​​Improving Your Employee Experience: 4 Overlooked Practices

Great companies don’t happen by chance. They’re built on exceptional employee experiences. 62% of Human Resources (HR) professionals believe employee experience is a strategic priority. Employee experience covers everything from onboarding and offboarding to daily interactions, career growth, and development. Let's walk through four underused employee engagement strategies that can transform their experience at your company.

1) Make Onboarding an Ongoing Experience 

Onboarding is often treated like a one-and-done event, focused on an employee's first week or month at your company. However, employee experience doesn’t stop after the initial training. The first few months are critical for building lasting engagement, trust, and connection. Here’s how you can create a top-tier onboarding process:

Create a 30-60-90 Plan

A 30-60-90-day plan is a structured framework that helps new employees through their first three months, ensuring they receive the support, feedback, and growth opportunities they need to succeed in their roles. Here's how a general 30-60-90 plan looks:

• By 30 days, employees should have a strong understanding of their role.

• By 60 days, they should build deeper relationships and gain work confidence. 

• By 90 days, they should feel comfortable with their position at the company and be ready to discuss their future goals.

Build a Mentorship Program

A mentorship program offers a safe space to ask questions, learn the ropes, and build strong connections across the team. Mentors can also provide valuable insights about company culture, advise on overcoming challenges, and act as a sounding board for new ideas. 

To get started, identify experienced employees who are open to guiding others and match them with new or developing team members based on goals, roles, or interests. Set clear expectations for how often pairs should meet and what kind of support mentors should offer.

Schedule Growth Conversations

Setting up regular growth conversations during those first few months allows managers to check in, offer feedback, and discuss what’s next. This ongoing dialogue improves employee motivation and reinforces the employee's connection to the company’s mission. Framing onboarding as a journey is one of the most effective employee engagement strategies that helps new hires feel connected and motivated from day one.

2) Encourage Managers to Have Real Conversations

Managers are at the heart of the employee experience since they have the most day-to-day contact with their teams. However, without the right tools and support, even the best managers can fall into the trap of focusing only on deadlines and results. Managers must understand the importance of real, meaningful conversations to improve employee engagement. Here are a few ways managers can start improving employee engagement:

Stay Interviews

Stay interviews focus on understanding what keeps employees engaged and what might cause them to consider leaving. These interviews open up honest dialogue and give managers valuable insight into what’s working, what’s not, and where improvements can be made.

Regular 1:1s

One-on-one meetings shouldn’t just be about status updates. They’re also a chance to discuss career goals, challenges, and personal development. When managers regularly create space for these conversations, employees feel seen and supported. 

Feedback Training

Giving feedback isn’t always easy, but with the proper training, managers can learn to deliver it clearly and empathetically. When handled well, feedback builds trust and encourages growth. Managers who prioritize meaningful conversations build stronger, more motivated teams, making it one of the most effective ways to improve the employee experience.

3) Consider the Importance of Psychological Safety

Psychological safety means employees feel free to speak up, share ideas, raise concerns, and make mistakes without fear of backlash or negative consequences. It’s about building a workplace where people feel valued and respected, even when challenging the status quo. 

When employers create this environment, they lay the foundation for innovation, collaboration, and transparency. Here’s how psychological safety can strengthen the employee experience:

Boosts Motivation

When employees know they can take risks and speak up, they’re more likely to step into ownership, share ideas, and push themselves to grow. This empowerment fuels employee motivation and excites people to do their best work.

Fosters Innovation

Employees are much more likely to collaborate and share creative ideas when they feel safe from judgment or repercussions. Psychological safety promotes better teamwork and improved problem-solving capabilities.

Encourages Openness

Psychological safety supports honest, two-way communication between teams and leadership. When managers model vulnerability by admitting mistakes or seeking input, they demonstrate that openness is valued. To put it into practice, managers can start meetings with check-ins, invite input from everyone, and respond to feedback with curiosity instead of defensiveness.

As a result, employees feel more comfortable speaking up, sharing concerns, and offering different perspectives. Over time, this openness builds trust, strengthens relationships, and creates a culture where people feel heard and respected.

4) Celebrate Small Wins That Drive Big Results

Small details, like recognition, autonomy, and personal check-ins, can significantly impact the employee experience. Though often overlooked, these everyday moments can shift the daily experience in ways that build employee motivation and foster engagement. 

Recognize Small Wins

Recognition doesn’t have to be formal or over-the-top. A quick thank-you, a shout-out during a team meeting, or a personal note can go a long way. Celebrating small victories reinforces the importance of their contributions, enhances focus, and drives motivation.

Encourage Autonomy

Giving employees more control over their work builds trust and ownership. Autonomy boosts performance, strengthens motivation, and reduces burnout. When people feel trusted to make decisions, they’re more invested in the outcomes.

Build Personal Connections

Not every conversation needs to be on the calendar. Casual, in-the-moment check-ins—like a quick chat before a meeting or a spontaneous coffee catch-up—can go a long way in showing employees they’re seen and valued as individuals.

These unstructured moments create space for honest conversations, making it easier to detect burnout, personal challenges, or wins that might otherwise go unnoticed. When leaders consistently show genuine interest in their team’s well-being, it fosters stronger relationships and a more connected workplace culture.

How Justworks Boosts Employee Experience

A strong employee experience starts with thoughtful onboarding, clear communication, and a sense of support from day one. Justworks helps small businesses lay a solid foundation by simplifying hiring and onboarding, offering high-quality employee benefits, and streamlining payroll—all in one place.

By taking the complexity out of HR and payroll, Justworks gives you more time and space to focus on what truly matters: creating a workplace where employees feel valued, motivated, and connected. Ready to level up your employee experience? Contact Justworks today to get started.