EX Research Reveals: 3 Myths Busted, 2 Truths Confirmed

Dive into the workplace trends you should know to truly improve employee experience.

You already know that investing in the employee experience (EX) is critical for improving engagement, productivity, and retention at work. But if you’ve been paying attention to the headlines, you may have been misled by some pervasive EX myths. 

Medallia’s recent research, based on a general population survey of 1,016 US-based full-time (74%) and part-time (26%) workers, uncovered several key trends that debunk three of these oft-quoted mistruths — and confirmed the impact of two EX best practices. (To see the full breakdown of those surveyed, you can download the report here.)

Now let’s dive into the findings about these workplace myths!

3 Employee Experience Myths, Debunked

Myth: There’s been a massive return to office (RTO) trend. 

Reality: Despite headlines, the push to RTO has been overhyped.

A lot of media attention surrounds the return to office (RTO) trend, but our data on office workers tells a very different story. Of those surveyed, about a third of employees are fully remote, another third work in hybrid setups, and the remaining 34% are back in the office daily. These numbers haven’t shifted much since 2022, when the breakdown was nearly identical.

We found that workers generally prefer setups where they don’t have to go into the office every day. For instance, of those we surveyed 35% currently work entirely from the workplace, but this is the desired set up for only 22% of employees.

Those working remotely or in hybrid roles tend to value flexibility, and while they occasionally express concerns about social isolation and collaboration, remote workers report similar motivation and job satisfaction as their in-office counterparts. For many people we surveyed, the perks of remote work — like flexible hours and no commute — far outweigh the perceived drawbacks of working at home.

Myth: A large portion of workers are concerned about AI replacing them. 

Reality: Actually, most workers don’t think they’ll be fully replaced by artificial intelligence — at least, not within the next five years.

You’ve probably seen plenty of troubling headlines about AI replacing human workers in the future. Still, our research shows that only 4% of employees believe their jobs will be fully taken over by AI in the next five years. Most see AI as a helpful tool for automating tasks, not a threat to their jobs.

When asked how AI could assist them in their roles, employees surveyed suggested that repetitive tasks, file updates, data analysis, and other basic projects might be ideally suited to AI tools. While these tasks are important, they aren’t central to the essence of their jobs, and workers felt AI could handle them more efficiently.

Myth: Gen Z workers seemingly act too entitled in the workplace. 

Reality: Gen Z workers are not more inclined to expect promotions than any other generation.

There’s been plenty of chatter about Gen Z’s “entitlement” and expectation of quick promotions, but our data paints a different picture. While Gen Z does seek advancement sooner — mostly because they’re in entry-level roles — it’s not drastically different from Gen X and Millennials, who also expect promotions within the first five years.

What really matters to Gen Z? Being heard. They indicated they love feedback from supervisors and want opportunities to share their ideas. This drive for engagement is key to retaining them, especially since Gen Z is likely to consider other job options if they don’t see room for career growth. Creating a feedback-driven culture is very important to keeping this generation engaged.

2 Resounding Truths That Really, Truly Improve Employee Experience

Truth: Providing employees opportunities to share feedback is closely tied to job satisfaction. 

Reality: This is a best practice that organizations should put into action to bolster engagement. 

Our research suggests, perhaps unsurprisingly, that being able to provide feedback is strongly linked to job satisfaction. Nearly three-fourths (71%) of employees with high job satisfaction also feel confident that their feedback is valued — compared to only 30% among those with low satisfaction. 

Unfortunately, many employees are unable to voice their concerns at work, and many don’t trust that their feedback will lead to meaningful change even if they could. Organizations that make it easy for employees to share insights — and, more importantly, act on those suggestions — are likely to benefit from an engaged team.

Truth: Better EX = Better CX.

Reality: When employees believe that their company treats them well, they are more motivated to treat those they serve well.

The more frequently an employee can have discussions about performance, advancement, and their experience in their role, the more satisfied they are with their jobs. And job satisfaction matters immensely to better customer relationships.

Our data shows that employees who feel supported and valued by their organization are significantly more motivated to deliver exceptional experiences to customers. This creates a cycle where a positive work environment directly translates into better customer experience (CX).

Take care of employees and reap the benefits

Our research shows that regularly listening to employees and addressing their needs is a game-changer. As organizations improve EX, they also boost CX, creating a powerful cycle that drives success. With myths about AI, Gen Z entitlement, and the push for RTO debunked, it’s clear that focusing on feedback-driven satisfaction and the EX/CX connection benefits everyone.

By investing in systems that capture and act on feedback and by fostering a supportive work environment, you can unlock valuable insights and maximize your organization’s potential. Better EX isn’t just great for employees — it’s great for your business, too.

Want to learn more about enhancing EX in your organization? Check out our EX webinar recording for insights and tips you can put to work for you! Medallia’s employee experience expert, Melissa Arronte, was joined by Aimee Chau, Employee Engagement Surveys & Analytics Lead at The Cheesecake Factory, and Denise Lee Yohn for a timely discussion about building a company culture that delivers on your brand’s promise.