Building Connections, Shaping Culture: Elevating the Employee Experience

BY Stephanie Reed | March 14, 2025

“The equation seems to be: happy employees equals higher productivity, efficiency, low turnover, higher retention, and more profit,” said Mihae Ahn, VP of marketing at LineZero.

Undoubtedly, the employee experience and the customer experience are interconnected. Organizations with engaged workers perform 147% more effectively than their competitors and see a higher ROI.

What is the key to organizations creating happier and highly engaged employees? Communal support, Ahn says. “When we feel connected to others in our lives, we are happier. When we are connected to our colleagues at work, we are happier at work,” she said during a thought leadership spotlight at From Day One’s Washington, D.C. conference. 

Indeed, Forbes underscores how there is a “highly emotional component” to keeping employees happy and fully engaged. Employees desire to be recognized, heard, respected, supported, and valued. HR leaders recognize the importance of supporting the humane component of organizational success.  

Investing in the employee experience is now a top priority, as disengaged employees can threaten a company’s success. In today’s hybrid workplaces, leaders must foster inclusive cultures that support a multigenerational workforce with diverse skill sets.

“How do we make sure that our people feel connected, and they feel like they are part of a community where two-way engagement dialogs happen?” Surprisingly, or, perhaps as expected with the rise of AI, technology is a powerful tool to bridge communication, cultural, and skill gaps in modern-day workplaces. 

Instead of further stripping away humanity in the workplace, newer technology can create more inclusivity and interconnectedness. Companies investing in the digital employee experience, in particular, are also driven to integrate the latest platforms, software, and tools to enhance their competitiveness, says Ahn. 

A Digital Employee Experience Hub 

Ahn emphasized that building genuine community support and connections in the workplace is key to enhancing the employee experience. LineZero is an employee experience and change management consulting company that partners with top digital platforms to help clients strengthen internal communication, assess data, and create engaging company cultures.

LineZero consultants are adamant about ensuring that the digital employee experience tool they suggest to clients leads to the desired business outcomes and justifies the buy-in. “We have a deep understanding of whatever tool, whatever technology that you propose and present to your business. It has to have a very clear purpose. It should not be redundant. It has to be cost-efficient,” said Ahn.

For example, such new technology helps objectively filter employee data, enhances communication, introduces new ways of gathering and providing reviews and feedback via online forums and channels, and helps managers and team leaders directly support employees in their unique professional journeys.

Hence, digital employee experience tools are vital for internal communication among frontline, remote, and hybrid workers. Many organizations achieve considerable success using AI-powered digital tools and platforms.

Ahn references Workvivo by Zoom as an effective digital employee experience hub. Workvivo integrates engagement by awards, surveys, and employee recognition programs; internal communications using online chat, podcasts, live streams, and smart activity feeds; and employee listening using advanced analytics and data-driven employee insights.

The Necessity of Human Connection 

The necessity of human connection is ancient, Ahn says. Belonging to a group as hunter-gatherers strengthened the likelihood of human survival because of communal support.

On the other hand, social isolation lowered a person’s chances of survival because of a fundamental lack of support. Therefore, the body still perceives isolation or ostracization as a threat. The sympathetic nervous system activates under those threats to help us cope with any immediate danger.

Today, this weakens decision-making and critical thinking, increases anxiety and depression, and ultimately reduces employee engagement, efficiency, and motivation in the workplace.

“Yes, a lack of sense of belonging can create all these negative consequences,” said Ahn. “But when we do a good job creating a sense of belonging, then the many benefits come out of it.”

Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, LineZero, for sponsoring this thought leadership spotlight. 

Stephanie Reed is a freelance news, marketing, and content writer. Much of her work features small business owners throughout diverse industries. She is passionate about promoting small, ethical, and eco-conscious businesses.

(Photo by Justin Feltman for From Day One)

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