Not long ago, digital employee experience (DEX) was just a line on an IT report — something to track uptime, device issues and help desk tickets. Those metrics matter to IT, but they don’t always resonate with the C-suite. But behind the numbers is a larger story: every slowdown, every frustrating login, every delayed ticket chips away at productivity, engagement and business results. Today, DEX isn’t just an IT metric — it’s a measure of how well your organisation performs, yet too few leaders are connecting the dots.

Put simply, DEX makes it easier and more enjoyable for employees to use the technology they rely on every day. When employee technology interactions are seamless, organisations move faster and innovate more easily. When they’re full of friction, the costs — both financial and human — add up quickly.

This shift gives CIOs a powerful opportunity: to move beyond being viewed as service providers and instead be recognised as strategic leaders. By relating DEX to business KPIs – not just operational metrics – they can show how IT directly fuels productivity, innovation and long-term business growth. When metrics speak the language of business outcomes, DEX becomes a strategic lever, not just an IT initiative.

The data tells the story: DEX strategy must evolve

In 2025, CIOs can build a strong DEX strategy by tying it directly to measurable business outcomes. That’s why we launched the 2025 Digital Employee Experience Report: Next-Level DEX, talking to over 3,300 IT professionals and end users worldwide to see what’s working, what’s not and the biggest barriers to better digital experiences.

The results reveal a striking DEX maturity gap. While 67% of organisations rate their DEX maturity as high (level 3 or 4), many fail to implement foundational best practices. Companies often confuse owning DEX tools with delivering an improved digital experience.

Our research shows that while most IT leaders recognise the importance of DEX for employees and company culture, many still struggle to measure its impact and prove its value. In fact, 77% say they track DEX and 85% call it a high priority, yet only 23% have advanced strategies with comprehensive monitoring and automation. Despite investments, many teams continue to face challenges with automation, endpoint visibility and digital sprawl.

The cost of getting DEX wrong is rising. Every lagging process, redundant tool or unresolved tech issue slows the enterprise, raising both financial and cultural costs. Digital friction — slow apps, poor connections and complex workflows — continues to frustrate employees and erode productivity.

Many organisations still struggle to track DEX

Our 2025 DEX Report shows that less than half of organisations use DEX scores to monitor employee experience — with only 48% of IT professionals reporting using them and just 24% tracking traditional satisfaction metrics like CSAT.

This points to a bigger problem we’ve likely all felt: many organisations aren’t measuring digital experiences or connecting them to meaningful outcomes. This, in turn, makes it more challenging to clearly point to which IT investments are making work easier and more satisfying.

While device performance (42%) and ticket resolution speed (39%) get nearly as much attention as DEX scores, the focus for improvements often leans toward operational efficiency rather than a holistic view of the employee experience. That means employees can feel frustrated, overlooked and demoralised — and the business misses out on the productivity and engagement that a more seamless experience could deliver.

Measuring what matters to the C-suite

If we want to quantify DEX metrics, we need to tie it to outcomes the business is already tracking. In my experience, there are four key areas for executives to focus on:

1. Productivity gains

Consider the impact of everyday tech interruptions. On average, employees tell us they experience 3.6 disruptions per month from IT issues and 2.7 from mandatory security updates. If it takes roughly 15 minutes each to resolve each issue, that adds up to 1.6 hours lost per employee every month. Hypothetically, for a 2,000-person company with a fully-loaded hourly cost of $100, the annual productivity loss approaches $4 million – showing how even small friction points scale into major business costs.

Digital friction also drives burnout. Nearly 1 in 4 IT professionals (23%) report a colleague has resigned due to workplace stress.

2. Cost savings

DEX uncovers wasted resources and hidden inefficiencies across the organisation. Many organisations see IT problems but rely on manual fixes, leading to downtime and wasted effort. Key opportunities for improvement include:

  • Optimized endpoint management: automating patching, provisioning and device maintenance lowers support costs.
  • Process automation: reducing routine IT tasks frees staff to focus on strategic initiatives.
  • Risk reduction: fewer security incidents and improved compliance through accurate asset inventories reduce potential financial losses.

Self-healing systems automatically detect, diagnose and fix issues before users notice, letting analysts and admins focus on strategic challenges. When quantified, these efficiencies produce measurable savings and a clear ROI that speaks directly to finance and operations leaders.

3. Stronger security and compliance

A complete asset inventory helps enforce policy and reduce risk. Poorly managed systems lead to employees resorting to using shadow IT to address their issues – our report showed that 27% of employees use unauthorised apps and nearly 40% bypass traditional IT-provided support channels (often because it’s faster than waiting for IT). Automated monitoring allows IT to maintain compliance, patch systems and reduce friction for employees, which ultimately protects the company and enhances security. Key experience and security metrics include eNPS, satisfaction surveys, patch compliance and asset inventory accuracy.

4. Employee retention and advocacy

It’s 2025 and organisations must think beyond traditional IT metrics. Employees now expect seamless, intuitive tools that make their work easier and more productive. A strong DEX strategy drives higher eNPS, lower turnover and stronger employer branding.

Reducing digital friction doesn’t just make work easier – it helps retain talent, prevents costly turnover and fosters a more connected, productive culture. Prioritizing DEX also bridges gaps between HR and employees while strengthening your employer brand through more positive reviews on platforms like Glassdoor. After all, employees are the lifeblood of any company. Improving their experience isn’t just good for the people – it’s quantifiably good for business.

A practical measurement framework

Only 23% of companies report having advanced DEX strategies – those that combine monitoring, security, remediation and HR integration. Yet the payoff is clear: by tying metrics like mean time to resolve (MTTR), automation rates, license recovery and vendor savings directly to business outcomes, IT leaders can show that DEX isn’t just an IT initiative – it’s a driver for growth and innovation.

The organisational imperative

The hardest part of DEX isn’t technology — it’s organisational buy-in. Gartner predicts that by 2027, 80% of DEX initiatives will fail if they remain siloed in IT.* Optimising the employee experience requires HR, operations, finance and security all collaborating at the table. For CIOs, that means translating technical wins into a strong DEX strategy with business results:

Today, a strong, measurable DEX strategy isn’t optional – it’s a competitive advantage.  As CIOs, we must translate operational wins into business results:

  • “We reduced MTTR by 30%” becomes “We gave employees back 12,000 hours of productive time last quarter.”
  • “We reclaimed unused licenses” becomes “We saved $1.2M in hard-dollar costs.”

When metrics speak the language of business outcomes, DEX becomes a strategic lever, not just an IT initiative.

The bottom line

DEX has moved far beyond IT. It’s a lever for productivity, cost savings, security and employee retention. By treating DEX as a business performance driver and connecting tools like UEM, ITSM, ITAM and AI-driven personalisation into a cohesive ecosystem, organizations can reduce friction, accelerate innovation and deliver measurable business results.

The future of DEX isn’t more data — it’s measurable impact. By tying metrics to business outcomes and optimizing the employee experience, organizations can unlock productivity, growth and innovation. Organisations that tie every metric to business outcomes, act proactively and optimise the employee experience will gain a decisive competitive edge.

Ready to take your DEX strategy to the next level? Book a discovery call