Jill Popelka - Experience, Inc.: Why Companies That Uncover Purpose, Create Connection, and Celebrate Their People Will Triumph

As an unusually dynamic leader, Jill Popelka knows that putting people first is how you build a company to last. Her engaging, user-friendly book offers the practical tools that workplaces need to bring out the best in everyone.

Adam Grant,
#1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again and host of the TED podcast WorkLife

Organizational scientists have well understood the linkage between employee experience and organizational effectiveness, but the gap between research and practice has left so much lost in translation. Experience, Inc. bridges the gap by breaking down the what, why, and how of employee experience in a way that is both evidence-based and actionable.

Dr. Autumn Krauss,
Chief Scientist, SAP SuccessFactors

Employee Experience is not an HR issue or responsibility. It is a must for every leader in the organization to foster an inspiring and desirable environment where people can unleash their full potential. If you want to be an inspiring leader, I recommend focusing on purpose, agency, belonging, and recognition. Jill, thanks for reminding us that business is all about people.

Hernan Garcia,
Head of Talent & Experience, Tecnolgico de Monterrey

This book could not be more timely. Employee experience is more complex than ever. I've known Jill for a long time, and everyone I run into really respects her leadership and, just as important, her ability to take the business to new heights. She distills her principles into this book and how to deliver a great employee experience in this new era.

Jay Choi,
Chief Product Officer, Qualtrics

A great employee experience is necessary to deliver on an incredible customer experience. Jill Popelka outlines a human-centered approach to all parts of your business.

Scott Russell,
Executive Board Member, Customer Success, SAP

JILL POPELKA

WHY COMPANIES THAT UNCOVER PURPOSE, CREATE CONNECTION, AND CELEBRATE THEIR PEOPLE WILL TRIUMPH

Copyright 2022 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.

Published simultaneously in Canada.

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ISBN 9781119852872 (Hardback)

ISBN 9781119852896 (ePDF)

ISBN 9781119852889 (ePub)

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First and most and above all else, I dedicate this book to my mother. She taught me to love and seek to understand others deeply, to show up and care for people, and to never give up. I have always known without any doubt that she loves me unconditionally and believes in me with her whole heart. Without her as my backstop, none of the risks I've taken in life would have been possible. She is also a great encourager on social media the digital world would be a better place if we all had her spirit!

Mom was the foundation, and Dad was the inspiration. He taught me how to believe in others, to take time to think really think and the value of experience in learning. He always encouraged me to take the next leap, whether it was my first time riding a horse or my first international travel. When it comes to parents, I hit the jackpot, and I will be forever grateful for their investment in me.

In the old days, we used to talk about keeping employees happy, paying a fair wage, and making sure our benefits were competitive. Today, however, the nature of work is changing rapidly, and workers have so many options, we have to think differently. It's time to design the employee experience that works.

As a business leader and technology innovator, Jill has had the opportunity to think deeply about the issues of experience design. And in this book, she unlocks many of the important secrets.

As my own research points out, the challenge today is not just giving employees lots of perks and programs it's a problem of designing an entire work environment that delivers productivity, support, and growth. And each role is different, so we have to design an experience that's relevant to each job.

And as Jill discusses in the book, technology only plays a supporting role. You may believe you can buy employee experience from a vendor, but this is not enough. The design must include a sober look at leadership, rewards, diversity, growth, and the lived experiences of workers.

I encourage readers to use this book as a guide, a launching point, and an opportunity to think big. Employee experience must be owned by the CEO, HR team, IT team, and every single manager. If you think about the stories in this book, there are some great examples you can leverage to make your employees more included, productive, excited, and engaged.