When you look at the employee experience, which comprises COOL physical spaces (Chapter 5), ACE technology (Chapter 6), and a CELEBRATED culture (Chapter 7), the natural question to ask is how these 17 variables and the Reason for Being fit in with the moments that matter. Are they separate things or do they work together? They are distinct but they work together.

The employee experience environments (and variables) are what I have identified employees care about most. The moments that matter are the specific periods in the life of an employee that are most meaningful and influential. Together, these two things create a powerful combination.

Everything your organization will ever do concerning employee experience will fall into something that is a part of the cultural, technological, or physical environment. Based on the most recent data that I have collected, the 17 variables are the best measurement of what employees care about and value in those three environments. This can and will absolutely change over time. Years ago diversity and inclusion was nowhere near the top of the list, and neither were workplace flexibility, having a manager who acted like a coach and mentor, and a half dozen of the other variables that I explored.

Moments that matter build on this to create something that is specific for your organization and personalized to your employees. Regardless of how your organization approaches this, you will find that not every employee prioritizes the 17 variables that I have identified in the same way. As I mentioned earlier, some examples of key moments might be the first day of work, buying a house, or getting that first promotion. Examples of some of the employee experience variables include feeling a sense of purpose or having a flexible and autonomous work environment. So how do these two things fit together?

The moments that matter are times when you want to incorporate the variables discussed in this book. Let's say you have an employee whose first day is tomorrow. What can do you during that key moment to help convey a sense of purpose and meaning for that employee? Perhaps on day one you can allow that employee to meet one of your customers who has been affected by what your organization does, or maybe that employee meets with a member of the executive team who shares the story and vision of the company and how that employee will play a meaningful role going forward. What about flexibility and autonomy? For an employee to be able to enjoy life and participate in the many meaningful moments he or she will have with family, such as buying that first house, having the first child, taking and picking the child up from school, and attending soccer games, workplace flexibility and autonomy are crucial. I can't tell you how many people I've come across who can't help but neglect their families because of fixed schedules and command‐and‐control management styles.

Organizations should identify these moments that matter and then infuse them with the 17 employee experience variables that are discussed in this book. This is exactly what some of the top Experiential Organizations, such as Cisco, LinkedIn, Adobe, and Accenture, have been doing. I can't tell you what these moments that matter are going to be inside of your organization, but thankfully we all know who can, your employees.

This doesn't need to be a complicated and convoluted process. It's a bit like going out on a date. When most people first start dating, they're oftentimes stuck worrying about what to say. The common dating advice passed around is simply to ask the other person about himself or herself as a way to start the conversation. Use this same approach to learn about your employees. Start by asking a simple question, something along the lines of “During your time at our organization, what particular moments or events have shaped your experience the most?”