Your Employees' Experience REALLY Matters

Cathie Leimbach • February 6, 2023

For years HR has handled all ‘people’ matters in most companies. The other departments focused on producing products and serving their customers. However, since productivity is greatly impacted by how employees are trained, informed, treated, and rewarded, a strong bottom line depends on all leaders caring about their people.

The foundation for a positive employee experience is seeing everyone as a partner and stakeholder and worthy of being treated with respect. The employee experience consists of all the thoughts and feelings employees have of the company. This includes the culture, the brand, clarity of workplace expectations, being provided with the training and tools to do their job, pay and benefits, how the job impacts their personal life, and being listened to.

A recent workplace study found that the top three reasons employees quit are:

  • not feeling valued by their organizations,
  • not feeling valued by their managers, or
  • not feeling a sense of belonging at work. 

Each of these reasons were cited by 50 to 55% of employees. This emphasizes the need for all people leaders to invite employees to share their perspectives, listen to them, and take action to address their concerns. This requires leaders to prioritize one-on-one and small group meetings with their employees.

Other factors that impact the employee experience are quality technology with user-friendly interfaces, ongoing skills development, opportunities to use their expertise, and a diverse and inclusive environment.

You may see that an employee’s workplace experience is important, yet, wonder just how important it really is. A global company with over 1000 retail locations measured several factors, including employee longevity, full-time versus part-time status, experience in multiple roles, and skill level.  They found that when employee experience scores at a store moved from the bottom quarter of the company’s retail outlets to the top quarter both revenue and profits increased by about 50%.

If you like the idea of a 50% increase in your bottom line, what is the first step you will take to improving your employees’ workplace experience?  It might be asking open-ended questions to learn the obstacles they are facing and collaborating with them to create a more favorable workplace. You can almost count on win/win outcomes for the employees and the company. 

Connectional Intelligence: The Power Skill Behind Big Results

By Cathie Leimbach • December 9, 2025
In Erica Dhawan’s book, Get Big Things Done, she defines Connectional Intelligence as the ability to combine knowledge, networks, and relationships to drive meaningful results. In today’s busy workplace, it’s not just what you know—it’s how well you connect that turns good ideas into big outcomes. Strong Connectional Intelligence within a team strengthens workplace morale and productivity by impacting four key attributes of high-performance cultures: Value Visibly – People perform better when they know their contributions matter. Leaders who highlight strengths, acknowledge effort, and celebrate progress create a culture where great work becomes contagious. Communicate Carefully – In an age of nonstop messages, clarity is a competitive advantage. Thoughtful communication reduces confusion, prevents conflict, and ensures that everyone moves forward with shared understanding. Collaborate Confidently – Connectional Intelligence flourishes when people feel empowered to contribute. Confident collaboration means inviting diverse perspectives, leveraging individual superpowers, and creating space for smart problem-solving. Trust Totally – Trust is the anchor of all high-performing teams. When leaders show reliability, transparency, and empathy, people take risks, share ideas, and stay aligned toward common goals. Connectional Intelligence helps teams innovate faster, break down silos, and accomplish what truly matters. Want to learn more? Visit Erica Dhawan’s website to explore her full body of work and deepen your understanding of Connectional Intelligence.

Psychological Safety Isn’t About Smooth Sailing — It’s About Real Growth

By Cathie Leimbach • December 2, 2025
When people hear “psychological safety,” they often imagine a workplace where everything feels easy and conflict-free. But that’s not what true psychological safety is — and it’s not what high-performing teams need. As leadership expert R. Michael Anderson points out, work and life include tough days, unexpected problems, and moments that stretch us. A psychologically safe workplace doesn’t remove those realities. Instead, it gives people the confidence and support to face them. A safe workplace is one where employees can struggle without fear of embarrassment… try new skills without being put down… ask questions, make mistakes, and keep moving forward. It’s a place where people know their leader is behind them — not by preventing discomfort, but by helping them learn through it. Psychological safety isn’t about coddling or creating a predictable bubble. Real safety looks like this: · You may hear difficult feedback, but it helps you grow. · You are encouraged to take risks, and supported when you slip. · You are stretched beyond your comfort zone, and guided along the way. When leaders create this balance — support plus stretch — people build resilience, confidence, and higher performance. To explore more of these ideas, visit R. Michael Anderson's website .