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A Guide to Employee Journey Mapping

• 08 Dec 2022

A business is only as strong as its employees—a sentiment that’s top of mind for human resources professionals and people managers amid mass resignations.

As the so-called “Great Resignation” has employees leaving jobs at chart-topping rates , you not only need to retain existing employees but compete with other organizations for top talent.

One way to proactively identify areas for improvement and create value for existing and prospective staff members is through employee journey mapping. Here’s a primer on what it is and how to leverage it to create value.

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What Is Employee Journey Mapping?

Employee journey mapping is the process of visualizing the employee experience from hire to exit. Its goal is to determine areas for improvement and opportunities for value creation so you can retain and attract stellar employees and motivate them to do their best work.

Benefits of the employee journey mapping process include:

• Visualizing each employee’s experience at your company
• Illuminating holes or areas for improvement in your current employee experience
• Enabling more accurate job descriptions
• Informing budget allocation for initiatives that boost retention and engagement

Each of these helps increase employee satisfaction—thus increasing their motivation and quality of work —and your company’s competitive edge in the talent search.

To understand how to use the employee journey map to create value for employees, first explore the basics of value creation.

The Basics of Value Creation

In the online course Business Strategy , Harvard Business School Professor Felix Oberholzer-Gee explains how to create value using a tool called the value stick.

The value stick has four components:

• Willingness to pay (WTP) : The maximum amount a customer is willing to pay for a company's goods or services
• Price : The actual price of the goods or services
• Cost : The cost of the raw materials required to produce the goods or services, or employee compensation
• Willingness to sell (WTS) : The lowest amount suppliers are willing to receive for raw materials, or the minimum employees are willing to earn for their work

There are two ways to gain a competitive edge and attract the best talent: Offer higher compensation (raise the employee’s cost) or make the job more attractive (lower the employee’s WTS).

Lowering an employee’s WTS means they’re willing to accept less compensation. To do this, you need to make the job more attractive and create value.

Value creation not only pays off in terms of employee retention; it can impact the customer experience, too.

“In many services businesses, there’s a strong link between WTS and WTP,” Oberholzer-Gee says in Business Strategy . “By lowering WTS—by making work more attractive—we increase employee engagement, and this then leads to better customer experiences.”

Here are five steps to leverage employee journey mapping to create value.

Related: A Beginner’s Guide to Value-Based Strategy

How to Leverage Employee Journey Mapping to Create Value: 5 Steps

1. define and select employee type.

The first step in the employee journey mapping process is defining employee types, or personas, and selecting which to map first.

If your organization has many roles, you should map a journey for each persona; for example, an “entry-level data analyst” or a “new-hire mid-level marketing manager.”

Some parts of the process will be the same for all employees; others will vary based on job function and level.

2. Map the Employee Journey

The next task is documenting the selected persona’s journey throughout their time at your organization. This can be done in a list format or by drawing a timeline and mapping the journey visually.

This step requires thorough brainstorming to account for as many aspects of the persona’s experience as possible.

It can be helpful to think of the persona’s experience in stages. Use the following example, and tweak it to fit your organization:

• Hiring stage: From job posting to signed offer letter
• Onboarding stage: From day one to ramped up and fully acclimated
• Development stage: Developing skills while performing daily responsibilities
• Progression stage: Opportunities to advance their career within the company
• Offboarding stage: From resignation letter to exit interview

Some organizations operate on a strict schedule for role progression. If this applies to yours, use time as map markers instead of process stages. For instance:

• Before the first day
• One year in
• Two years in
• Eventual offboarding

After defining map markers, list each persona’s planned experience for each stage. This may seem daunting, given the number of factors that influence the employee experience. To make it easier, start by listing processes already in place.

For instance, under the “onboarding stage,” you could list:

• Receive a laptop and a company ID card
• Gain access to email, the project management system, and necessary accounts
• Go on an office tour
• Attend mandatory training

Next, list any added social or culture-building aspects of the experience, such as:

• Receive a company-branded T-shirt and a water bottle on the first day
• Get treated to lunch by the manager and team during the first week
• Attend meet-and-greets with senior leadership and members of each team

More in-depth journey maps include a list of resources needed to make each line item possible—for instance, the platform to conduct onboarding training or a budget for lunches with new hires.

While not every interaction can be documented, each step of the employee journey is important to their overall experience at your company and, ultimately, whether you retain them.

During this process, you may realize there are holes in the journey maps for some roles; for instance, if you don’t currently have practices in place for the development or progression stages. Note these so you can use them in step four when identifying value-creation opportunities.

3. Factor in Employee Feedback

Gathering employee feedback is a general best practice, but it can also play a useful role in assessing current employee journey maps.

There are many options for gathering feedback, including anonymous surveys, private interviews, and physical or virtual suggestion boxes. Other valuable sources of insight include exit interviews with people who leave your company and online reviews from current or former employees on sites like Indeed and Glassdoor .

Map employee feedback to the specific stage or time frame it applies to and notice patterns that emerge. Which stages have the most positive or negative feedback? Are there any general sentiments that could be addressed in a specific stage?

For example, perhaps you observe that employees commonly note in their exit interviews that their job description didn’t match up with their day-to-day tasks. In such cases, you can map that feedback to the hiring stage and use it to create job listings that more accurately reflect roles’ responsibilities.

4. Identify Value Creation Opportunities

Once you’ve mapped the persona’s journey and tracked feedback to each stage, identify areas for value creation. Remember that the two ways to create value for employees are increasing compensation (raising their cost) or making the job more attractive (decreasing their WTS).

Opportunities for value creation can include:

• Holes in the employee journey: Are you providing enough support during the onboarding process? Are professional development opportunities available? Is there a pathway for career advancement within your company for each role?
• Feedback about specific benefits: Benefits can include typical perks (such as vacation time and wellness budgets) or intangibles (like an increased sense of control or flexibility of work location or schedule).

5. Revise the Journey Map

Once you’ve identified opportunities to create value, prioritize and apply them. This can be a long process requiring budget allocation and organization-wide shifts.

Once changes have been implemented, revise the journey maps to include new elements. After you’ve gone through the process once, you can periodically reassess and update the journey maps to adapt to employees’ changing needs and values.

Creating Value for Employees

Creating a competitive employee experience is vital to any business strategy . Without strong, satisfied employees, no organization can reach its goals.

Armed with knowledge of the value stick and the employee journey mapping framework, you can create meaningful value for your employees and attract new ones.

If you’re interested in diving deeper into value creation, consider taking Oberholzer-Gee’s course, Business Strategy . It’ll equip you with a broader picture of how to factor the employee experience into your overall business strategy to create value for your customers, firm, employees, and suppliers to achieve success.

Want to learn more about how to create value for employees? Explore Business Strategy , one of our online strategy courses , to gain the skills to create organizational value. Not sure which course is the right fit? Download our free flowchart .

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Employee journey mapping: How to get started (includes template)

Improve your employees' experience with our employee journey mapping guide. Includes a free template and tips for mapping touchpoints and gathering feedback.

Joris Luijke , Co-Founder & Co-CEO

An Employee Journey Map helps define and prioritize the work that needs to be done to ensure that the employee experience is top-notch. It encompasses all of the experiences of an employee, including the moments that matter , from before their first day on the job until after their last day.

This blog explains the stages of the employee journey, what exactly an employee journey map is and why it’s important, and of course, how to create your own employee journey map. I’ve created this guide with learnings from my own experience, and I’ve included tips from John Foster, who led the People Function at brands like IDEO, Hulu, and Truecar and used Employee Journey Mapping as a key component of the employee experience. 

We have just launched our Employee Journey Designer that will allow you collaborate with your team to make your own Employee Journey Map!

After reading this guide, and with Journey Designer, you’ll be set up for success when it comes to creating your own employee journey map.

Let's get started!

What is the employee journey?

The employee journey is made up of all of the moments that matter across the employee experience. 

One way to think about it is in contrast to the employee lifecycle, which is often presented in a linear way like this: 

• Development

While this tidy employee lifecycle can be a helpful tool for envisioning the employee experience, what it misses is the moments that matter. It’s built to account for and track the traditional pillars of HR. 

The employee journey, in contrast, is built to capture the moments that matter and to embrace that the employee journey is not linear. In the journey, the focus is on the individual and mapping experiences that they may encounter at any time, regardless of if they’re a new or tenured employee. 

Employees face a stream of challenges at work as they navigate their onboarding, daily work, and eventual departure. Employee Journey Mapping helps improve their overall experience.   

What is an employee journey map?

An Employee Journey Map lists many predictable experiences of an employee, from before their first day on the job until after their last day.

The Journey Map helps companies define and prioritize the work that needs to be done to ensure that the employee experience is top-notch.

Visually, an Employee Journey Map is made up of the following: 

• Category - a moment or collection of moments that make up the employee experience (e.g., onboarding)
• Moments - detailed parts of a Category that employees would recognize as a unique experience (e.g., offer accepted, pre-onboarding, the first week), usually time-bound
• Touchpoints - any direct or indirect transaction with the employee (e.g., sending a welcome letter or instructions for a new hire onboarding buddy )

Categories across the employee journey

Unlike the linearity of the employee lifecycle above, the categories of the employee journey are best thought of in a non-linear fashion - they could occur at any time and often in parallel. 

A few categories that would be beneficial to include in your employee journey that are often not present in the employee lifecycle include:

• Manager development
• Life events ( work anniversaries , parental leave)
• Holidays and observances  

An important note is that you can’t predict all of the stages of the employee journey because you can’t predict all moments in someone’s journey. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try for as much coverage as you can, or that employee journey mapping is unimportant. In fact, it’s critical. 

Why is employee journey mapping important?

Employee Journey Mapping allows you to proactively shape the employee experience and give people the support and guidance they need at the right time. The more proactive you can be, the better your performance will be as a company because people are not struggling to find basic information or understand expectations, they’re able to focus on performing their duties. 

In addition to the impact on the employee, Employee Journey Mapping helps your HR team as well. Your Human Resources or “People People” genuinely want to be there for people at the right times, but we can’t be everywhere at once. Employee Journey Mapping allows us to understand what moments could possibly happen and gives us a tool to track what's happening across the organization and then we can proactively deliver the right information.

John Foster, who led the People Function at brands like IDEO, Hulu, and Truecar and used Employee Journey Mapping as a key component of the employee experience. At IDEO, a design company with human-centered design at its core, John learned the fundamentals behind experience design.  

He explains that Journey Mapping is an essential first step, “When I start in a company - I introduce my team to the Journey Map in our first meeting.” He defines the People function around the idea that there is an employee journey and that designing and managing employee experiences is what the People function does.  

“Employee Experience goes beyond the regular services HR that generally provides. With the journey map, we outline all the touch-points when an employee interacts with the company - and how they perceive those interactions. Once the journey map is complete, it's amazing! You can take a rookie new HR hire and say, this is how things work around here. Follow the map! It's like going into the Tube in London; you can get where you need to go because there's a tube map," John adds. 

How to create your employee journey map

Creating an Employee Journey Map from scratch may feel like a big project. And it would be, if you didn’t have tools or resources to lean on. 

This is why we created a powerful (and free) online tool to make creating your map simple, collaborative, and fun! It’s the tool I wish I’d had as an HR practitioner. 

Here are the six steps to create your Employee Journey Map:

• Log in to Pyn’s Employee Journey Designer
• Select Categories in the Employee Journey Map that you’re interested in designing first
• Customize Moments by adding or removing Touchpoints
• Review each Touchpoint. For each, add Priorities and Owners
• Filter to parts of the journey that you need to work on first
• Ensure you’ve invited your teammates to work on the Map together

1. Log in to Pyn’s Employee Journey Designer

Your email address is all you need to log in to Pyn’s Employee Journey Designer for free today . 

Our free Journey Mapping tool provides you with a fast track to a usable Journey Map. It provides you with hundreds of possible Moments and Touchpoints already visualized across the Journey Map categories. 

In the past, most teams initiated their journey mapping process with an (in-person or virtual) whiteboard session, using sticky notes to jot down all the Moments that Matter in the employee journey at their company. Imagine having to keep track of hundreds of Moments and associated Touchpoints in your head!

With Pyn’s Journey Designer, you can simply customize what’s provided on the template. You can also invite other team members to co-create your ideal employee experience using your Map.

2. Select Categories in the Employee Journey Map that you’re interested in designing first

In Pyn’s Employee Journey Designer you begin with a sample map that includes eleven Categories across the employee journey like ‘Onboarding,’ ‘Manager Development,’ and ‘Exit’.

When creating your Employee Journey Map, you likely won’t focus on eleven Categories all at once. Instead, we recommend selecting those Categories where you want to start designing your employee experience first.

For example, when cybersecurity company Exabeam started their Employee Journey Mapping exercise, they initially focused on the Candidate and Onboarding journey and decided on Moments that Matter collaboratively with Talent Acquisition, People Operations, IT and Legal.

3. Customize Moments by adding or removing Touchpoints

Once you've determined the Categories you want to prioritize, you can customize the Moments that Matter within each Category—those instances that employees would distinctly recognize as significant experiences. For instance, Onboarding moments that matter may include the ‘day the job offer is accepted’, and ‘pre-onboarding’,and the ‘initial day or week’, and ‘the 90-day review’.

For each of these Moments, you have the flexibility to add or remove Touchpoints - the direct or indirect interactions required with employees to guide them through that Moment. 

For instance, on a new starter's first day, instructions are directed to the new employee, to their manager, and potentially to their assigned new hire buddy. Each of these interactions is an important Touchpoint in shaping the overall experience.

4. Review each Touchpoint and add Priorities and Owners

In order to improve the employee experience, you need to know who will be improving what parts of the journey. So, once you've identified the Touchpoints for each Moment, it's important to assign owners and establish priorities. Touchpoints requiring immediate enhancements can be labeled as 'high priority.' You have the option to designate your colleague(s) as the "owner" of specific Touchpoints, inviting them to collaborate on your Employee Journey Map.

For Touchpoints demanding more ongoing work, consider including additional details such as a comprehensive description and associated "Actions" pertaining to relevant activities linked to that Touchpoint, such as messages, checklists, tickets, etc.

