Summary
In 2018 Adel Du Toit was approached by her CIO with a request: Figure out how to measure the level of dissatisfaction that BCG’s internal employees were experiencing using the digital tools and services provided by the organization. Due to the data-driven nature of BCG, Du Toit knew she would have to provide quantitative data to support any recommendations. This is how the E-SAT program was born. Instead of measuring customer satisfaction, they measured employee satisfaction. In the four years since that initial request from the CIO, BCG has consistently run the E-SAT program quarterly. And, by listening, acting and responding to feedback, the organization has seen an improvement on the E-SAT from 75% in 2019, to 85% in 2021. During their December Annual Business review for all Agile Orgs, BCG’s CFO spotlighted their E-SAT program, declaring that he wanted every single Agile squad member to become "user obsessed". Today BCG is using their E-SAT program to make strategic and investment decisions across our 13 Agile Tribes.
Key Insights
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Effective user experience starts with understanding employee needs through data.
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A dynamic quarterly employee satisfaction survey can reveal critical insights for product improvement.
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Engaging in transparent dialogue with employees promotes trust and accountability.
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Quantitative analysis should precede qualitative studies to guide product improvements.
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User feedback should directly influence product backlogs and prioritization.
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Recognition programs can motivate teams to focus on user experience.
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Data must be presented honestly without manipulation to build credibility and support.
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Strong leadership buy-in is achievable when user-centric data drives strategic decisions.
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Fostering interdepartmental collaboration boosts shared responsibility for user experience.
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Regular updates to employee feedback mechanisms enhance the quality of insights.
Notable Quotes
"Our mission is about unlocking the potential of those who advance the world."
"We only add a product to this survey if it's used by more than 50% of our employees."
"I wanted to make sure that we find a way to give our product teams the raw ingredients they need."
"We hold the mirror up to our product teams and also to every single one of our 25,000 employees."
"This is what we believe the priorities are from what you've told us – now can you help us rank that?"
"If you can't determine where you started, you can't measure how far you've come."
"We were able to move very fast when nobody could actually leave their homes."
"If we can strategically target where we need to focus, that's when you get your CFO behind the design organization."
"User obsession is now our strategic goal, thanks to the data we've made available."
"We're always gardening our Slack channels to reduce noise and enhance focus."
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