How DEX is shaping the future of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030

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Moueen Zahreddine, Regional Director – Strategic Business, EMEA Emerging, Riverbed shares his thoughts on  driving workforce transformation through digital excellence and how DEX is shaping the future of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030

As Saudi Arabia forges ahead with its Vision 2030 initiative, technology is at the forefront of this national transformation, driving innovation across all sectors. Central to this shift is the digital employee experience (DEX), which is rapidly becoming the key factor in attracting and retaining top local talent. With more than 92% of public entities reaching advanced stages of innovation or integration, the focus on DEX signals a shift in how organisations are positioning themselves as attractive employers for the Kingdom’s growing and evolving workforce.

As more and more projects receive the green light, an increasing number of public and private entities are recognizing the critical role digital technologies can play in the attraction and retention of talent. Saudi Arabia is witnessing a workforce transformation on an unprecedented scale. World-famous megaprojects have provided significant opportunities for Saudi workers who can upskill and advance their careers while contributing to Vision 2030. Backed by a Saudization mandate, citizens are shopping around for employers that can offer them the best of all possible futures. The digital employee experience (DEX), therefore, is fast becoming the decisive factor in attracting top local talent. Organizations must empower employees to work as effectively as possible, which calls for seamless online experiences backed by the optimal technology mix.

The criticality of investing in the right technologies like DEX is evidenced in the findings of Riverbed’s Global Digital Employee Experience (DEX) survey, which found that 72% of Saudi and UAE leaders believed that if an organisation failed to deliver the seamless digital experiences that younger-generation employees now demand, they risked losing those workers. And more than half (53%) said if digital experience expectations were not met, it would impact the company’s reputation and its overall business health. Interestingly, half of all leaders in Saudi Arabia and the UAE say a seamless digital experience is the best way to keep workforces engaged, surpassing traditional office perks such as free coffee and snacks (14%). But just what is good DEX, and how can companies deliver it?

The essence of DEX-cellence

DEX is how employees use technology at work and how they feel while using it. Today’s employees, especially younger ones, expect employers to deliver seamless digital experiences free from performance bottlenecks and sluggish workflows, with functionality that empowers them to share ideas and work collaboratively.

Saudi Vision 2030 is a people-oriented program. It is a multiyear plan in which the people of Saudi Arabia build a better future for themselves under the guidance of government and business leaders. This implies that people must be empowered every day, at home and at work. Effective DEX programs deliver self-perpetuating benefits, allowing employees to become more productive, innovative, and collaborative, leading to further improvements in technology and business outcomes. Technologically robust environments allow employees to do their job more effectively, leading to a confident workforce that can see the value of their input to overall business goals. This boosts retention, cutting expensive turnover and building a company’s reputation as an enviable employer.

Superlative DEX offers several key advantages. First, it reduces costs by ensuring underused and underperforming hardware and software are decommissioned, refurbished, or replaced at the optimal time, rather than being allowed to drain resources. Additionally, it boosts productivity rates by minimising technology issues and disruptions, allowing employees to focus on their tasks without frequent interruptions. This, in turn, accelerates time to market and increases revenue, as product teams can capitalise on fully optimised ecosystems. Lastly, DEX enhances visibility into business success, enabling leaders to showcase real-time, objective wins to investors and stakeholders, which further strengthens organisational credibility and strategic planning.

Analysing DEX in the modern workplace

Saudi Vision 2030 is all about progress, and progress is impossible if decision-makers have no visibility of what needs to be fixed. To determine how effective a business’s DEX is, user behaviour and sentiment data must be continually gathered, monitored, and assessed across all business systems. Companies can then make better-informed decisions about what tools they prioritise when investing, including licence purchases and the building or procurement of new solutions.

Many organisations use employee survey components, or a Net Promoter Score (NPS), to gather this information, asking users about the efficiency of apps, networks, and devices. NPS is an industry-standard scale for measuring satisfaction. Feedback can also be collected manually through one-to-one interviews or group sessions. If gathered accurately, feedback can reveal the real-world experiences of workers. But to gain insights from data gathered by disparate methods is problematic.

The answer?

Observability platforms are the ideal way to snapshot the employee experience. Advanced platforms monitor user interactions as they happen and use emerging tech like AI and machine learning to automatically remedy points of irritation, create shortcuts, and notify IT teams of the most critical issues.

In addition to addressing individual events and instances, observability tools can map trends and analyse journeys across countless devices and locations, from the server room to the cloud. This creates a network of experiences that leaders can trace to – and use to replicate or remediate – the successes and challenges of particular departments, units, or teams. Lessons learned can be used to improve overall employee experience, assist with forecasting and strategy planning, and take preventative measures before IT incidents happen.

As Saudi Arabia continues to advance towards its Vision 2030 goals, the digital employee experience will play a pivotal role in defining the success of both businesses and the broader economy. By investing in technologies that enhance DEX, organisations can ensure they attract the best talent, boost productivity, and foster a culture of innovation. Ultimately, a seamless digital experience isn’t just about technology—it’s about empowering people to build the future.

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