For instance, a moment like 'pre-onboarding' may involve Touchpoints with both the Hiring Manager and IT. Actions tied to IT instructions might involve the creation of a JIRA ticket, while actions related to Hiring Manager instructions could include sending a Slack message with information on how to develop a new Hire 90 Day Plan.

5.  Filter to parts of the Journey that you need to work on first

Filtering allows your HR team to tailor your view based on specific properties, such as Team, Owner, Priority, and more. It’s also useful for refining what you’re sharing to different stakeholders.

For instance, if your focus is on elevating high-priority moments within the Onboarding experience, you can apply filters as follows:

• Category: Onboarding
• Priority: High
• Current State: Needs Improvement and/or We don’t have this yet

Or, for an overview of all Touchpoints owned by your Learning & Development team marked as high priority, you can utilize the following filters:

• Team: L&D

6. Ensure you’ve invited your teammates to work on the Map together

If you haven’t already, make sure to invite your team and other stakeholders to work on the Journey Map collaboratively. 

Collaborating with others on your employee journey map is important because it: 

Takes into account diverse perspectives: “The more diverse the group of stakeholders that we involve in the process of developing our map, the more diverse the group of employees the map will work for,” says DEI Consultant Natania Malin Gazek. Different team members may have unique insights into various stages of the employee journey, contributing to a more comprehensive and accurate map.

Builds cross-functional alignment: To be an effective tool, your Journey Map should be relevant across different departments and functions. Collaboration ensures alignment between teams, leading to a more unified understanding of the employee experience.

Boosts buy-in and engagement: When employees contribute to the mapping process, they are more likely to be invested in the outcomes and committed to the work needed to get there. 

Encourages knowledge sharing: Members of an HR team can sometimes work in silos. Collaboration helps to break down those barriers and encourage the sharing of knowledge and expertise. Team members can provide valuable information about specific touchpoints or stages of the employee journey that others may be less familiar with.

Improves accuracy and quality: Errors or oversights are more likely to be identified and corrected when there is a collective effort to review and validate the map. 

Start building your Employee Journey Map today

Get a head start on your Employee Journey Map and log in to Pyn's Employee Journey Designer today. You'll go through the same steps outlined in this article within the product, and be well on your way to building a better employee experience.

Joris dreamt of having Pyn as Head of People at Atlassian and Squarespace. Now dreams of getting a sleep-in on Sunday.

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Employee Journey Mapping: Ultimate Guide

You found our ultimate guide to employee journey mapping .

Employee journey mapping refers to the process of charting an employee’s tenure with a company, beginning from when the individual applies for the job and concluding when the employee leaves the organization. Examples of milestones include onboarding, feedback, and training. The employee journey encompasses the experiences between the beginning and the end of an employee’s tenure. Employee journey mapping allows you to provide the groundwork for a satisfying work experience for your staff.

These ideas are related to  employee engagement best practices , employee satisfaction , professional development best practices , and worker retention tips .

This article includes:

• definition of employee journey mapping
• employee journey mapping stages
• employee journey map examples
• employee journey touchpoints

Here we go!

Definition of employee journey mapping

Employee journey mapping is a strategic process companies use to understand, analyze, and optimize the entire lifecycle of an employee. This process involves creating a visual representation of the employee’s experience, from the initial contact during recruitment to their exit or retirement. This map highlights key touchpoints, interactions, and emotions experienced by employees at each stage of their journey.

The primary goal of employee journey mapping is to identify pain points and areas for improvement in the employee experience. By visualizing this journey, organizations can gain valuable insights into how to improve employee engagement, satisfaction, and retention. This process also helps align HR with organizational goals, ensuring the employee experience supports the company’s mission.

To create an employee journey map, firms collect data through surveys, interviews, and feedback from employees at various stages of their employment. This data is then used to create a detailed and actionable roadmap for improving the overall employee experience. Employee journey mapping is an ongoing process, helping organizations adapt to changing employee needs. In addition, this process lets firms regularly refine their strategies to create a more positive and fulfilling work environment.

Employee’s journey mapping stages

he employee journey map helps companies better appraise the value of an employee’s work and the time spent at an organization. The following are the stages of an employee journey map.

1. Recruiting and Sourcing

When an applicant applies for a position, it is the first time they interact with the organization. Therefore, this stage is one of the most critical steps that demand proper planning and recording. An employer should try to provide the best image to potential candidates and create a more favorable environment for new hires to begin their careers.

The company writes up a thorough job description, including any prerequisite skills or experience, and applicants who follow the proper channels know precisely where they are at any time throughout the hiring process. Since this point of contact may mark the final stop on the trip maps for many workers, the touchpoint must be engaging. Such workers may keep an eye out for opportunities in the future and reapply if they are a good fit.

2. Onboarding

As a result of the efforts put into the onboarding process, employees have a better experience throughout their journey with the company and are more productive. Employees’ first few months on the job are crucial to their overall experience. The mapping helps ensure that employees fit right into the organization’s culture, get all the tech and accessories they need for work, and be able to ask questions when confused. Companies can improve the employee onboarding process to improve their interaction with new staff members.

​Here is a list of  onboarding best practices .

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3. Employee Development, Education, and Training

The practice of investing in employee training and development is ongoing. However, employees may express dissatisfaction due to a lack of opportunities to improve in their careers and learn new skills. Although the firm may try to provide a pleasant working environment for its employees, if it fails to provide adequate training and orientation, those workers may seek better opportunities elsewhere.

Many businesses have coordinated strategies for the first 30 to 90 days of a new hire, but such firms still have much to offer over time. The most successful businesses provide employees with a clear path to promotion and growth at every stage of their employment.

​Read about the  importance of professional development .

4. Career Progression

Career progression refers to employees advancing and growing within an organization. Members will likely move from one role or position to another, typically with increased responsibilities, authority, and compensation. This process is an important piece of employee development and retention, as it provides a clear career path. Career progression involves various elements, including promotions, lateral moves, skill development, and mentorship. Organizations that effectively support and facilitate career progression retain top talent and create a motivated and engaged workforce.

5. Engagement and Communication

A business should ensure employee journey touchpoints maximize productivity, encourage consistency, and keep workers engaged. The organization should establish a reliable communication method that allows employees to voice their opinions and concerns. Employees need a safe space to discuss topics that affect their output, such as feelings of isolation and despair, workplace politics, and personal matters.

​Examples of these channels include:

• ​one-on-one meetings
• ​performance reviews
• ​employee surveys
• ​peer-to-peer reviews
• ​water cooler chats

In addition, it helps when management devises tactics to motivate employees and maintain a personal and physical connection to the business.

6. Rewards and Recognition

Most employees like appreciation. Employee recognition is an integral part of the employee journey to maintain a loyal and productive workforce. Recognitions often include personal milestones like anniversaries, birthdays, or any professional success. The acknowledgments motivate employees to demonstrate good conduct, consequently helping to strengthen the overall work culture.

Workers also like recognition for a job well done. Rewarding workers with a meal out, bonus, cake, basket, or gift card can be useful when plotting out an employee’s journey within the company.

​Check out this  list of employee recognition program ideas .

7. Performance Evaluation and Feedback

Regular employee performance evaluation and feedback are essential in any business. An employee’s performance evaluation should highlight both strengths and areas for development. Unfortunately, many companies are behind the times when it comes to their feedback culture. Some firms conduct performance reviews merely as a necessity or fail to be thorough with the process.

Multiple studies show that workers look forward to receiving positive feedback from their bosses. With this information, employees may evaluate the quality of their output. The who, what, when, where, how, and why of an employee’s performance should also be at the center of a feedback form.

​This phase of the journey map should answer questions like:

• Who is offering feedback?
• Where will employees get the review and feedback?
• What is the effect of the feedback on employee output?
• What is the nature of the feedback?
• How often is the performance evaluation?
• Why the feedback?

When mapping the employee journey, it is vital to include specifics about how and when employees will get feedback on their performance.

​Here is a  list of tips for giving employee feedback .

8. Offboarding

The time eventually comes for every worker to leave every organization through termination, retirement, or resignation. By managing this transition properly, companies can ensure their former employees return to work for the company or promote it to their contacts. For example, if an employee had a good offboarding experience, they are three times more likely to promote the company to others than if they had a neutral or bad one, as reported by Gallup .

Many departing workers often desire to get acknowledgment from their employer and to discuss their experiences there openly. This information can help you develop a plan for improving the experience of the replacement employee. For instance, if the worker’s hopes for the position differed from the job’s realities, this information can help you create a more detailed job description.

Various employees will reach different destinations at the end of the road. For example, a worker who has spent decades with the same company may be thinking about retiring. A departure might also be in search of a new position. At this point, you should consider how the worker’s departure affects the workforce. This aspect of the employee journey mapping ensures that the departing worker’s knowledge gets passed to other staff members. You will also think of ways to share the news with other workers.

9. Alumni Engagement

Alumni engagement involves maintaining relationships with former employees or “alumni” of an organization. These individuals may have left the company for various reasons, such as retirement, pursuing other opportunities, or life changes. Despite leaving the firm, these former workers can still play a valuable role in the organization’s network. Alumni engagement programs aim to keep these individuals connected to the company’s community and brand. This step can include activities like alumni newsletters, events, networking opportunities, or even rehiring initiatives. Engaging with alumni fosters a sense of belonging and goodwill well beyond employment. This process can also lead to potential rehires, referrals, or even business partnerships in the future, making it a strategic element of talent management.

The importance of employee journey mapping

For big firms, an employee’s story may go through the cracks easily since supervisors and team leaders are either too busy or uninformed of the possible difficulties that might arise at crucial points in the employee’s career. For instance, a direct supervisor may not know that one of their new hires needs additional help as they begin their career path. The following are some of the importance of employee journey mapping.

1. Better Knowledge of Pain Points

Identifying pain points means finding the parts of an employee’s journey where they face problems or feel unhappy. These problems can workers them frustrated or dissatisfied. When organizations find these pain points, they can figure out what is wrong and work toward improvements. This process helps employees have a smoother and happier experience overall. Organizations need to gather information and feedback to discover these issues and fix them. This way, employees will be more satisfied and want to stay in their roles or come back.

2. Increased Employee Satisfaction

One of the most critical factors in creating a successful business is making sure your employees are happy. Having employees that treat their jobs as a calling is a sure sign that you are on the right track. If workers believe their bosses care deeply about them, they are more likely to find satisfaction in their work. Showing your employees that you appreciate them by mapping their journeys and enhancing their experience at work is a way to earn their loyalty and devotion.

​Here are  job satisfaction statistics .

3. More Positive Work Culture

Running a business is not about the individuals but the teams. If any of its workers start thinking about improving themselves alone, this might signal a red flag. The success of every business depends on the quality of the relationships between its management and its employees. The employee journey mapping keeps your employees tight-knit and helps create a positive work culture.

​Read this guide on creating a  positive working culture .

4. Lower Employee Turnover

When workers are happy in their jobs, they do not consider looking elsewhere. Studies show that turnover is lower in companies that invest in their employee’s professional development and look out for their staff. Employee journey mapping might assist a company in deciding when and what training its staff needs. Management might use maps to plot out training programs for employees.

​Learn about the  reasons for employee turnover .

How to create employee journey maps

When looking for employee journey map examples, it is important to understand the steps that go into this process. The following are the stages of developing an employee journey map.

1. Determine the Map Type

Due to your pivotal position in ensuring a positive employee experience, you should also oversee the mapping process. You should first decide what type of map you want to make. It is necessary to determine your motivations for using employee mapping. You can get managers’ input to create a comprehensive strategy.

An excellent way to start is to draw a rough outline and then consider how you may proceed with the actual mapping. The map can be flexible enough to make changes as you go along. For example, you can ensure the map includes all the key places employees interact with the company. After deciding on the touchpoints you want to include, you can return and make the necessary adjustments to the template.

2. Develop the Persona

To begin creating the employee journey map, you must first divide your workforce into subsets. The experiences of workers in different departments, in particular, will vary greatly. You can find out what works and then make a template for it. For instance, the journey of a sales team will vary greatly from that of the IT department. Further, a new hire will have a distinct set of experiences than a long-tenured worker. Thus, it is crucial to make subsets before developing templates. It is not necessary to create a unique map for each worker. However, you can sort employees by personas to make the process easy.

3. Determine the Measurement Metrics

Part of the employee journey map is settling on a set of measures to evaluate the collected qualitative and quantitative information. Due to the large number of teams involved, individual workers will get feedback from different groups. Team roles may include recruitment, orientation, or training. Accordingly, there has to be a standard unit of performance metrics. The feedback method may be either numerical or free-form, requiring workers to answer questions.

4. Gather Data

Gathering data is the crucial first step in creating an employee journey map. The process involves collecting information from a variety of sources. This data helps companies gain insights into the experiences, perceptions, and needs of employees throughout their tenure in the organization. Firms can collect this information through employee surveys, interviews, focus groups, HR records, performance evaluations, and feedback mechanisms. By collecting and analyzing this data, organizations can uncover patterns, pain points, and opportunities for improvement. This information helps organizations make informed decisions and design effective solutions that improve the overall employee experience.

5. Design Solutions

Designing solutions is the phase where organizations develop strategies, interventions, and initiatives to improve employee experiences. These strategies aim to address the pain points and challenges identified in the employee journey. Finding solutions involves brainstorming creative and practical approachesto enhance the employee experience. These solutions may include improvements in HR policies, training programs, communication channels, work processes, and employee benefits. Effective solution design requires collaboration among various departments and stakeholders. This communication ensures the proposed changes align with organizational goals and are feasible to implement. The goal is to create tangible and actionable plans that will improve employee satisfaction, engagement, and retention.

6. Keep the Map Updated

The employee journey map is a continuous process. Many changes will occur over time, and your map should reflect them. For instance, if there is a major disruption across an organization’s primary touchpoints, then it is important to monitor developments and include any necessary adjustments into the map.

An organization may handle in-process adjustments, infrastructure development, improved communication, and policy modifications with employee data. Employers may better understand their employees’ needs and develop strategies to meet them by mapping out the whole employee experience. The purpose of creating an employee journey map is to document the worker’s experience as they go through their employment.

