5 Employee Experience Quick Wins for Professional Services Firms
You don't need a year-long transformation programme to improve employee experience. You need to start somewhere.
Here are 5 quick wins that deliver measurable impact fast.
1. Fix Onboarding (Seriously)
Most onboarding is admin-heavy and culture-light. New joiners spend week one filling forms and sitting through compliance training, then get thrown into work with minimal support.
Quick win: Assign a buddy (not their line manager) for the first 90 days. Someone to answer "stupid questions" and help them navigate the unwritten rules.
2. Create "Moments That Matter" Rituals
People remember peaks and endings. Design small rituals around key moments - work anniversaries, project completions, qualifications.
Quick win: Personalised recognition from leadership on work anniversaries. Not generic emails, actual acknowledgment of their contribution.
Cost: £0. Impact: significant.
People Insight (2025)
“Moments that matter are specific points in an employee's journey that leave a lasting impression, ultimately influencing their engagement and perception of your company. Every touchpoint is an opportunity to either strengthen or damage the employee-employer relationship. If these moments are positive, employees are more likely to feel appreciated, motivated and connected to the company’s goals.”
3. Make Development Conversations Real
Annual reviews are too infrequent and too formal. People want ongoing feedback and development.
Quick win: Monthly 15-minute development check-ins. Not performance reviews, conversations about growth, challenges, and support needed.
Associates consistently cite lack of development as a reason for leaving. This addresses it directly.
4. Include People in Strategy
Employees want to understand where the firm is going and how they contribute. Most firms keep strategy at partner level.
Quick win: Quarterly strategy updates for all staff, with space for questions and input.
One firm did this and saw engagement scores increase 22%. People felt connected to something bigger.
5. Ask—Then Act
Pulse surveys are useful. But only if you do something with the feedback.
Quick win: Run a short pulse survey (5-7 questions). Share results transparently. Commit to fixing one thing immediately.
Then actually fix it. And tell people you did.
This builds trust faster than anything else.
The Pattern
Notice what these have in common? They're all about connection, recognition, and growth. The things people actually care about.
None require massive budget. All require intention.
Start This Week
Pick one. Implement it. Measure the impact.
Then pick another.
Small changes compound. Six months from now, your employee experience will look completely different.
And your people will feel it.
Want to map your employee journey and identify where you're losing people? Our 5-Day Sprint delivers a prioritised roadmap with measurable ROI.