Why HR needs design thinking
Step 1 / 3·A correct policy can still create a terrible experience
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Learning objectives — after this module you will:
- Understand employee experience (EX) and how it differs from HR policy
- Learn the five stages of design thinking
- Distinguish process thinking from design thinking
A correct policy can still create a terrible experience
Understand the gap between design and experience.
An HR policy can be entirely logical and still create a terrible experience. A familiar example: a leave process designed tightly to prevent abuse — which, for the employee, means filling in four forms and waiting for three approvals to take half a day off for a medical appointment.
The difference is PERSPECTIVE. Process thinking asks: 'how do we control this tightly and stay compliant?'. Design thinking asks: 'what is this experience like for the person living inside it?'.
EX isn't about making employees happy
Employee experience isn't ping-pong tables and afternoon tea. It's the sum of every interaction between an employee and the organisation — from first reading a job ad to their last day. Most of it is very ordinary: requesting leave, getting equipment, understanding a policy, receiving feedback. Improving those ordinary things has far more impact than surface perks.
Key takeaway: A correct policy can still create a bad experience — the difference is designing from the user's perspective.