Open conversations about workers’ experiences and pain points are a great way to lay a strong groundwork for the future. You can use the employee’s persona to map the employee’s path within the business. Establishing the organization’s core values is the first step in developing a comprehensive picture. Next, you can find out what resources are available to workers and use that information to inform your mapping process.

Next, check out these lists of  employee engagement statistics  and books on the employee experience .

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FAQ: Employee journey mapping

Here are frequently asked questions about employee journey mapping.

What is employee journey mapping?

Employee journey mapping is a visual depiction of the events that occur during an employee’s time working for a company. The map shows the complete scope of your employees’ interactions with your business.

How do you map the employee journey?

You can map an employee journey by establishing the objectives of the process and creating an outline. The process includes developing personas, discovering critical touchpoints, and getting employee feedback. Then, you can use the information obtained to update the map continuously.

Why is employee journey mapping important?

Employee journey mapping helps to improve employee experience, boost satisfaction in the workplace, and build a positive work culture. The map also increases retention rates and lowers employee turnover.

Author: Grace He

People & Culture Director at teambuilding.com. Grace is the Director of People & Culture at TeamBuilding. She studied Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, Information Science at East China Normal University and earned an MBA at Washington State University.

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Charting unique pathways: Our expert guide to employee experience journey mapping

As the working world is changing, with remote and hybrid setups becoming more common, organizations are looking to find ways to ensure their teams still have a consistent and positive employee experience. Frameworks such as the employee experience (EX) journey map can help to guide these new processes. It’s worth investing energy into this as companies that design a great EX report lower stress and burnout, and their people are 1.4 times more likely to find purpose in their roles.* 

Still, how does mapping the EX journey work? Employee journey maps help chart and visualize the end-to-end experience of working at your company from the perspectives of your team members. Their primary purpose is to highlight the employee's point of view and uncover inefficiencies and areas for improvement. They can also provide an overview of the internal processes and roles recruiters, hiring managers, human resources leaders, and team leads play in shaping the experience.

We created a downloadable template that HR and people ops leaders can use as a starting point for their own journey maps, providing a step-by-step process you can follow to make the best use of this free resource.

* McClean & Co , 2023 ‍

🧩 Discover what pieces are missing from your current EX strategy Use our free, editable template to record employee data, map the EX journey, and make your organization an even better place to work. 👉 Download the template

What is the employee experience journey?

The employee journey encompasses all the major milestones, events, interactions, and impressions an individual experiences throughout their tenure with an organization. Some people leaders refer to the EX journey as key touchpoints or “moments that matter.” Still, this perspective might be somewhat limiting as it overlooks the fact that a positive EX journey is also about building a strong, trusting relationship between employees and organizations. Essentially, every moment counts because it influences how team members feel about you, from pre- to post-employment. ‍

Why map out the employee experience journey?

Mapping out the employee journey means creating a visual blueprint you can use to identify current areas for improvement and customize for different roles. Doing so is a worthwhile investment of time and effort that can contribute to significant cultural and operational outcomes, such as:

• Smoother, more thorough onboarding processes — Only 43% of employees say their onboarding included more than paperwork and a one-day orientation. Implementing an EX journey map to create a more in-depth onboarding experience can set your company apart and help your new hires feel more welcome from day one.
• Relevant career development opportunities — An effective employee journey map takes your team members’ unique professional and personal career goals into account. This allows you to offer better training opportunities, which 76% of professionals say has an impact on their decision to stay with a company.
• Improved productivity — An EX journey map can help you overcome productivity gaps with better technology, resources, processes, and communication. In doing so, you could become up to 1.8 times more productive than organizations that don’t prioritize the employee experience.  
• Greater recruitment success — Using a journey map can help you get a better sense of what candidates are looking for throughout their tenure. That way, you can tailor your messaging to better resonate with job seekers’ highest priority goals.  ‍

“If you’re familiar with customer journey mapping, then you may know more about employee journey mapping (EJM) than you realize. Employee journey mapping uses the same concepts and best practices of customer journey mapping to help you understand your employee experience better, provide the resources, tools, and support employees need, and align employees’ daily actions and accountabilities with the customer experience.” — Jeannie Walters , Customer Experience Speaker and CEO of Experience Investigators

Employee experience journey map template

🤔 Get inside employees’ heads  Use our template to gather team member insights at every stage and understand how their needs change throughout their tenures. 👉 Download the template

7 steps to create your employee experience journey map

Whether you utilize our editable template or create your own, mapping the employee journey in this way allows you to easily spot where your EX efforts are falling short and make an initial action plan within the same document. Let’s look at our recommended step-by-step process for strategizing, researching, documenting, and improving the employee experience for your organization.  ‍

1. Get clear about your goals for mapping the employee journey

The key question that HR and people ops need to ask themselves at this stage is, “What do we want to know about the employee journey and why?” This prevents journey mapping from becoming a cursory exercise and transforms it into a more meaningful, strategic endeavor that helps you align with your overall company goals.

If it’s your first time creating a journey map, for example, your initial goal may be to identify your current paint points, gaps, and challenges so you can better support your team members for the next 12 months. 

If you’ve mapped the employee journey before and have implemented improvements in the past, a more specific goal might be to address communication issues and improve the feedback and review processes across all touchpoints.  ‍

2. Conduct employee research

In order to get a valid understanding of the real issues, you need to first dig deeper into previous survey data, manager feedback, performance scores, and EX metrics like retention, turnover, and engagement. You should also talk to department heads, managers, team leads, and employees themselves for fresh, updated more insights. In your research, be sure to get an understanding of how team members describe their current journey as well as the ideal experience so you can identify your existing pain points and structure a better path. 

Here are a few questions you can ask employees:

• What expectations did you have at every stage of your professional journey? 
• How have we succeeded or failed in living up to those expectations?
• What were your biggest frustrations during the onboarding, training, and engagement stages?
• What competencies were you hoping to develop at every stage?
• At each stage of the process, how did you feel about communicating with your manager and leadership team?

Providing anonymous feedback channels for employees is key if you want truly valuable, candid input. You can help team members feel safe sharing their thoughts with methods such as:

• Anonymous surveys — Using a platform like Leapsome means your surveys will be anonymous by default. ‍
• Suggestion boxes or forums — This allows employees to confidentially share their input and ask questions without prompting. That’s why Leapsome offers both an anonymous suggestion box and Q&A board where team members can ask questions and get answers from leadership. ‍
• Focus groups — Organize an in-office or virtual meeting with team members, ask meaningful questions about their current experience, and use their answers to create an anonymous report. If possible, you can arrange this with a third-party research company to ensure confidentiality.

🔎 Make sure you have a tentative action plan to share with employees when asking them for feedback. This will help you overcome any survey fatigue team members may be feeling due to previous inaction and encourage them to provide more and better feedback.  

3. Determine the scope & roles your journey map will cover

Attempting to map the journey for every single role in your organization will lead you to develop an employee experience that’s too vague and irrelevant to the difficulties that specific teams are experiencing. Instead, use the data you’ve now gathered to hone in on your most urgent issues.  

For instance, as you review your research, you may notice positive reports during the recruitment and onboarding stages. However, you might uncover that your teams typically show decreased engagement around the development stage. That could mean it’s time to update your career progression framework or make it a more central part of your professional growth processes.  ‍

4. Craft your EX journey map

Now, you’ll draw on your previous three steps and bring together your goals, scope, and research to update your processes and construct your ideal employee experience journey. To do this, you can use our template, which covers these core areas:

• Touchpoints , or the places where employees come into contact with managers, leaders, and other stakeholders.
• Processes , or the ideal steps managers and employees should take at each touchpoint to give team members the best experience.
• Metrics and monitoring , so you can record your current EX data and quickly identify areas of weakness.
• Notes , where you can document feedback from employees and stakeholders.
• Next steps , where you’ll outline your solutions. 

Of course, every organization has its own specific goals, internal structure, and culture. That’s why we’ve made our entire template editable and customizable, with ready-to-use content you can use for inspiration. For example, if your company is 100% remote , you may need more processes during onboarding that promote belonging, recognition, and team integration. ‍

🔎 You can use our template to link to a fully fleshed-out process and next steps documents for each stage, which is ideal for building transparency and ensuring everyone is on the same page about your company’s specific strategies.

5. Consult your journey map to identify improvement opportunities

Use the notes section in our template to capture what you’ve learned from team member research and outline your current iteration of the employee journey. In particular, note the initial expectations and eventual frustrations team members mentioned in their feedback and prioritize specific roles or issues that need to be addressed. 

In the next steps section, summarize what actions you plan to take based on the most critical concerns. Perhaps several employees mention feeling stifled in their professional development. You could then introduce a formal learning and training budget as a next step to improve on this. ‍

6. Share your plan & implement initiatives

Once you’ve finalized your action plan for improving the employee experience, communicate your strategy with leaders and team members so you can secure additional feedback on your proposed ideas and support for your initiatives moving forward. To be as transparent as possible:

• Explain your motivation for mapping the employee journey — Reiterate why you decided to map the employee journey and improve EX from the outset. For example, your organization may have gone through a recent restructuring, and you might have noticed that engagement has been declining ever since. ‍
• Describe your approach — Share how you mapped the staff journey based on your current EX processes and employee research.  ‍
• Discuss the why behind your proposed strategy — Provide the rationale behind your action plan and clearly link it to current business goals and objectives. ‍
• Break your strategy down into steps — Be sure to offer timelines and share who’s responsible for leading each initiative. ‍
• Follow up — After presenting your plan, contact leadership and stakeholders to address their questions and concerns. ‍

7. Refine & iterate on your journey maps over time

Like customers, the needs of your employees can change and fluctuate, typically in response to industry and economic changes. That’s why you should review and update your EX journey map every six months to a year and follow the same process each time. You can even utilize an employee experience platform to support you with this

Remember: No matter how favorable your employee experience metrics are, there’s always more to learn and understand about what team members are looking for from their work environment. 

🔎 Employee experience platforms like Leapsome can help you streamline how you gather team member data, set the right EX goals, and implement strategies that allow for better communication, reduced stress, and more employee autonomy.

Measuring the employee journey

Reviewing your employee experience metrics regularly helps you detect and mitigate issues early before they become major challenges. Doing so also means you can illustrate your progress to upper management and the executive team over time, demonstrating the value of your EX programs. Here are a few key indicators you should consistently refer to:

• Retention and turnover rates — Low retention rates may signal that team members aren’t having a positive employee experience. However, you need to compare them against employee tenures to discern when the most turnover typically happens. For instance, you may notice that team members tend to quit after their first eighteen months, which could suggest they’re dissatisfied with a lack of training, development, and career opportunities. 
• Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) — The eNPS is a valuable metric because it allows you to quickly assess engagement. It only requires employees to answer one question: “On a scale of zero to ten, how likely are you to recommend us as a place to work for your family and friends?” Your final score can range from -100 to 100, and most companies have a score between 10 and 30. While it’s not a great standalone metric because it presents you with limited data, it’s a great starting point that can help you determine when it’s time to investigate the employee experience further. 
• Survey results — Take note of your highest and lowest scores on previous engagement and culture surveys and read answers to open-ended questions thoroughly. If you use Leapsome’s Surveys module, you can quickly determine which factors you need to target to drive more positive outcomes. Our sentiment analysis function also uses AI to interpret open-ended answers so you can quickly scan them before exploring further.

• Performance scores — A great employee experience often corresponds with enhanced motivation, higher engagement, and, as a result, satisfactory performance. High performance scores also speak to the effectiveness of managers and stakeholders during the onboarding, training, and development stages. ‍

How software supports employee journey mapping

As employee expectations change and business priorities evolve, EX journey maps can help you respond effectively and improve the employee experience with greater efficiency. Moreover, they provide an in-depth understanding of how team members feel about their everyday interactions and overall relationship with your business. If your organization is genuinely committed to putting its people first, you need these individual insights to create a more personalized work experience for your team members.

Still, what do you do if you lack the time, personnel, or tech to gather the requisite insights? How do you overcome resistance from leadership without the right data and tools?

Leapsome allows you to automate the operational and analytical side of the journey mapping so you can focus on finding more innovative solutions to complex EX challenges. With our Surveys and Reviews modules, you can track engagement and pulse scores, retention rates, your eNPS, and employee performance scores with charts and visualizations to show you how those metrics have changed over time. Then, use our Goals module to design EX initiatives that align with current business objectives. 

With Leapsome, you’ll gain actionable insights and drive targeted improvements across every stage of the employee experience. ‍

👣 More positive impressions and connections every step of the way Use Leapsome to actively listen, gain insights, and implement changes based on employee feedback so you can make the entire work experience more meaningful. 👉 Book a demo

Leapsome Team

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Employee journey mapping: everything you need to know

The experience that your employees have in your organization has a direct impact on your business. The better the experience that you offer at each touchpoint in the employee journey, the more likely they are to become happy, engaged and productive members of your team. And given the recent shift in employee expectations and the increasing demand for improved working environments, the employee experience has never been so important. In fact, according to a 2021 report by Isolved, 92% of HR leaders said that employee experience is now a top priority for them .

The first step in improving your employee experience is understanding the entire employee lifecycle. And this is where employee journey mapping becomes a vital resource to have in your HR toolbelt. An employee journey map can help you better understand the experience your workforce has at each stage of their time at your company. That way, you can identify what you need to improve in order to offer the best possible experience. This, in turn, will help you attract and retain loyal, engaged and productive talent in your business.

Table of Contents

What is the employee journey?  

The employee journey, also known as the employee lifecycle , covers every touchpoint that an employee has with your company . The journey begins when a candidate applies for a position with your company and ends when an employee leaves their job. The primary stages of the journey relate to attraction, recruitment, onboarding, retention, development and separation.  

Notable experiences within the earlier stages of the employee journey include an employee’s first job interview, their first day at work, and their first performance review. When an employee has a good experience at each of these initial touchpoints, it sets them up to have a positive overall experience at your company. And this is the first step in making a good impression so that a new employee is motivated to become an engaged and productive member of your workforce. 

What is employee journey mapping?  

