Improving employee experience with human-centered design: directions for a new workplace interaction

Employee Experience (EX) is a widely researched topic, but its discussion is becoming particularly relevant in the post-pandemic future of work, mainly about rethinking the employee journey in a hybrid return to office. While much of the current debate focuses on the hybrid work model, little attention has been given to what type of work tasks and dynamics companies should outline when employees are called to work in the office space. Redesign the EX with Human-Centered Design can provide meaningful face-to-face encounters that are essential to engage employees and make in-person work more meaningful and effective for both parties. Thus, the dissertation explores how companies can engage employees in the post-pandemic changing office space environment. Building on theories of employee experience, human-centered design, employee socialization and co-design, it identifies gaps and opportunities for developing meaningful encounters in the office space and cultivating a positive work culture. A case study was conducted at Deimos, an aerospace engineering company with a hybrid working model to provide practical insights. The study employed an exploratory research design, incorporating qualitative methods such as in-depth interviews, observations, and a co-design session with employees. Content analysis was used to categorize areas of employee experience in the office space that needed to be redesigned positively. The study's results confirm that the co-design of socialization, adding creativity and serendipitous encounters in the workspace, improves the employee experience strengthen the ties with the company, connect with their colleagues, helping in the well-being and sense of belonging. This translates into positive gains in the organization that wants to define a hybrid model of work, giving flexibility to employees without losing the human bond that the face-to-face workplace interaction provides, through meaningful experiences. By involving employees in the collaborative process of redesigning socialization and interaction practices, organizations are more committed to valuing individual perspectives and needs, resulting in a more relevant and satisfying employee experience