Altron Digital Business Unveils South Africa’s First Employee Technology Experience Index for Financial Services
Altron Digital Business (ADB), part of the JSE-listed Altron Group, has released South Africa’s first Employee Technology Experience Index (TEXI) for the financial services industry, providing organisations with new insights into how workplace technology affects employee performance, customer service, and business outcomes.
The benchmark study, conducted across eight major banking and insurance institutions, highlights the financial impact of poor employee technology experiences, estimating that technology-related inefficiencies can cost financial services organisations between R3.2 million and R30 million annually for every 1,000 employees.
A New Benchmark for Measuring Employee Technology Experience
Commissioned by ADB and carried out by Lightspeed, a Kantar Group company, the research surveyed 385 employees across leading financial institutions.
Rather than focusing solely on traditional IT performance indicators such as system uptime or ticket resolution times, the Employee Technology Experience Index evaluates how employees experience workplace technology across eight key technology categories using a standardised scoring model.
The report provides executives with measurable data linking technology performance to business-critical outcomes, including:
• Employee productivity
• Job satisfaction
• Staff retention
• Employee advocacy
• Customer experience
• Overall organisational performance
According to ADB, the findings demonstrate that employee technology experience has become a strategic business issue rather than simply an IT concern.
Technology Experience Is Now a Business Performance Indicator
Craig Stewart, Managing Director of Altron Digital Business, said the study gives South African financial institutions locally relevant evidence connecting technology investments with workforce performance.
He explained that organisations have traditionally measured IT success through operational metrics such as infrastructure availability, device age, and service desk performance. However, these metrics often fail to show how technology affects employees’ daily work or broader business performance.
The new index aims to shift executive conversations from operational IT reporting toward strategic discussions around productivity, customer satisfaction, and competitive advantage.
Key Findings from the TEXI Report
The research uncovered several significant trends across the financial services sector:
• 88% of employees believe workplace technology enables them to perform at their best.
• Employees with positive technology experiences recorded an Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) that was 105 points higher than those experiencing poor workplace technology.
• 47% of respondents said technology issues negatively affected interactions with customers or colleagues.
• Technology-related disruptions could cost organisations between R3.2 million and R30 million annually per 1,000 employees.
These findings suggest that employee technology experience directly influences workforce engagement and operational efficiency.
Hidden Risks Emerging Across Organisations
One of the study’s most notable discoveries is what ADB describes as a growing technology visibility gap.
According to the report:
• More than 28% of employees no longer report IT problems because they believe reporting them is ineffective.
• More than half of employees use personal devices or unauthorised software to complete work when company technology falls short.
ADB warns that this behaviour introduces governance, cybersecurity, and compliance risks that may not be fully visible to executive leadership.
Three Strategic Priorities for Business Leaders
The report identifies three major investment areas organisations should prioritise to improve both employee experience and business performance.
1. Preparing Employees for AI
Artificial intelligence is already becoming part of everyday work.
The study found that:
• 82% of employees currently use AI tools.
• Fewer than one-quarter feel adequately prepared for an AI-enabled workplace.
• Nearly 30% rely on AI applications sourced independently rather than through employer-approved platforms.
ADB notes that this creates both opportunities for innovation and risks around governance, data protection, and compliance.
2. Strengthening IT Support
Among all the factors measured, IT support showed the strongest relationship with employee satisfaction, advocacy, and overall workplace experience.
Responsive and effective support services significantly improve employee confidence in workplace technology.
3. Modernising Core Infrastructure
Reliable infrastructure—including network performance and connectivity—remains fundamental to productivity and customer service.
While employees often overlook stable systems, outages and poor network performance immediately reduce productivity and affect customer interactions.
Technology Experience as a Competitive Advantage
ADB believes employee technology experience is rapidly becoming a key competitive differentiator for South Africa’s financial services industry.
Improving workplace technology not only enhances employee productivity but also strengthens customer satisfaction, talent retention, and long-term organisational performance.
The report concludes that organisations can now quantify the financial impact of poor employee technology experiences, enabling business leaders to make more informed technology investment decisions.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the Employee Technology Experience Index (TEXI)?
TEXI is a benchmark study that measures how employees experience workplace technology and how those experiences affect productivity, engagement, retention, and business performance.
2. Who conducted the TEXI study?
The research was commissioned by Altron Digital Business (ADB) and conducted by Lightspeed, part of the Kantar Group.
3. Which organisations participated in the research?
The study surveyed employees from eight major banking and insurance institutions within South Africa’s financial services sector.
4. What is the estimated financial impact of poor workplace technology?
The report estimates that technology-related inefficiencies can cost financial institutions between R3.2 million and R30 million per year for every 1,000 employees.
5. Why is employee technology experience important?
A positive technology experience improves productivity, employee satisfaction, retention, collaboration, customer service, and overall organisational performance.
6. What are the biggest technology challenges identified in the report?
The study highlights three major priorities:
• AI readiness and governance
• High-quality IT support
• Reliable digital infrastructure and network performance
7. What risks arise when employees use unauthorised technology?
Using personal devices or unapproved software can expose organisations to cybersecurity threats, data privacy issues, compliance violations, and governance challenges.
8. Who can benefit from the TEXI findings?
The report is particularly valuable for CIOs, CTOs, CEOs, HR executives, digital transformation leaders, and business decision-makers seeking to improve workforce productivity and maximise technology investments.
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