Employee journey mapping is the process of creating a defined timeline that covers each stage of the employee lifecycle. The aim is to identify the ‘ moments that matter ’ for employees so that you can improve each touchpoint and offer the best possible employee experience. That way, you can build an engaged, loyal and productive workforce.

The most important aspect to consider when you map your employee journey is the perspectives of employees at each stage of their lifecycle. 

How many applicants accept your invites to interviews? What percentage of candidates accept your job offers? How do new employees feel about your onboarding processes? Do employees feel they are being offered enough training and development opportunities? Do they get valuable feedback from their performance reviews? What are your retention levels like?

In terms of separation, at which stage of the employee journey do leavers tend to become disengaged? Why do employees leave your company? What would they improve about your employee experience? Are they happy with your organization’s management style?

You can find answers to these questions by collecting feedback at each touchpoint of the journey . For example, during onboarding and performance reviews, by sharing employee satisfaction and engagement surveys, and by conducting exit interviews. You can also find valuable feedback from sites like Glassdoor where ex-employees are more likely to be honest about their experience with you and what they would change.

What are the benefits of employee journey mapping? 

There are a number of reasons why it’s important to map the employee journey:

• The biggest benefit is that it provides you with a visual representation of the employee lifecycle that helps you understand how your staff experience every interaction they have with your organization. This provides you with the insights you need in order to improve each touchpoint in your model so that you can offer the best possible experience to employees. And this is vital because the better the experience that employees have with you, the more likely they are to remain at your company and become productive and engaged members of staff .
• By gathering the right employee feedback at every stage of their lifecycle you can identify at which points employees feel engaged and disengaged . In other words, you can determine what you’re doing well, and what you need to improve in terms of your internal processes. You can also collect valuable information to help you define the experience that you can offer, helping you create job descriptions that give candidates a clear understanding of what their role involves . 
• The feedback you collect from employee satisfaction surveys and performance reviews can help you design learning and development strategies that encourage your employees to build on their skills and realize their full potential.
• Above all, by implementing measures to improve your overall experience, you can improve your reputation as an employer and attract the talent you need to build a loyal and driven workforce . 

What steps are included in the employee journey?

There are numerous stages in the employee journey. Generally speaking, though, they can be broken down into 6 specific phases. These are attraction, recruitment, onboarding, retention, development, and separation.

It’s important to understand what employees expect at each of these stages. That way, you can balance their expectations with those of your organization.

We are now going to look at each of these 6 phases. For each stage of the journey, think about the experience that your employees have, what they might be feeling, and whether there are any potential barriers that you need to address. 

This is the first stage of your employee journey, and it is where potential applicants are first exposed to your employer brand . This is a vital stage because if a candidate’s first impression of your organization is negative then they are unlikely to accept a job offer from you.

Think about the following:

Where do you advertise your job openings? How can candidates apply for positions? Do you communicate directly with all applicants? Do you promote the value you have to offer as an employer?

Overall, though, the best way to improve this initial stage of the employee journey is to focus on building your brand and reputation. Think about what you have to offer potential applicants and whether your EVP is strong enough to attract candidates with a genuine interest in working at your company.

Recruitment

The next stage of the employee journey is recruitment. This is when an employee passes from applicant to employee, and the experience they have at this stage has a big impact on the opinion they form of you as an employer .

The best way to improve this touchpoint is to use the right tools to streamline your recruitment processes so that you can focus more on building positive experiences. It’s also important to create clear and informative job descriptions so that applicants understand their roles and your expectations. 

Here are a few tips to consider:

• Be specific about the skills and abilities you are looking for so that nobody wastes their time.
• Involve your existing employees. Encourage them to refer potential candidates and to share opinions on the skills new team members should possess. Ask managers to sit in on interviews.
• Offer attractive benefits and compensation to keep you competitive as an employer and help you attract top talent.  

Once you have hired a new employee, the next stage in their employee journey is onboarding and orientation. This is where you give employees more information about their roles and responsibilities. This is also where you share all the tools and resources they will need to perform their duties. Plus, you should be giving new hires the opportunity to ask important questions at this stage. All this will help employees understand how to blend into your company culture.

During this stage, make sure you share enough information so that new hires understand your goals, attitudes, and values as a company . You want them to understand the role they will play in helping to build your organization. Check out this onboarding checklist for more information about this stage of the employee lifecycle.

Here are some tips to help you make this stage a positive experience:

• Make employees feel welcome and provide them with as much information as possible.
• Be as clear as possible about your expectations .
• Provide as much training as possible.
• Conduct regular check-ins  to see how new employees are settling in and if they are integrating well with the team.

Once you’ve got your new hires settled in and ramped up, you need to make sure they are happy enough to stay at your organization. This is a vital stage of the employee journey because if your employees are not satisfied and decide to leave, then the time and money you invested in sourcing, hiring and onboarding them will be wasted.

Essentially, this is all about doing what you can to provide a working environment where your employees are happy and motivated.

There are a few strategies you should implement to improve your chances of nurturing happy employees:

• Focus on building relationships with your employees.
• Foster a culture of respect and transparency .
• Promote open lines of communication amongst all team members. 
• Seek out employee feedback and measure team morale frequently.
• Understand what motivates each of your employees.
• Implement a rewards and recognition program to keep your employees motivated.
• Build a nurturing and supportive culture that promotes employee satisfaction and engagement.

Development

Another vital touchpoint in the employee journey that will help you retain employees is offering opportunities for them to develop their skills . It’s important to make your employees feel valued and challenged and that they have a clear career path in your organization. That way, they won’t be tempted to seek opportunities for professional development elsewhere.

Here are a few tips to help you improve this stage of the journey:

• Meet with employees regularly to discuss their goals .
• Regularly assess the knowledge and skills of all your employees.
• Provide regular training opportunities .
• Encourage external learning and reward employees who learn in their own time.
• Get your managers to work with employees directly to help them prioritize the areas that require further development. 
• Encourage your team members to be responsible for their own development .

The final stage of the employee life cycle is separation, also known as offboarding. This is what happens when an employee leaves your company. This might be due to retirement, new employment, or personal reasons. It also includes employees who you lay off . 

Whatever the reason for leaving, it’s important to provide a positive experience at this final stage. Aside from anything else, when a team member leaves, it has an effect on your other employees. And this can impact your overall employee journey.

• If an employee resigns, conduct an exit interview with them so that you can understand why they are leaving. Ask for open and honest feedback . Is there anything that you could have done to improve their experience with working with you?  
• If you fire an employee, make sure you do it the right way . This includes following an established dismissal process, giving enough notice, and providing them with a clear and concise termination letter .

Best practices for creating an employee journey map

Now that we’ve discussed the various stages of the employee lifecycle, let’s finish by taking a look at a few best practices for creating an effective employee journey map. 

Above all, though, the best way to improve your employee journey is to engage with your employees at every touchpoint of their time with you so that you can better understand their needs and provide them with the best possible experience.

Segment your employees and create employee personas

Most companies will have a variety of different employee personas . These will depend on roles, departments, and level of seniority, among other factors. It’s important to keep this in mind when you begin the process of employee journey mapping, as the experience an executive has at your company is likely to be very different to the experience of an intern, for example. To the same effect, a finance administrator is likely to have a very different experience than an external sales rep. Make sure you take into account each and every individual experience at your company. 

Start by identifying your employee segments . Once you’ve done that, create a typical employee persona for each segment. Make sure you consider all the interactions each persona has with your organization. Are there any processes that might frustrate them currently? Are there any barriers preventing them from having a positive journey in your company? In terms of employee feedback, are there any specific departments where employees consistently report a lack of engagement or satisfaction?

Identify touchpoints that matter in the employee journey

When you create your map, make sure you identify all the moments that matter . In other words, the touchpoints that employees are most likely to remember when they leave your company. These usually include a candidate’s first interview with you, a new employee’s first day, and their onboarding experience. Memorable experiences also include performance reviews and any support they get for their professional development.

Did onboarding go smoothly? Did they receive regular communication from you? Are you providing enough information for employees to blend seamlessly into their new roles? 

The more memorable touchpoints you include in your map, and the more you focus on the employee experience at these touchpoints, the more complete your visual representation of their journey will be.

Create metrics for tracking your employee journey

Once you have created your employee journey map, you need to implement a strategy for measuring and monitoring each stage of the journey .

Make sure you define clear KPIs and objectives for each stage of your employee journey.  Obvious indicators include retention and turnover, but you should try to include goals that specifically target the employee experience. For example, you could set goals for improving your onboarding process, the channels you use for collecting employee feedback, or the training initiatives you offer employees. You could also implement regular pulse surveys to understand the experience your employees have at each stage of their journey. Any metrics related to onboarding, wellness and engagement are essential for understanding the employee experience.

Use the right tools to manage and collect employee feedback

The best way to ensure you offer the best employee experience is to use the right tools and software. The software you use should support you at each stage of the employee life cycle . Firstly, you need effective recruitment and onboarding software and an integrated employee portal. Secondly, you need tools to help you keep track of employee performance and support your L&D programs. Thirdly, you need tools for employee recognition, as this has a huge impact on building a positive, nurturing culture. Finally, you also need a platform to conduct employee surveys and appraisals so that you have access to honest and transparent feedback at each stage of the employee life cycle.

Factorial’s all-in-one solution supports you at each stage of the employee life cycle, including attracting, recruiting, engaging, retaining, and developing employees. Streamlining and automating all your HR processes with Factorial has a huge impact on improving the employee journey.

Focus on continuous improvement

Your employee journey map should be an ongoing process . That means you need to monitor your employee experience regularly and update your map periodically. Send out regular employee surveys to keep your finger on the pulse of how your employees feel. When you identify problem areas, implement measures to improve them. 

Most importantly, make sure you are as objective as possible when you create your map. Don’t design the journey you want employees to have – create the journey they actually have. This means listening to what your employees have to say by collecting feedback at each stage of the employee lifecycle. After all, the best people to describe your employee journey are your employees themselves. They are your most important asset when it comes to designing a journey map that improves your employee experience.

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Employee journey mapping: How to guide

Last updated

26 June 2023

Reviewed by

Miroslav Damyanov

As the Great Resignation continues to inspire employees to leave their jobs, companies must learn how to retain their best employees and attract top talent. 

Discovering why your employees are jumping ship to other companies is key to creating a fresh, compelling experience for current and potential employees. 

Let’s learn how employee journey mapping can help your business. 

• What is the employee experience journey?

An employee's experience with your company is their journey, starting before they even accept a position. 

It begins with scrolling through job opportunities on your website. The journey continues through the hiring and onboarding process and extends throughout their employment. 

The journey involves engagement, training, and development, finalizing at the exit interview.  

Mapping their journey can help you enhance their experiences, allowing you to eliminate any hurdles along the way. Issues an employer perceives as minor events may be significant to employees.  

Employees often begin their employment journey with excitement and expectations. HR and management must learn what makes employees happy to keep excitement high and provide more positive experiences. 

This can ensure a productive, long-term employee versus an employee who does not contribute or leaves shortly after hire. 

Mapping the employee journey allows employers to expand on positive experiences and minimize negative ones.

• What is an employee experience journey map?

Employee journey experience mapping tracks the key experiences during a worker’s entire employment.  

It allows leaders to pinpoint the areas of concern and optimize the positive experience for future hires. The ultimate goal is to attract top talent, motivate them to do their best work, and retain those employees for long-term employment.

An employee journey map works chronologically, starting with the hiring process and examining other vital steps along the way. 

Finessing each step on the map helps employers make changes to: 

Increase employee satisfaction

Improve job quality

Gain a competitive edge in attracting top talent

Employers can use the information from employee journey mapping to identify the most critical experiences for employees and allocate resources to enhance the experience.  

It can also clarify an organization's critical roles and responsibilities and emphasize the most important moments.

• Benefits of employee experience journey mapping

Employee experience journey mapping can help a company attract top talent, boost productivity, and reduce attrition. But that’s not all. 

Understanding what matters most to employees and how their experiences impact their employment can deliver some essential benefits along the way:

Clarify job descriptions

Dissatisfaction and confusion can occur when managers ask employees to do tasks outside their job description.  

Imagine you hire a server for your restaurant and want them to clean the restrooms at the end of the shift. Not including that task in their job description could lead to annoyance when you ask them to do it.  

Effectively allocate resources

Once you determine the areas in the employee journey that need revision or restructuring, you can put time and money into improving them.  

Simple solutions like providing the right tools for the job can improve productivity and how your employee perceives their worth.

Improve employee engagement

An engaged employee is a productive employee. If you discover employees are disengaged with their supervisor or team, journey mapping can help you identify and remedy their experience.  

Team-building exercises or outings could help when employees lack a positive experience. You can also see how engaged employees are experiencing the workplace and replicate that. 

Here are ways to improve engagement:

Find and improve experiences

Everyone sees things differently, and mapping helps you uncover and improve experiences.

Cultivate equity and inclusion

Eliminate bias and inequities within the employee's journey by closing gaps and offering training and support.

Collaboration and teamwork 

Top employees thrive in an environment where their work is meaningful. 

Highlighting touchpoints where different teams can work together effectively can address pitfalls in teamwork and foster collaboration.

Support and recognition

Offering employees the right amount of support and recognition can bring out the best in them.  Journey maps can determine if your recognition programs optimize engagement and lead to greater productivity.  

Continuous improvement

An employee experience journey map will give you a perspective on iterative improvements based on employee feedback. This ensures your company can drive a culture of ongoing enhancement.

An employee experience journey map can determine areas to build upon and define your company's goals and values. It can help you reduce recruitment costs by attracting talented applicants that will thrive within your company's positive environment.

• Stages of the employee journey

An employee's journey generally has four stages:

Recruitment and hiring

Development

Offboarding or exit

Each stage is important to the employee and employer, and mapping determines how to optimize these steps to everyone’s advantage.

You need to draw in top talent before your company can even make an offer.  

During the process, consider how long it takes from application to offer:

Is it taking too long?  

Are you getting the desired amount of qualified applicants? 

Once the process begins, the applicant should get to know your company and what they can expect when working there.  

