina. (56%). Employees in LATAM score slightly above the
average (59%).
This is a persistent issue in the region: in 2023, growth and
development was identified as a top-five driver of multiple At the country level, Mexico and Brazil are the most open
KPIs. Yet, our latest research shows that organisations have to passive listening; Chile is the least.
not placed enough importance on it – and this could be
contributing to KPIs declining.

Focusing on what drives employee engagement, including

factors like growth and development as well as recognition, will
help organisations move the needle on KPIs in the year ahead.

70
 LATIN AMERICA

When we dive deeper

into our country data,
we find:

GLOBAL LATAM ARGENTINA BRAZIL CHILE* COLUMBIA MEXICO

ENGAGEMENT 68% 1PT 76% 4PT 68% 5PT 78% 3PT 67% 79% 3PT 81% 2PT

INTENT
65% 1PT 66% 3PT 64% 4PT 72% 3PT 61% 62% – 68% 2PT
TO STAY

EXPERIENCE VS
38% 1PT 40% 4PT 31% 7PT 41% 5PT 36% 40% 6PT 49% 4PT
EXPECTATIONS

INCLUSION 73% 1PT 78% 2PT 73% 2PT 76% 3PT 71% 82% 1PT 84% 1PT

EMPLOYEE
72% 1PT 80% 3PT 77% 3PT 78% 5PT 72% 85% 2PT 85% 1PT
WELL BEING

OPEN TO AI
42% 48% 46% 52% 41% 47% 52%
TECHNOLOGY AT WORK

OPEN TO
56% 59% 54% 62% 50% 59% 64%
PASSIVE LISTENING

YEAR-OVER-YEAR CHANGE FROM 2023

* NOTE: FIRST YEAR SAMPLING EMPLOYEES FROM THESE COUNTRIES

FOR MORE REGIONAL INSIGHTS AND LATAM METHODOLOGY,

VISIT QUALTRICS XM INSTITUTE

71
2024 EX predictions
from the experts
Beyond the findings of our research, how do HR and people experts
see these trends, challenges, changes, and opportunities affecting
organisations in the years to come?

We asked them to peer into their crystal balls and cast their
predictions for employee experience in 2024.
 2024 EX PREDICTIONS

‘‘Organisations with a multi-generational workforce will

see increased demand from internal stakeholders for
demonstrable action on areas that align to purpose and
values (social issues, the environment, and DEI). This
will be particularly pronounced with Gen Z and Millennial
employees. External stakeholders (like customers) will
also increasingly make buying decisions on whether
organisations are responsible corporate citizens on issues
like DEI and social impact increasing the opportunity cost
of not making DEI progress.’’
FARREN ROPER

Organisations must
HEAD OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION
QUALTRICS

increasingly think
with their hearts, not
their minds

73
 2024 EX PREDICTIONS

‘‘Companies will increasingly use

AI-driven technologies to analyse
employee data coming from
a variety of sources including
experience data (structured &
unstructured), behavioural data,
and operational data.’’
VANESSA KOWOLLIK
Employee experience EX XM SCIENTIST, DACH

data is a treasure
QUALTRICS

trove, and AI is the

key to unlocking it

74
 2024 EX PREDICTIONS

‘‘In an evolving workplace, empathising

with employees and creating personalised
experiences have become paramount.
Rather than inundating personnel with
endless surveys, companies must harness
the abundant data points readily available
to understand employee experiences and
their behaviour better while respecting their
privacy. Think of EX listening as part of the
employee experience.’’
Understanding what LUCAS ENGELS
EX STRATEGIST, DACH

really matters to your QUALTRICS

people means going

beyond surveys

75
 2024 EX PREDICTIONS

‘‘The technology experience is, for many

employees, inextricably linked to the
employee experience. The ease with which
work can be done is linked with wellbeing,
and influenced by quality of tools and work
processes. Thus, both the HR and the IT
functions have a significant stake in how
work gets done and the impact it has on
how people feel about themselves and
their companies.’’
MATT EVANS
HEAD OF EX PRODUCT SCIENCE
Combining HR and IT QUALTRICS

will raise the bar for

employee experience

76
 2024 EX PREDICTIONS

‘‘Slowly but steadily, companies will invest

in and document a new, core set of
management skills to manage hybrid or
dispersed employees. This will include:
how to onboard new team members into
a geographically dispersed team; how
to set & measure performance targets
in a geographically dispersed team; and
how to observe, coach and train team
members over Zoom.’’
Leaders must go back
to class and acquire
SARAH MARRS
DIRECTOR, EX STRATEGY EXECUTION

new skills if they’re QUALTRICS

to manage hybrid
organisations

77
 2024 EX PREDICTIONS

‘‘The usage of intelligent technologies will continue to

increase but conversations about the adoption of these
technologies aren’t really about technology at all —
they are about humans — namely our needs, attitudes,
and behaviours.

