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Digital Employee Experience (DEX) management platforms have sat at the peak of inflated expectations in Gartner's Hype Cycle for Hybrid Work for three years running. So it was only inevitable that in its inaugural Hype Cycle for the Future of Work, launched in July, Gartner pushed DEX management platforms down towards the trough of disillusionment. But according to the analyst firm, they won't stay there long. The company predicts DEX management platforms will hit their plateau within the next two years.
Gartner's Take on Digital Employee Experience Management Platforms
Gartner highlighted both the benefits and challenges associated with deploying Digital Employee Experience (DEX) management platforms in its July 2023 Hype Cycle for Hybrid Work.
While acknowledging the advantages, Gartner identified several significant obstacles:
- Building a business case for DEX is challenging due to the subjective nature of common metrics and the difficulty in linking benefits to DEX initiatives.
- The substantial costs involved in acquiring, implementing and integrating DEX-enhancing technologies present a significant barrier.
Despite these challenges, DEX tools continue to advance in market penetration and maturity. Given the trend, Gartner advised organizations that had not yet invested in DEX to start considering it.
Further confirmation of the increasing interest in the market came in late August, in the form of Gartner's first Magic Quadrant for Digital Employee Experience Management Tools (it replaces the Market Guide for DEX Tools).
As Gartner describes them, DEX management tools monitor and enhance both the performance and employee sentiment toward company-provided technology. By processing real-time data from endpoints, applications and employee feedback, these tools generate actionable insights, automate self-healing processes and optimize support, leading to improved employee engagement.
These insights also enhance interactions with self-service portals and chatbots and provide crucial support for IT, asset management and procurement teams. DEX tools help IT leaders improve the digital employee experience and help IT workers shift focus from technology management to more business-value-added work. Among the advantages, Gartner cites:
- Fewer disruptions to employee productivity due to IT issues.
- Lower IT overhead costs through automation.
- Enhanced IT support with quicker incident resolution and better problem management.
- Improved endpoint configuration and compliance with patching.
- A more balanced approach to measuring success, combining technology adoption, performance metrics and employee sentiment.
Gartner estimates the DEX tool market grew by over 29% in 2023, reaching $598 million and projects it will continue to expand at a rate of 13.7%, reaching $864 million by 2027. So, what do they offer?
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DEX Management Platforms Help IT and Employee Productivity
For Jed Ayres, CEO of ControlUp, one of the ‘Leaders’ in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant, DEX platforms significantly enhance the productivity and overall experience of employees by focusing on three key areas:
1. Securing Work Environments
DEX platforms continuously monitor the digital environment, providing real-time visibility into potential issues, Ayres said. This helps IT departments ensure smooth and secure operations, resolving technology or security problems before they escalate. The result is a more efficient, secure and frustration-free experience for employees, leading to increased productivity and satisfaction.
2. IT Autonomy and Efficiency
Ayres added that DEX platforms help IT teams shift from a reactive to a proactive approach in resolving issues. By providing tools like employee experience scoring, proactive notifications and AI-driven chatbots, these platforms enable IT departments to address problems before they affect the employee experience. “This allows IT teams to reduce time spent on repetitive tasks, enhance troubleshooting capabilities, and focus on strategic business objectives, ultimately improving both IT and employee productivity,” he said.
3. Cost-Efficiency and Sustainability
By optimizing IT environments, eliminating redundant tools and providing accurate sizing recommendations for virtual desktop and cloud solutions, DEX platforms help organizations cut unnecessary costs and improve sustainability, Ayres argued. This not only reduces operational expenses but also supports broader environmental and economic goals.
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IT at a Crossroads
The rising popularity of these tools highlights a critical juncture for IT departments, said Ben Hilton, managing director at Switch Jam Digital. IT have a choice: maintain their traditional operational roles focused on maintenance and troubleshooting or evolve to enhance the technologies that employees use and prefer.
Hilton emphasizes that transitioning to Digital Employee Experience management platforms and tools (DEX) involves more than just maintaining systems. It demands a proactive approach to understanding and improving the digital interfaces and tools that employees interact with daily.
“By prioritizing DEX, IT can elevate its position from provider company to strategic accomplice, actively contributing to enterprise results via improving technology stories that matter to personnel,” Hilton said.
Implementing equipment that measures virtual interactions, identifies overall performance problems and gathers worker comments in real-time allows IT to deal with troubles before they get worse.
In Hilton's view, DEX tools are key technologies, vital in the workplace for identifying gaps, optimizing digital equipment and making data-pushed decisions. Without measurable insights, IT departments are flying blind, unable to pinpoint which enhancements are needed or how changes impact the staff.
“The need for an objective DEX dimension and the improvements it brings is more than a trend — it’s a strategic imperative for organizations looking to beautify their universal employee experience,” Hilton said. "By embracing DEX, IT departments can pivot from conventional operational roles to turning into key drivers of productivity through better employee engagement."
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The human side of work
The true effectiveness of digital employee experience platforms lies in its subtle, well-considered components that address the human side of work, said Champion Leadership Group founder Jeff Mains, not in their innovative features and technological advancements alone.
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He lists some of what he sees as their critical elements:
1. Human-Centered Design: One of the most undervalued aspects of a successful DEX platform is its focus on human-centered design, Mains said. Rather than just automating tasks or providing data, the platform should prioritize intuitive design and usability. This means creating a digital environment that feels natural to navigate and reduces cognitive load on the user.
“I’ve noticed that when employees don’t have to spend time figuring out how to use a system, they can focus more on their actual work,” Mains said. “A platform that respects the user's time and reduces friction can make a significant difference in daily productivity and overall job satisfaction.”
2. Subtle Personalization: He also advises against overwhelming users with excessive customization options in DEX platforms. Instead, he advocates for intelligent, subtle personalization that adapts to user behavior over time.
He provides an example to illustrate: a platform that learns which tools and resources an employee frequently uses, and then prioritizes these items for easier access. Subtle changes like this create a seamless, tailored experience without feeling intrusive.
When implemented correctly, this type of adaptive functionality aligns with natural work patterns. As a result, employees feel more at ease and in control of their digital workspace, he said.
3. Reflective Moments: A final, albeit unusual, functionality that Mains believes can have a profound impact is incorporating reflective moments into the DEX platform. These are brief periods where the system encourages users to pause and reflect on their work or goals. It might be a simple prompt asking what their top priority for the day is, or a moment to recognize what went well and what could be improved.
“We’ve seen how these moments of reflection can help employees feel more purposeful and aligned with their work, leading to greater fulfillment and productivity," Mains said.
One final key element of these platforms and tools are their ability to integrate with existing tools and systems, added DevSquad CEO Philip Alves.For IT departments, he said, the value of a platform that effortlessly connects various applications — whether its project management software, CRM tools or communication apps — cannot be overstated.
"This not only reduces friction for employees but also ensures that technology enhances rather than hinders their workflow,” Alves said.