In today’s digital-first world, the way we work has fundamentally changed. Distributed work—where teams collaborate across locations, time zones, and digital platforms—has become the new normal. Yet, as organizations race to modernize customer experience (CX), many overlook a critical driver of business growth: the digital employee experience (EX). At Publicis Sapient, we believe that transforming EX is not just essential for successful distributed work, but is also inseparable from delivering exceptional CX and achieving sustainable business outcomes.
The shift from remote to distributed work is more than a logistical change; it’s a cultural and organizational transformation. Remote work is about where people work. Distributed work is about how people work together—intentionally designing collaboration, culture, and technology to enable teams to thrive, regardless of geography. In this context, EX becomes the backbone of productivity, innovation, and ultimately, customer satisfaction.
Research and real-world results show that improvements in employee experience can increase revenue by up to 50% and operating profit by as much as 45%. Companies investing in EX see a 73% improvement in productivity and a 75% improvement in customer satisfaction. The message is clear: employee engagement and retention are directly linked to customer loyalty and business growth.
Distributed work requires organizations to rethink every stage of the employee journey—from recruiting and onboarding to ongoing engagement, knowledge management, and learning and development. Treating employees as internal customers means designing digital EX journeys that:
Practical Example:
A leading group of television networks partnered with Publicis Sapient to create a self-service onboarding journey. Staff could navigate a user-friendly online community, reducing manual effort, streamlining reporting, and accelerating access to accurate payment data. This not only improved the employee experience but also delivered measurable business efficiencies.
Every customer journey has a corresponding employee journey. Employees are the enablers behind digital-first experiences for customers and partners. Yet, most organizations fail to map or optimize the EX side of new CX initiatives. For every new digital customer experience, there’s an equally important employee experience journey attached to it.
How to Integrate EX and CX:
Industry Example:
A North American health insurance company, with employees juggling 20 different platforms, worked with Publicis Sapient to create an EX journey that simplified daily insurance claim processes. This not only improved employee satisfaction but also enhanced the customer experience for doctors and patients.
Agility is the new gold standard, but rapid change can overwhelm employees—especially those not native to digital environments. Effective change management is about more than communication; it’s about co-creation, support, and continuous feedback.
Best Practices:
Practical Example:
Publicis Sapient’s “two in the box” approach has helped consumer products firms navigate rapid digital transformation by pairing employees with consultants for hands-on, role-based learning. This accelerates adoption and builds internal capability for sustained change.
Modern EX and CX must be:
By leveraging dataful design, organizations can rapidly test, learn, and evolve both employee and customer experiences—staying ahead of shifting expectations and market dynamics.
The future of work is distributed, data-driven, and deeply human. By modernizing the digital workforce experience, organizations can:
At Publicis Sapient, our proven frameworks and industry expertise make us the partner of choice for leaders ready to reimagine the future of work. If you’re ready to unlock the full potential of your people and your business, let’s start the conversation.
Ready to transform your employee and customer experience for business growth?
Connect with Publicis Sapient to learn how integrated EX and CX strategies can drive your digital transformation.