The candidate should receive quality communication on:

The hiring stages

Their application status 

The job description

The expected salary

A qualified candidate should feel comfortable, informed, and valued.

Onboarding isn’t just filling out benefit information and getting a key card. It also includes getting up to speed with their new team, manager, systems, and processes.  

The employer needs to retain the new employee’s enthusiasm throughout the process.   

Development  

The development stage of the journey includes everything an employer can do to help the employee upskill, get promoted, or become a stronger team member. 

This is usually accomplished through performance appraisals, raises, and constructive feedback .  

During the development phase , employees expect to expand their skill sets, learn how to be promoted, or gain recognition for meeting their goals.

Offboarding

While every employee leaves a company at some point, your goal is to retain them as long as possible.  

Some leave for reasons like an out-of-area move or retirement, but if an employee leaves to join another company, find out why.  

Exit interviews are a great way to learn if there are areas you can improve upon.

• Steps to create an employee journey map

1. Define the scope

Before you begin your employee journey map, define the scope of the map.  

Larger companies will have many positions, resulting in complex maps, so you may want to single out one department or position. Focus your efforts on areas with issues like lower productivity, higher turnover, or other areas of concern.  

Start simply and branch out until you get the information you need. Once you determine the scope of your employee journey map, you can move on to research.

2. Conduct research

You may already have some of the data you need to identify a problem area, such as turnover rates, productivity issues, or information from exit interviews.  

Interview employees in the area you’re mapping. Learn about their problems, expectations, and goals to create employee personas , segmenting employees by role, not demographics.

3. Establish the journey 

Once you’ve selected the role you’re mapping, determine the journey they take and the most important moments along the way.  

If you’re mapping different departments or roles, their journeys may look different.  

Include areas such as recruitment, benefits packages, compensation, and training.

4. Create the map  

Use employee research to craft your journey map, visualizing it from their perspective. Include information from current employee interviews alongside data on turnover, productivity, and exit interviews.  

Include the touchpoints for each stage and highlight the problem areas. Look for similarities and transitions that may point to a problem. Highlight points of frustration, stress, or dissatisfaction. 

Focus on things that worked well, too. Identify moments of delight, satisfaction, or success to replicate and reinforce those experiences. 

Try to be as detailed as possible to determine what to do at each stage of the journey.

5. Take action  

Your employee journey map can pinpoint a mismatch between employee and employer expectations and experiences:

If a pain point is the drawn-out hiring process, find and fix the bottleneck. 

If an employee feels disconnected from the team, encourage team building. 

If a department sees few promotions from within, determine causes and remedies.

6. Refine the journey  

Now you’ve created and implemented your journey map, revisit the process to measure the impact of the changes:  

Has employee turnover decreased?  

Has departmental productivity increased?  

If the results don't reflect your actions, you may need to expand the map to find other causes and solutions.  

• Employee experience journey map template

You can create an employee experience journey map template, or you can invest in a digital tool that creates easy-to-use maps that are shareable with stakeholders. 

How do you measure employee journey?

Employee journeys are somewhat different, but measuring them usually includes the following:

Satisfaction levels indicate how employees feel about their job and workplace.  

Employee net promoter score (eNPS) is a satisfaction and loyalty metric that indicates how many employees would recommend your organization to others as a workplace.

Employee productivity indicates how adept and proficient an employee is at their job and may indicate roadblocks to productivity.

Retention rates measure the number of people remaining in their jobs versus the number of employees who have left.

Employee absenteeism or illnesses are often a key indicator of lack of engagement, dissatisfaction, or problems that may cause an employee to call in sick.

Recognition frequency could indicate that employees aren’t meeting their goals or that management is not recognizing employee achievements.

Internal referrals indicate that employees are happy at their jobs and want to share that job satisfaction with friends or family. 

What are examples of employee journey key moments?

A hiring process that is too lengthy or complex.

Equipment and training are unavailable for new hires.

Promotions are not occurring from a certain department.

Benefits packages are not comparable to those of other employers.

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Employee experience journey mapping - A complete guide

Employee experience journey mapping might sound like a mouthful, but it's basically just a fancy way of saying, "Let's figure out what our employees are going through and how we can make it better."

It's like a treasure map, but instead of gold, we're searching for how to make employees happy throughout. But why??

As the entrepreneur and businessman J. Willard Marriott once said, ”Take good care of your employees, and they'll take good care of your customers, and the customers will come back.”

So sit back, relax, put on your adventure hats and grab a cup of coffee (or your preferred beverage of choice) because we are about to explore the employee experience journey, dream up ways to make it better, and discover the secrets of mapping out this process.

Table of contents:-

What is the employee journey?

What is employee journey mapping, what are the benefits of employee journey mapping, how an employee journey map can help you, employee onboarding journey map, how to leverage employee journey mapping to create value, the dos and don'ts of employee journey mapping, what are the stages of the employee journey, what is employee experience, what is an employee experience journey, four steps for mapping the employee experience, how do you create an employee experience journey map, personas for employee journey mapping, the employee journey from the employee’s perspective, employee journey mapping touchpoints, common mistakes that companies make while mapping employee journey, how culturemonkey can improve the employee experience.

Every employee goes through a unique journey in your company, from their first day of onboarding to the last day they walk out the door. But have you ever thought about what that journey looks like? And more importantly, have you thought about how you can improve it?

An employee journey can make all the difference in retaining top talent , boosting employee engagement , and improving productivity. In fact, studies have shown that companies with a strong focus on employee experience outperform their competitors by 122% . So, why aren't all companies putting more focus on the employee journey?

Employee journey mapping is a process of identifying all the touchpoints and interactions an employee has with your company, from the moment they apply for a job to their last day in the office.

A positive employee journey can lead to more engaged and productive employees . When employees feel supported and valued, they're more likely to go above and beyond in their work. And that's a win-win for everyone.

Employee journey mapping is the process of mapping out all the touchpoints an employee has with your company, from their first day of onboarding to their last day in the office.

It's a way of understanding and improving the employee experience by mapping out their interactions with the company from the moment they first hear about the organization as a potential employer to their eventual departure.

But why should you care about employee journey maps? For one, it helps you identify pain points in the employee experience that could be driving employees away. Maybe your onboarding process is too lengthy, or your employees aren't getting enough feedback or recognition for their hard work.

It helps organizations develop a comprehensive and holistic view of the employee experience, which is critical for improving employee engagement and retention.

Employee journey mapping is like a treasure map, leading you to a trove of benefits. It's a strategic tool that enhances every aspect of your organization, from employee satisfaction and productivity to attracting and retaining top talent.

With a well-crafted journey map, you're on the path to creating a workplace where everyone thrives, and success is just around the corner.

• Enhanced productivity: A well-designed Employee Journey Map helps streamline processes and remove obstacles that can hinder productivity. When employees encounter fewer roadblocks and can navigate their roles more efficiently, they become more productive. This not only benefits your employees but also positively impacts the bottom line.
• Increased retention rates: High employee turnover can be a significant drain on resources. Employee journey mapping helps create a supportive and fulfilling work environment. When employees feel well-integrated and valued, they're more likely to stay with your organization. Lower turnover rates mean cost savings in recruitment and training.
• Talent attraction: A positive Employee Experience Journey becomes a magnet for top talent. Word-of-mouth recommendations from your content employees can be a powerful recruitment tool. A great reputation for employee experience can draw in the best and brightest in the industry.
• Clearer communication: Mapping out the journey helps identify communication gaps. Effective internal communication is key to a successful organization. By understanding where the challenges lie, you can implement strategies to improve communication , ensuring everyone is on the same page.
• Enhanced employee development: Through journey mapping, you can pinpoint opportunities for skill development and growth at every stage of the employee experience . This encourages continuous learning and personal development , which can lead to higher job satisfaction and career advancement.
• Better decision-making: Employee journey maps provide valuable data and insights. With this information, you can make informed decisions about the employee experience. Whether it's resource allocation, policy changes, or organizational improvements, you have a clear path to follow.
• Strengthened company culture: Mapping the employee journey allows you to align every stage with your company's values and culture. It's an opportunity to ensure that your culture is not just a buzzword but a real, living experience for your employees.

By gaining a deeper understanding of the employee journey and identifying pain points and opportunities for improvement, organizations can increase employee engagement and retention rate , which can lead to a more productive and successful workforce.

Here are some other key reasons why you should be focusing on mapping out the employee journey in your company:

Improves employee experience:

By mapping out the employee journey, you can identify pain points and areas where improvements can be made. This helps create a more positive, supportive work environment that retains top talent.

Increases employee engagement:

When employees feel supported and valued, they're more likely to go above and beyond in their work. Mapping out the employee journey and addressing pain points can help increase employee engagement and motivation.

Boosts productivity:

A positive employee journey can lead to more engaged and productive employees. By addressing pain points and creating a more positive work environment , you can improve productivity and drive success .

Improves retention:

Retaining top talent is crucial for the success of any company. By creating a positive and supportive work environment through employee journey map, you can reduce turnover and retain top performers .

Enhances employer branding:

A positive employee journey can also enhance your employer branding. When employees feel supported and valued, they're more likely to share their positive employee experiences with others, both online and offline. This can help attract top talent and improve your company's reputation.

Provides valuable insights:

Employee journey mapping provides valuable insights into the employee experience. By understanding employees' touchpoints and interactions with your company, you can identify patterns and trends that can inform future decisions and improvements .

Fosters a culture of continuous improvement:

Employee journey mapping is an ongoing effort to identify pain points and make improvements. By fostering a culture of continuous improvement , you can create a workplace that's always striving to be better.

Expedites onboarding:

When you map the employee journey, it significantly accelerates the onboarding process. New hires can seamlessly navigate through their initial days, feeling more integrated and confident from the get-go.

Promotes inclusivity:

Employee journey mapping also fosters inclusivity . It ensures that the employee experience is uniform and supportive across various departments and roles, creating a workplace where everyone feels equally valued and respected.

Strengthens leadership development:

Your journey map can become a powerful tool for leadership development. By recognizing the stages where leadership plays a vital role, you can tailor training and support to nurture the next generation of leaders within your organization.

Enhances well-being initiatives:

A well-crafted employee journey map integrates well-being initiatives. This ensures that employees are not only professionally fulfilled but also mentally and emotionally supported, resulting in a healthier and happier workforce.

Picture this: You've just welcomed a talented recruit to your team. What's next? The employee onboarding journey map is your treasure map, guiding you through the intricate process of making them feel right at home.

So, what exactly is an employee onboarding journey map? It's like a step-by-step guide, detailing the entire onboarding process, from pre-hire to post-orientation. It's a strategic approach that ensures your new team members embark on a voyage of learning, growth, and engagement.

The journey begins with pre-boarding, where you start connecting with your new hires before their first day. Then, there's the orientation – the grand "Welcome Aboard" moment. After that, it's all about training, skill development, and team assimilation. Finally, the journey continues with regular check-ins and performance evaluations.

Creating a tailored journey map is the key to employee retention and productivity. It ensures everyone's on the same page, expectations are clear, and the road to success is well-paved.

Understanding how to make the most of employee journey mapping is essential for modern HR professionals and business leaders. In this guide, we'll explore not only the fundamental steps in leveraging this tool but also delve into additional ways to extract maximum value from it.

Here are some key ways to leverage employee journey mapping to create value!

Identify key touchpoints

The first step in leveraging the employee journey map is to identify the key touchpoints in the employee experience. This includes everything from recruitment to onboarding , training, performance review/management, and offboarding.

Collect data

Once you've identified the key touchpoints, it's time to collect data on the employee experience. This can include employee feedback , employee surveys, and data on employee turnover, productivity, and employee engagement .

Analyze the data

After collecting data, it's important to analyze it to identify pain points and areas where improvements can be made. Look for patterns and trends that can inform future decisions.

Map out the journey

Once you clearly understand the employee experience, it's time to map out the journey. This can be done using a variety of tools, such as journey maps, employee personas, and empathy maps.

Identify opportunities for improvement

With the employee journey mapped out, it's easier to identify areas where improvements can be made. Look for pain points and areas where the employee experience could be improved and prioritize the most critical ones.

Implement changes

Once you've identified areas for improvement, it's time to implement changes. This can include everything from streamlining the recruitment process to improving communication and recognition programs .

Continuously monitor and improve

Employee journey mapping is not a one-time process. It's important to continuously monitor the employee experience and make improvements as needed. This can include collecting ongoing feedback from employees, analyzing data, and making changes to improve the employee experience.

Enhance training and development

The employee journey map can highlight specific points where training and development play a crucial role. Use this information to revamp training programs, offer skill-building opportunities, and ensure that employees have the resources they need to succeed.

Facilitate cross-department collaboration

Employee journey mapping can uncover areas where different departments need to collaborate more effectively . Foster a culture of cross-departmental teamwork to eliminate silos, improve communication, and enhance the overall employee experience.

Customize employee experiences

Tailor the employee experience based on individual preferences and needs. Use data from the employee journey map to offer personalized career paths, flexible work arrangements, or unique benefits, providing employees with more customized experiences.

Implement recognition and rewards

Recognize and reward employees for their contributions at key touchpoints in the employee journey. Acknowledging their achievements can boost motivation and job satisfaction , leading to a more positive overall experience.

Employee journey mapping is a potent tool for creating a fulfilling, engaging workplace. If you follow the dos and avoid the don'ts, you're on the right path to crafting an experience that keeps your employees happy, productive, and loyal.

The Dos: Crafting a stellar employee journey map

• DO understand your employees: Before you even put pen to paper or fingers to the keyboard, take the time to truly understand your employees. Gather insights through employee engagement surveys, interviews, and feedback. Recognize their needs, desires, and pain points, and ensure these insights drive your map.
• DO define clear stages: Your map should be divided into clear, distinct stages. Start with the recruitment phase and then move through onboarding, professional development, and everyday work experiences. Clearly define the key milestones in each stage.
• DO include employee input: Employee involvement is paramount. Encourage your employees to participate in the mapping process. They can provide invaluable insights into their experiences and suggest improvements that can make the journey more engaging and fulfilling.
• DO align with company culture: Each stage of the journey should be intricately woven into your company's culture and values. It's crucial that employees feel connected to your organization's mission and vision throughout their journey.
• DO keep it dynamic: Employee journey mapping isn't a one-and-done exercise. It's a living, breathing document that should evolve with time. Regularly assess the effectiveness of each stage and make adjustments based on employee feedback and changing needs.
• DO measure outcomes: Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to gauge the success of your employee journey map. Are employees more engaged? Is turnover decreasing? Are you attracting top talent? Use measurable outcomes to evaluate the map's effectiveness.

