The world of work has fundamentally changed. Distributed and remote teams are now the norm, not the exception. For organizations seeking to attract, engage, and retain top talent—while driving innovation and business growth—modernizing the employee experience (EX) is no longer just an HR initiative; it is a strategic imperative. At Publicis Sapient, we help organizations reimagine EX for the digital age, enabling employees to thrive regardless of location through seamless digital onboarding, ongoing engagement, and continuous learning.
Remote work is often seen as a logistical solution—employees working from home or other locations. Distributed work, however, is a mindset and an organizational model. It’s about intentionally designing collaboration, culture, and technology to enable teams to thrive together, wherever they are. This shift requires organizations to move beyond simply enabling remote work to fundamentally rethinking how teams connect, share, and innovate as unified, high-performing units.
Our approach to distributed work is anchored in five foundational pillars:
A sense of belonging starts on day one. Seamless digital onboarding journeys are critical for distributed teams. Self-service platforms and online communities streamline onboarding, reduce manual effort, and foster early engagement. New joiners are introduced to core values and culture through internal apps and digital channels, ensuring alignment and clarity across a global workforce. Connecting new employees with mentors, peers, and resources through online communities reduces the isolation that can come with remote work and accelerates integration.
Maintaining engagement in a distributed environment requires intentional design. Virtual town halls, regular check-ins, and digital recognition programs keep employees connected and motivated. Online communities and self-service platforms foster connections, share knowledge, and celebrate successes. Centralized, accessible knowledge bases and collaborative tools are essential for remote teams, ensuring that information is always at employees’ fingertips.
The pace of technological and business change means that yesterday’s expertise can quickly become obsolete. Continuous learning is essential. Digital learning platforms and mentorship programs support ongoing growth and upskilling, ensuring employees remain agile and future-ready. Organizations that invest in learning and development—through technology-based training, leadership programs, and cross-functional collaboration—empower their people to continuously evolve and adapt.
Employees are the enablers behind every digital customer experience. When internal processes are fragmented or outdated, it impacts both employee satisfaction and the quality of service delivered to customers. By mapping employee journeys alongside customer journeys, organizations can identify pain points, streamline workflows, and create digital solutions that benefit both employees and end users. For example, redesigning onboarding and knowledge management for a leading media group resulted in faster access to resources for new hires and improved business efficiencies.
To help organizations modernize their employee experience, we recommend:
Our Globally Distributed Delivery (GDD) model exemplifies how distributed work can unlock innovation, diversity, and business growth. By assembling high-performing teams from across the globe, we enable seamless integration of expertise in strategy, product, experience, engineering, and data & AI. This approach delivers solutions at speed and scale, while fostering a culture of inclusion and flexibility. Expansion into emerging talent markets demonstrates the power of remote-enabled teams to attract and develop world-class talent.
The future of work is distributed, digital, and deeply human. As organizations continue to navigate this new landscape, the most successful will be those that invest in modernizing the employee experience—leveraging digital tools, remote work strategies, and inclusive cultures to unlock the full potential of their people. At Publicis Sapient, we believe that by reimagining work from the inside out, organizations can build resilient, agile, and high-performing teams ready to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
Ready to modernize your employee experience? Connect with Publicis Sapient to start your journey.