We’ve already seen evidence that one of the chief

concerns among employees about AI is work “losing its
human element” and as AI and intelligent technologies
continue to proliferate in organisations, humans’ innate
needs for affiliation and socialisation in the workplace
will also increase.’’
BENJAMIN GRANGER
HEAD OF EX ADVISORY SERVICES
Technology is CHIEF WORKPLACE PSYCHOLOGIST

essential to making
QUALTRICS

business more human

78
 2024 EX PREDICTIONS

‘‘Employees are becoming increasingly

more frustrated with double standards for
executives in the workplace. Those working
in executive positions continue to score
significantly higher across all EX metrics. HR
leaders who can democratise (and close the
gap between employee and executive) the
employee experience will be those who will
attract and retain the best talent.’’
Ensuring the best DR. ANTONIO PANGALLO

employee experiences PRINCIPAL XM SCIENTIST

QUALTRICS
means cracking down
on double standards

79
 Power to your
people – at
every level
BOOK DEMO

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Methodology
Data collected in July 2023. Our research participants consisted of
36,872 full-time and part-time employees from 32 countries and 28
industries. We sampled employees from organisations employing
between 100-50,000 employees. The sample consisted of 50%
males, 49% females, and 1% non binary/transgender/third gender.
 Country Age Tenure Gender

Argentina 3% New Zealand 3% 18-24 14% Less than 6 months 6% Male 50%
Australia 5% Philippines 1% 25-34 24% 6 months to less than 1 year 7% Female 49%
Brazil 3% Poland 1% 35-44 23% 1 year to less than 2 years 11% Non binary/transgender/third gender 1%
Canada 3% Singapore 3% 45-54 20% 2 years to less than 3 years 12%
Chile 1% South Africa 1% 55+ 19% 3 years to less than 5 years 15%
Colombia 3% South Korea 3% 5 years to less than 10 years 20%
France 5% Spain 3% 10 years or more 29%
Germany 6% Sweden 3%
Hong Kong 3% Switzerland 1%
India 5% Taiwan 1%
Indonesia 1% Thailand 3% Work Level Employment

Italy 3% Turkey 3%
Trainee / Intern 4% Full time 84%
Japan 5% UAE 3%
Individual contributor (i.e., you do not have people who report to you) 47% Part-time 16%
Malaysia 1% UK 6%
Manager / Leader of Individual Contributors (i.e., you have people who report to you) 22%
Mexico 3% United States 11%
Senior Director, Director, Mid-management (e.g., leads a region, function, department) 20%
Netherlands 3% Vietnam 1%
Top level leadership (VP, C-suite etc.) 7%

Region Disability Company Size

EMEA 37% Yes, I have a physical disability, or have a history/record of having one 5% 100-500 35%
AMER 13% Yes, I have a mental disability or neurodiversity, or have a history/record of having one 4% 500-999 16%
APJ 37% Yes, I have both a mental and physical disability, or have a history/record of having them 2% 1000-4999 17%
LAC 13% No, I do not have a disability, or a history/record of having one 87% 5000-10000 10%
I prefer not to answer 2% 10000-50000 7%
50000+ 15%

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 Industry Function

Airlines 1% Admin support 10%

Automobiles & Components 3% CEO/Exec/President 6%
Capital Goods (Tangibles produced and distributed used for the production of other products: Aerospace & Defense, Building 3% Community/Social Service 2%
Products, Electrical Equipment, Industrial Conglomerates, Machinery) Construction 4%
Construction & Engineering 8% Customer Support 11%
Consumer Durables and Apparel (electronics, furnishings, appliances, apparel) 3% Data Science, Big Data, Database Management 2%
Consumer Staples/FMCG (food, beverage, tobacco, household, and personal products; includes drug and food retail) 5% Education/Training 8%
Education 9% Engineering (includes architect) 5%
Energy (Oil/Gas/Coal Equipment, Drilling, Extraction, Production, Exploration, Refining...etc.) 1% Ethics,Compliance, Corporate Social Responsibility 1%
Financial Services 6% Facilities/Office Management 3%
Government/Public Sector 7% Finance/Accounting 7%
Healthcare 10% Food and Beverage Service 3%
Hotels & Leisure 2% HR 4%
Information Technology: Software & Services 7% IT (Help Desk, Organisational Support) 3%
Information Technology: Hardware & Equipment 2% IT (Technology Development) 8%
Information Technology: All Other 2% Legal 1%
Media & Entertainment (advertising, broadcasting, cable/satellite, publishing, cinema, entertainment, interactive media) 1% Marketing/PR 2%
Metals, Minerals, Mining 1% Patient Care 5%
Non-profit 2% Procurement/Purchasing 2%
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences 3% Research & Development (hard and soft sciences) 2%
Real Estate 1% Sales/Business Development 6%
Restaurants 2% Supply Chain/Logistics 3%
Retail 7% Transportation 2%
Services: Commercial Services & Supplies (B2B: office, facility, security) 2%
Services: Consumer Services (B2C: personal, home, legal services) 1%
Services: Professional Services (B2B: consulting, HR/employment, research) 3%
Telecommunications 2%
Transportation 5%
Utilities (Electric, Gas, Water, Renewable...etc.) 1%

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