The don'ts: Pitfalls to avoid

• DON'T make it too complex: Simplicity is your best friend. Avoid overcomplicating the mapping process. Keep it clear and easy to understand so that everyone in your organization can follow and benefit from it.
• DON'T neglect employee feedback: If you're not actively seeking employee input, you're missing out on a goldmine of insights. Neglecting their feedback can lead to an inaccurate representation of their experiences and needs.
• DON'T stick to the status quo: An employee journey map isn't effective if it merely replicates current processes. Don't be afraid to challenge the status quo and make necessary changes for a better employee experience.
• DON'T forget continuity: The journey shouldn't end with onboarding. It's a continuous process, and all stages should seamlessly connect. Don't isolate the onboarding process from daily work experiences; instead, ensure a smooth transition.
• DON'T set it in stone: An inflexible map can become a hindrance. Don't treat your employee journey map as a final, unchangeable document. Embrace adaptability and be open to refining and adjusting the journey as your organization grows.
• DON'T ignore data: Ignoring data is one of the gravest mistakes you can make. Employee journey mapping relies on insights and measurable outcomes. Neglecting the data you gather can lead to a skewed perception of your employees' experiences.

Here are the stages of the employee's journey, in brief:

• Application: If potential employees decide your organization is the right fit, they will typically apply for a position. This involves submitting a resume or application and potentially going through pre-employment screening and assessments.
• Interview: After submitting an application, the potential employee may be invited to interview for the position. This stage involves assessing the candidate's fit for the role and evaluating their skills and experience.
• Onboarding: If the candidate is selected for the position, they will move into the onboarding stage. This involves training and orientation to the company culture , policies, and procedures for the new employee.
• Development: Once an employee is onboarded, they will move into the development stage. This involves ongoing training and development to improve their skills and advance their career.
• Performance: The performance stage involves ongoing performance management, including setting goals, providing feedback , and evaluating performance.
• Recognition: Employees thrive on recognition , and it's important to make it a key stage in the employee journey. This includes both formal recognition programs and informal feedback and praise from managers and colleagues.
• Retention: The retention stage is where employees decide whether they want to stay with the organization or leave. During this stage, it's important to provide a positive workplace culture that values and respects employees.
• Career advancement: In the career advancement stage, employees seek opportunities for growth within the organization . This may involve taking on more responsibilities, pursuing promotions, or exploring lateral moves to develop new skills and expand their career horizons.
• Wellness and well-being: As employee well-being becomes a focal point for many organizations, a dedicated stage for wellness initiatives is crucial. This stage involves supporting employees' physical and mental health, providing resources for work-life balance, and promoting a culture of well-being.
• Separation: Finally, the separation stage involves an employee leaving the organization, whether voluntarily or involuntarily. This can involve offboarding, exit interviews , and evaluation of the employee's tenure with the company.

By understanding the stages of the employee journey, people leaders can better identify pain points and opportunities for improvement and create a positive and productive workplace culture that drives success.

Whether you're just starting or have been in the game for years, taking a strategic approach to the employee journey is key to achieving your HR goals . So, get out there and prioritise the employee journey in your organization.

So, what exactly is employee experience (EX)? In a nutshell, it's the collective impression your employees have of their time at your company. It's the sum of every interaction, from the first "You're hired!" to the farewell handshake. It's the vibe, the culture, the perks, and the way you support their growth.

Think about it. Imagine two companies side by side. One treats its employees like cherished family members, nurtures their talents, and offers a fantastic work environment. The other is all about squeezing every drop of productivity, ignoring well-being.

The first one? That's the kind of employee experience that leaves employees excited to show up each day. It fosters loyalty, sparks innovation, and boosts performance. The second one? Well, let's just say it might struggle with high turnover and disengaged employees .

Creating a positive employee experience isn't just a "nice-to-have" anymore; it's a strategic imperative. It involves understanding your team's needs, fostering a vibrant company culture, and investing in their development and well-being.

The key takeaway here is that employee experience goes way beyond the paycheck. It's about nurturing a work environment that makes people thrive, fosters their happiness, and, in return, drives your organization to greater heights.

The journey typically kicks off with the very first encounter, the recruitment phase. From there, it's a thrilling ride through onboarding, professional development, and everyday work experiences. It's the highs and lows, the laughter and challenges, all rolled into one grand story.

Creating an exceptional employee experience Journey isn't just a buzzword. It's a strategic move that can set your company apart. When your employees feel valued, engaged, and appreciated, they become your best brand advocates, boosting your reputation and attracting top talent.

Imagine your workplace as a theme park – you're the designer, and the employees are your guests. You get to create the rides, attractions, and overall ambiance. The more memorable and enjoyable the journey, the longer they'll stay on this thrilling ride with your company.

In a nutshell, the employee experience Journey is all about crafting a remarkable, fulfilling adventure for your employees. So, let's embark on this journey of creating a workplace where everyone feels like they're in the heart of an exhilarating adventure!

Mapping the employee experience is your secret recipe for a workplace where employees thrive and businesses flourish. So, get ready to set sail on this transformative journey to create an exceptional workplace experience.

Step 1: Define the stages

Begin by breaking down the employee journey into stages. Start with the recruitment and onboarding phase, move on to professional development, and finally, the ongoing work experience. Each stage has its unique challenges, goals, and opportunities to shape the employee's experience.

Step 2: Employee insights

Next, gather insights directly from your employees. Conduct surveys, interviews, and feedback sessions. Ask about their aspirations, and pain points on moments that matter to them. This not only helps you understand their perspective but also makes them feel heard and valued.

Step 3: Design the experience

With a deep understanding of each stage and employee insights, it's time to design the experience. This involves creating a clear path with defined touchpoints. For example, in the onboarding phase, ensure a warm welcome, comprehensive training, and a buddy system for support. Tailor each stage to align with your company's culture and values.

Step 4: Continuous improvement

The employee experience Journey isn't set in stone. It's a dynamic process that requires continuous improvement. Regularly assess the effectiveness of each stage, gather feedback, and make necessary adjustments. This keeps your experience fresh, relevant, and aligned with your employees' evolving needs.

Creating an employee experience journey map can be daunting, but it doesn't have to be. With a little bit of planning and organization, you can create an effective employee journey map that will help you improve the overall employee experience in your organization.

Here are 5 pointers on how to create an employee experience journey map:

• Define your employee personas: To create an employee journey map, you need to understand your employees. Start by defining your employee personas. These are fictional representations of your employees based on characteristics such as their job title, department, age, gender, and experience.
• Visualize the journey: Create a visual representation once you've mapped out the employee journey. This can be a flowchart, a timeline, or any other visual that helps you understand the journey.
• Set goals: Set specific, measurable goals for improving the employee experience. This could include reducing turnover, increasing employee engagement , or improving the employee onboarding process.
• Develop a plan: Once you've identified areas for improvement and set goals, develop a plan to achieve them. This may involve making changes to processes, implementing new technologies, or providing additional training to employees.
• Test: Implement your plan and test the changes you've made to the employee experience. Collect feedback from employees to ensure that the changes are having a positive impact.

By following these 5 pointers, you can create an effective employee journey map that will help you identify areas for improvement and set goals to achieve them. Remember to continuously monitor and improve the employee experience to ensure that your organization is providing the best possible environment for its employees.

But what are the personas of employees?

Personas play a crucial role in employee journey mapping as they help create a clear picture of the employees going through different journey stages. A persona is a fictional character that represents a group of employees with similar goals, needs, and behavior patterns.

Creating personas for employee journey maps is crucial in ensuring you accurately map the employee experience.

Here are some pointers to create personas for employee journey mapping:

• Research: Start by researching your employees and gathering data on their needs, behaviors, and pain points. You can collect this data from surveys, interviews, and focus groups.
• Segment your employees: Based on the data collected, segment your employees into different groups with similar needs, behaviors, and pain points.
• Give them a name: Once you have segmented your employees, give each group a name that represents them.
• Create a backstory: Create a backstory for each persona that outlines their journey, starting from their first interaction with the company to their current stage.
• Identify their goals: Identify the goals and motivations of each persona. This will help you map out the touchpoints that can help them achieve their goals.
• Understand their pain points: Identify the pain points for each persona. This will help you map out the touchpoints that can alleviate their pain points.
• Add a face: Add a visual representation to each persona to make them feel more real.
• Use personas to create empathy: Use personas to create empathy among the team and to help them understand the needs and pain points of different employees.
• Continuously update personas: The needs and behaviors of employees change over time, so it’s important to continuously update your personas to ensure they accurately represent your employees.
• Use personas to guide decision-making: Use personas to guide decision-making throughout the employee journey mapping process. This ensures that decisions are made considering the employee’s needs and pain points.

By using personas, you can create a more accurate and empathetic employee journey map that will help you improve the overall employee experience.

Have you ever thought about the employee journey from the employee's perspective?

As people leaders, it's important for us to put ourselves in our employees' shoes and understand how they experience their journey within the company.

From the day they first apply for a job to their last day of work, every touchpoint an employee has with the organization can impact their overall experience. This includes the hiring process, onboarding, performance evaluations, and even their exit interview.

As employees, they want to feel valued, respected and appreciated for the work they do. They want to feel like they're part of a team that is working together to achieve common goals. They want to have the resources and support they need to perform their job to the best of their abilities.

However, there are also challenges that employees face, such as navigating complex processes, dealing with office politics, and managing work-life balance. These challenges can impact employee engagement , motivation, and overall employee satisfaction with their job.

By listening to our employees' feedback and concerns, we can identify areas of improvement and make changes to enhance their journey within the organization. This benefits the employees and leads to increased productivity , retention , and a better company culture overall.

"It's not the destination, it's the journey"? Well, in the world of employee experience , that journey is known as the employee journey map. And just like any journey, it's made up of various touchpoints that shape an employee's experience.

What are these touchpoints, you may ask? They're every interaction an employee has with the company, from the moment they first hear about the job opportunity to the day they leave the company. These touchpoints can be divided into three categories:

• Pre-hire touchpoints: This includes any interaction the employee has with the company before being hired, such as the application process, interviews, and pre-employment testing.
• Core touchpoints: These are the primary interactions employees have during their employment, including onboarding, training, performance reviews, and development opportunities.
• Post-employment touchpoints: Even after an employee leaves the company, there may still be interactions to consider, such as exit interviews, alumni networks, or opportunities for rehiring.
• Culture integration touchpoints: Culture integration touchpoints involve the ways employees become acclimated to the organization's culture. For example, this could include participation in company-wide events, team-building activities, or orientation sessions that emphasize the company's values and mission.
• Employee wellness program touchpoints: Employee wellness programs are a crucial touchpoint for promoting the well-being of your workforce. This includes initiatives like offering fitness classes, mental health resources, or wellness challenges that encourage a healthy lifestyle.

Some examples of specific touchpoints to consider at each stage include:

• Pre-hire: Job postings, career fairs, recruiter emails, initial phone screens, skills assessments, and reference checks.
• Core: Onboarding materials, orientation sessions, team introductions, benefits enrollment, regular check-ins with managers, skills training, and company events.
• Post-employment: Exit surveys, alumni networks, rehiring programs, referrals, and employee retention programs to keep former employees engaged and connected to the company.
• Culture integration: As part of culture integration touchpoints, you could organize regular team-building events, such as off-site retreats or virtual team-building activities, to help employees connect with their colleagues and foster a sense of camaraderie. 
• Employee wellness programs: Wellness challenges, such as step competitions or nutrition initiatives, can encourage a healthy lifestyle, allowing employees to engage with and benefit from the company's wellness program.

By considering each touchpoint in the employee journey, companies can gain valuable insight into areas where they can improve the employee experience and opportunities to retain top talent and create a more positive workplace culture .

Employee journey mapping is a powerful tool to improve the overall employee experience and to identify areas for improvement in the HR department.

However, not all companies get it right. Here are some common mistakes that companies make while mapping the employee journey:

Skipping important touchpoints

Companies often forget to include critical touchpoints in the employee journey. These touchpoints can be small but essential in shaping the employee experience. For example, companies may forget to include touchpoints such as job offer acceptance, onboarding, or the first 90 days of employment.

Not involving employees

Employee journey mapping should be a collaborative effort between HR and employees. However, companies often forget to include employees in the process. By not involving employees, companies miss out on valuable insights that can help improve the overall employee experience.

Focusing on the positives only

Employee journey mapping should include both positive and negative experiences. Companies often make the mistake of only focusing on positive experiences, such as promotions or salary increases. However, it's equally important to identify negative experiences such as difficult coworkers, lack of recognition, or inadequate training.

Not linking to business outcomes

Employee journey mapping should be linked to business outcomes, such as employee engagement , retention, and productivity. Companies often forget to measure the impact of employee journey mapping on these critical business outcomes.

Assuming one size fits all

Employee journey map should be tailored to the needs of different employee personas. Companies often make the mistake of assuming that one size fits all. However, the employee experience varies based on the job role, department, and location.

Not prioritizing improvements

Employee journey maps should not just be a one-time exercise. Companies often make the mistake of not prioritizing improvements based on the impact they will have on the overall employee experience. Identifying quick wins and prioritizing improvements based on their impact on business outcomes is essential.

Not measuring success

Employee journey maps should be measured to track progress and identify areas for improvement continually. Companies often make the mistake of not measuring success, which makes it difficult to assess the impact of the employee journey map exercise.

Overcomplicating the process

Employee journey mapping should be a clear and straightforward process. However, some companies make the mistake of overcomplicating it with excessive detail or complex tools. This can lead to confusion and make it challenging to implement improvements effectively.

Neglecting technology

In the digital age, technology can streamline the employee journey mapping process and make it more accessible. Neglecting to use digital tools or software can be a significant oversight, as it can make data collection and analysis more efficient.

