Customer Experience Podcast

You know that friction in a Customer Experience is a problem that needs fixing. However, do you have that same perception of workplace friction?

If you feel the friction at work, you probably do. But if you don’t, you likely think little of it, if at all. Doing work for money requires a certain amount of friction, right?

However, if the friction impacts employees and decreases employee morale, it can be a significant problem. One might even say it is a problem worth fixing.

In this episode, we delve into workplace friction and its impact on employee productivity and morale with Christophe Martel, founder and CEO of FOUNT. Martel, an expert in eliminating workplace friction, shares his insights on how reducing friction can transform employee experience, leading to happier and more productive teams.

We define workplace friction as anything that makes it harder for employees to do their jobs. This friction manifests in various ways, such as messy interactions, poor intra-company team collaboration, lack of established rules, and inadequate systems for settling disagreements. While most companies recognize friction in Customer Experience is detrimental, many organizations overlook its impact on employees.

Martel explains that workplace friction is an evolving concept that varies from person to person. Unlike organizational friction, which slows down processes company-wide, work friction is more acute and usually affects frontline employees. It often arises unintentionally from policies or changes designed to meet departmental goals, complicating interactions for customer-facing staff.

FOUNT addresses structural friction by identifying and resolving issues through data collection and analysis. By understanding employees’ specific tasks, FOUNT helps organizations implement solutions that improve productivity and morale. Martel emphasizes that solving work friction leads to happier employees and yields operational benefits, making the company more efficient and profitable.

One key takeaway is that productive employees are long-term employees. Contrary to the popular belief that people leave managers, Martel argues that they leave because of work friction. Managers often absorb friction for their teams but lack the authority to make systemic changes. As a result, friction becomes ingrained in company processes, persisting even when everyone acknowledges it doesn’t work.

Martel advocates for open communication between frontline employees and senior managers to identify and address work friction. He also highlights the potential role of AI in reducing friction, though its effectiveness depends on user adoption. AI tools can help when properly deployed based on insights from work friction data.

We discuss why addressing work friction requires a clear understanding of its causes and a commitment to making systemic changes. We also hear about how Martel’s approach with FOUNT demonstrates that reducing friction can significantly improve employee satisfaction, productivity, and overall company performance.

Listeners will also learn:

• How to identify different types of workplace friction
• The importance of data in understanding and resolving friction
• Examples of structural friction and how to address them
• The role of managers in mitigating or exacerbating friction
• The potential impact of AI tools on workplace productivity
• Practical steps for fostering open communication and gathering actionable insights from employees
• The financial benefits of reducing work friction in large organizations