Lack of consistency

Consistency is crucial in mapping the employee journey, but some companies make the mistake of varying their approach for different departments or job roles. This inconsistency can result in an unequal employee experience, leading to disparities in engagement and satisfaction.

Not addressing turnover

Some companies focus solely on the current workforce and overlook the importance of understanding the journey of employees who have left the organization. Analyzing the reasons for their departure can provide valuable insights for reducing turnover in the future.

Ignoring the remote work experience

With the rise of remote work, it's essential to include touchpoints related to the remote employee experience in your journey map. Companies that fail to do this miss the opportunity to create a holistic employee journey that considers the unique needs of remote workers.

Companies need to avoid these common mistakes to create an employee journey map that truly reflects the employee experience and drives real results for the business.

Well, well, well, folks! We’ve come to the end of our journey mapping adventure. It’s time to put those maps to use and transform the employee experience. But wait, before you go, let me summarize the highlights of our journey together.

Firstly, we learned what employee journey mapping is and how it can improve the overall employee experience. We also explored the different stages of the employee journey and how to create an employee journey map.

We didn't forget about personas and how to incorporate them into our journey maps to make the employee experience more personal and relevant.

But wait, what about the mistakes companies often make? We can't forget those. We talked about the common mistakes companies make when mapping employee journeys so that you can avoid them and create a successful journey map.

Now, here’s where CultureMonkey comes in. The platform has everything you need to create a seamless employee experience journey map. With CultureMonkey, you can collect anonymous feedback at every stage of the employee lifecycle , identify gaps in your employee experience, and take action to improve the overall employee experience.

CultureMonkey offers a wide range of features, including pulse surveys , manager effectiveness surveys , eNPS , onboarding surveys, exit surveys, employee engagement surveys , and much more. With all these tools at your fingertips, you can take control of the employee experience and transform it into something amazing.

So there you have it - a complete guide to employee experience journey mapping. So take the time to understand their journey and use that knowledge to create a workplace they love. Happy mapping!

Employee experience journey mapping FAQs

How to design an employee journey map/steps to create an employee journey map.

To design an employee journey map, you should begin by identifying the employee journey stages, including pre-hire, onboarding, development, and separation. Then, create a list of touchpoints or interactions that an employee has with the organization at each stage. Finally, gather employee feedback through surveys , interviews, and focus groups to better understand their experiences.

What is experience journey mapping?

Experience journey mapping is the process of creating a visual representation of a person's journey as they interact with a company. It involves identifying all the touchpoints and interactions a person has with a company and mapping them out to understand the experience. The goal of experience journey mapping is to identify pain points and opportunities for improvement.

Is Journey Mapping an Agile approach?

Employee Journey Mapping is not necessarily an Agile approach but can be used in Agile methodology. It involves visualizing an employee's experience with the organization and identifying touchpoints where the company can improve the employee's experience. The Agile approach focuses on iterative and collaborative work to deliver value to the end-users.

What is the difference between workflow and journey map?

A workflow is a visual representation of a specific process, while an employee journey map is a comprehensive illustration of an employee's overall experience within the organization. A workflow focuses on a specific set of tasks and their sequence, while an employee journey map tracks the employee's interactions and experiences at different touchpoints within the organization.

Employee journey examples

Employee journey examples include the different touchpoints and experiences an employee goes through while working for a company, such as the recruitment process, onboarding, training, performance reviews, and career development opportunities. Other examples can include employee benefits, work-life balance , and company culture . By mapping out these different touchpoints, companies can identify areas for improvement.

Santhosh is a Jr. Product Marketer with 2+ years of experience. He loves to travel solo (though he doesn’t label them as vacations, they are) to explore, meet people, and learn new stories.

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Employee experience vs employee engagement: What’s the difference?

Imagine employee engagement as the pulse of your organization. It's the excitement, motivation, and dedication your employees bring to the table. Alternatively, employee experience is all about the journey—the daily grind, the work culture, the tools and tech that make your employees' lives easier.

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7 min read Journey mapping is an activity typically associated with customer experience programs, but used properly, employee journey mapping can also be a great way to understand the moments that matter most to employees as part of an employee experience program. Find out how to build an employee journey map and use it to improve the experience for your staff.

Taking a lifecycle approach to employee experience

Many employee experience programs still start and end with an employee engagement survey — a single, once-a-year activity that looks to understand the state of employee engagement and the impact of different drivers on engagement.

But think about your own experience at work compared to those around you. Some people will have only recently started, others will have been in seat for a long time and everyone will have had a different experience from the next person whether that’s going through a different onboarding process , attending different training courses or reaching different career milestones by the time the next survey comes around.

In short, everyone is at a different stage in the employee journey.

With an annual or biannual survey, it’s almost impossible to understand how those personal experiences shape the key outcomes of employee experience like engagement, motivation or productivity.

Increasingly, organisations are taking a lifecycle approach to employee experience that looks to capture feedback and insights at every stage of the lifecycle.

It allows them to understand the moments along the employee journey that matter most, how they impact the experience and what they can do, at each stage, to have a positive impact on metrics like engagement, attrition and productivity.

Free eBook: Employee Lifecycle Feedback

Understand the moments that matter with employee journey mapping

Much like CX professionals map out the customer journey to identify pain points and areas for improvement, HR teams can plot the end-to-end journey an employee has at an organisation to start to understand how each stage impacts the employee experience as a whole.

From recruitment all the way through to exit, it allows you to plot out every moment that matters and understand what you can do to improve the experience.

Here’s how to start building your employee journey:

1. Segment your employees

Throughout the organisation you’re likely to have plenty of different employee personas, and their interactions with the company will be very different. So start by identifying your employee segments. Ideally it should be based on their interactions with the company – for example, an engineer is likely to have a very different experience from someone in your marketing team — rather than demographics like age and gender (these should be splits you look at in the data later rather than as a guiding principle for your personas, as within those demographics there will be plenty of variance in the experience).

2. Establish the journey for each persona

Now you know your personas, you can start to map out the interactions they have with the organisation from their first contact (usually before they’re hired) all the way through to them eventually leaving. You’ll need to bring in a cross-functional team to input on this, as different teams and departments will likely have different interactions along the way. You may even want to consider looking at the interactions post-exit as in some cases retirees or past employees may come back or have an interaction with the organisation later on or act as advocates for the organisation.

3. Map feedback and insights to the employee journey

To truly understand the impact of each interaction on the employee experience, you need to be able to map feedback to each stage in the lifecycle. So for each persona, make sure there is a feedback mechanism attached to each stage in the journey that meets them where they are and provides them with the opportunity to give feedback in the moment — this is much more useful than waiting up to 12 months to ask them about it, as you’ll get the most honest, useful feedback while the experience is still fresh in their mind.

4. Align your measurements at different stages in the employee journey

It’s likely that different stages in the journey will be managed by different teams. For example, your recruiting, training or onboarding teams. In order to link insights across the journey, you need to make sure that everyone agrees on a consistent approach to measurement whether that’s using a simple metric like eNPS with open-text follow-up questions or something like a 5-point Likert scale. Taking those two examples, one gives a numeric value, the other a text value — it makes it much harder to compare if they’re each used by different teams. If every team follows the same approach however, it’s much easier to bring that data together into a holistic data set and start to make connections to see how the experience at one touchpoint impacts others.

5. Use automation to manage feedback at scale

Manually sending out a survey every time someone takes a training course, goes for promotion or interacts with any of the other moments that matter along the journey is a drain on resources. So make sure you integrate your employee experience program with your HRIS and set up triggers to automatically send a request for feedback when an employee hits a certain milestone.

6. Combine the employee journey with your engagement survey

A lifecycle approach to employee experience doesn’t mean giving up on your employee engagement survey altogether. In fact, the engagement survey should be your cornerstone — a less frequent, but more in-depth view of the state of employee experience and the key drivers that are impacting it either positively or negatively. Many organisations choose to do shorter, more frequent surveys like bi-annual engagement surveys or monthly employee pulse surveys as an alternative to the annual survey. However you run it, it’s essential you connect it to your feedback mechanisms across the lifecycle.

To use an example like onboarding feedback, on its own, it will likely show you how your onboarding process is perceived and what can be improved, but it won’t necessarily show the impact on engagement, productivity or attrition. When you combine it with your engagement survey (which does measure these things) you can then start to see connections – how did that improvement to onboarding affect engagement for employees in their first year? Did it reduce attrition? Did it promote cross-functional collaboration? Do those employees who went through the new program understand better how their work contributes to the organisations success? It’s only by connecting all these different feedback mechanisms that you’ll know the answer.

Related resources

Employee retention strategies 25 min read, succession planning 8 min read, employee onboarding 21 min read, employee turnover 23 min read, retention rate 13 min read, employee attrition 16 min read, employee offboarding 14 min read, request demo.

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A Complete Guide to Employee Journey Mapping

Haystack Team

November 19, 2022

A recent McKinsey survey shows that 40% of employees are planning to leave their current place of employment. Some top complaints of employees looking to leave include low wages and unsatisfying work. Many employees are choosing to reinvent themselves to join a new industry or work from home as their own boss.

To combat these changes, employers must be more strategic about recruiting, onboarding, and retaining employees. Employee journey mapping helps employers be intentional about how they interact with employees while working to meet everyone’s needs.

What Are the Benefits of Employee Journey Mapping?

The goal of employee journey mapping is to give equal weight to the needs of employers and employees throughout each stage of interaction between the two. It’s a way of running a business with intentionality. Improving employee satisfaction and morale stops being a vague company goal and becomes a cornerstone to each employee journey mapping stage.

There are several benefits to employee journey mapping. One benefit is that employers can reduce high employee burnout rates by proactively considering employee needs . This means recognizing and anticipating employee needs rather than waiting for employees to tell them when they feel stressed, overwhelmed, under-compensated, or under-trained.

And with nearly two-thirds of employees currently giving more consideration to their mental health — and expecting employers to do the same — employee journey mapping can pave the road for positive interactions with employees around these and other challenges.

Considerations for Each Stage in the Employee Journey

To make employee journey mapping a success, it’s important to consider three aspects of each stage in the journey: the employee perspective, the company perspective, and the concept of memorable moments.

Understanding employee perspectives

The first element of employee journey mapping is understanding the employees’ perspectives. This includes:

• What their main goal is during that stage of the journey
• What it takes to make that stage of the journey feel successful to them
• What it takes to make that stage of the journey feel satisfactory to them
• What their challenges are during that stage of the journey

You can discover more about employee perspectives using employee satisfaction surveys about each stage. Remember that these surveys aim not to pat yourself on the back but simply to understand your employees better. Once you understand their perspectives, you are better positioned to support their needs in a meaningful way.

Understanding the company’s perspectives

Employees are not the only piece of the puzzle. It’s important also to take note of the company’s perspectives and needs at each stage in the journey so you can provide support for both sides of the equation. You can support your employees while keeping company goals top of mind through careful balancing.

Creating memorable moments

Within each stage of the employee journey, there are moments that matter. These moments could be as simple as finding out you got the job in the recruitment stage. When employees reflect on that stage in their journey, these big moments are the aspects they are most likely to remember.

By focusing on the stage as a whole and honing in on specific memorable moments, you increase the chances that employees will appreciate the stage both while they’re in that moment and when they look back on that moment in the future.

What Are Some Employee Journey Mapping Examples?

Depending on your company, there could be countless stages in your employee journey map. You may even need to make separate maps for each department in your company, especially if different teams have vastly different needs.

Let’s look at four of the most important and universal stages in a typical employee journey map: recruiting, hiring, onboarding and training, and continual training and development.

The first step in employee journey mapping happens before employees even begin working for your company. The recruitment stage is all about finding the right people for your company, empowering them to bring their best selves to each step in the hiring process, and choosing the right candidate for the job.

Employee perspectives & goals

Prospective employees tend to look at recruiting from a practical standpoint. Their goals may include:

• Finding a job that meets their salary and benefits needs
• Knowing job requirements before spending time on an application
• Understanding what the prospective job entails

Company perspectives & goals

From a company perspective, the most important aspects of the recruitment process include:

• Marketing job openings in a way that encourages strong applicants
• Making job openings available to the right people
• Ensuring a fair, equitable, and legal recruitment process
• Knowing how long to keep recruitment open before moving on to the hiring process

Memorable moments

The most memorable moments from the recruitment process include:

• Reading your company’s job description for the first time
• Filling out the initial job application and sending it to your company

Solution examples

Once you understand the needs of both the company and prospective employees, potential solutions to improve the hiring process become clearer.

For example, including potential salary ranges in a job description would serve prospective employees because it would help them determine whether a job met their salary and benefit needs. Most applicants say that salary and benefits information is the most important aspect of a job ad .

Posting salary and benefits information also helps the company by encouraging candidates to apply only if they’re comfortable with your salary. And 75% of companies base their benefits on employee feedback . This means there’s a good chance that your company is already putting its best foot forward when it comes to the compensation you’re offering.

Being transparent about salary and benefits prevents you from wasting time reviewing and interviewing candidates who will eventually reject the job. It also safeguards against applicants who will accept the job and leave within a few months or a year because of dissatisfaction with their salary.

Another potential solution to this stage in the employee journey would be to streamline the online application process. This would mean allowing prospective employees to provide the information HR needs to make interviewing decisions while allowing the hiring team and prospective employees to spend less time on the application process.

The next step in the employee journey map is the hiring stage. This includes the interview, candidate selection, and reaching out to candidates with decisions.

Although you might think that a prospective employee’s goal during the interview process is to get hired, that’s not always the case. Today, more than ever, candidates are evaluating their potential employers just as much as potential employers are evaluating candidates.

If the goal isn’t necessarily just to land a job, what are job candidates looking for?

During the hiring process, prospective employees are most concerned with:

• Knowing how long the process is going to take
• Receiving feedback on how their interviews went
• Having an efficient process that honors their time
• Learning more about the company and the job so they can make an informed decision about whether they want to take the job if it’s offered to them

The recruiting team for your company has a completely different set of goals. These goals may include:

• Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of all candidates
• Ensuring a fair hiring process
• Finding the right candidate for your job
• Fulfilling HR’s hiring requirements

The memorable moments from this stage in the journey include:

• Phone calls/letters telling candidates about their hiring status

One example of a solution that would honor the needs of both the company and the candidates would be to create a hiring calendar and share that timeline with candidates.

Developing a firm timeline can be time-consuming and put pressure on your hiring team. But it can also be a smart solution at this stage in your journey mapping process. Candidates are more likely to feel their time is being honored if they know how many interviews there are and when they can expect to hear back.

And hiring teams are more likely to be fair and fulfill all hiring requirements if they stick to a schedule to provide timely feedback to all candidates.

Onboarding & initial training

The onboarding process may include hiring paperwork, initial job training, showing new employees around the office, and introducing new employees to the people they will be working with regularly. It also involves less tangible line items, such as communicating company core values and helping remote workers connect to your in-house team.

From an employee's perspective, starting a new job can be overwhelming. Goals may include:

• Feeling confident that they’re getting the most out of workplace benefits
• Quality training that empowers them to be successful in their new role
• Building a working rapport with team members

From a company perspective, onboarding can be expensive and time-consuming. It can also be a distraction to employees who are already part of the company. As a result, company goals may include:

• Getting new hires working in their roles as soon as possible
• Limiting the disruption to other employees in the team/company

Memorable moments during the onboarding process may include:

• The moment when employees are first introduced to their new workspace
• The moment when employees are first introduced to their new team
• The training process

One potential solution that would help with the onboarding process would be to improve information accessibility . In doing so, new and old employees can find answers to their questions and know who to go to for follow-up questions.

While this wouldn’t eliminate the need for official training, it would help supplement training efforts, which would empower new employees and limit the disruption to the current team.

Continued training & development

Once prospective employees become full-fledged team members, the employee journey becomes even more important. This is the point that determines whether employees will stick around or whether your company will experience high turnover rates.

A system for continual training and employee development can help you foster workplace resilience , improve worker morale, and create a fulfilling work environment.

During the course of a normal work period, employees may have goals that include:

• Maintaining a strong work-life balance
• Setting boundaries to protect their mental health
• Developing themselves professionally in service of future promotions
• Receiving positive feedback from their supervisors and teams

A company’s goals may include:

• Developing an efficient, competent team
• Improving workplace communication
• Improving office morale
• Reducing the amount of money spent on employee turnover
• Ensuring all tasks are completed accurately and on time
• Conferences
• Team meetings and team-building exercises
• Promotions and raises
• Employee reviews

One potential solution that would serve both companies and employees would be to implement regular professional development into the work routine. For example, you might implement a mentorship program.

Studies show that 94% of people involved in mentorship programs believe that the program shows that their employer is invested in their professional development. Meanwhile, mentorship programs can reduce skills gaps in the workplace, making teams more efficient and capable.

Utilize Employee Journey Mapping to Improve Retention & Morale

The goal of employee journey mapping is to get a better handle on employee expectations and to reduce the gap between their expectations and their experiences. While no employee journey map is perfect, continually updating your map and getting a beat for how your employees feel with feedback surveys will improve your company over time.

Implementing changes suggested in feedback surveys shows employees that you care about their opinions and needs. Over time, these strategies can improve office morale, increase employee retention, and even attract new employees looking to work for a company that cares.

Ready to take the next step toward building a stronger digital employee experience?

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Employee Journey Mapping: Improve Your Employee Experience

Your employees’ experiences at work impacts the success of your business. Employees who feel positive about their employer and their workplace are more engaged, more productive and stay at the company longer.

Employee journey mapping is a way to measure the employee experience at every stage of an employee’s tenure at the company. The employee experience is how the employee feels about workplace interactions and events, such as performance reviews during their employment. By building and analyzing a map of the employee journey, HR teams can identify potential areas for improvement.

What Is an Employee Journey?

The employee journey describes the entire time that an employee spends at your company—from the hiring process to offboarding. It includes all stages and employee experiences, from completing the initial job application to participating in the final exit interview. The employee journey is also sometimes called the employee lifecycle.

Along the journey, there are key moments and memorable experiences that can have a lasting impact on employees’ opinions of their workplace. You can likely remember the excitement of your first day at work—but you may not remember the second or third day. Pinpointing these important moments helps you build a strong foundation for a positive employee experience.

Examining the employee journey from the perspective of both the employee and the employer can provide valuable insights:

Employee perspective:

The early stages of employment can set the tone for the employee experience. Employees may remember that they felt welcome during their first week or that their manager took them to lunch on the first day. They’ll also remember negative experiences—for example, if it took a week to get their laptop or access to their email.

What is one example of a moment that matters within an employee journey?

Some of the most memorable experiences may be major events with long-term career impact, or they may be personal touches like a surprise party at work or the company’s support for a cause that’s important to them. Some noteworthy career touchpoints include the first job interview, first performance review, department changes, team events, promotions and exit interviews.

Employer perspective:

Many of the moments that matter to employees are important to employers, too. For example, if a new employee doesn’t have a positive early experience, they are more likely to leave within the first year. Since memorable moments can significantly influence employee performance and employee engagement , you should identify them and then measure and monitor them closely.

What Is an Employee Experience Journey Map?

As the old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. To help improve your employee experience, don’t wait until there are issues. Instead, be proactive with an employee experience journey map. What is employee journey mapping? Employee journey mapping is a way to track the key stages and experiences in the employee journey. Create a chronological chart to visually capture and examine each step of the employee experience. Discuss the different stages and look for strengths and weaknesses of each.

The concept is derived from customer journey mapping, a method that companies use to outline and visualize the customer experience. Marketing and operations teams use this technique to enhance the customer experience.

In the same way, HR teams and business leaders can use employee experience journey mapping to optimize the employee experience. How do you map employee experience? Like with customer experience mapping, HR teams develop personas that represent different segments of the workforce and then focus on optimizing the experience for each persona.

Employee Journey Map

Persona: Sandra Smith, Sales Department

Free Employee Experience Journey Map Template

Download this free template to start applying the principles of employer experience journey mapping within your organization. (opens in new tab)

Why Is an Employee Experience Journey Map Important?

In a recent poll, more than half of employees (opens in new tab) said that they’re not engaged with their work, and 13% said they’re actively disengaged—which means they’re having miserable work experiences and spreading their unhappiness to their colleagues. A well-designed journey map can help you find areas that need improvement and boost the employee experience. Why is employee experience so important? Because a positive experience can increase engagement and lead to higher retention rates, greater productivity, lower recruiting costs and better customer service.

Your employee journey map can provide a unique way to depict your company’s goals, values, and processes. The best employee experiences bring the company’s values to life and help build a strong culture. A distinctive culture can help a company attract talent that will fit in and thrive within its work environment.

For example, if a company prides itself on automation and technology, then the workplace should use the latest tech for innovative and efficient business processes. This will help employees better relate to customers and strengthen the company’s brand and reputation in the marketplace.

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5 Steps to Create an Employee Experience Journey Map

You can map the entire employee experience journey or focus on a specific troublesome section. For example, if high turnover is a problem in the first year, you may want to start by mapping the first few stages of the journey.

Here are five steps to build your employee experience journey map:

• Start with research. Conduct employee experience research. You may already have some quantitative workforce data such as turnover rates, tenure statistics and exit interview details, which can provide a starting point. Next, interview employees to gather information on needs, goals, expectations, problems, and perspectives. Talk to employees from across the business, at different organizational levels and with varying levels of tenure.
• Develop employee personas. Segment your workforce into employee personas, which are fictional representations of a segment of your workforce. Not all employees have the same experiences or expectations. For example, sales reps will have different needs and goals than IT staff, and an entry level candidate will have different expectations than a VP. Once you’ve identified these segments, develop a concise profile of each persona, and include their goals, expectations, challenges and measures of success.
• Identify stages/moments that matter to each persona. Define the various employment stages at your organization and outline desired outcomes for the employee at each stage. Some examples of areas to include are recruiting, hiring, onboarding, compensation and benefits, ongoing engagement, volunteer opportunities, learning and development, performance management, advancement, rewards and leaving the company.
• Create a map or storyboard. Visualize the journey from the employees’ point of view. Include the insight you’ve gained from measures like turnover, employee surveys, exit interviews and other discussions about goals and expectations. Outline the company processes and touchpoints for each stage and include any problem areas, such as inefficient onboarding, unhelpful performance review processes or a lack of career progress possibilities. Examine the transitions between stages and look for points in the journey where an employee might feel lost or disengaged.
• Take action. Smooth out the bumps in the road along the employee’s journey. For example, are there too many steps to the onboarding process ? Are performance reviews timely and frequent enough? Add possible solutions like a formalized onboarding process and training for management on how to conduct effective performance reviews. Other solutions might include offering career development programs or boosting internal communications efforts to keep employees abreast of business decisions and developments to the employee experience journey map.

Measuring the Employee Experience Journey

Ask employees how they feel about the employee experience. Conduct employee engagement surveys or simply send emails to gauge employee sentiments, especially during moments that matter. For example, you may want to check on new staff members after their first few weeks to see how they are feeling about their new position.

As you collect more quantitative data, you can compare how the employee experience correlates with employee experience key performance indicators (KPIs) such as offer acceptance rates, productivity, engagement, absences and turnover. And implement changes based on the data and feedback you receive.

How Software can Improve the Employee Experience

By using human capital management (HCM) software, companies can automate and manage the employee lifecycle to create a more engaging employee experience. For example, one of the benefits of HCM software is that it gives workers quick and easy self-service access to benefits and compensation information, as well as their employee profile. A simple interface helps employees with daily tasks like requesting time off and accessing an employee directory. Employee timelines help your team track details like compensation and training.

HCM software can provide insight for finance teams and managers. For example, is a downturn in sales related to vacant sales positions? And it reduces manual and labor-intensive processes such as creating job requisitions and onboarding processes. Additionally, robust HCM software can connect with other key areas of the business, such as payroll and budgeting processes, which can assist with decisions about hiring and promotions.

HCM software can also help you more easily stay on top of new and leading practices, as well as track KPIs, such as the time it takes to train new employees, productivity, and turnover rates.

Investing time in employee journey mapping can help your company offer an improved employee experience. As the experience improves, employees feel more engaged at work. Processes become more efficient, and employees can become more productive. These efforts can all be boosted with software that supports the employee experience and provides the tools you need to map the employee journey, find pain points and implement the changes to fix them.

Human Resources

Employee Experience Software: What It Is & Why It’s Important

In recent years, companies have recognized that improving the employee experience is key to retaining valued staff, increasing productivity and enhancing overall business performance. Employee experience software can…

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Employee experience journey map: A complete guide + example + template

Today, we are all obsessed with the experience of the customer. However, only some seem to care about employee experience. This makes no sense whatsoever.

It is common to think that customers are the drivers of our business. And while this is true, imagine what would happen if all employees from your company decided to take a couple of days off, stay home, and watch Netflix? This would be a disaster. Yet, many companies still don't see the importance of designing a better employee experience.

• 1 What is an employee journey?
• 2 Benefits of employee journey mapping
• 3 Employee experience journey mapping
• 4 What to map?
• 5 Employee journey stages
• 6.1 Start with employee experience research
• 6.2 Produce an employee persona
• 6.3 Map the employee experience journey
• 7 What’s next?
• 8 Wrapping up

What is an employee journey?

Put simply, an employee journey is the complete experience an individual has while they're employed at an organization, starting from the day they apply for the job until the day they leave. Such a journey includes every interaction they have with the organization, whether it's having a conversation with a manager, participating in a training session, or attending a team meeting. Think of it like a story that unfolds over time, each chapter representing a different part of the work life.

For example, consider Steve, who just got a job at a technology firm. His employee journey starts with applying for a job, getting an interview invitation, and having the interview. Then he has the second interview and receives the job offer, which moves Steve to the next stage — his first day of work, where he's welcomed by his colleagues and continues as he works on projects, receives feedback, and grows his skills. 

Over the years, Steve might get promoted, switch to different roles within the company, or take part in special programs. His journey captures all these experiences right up until his retirement party or the moment he leaves the company, capturing the entire arc of his career at the firm.

Benefits of employee journey mapping

Why is it essential to know the state of your employees’ journeys and improve them? Many smart companies all over the world are using a very effective idea. They treat their employees really well, just like they do with their customers. 

They've figured out that this is super important. In this paragraph, we'll explain why this is a big deal and how it can make companies much better in today's world.

Here are a few down-to-earth points as to why you should take employee experience seriously:

• Employee engagement means customer success. Did you know engaged employees are almost 90% less likely to leave their company compared to employees who have a low level of engagement? Leave alone the fact that engaged employees are a lot more productive.
• Employees come at a great cost . And it’s not just about money. Customers do not interact with CEOs. They interact with front-desk staff, customer support, sales, you name it. Mistakes of these people may seriously damage your company’s reputation. That alone is a good reason to start thinking about designing a better employee experience.
• Word of mouth. Finally, just like a great customer product, an outstanding employee experience gets spread by word of mouth. It becomes one of the ways you attract talented people to the company.
• Enhanced onboarding and retention. By understanding the employee journey, organizations can create a more structured and engaging onboarding process. This will help new hires become productive more quickly and feel a greater sense of belonging, which can reduce turnover rates.

Now that we’re on the same page regarding the importance of designing a better experience for employees at a company, it’s time to proceed to actionable to-dos.

Read also: Case study on improving the employee journey

Employee experience journey mapping

One of the proven approaches to analyzing, understanding, and enhancing the employee experience and employee journeys is a great technique called customer journey mapping.

Not familiar with this subject? Check out our complete guide on creating a customer journey map .

The idea behind this technique is fairly simple: you take the journey people take when interacting with your business and break it down into stages. The next step is to look at each stage from different angles to get a complete picture of what the experience of this particular person may look like. In other words, a map of your employee’s journey helps you see through the eyes of your customer or, in our case, through the eyes of employees. 

There’s another similar technique called employee experience mapping. These two techniques are often used interchangeably, but it should be noted that experience mapping takes a broader view. It goes beyond chronicling the stages an employee goes through, delving into the qualitative aspects of an employee's daily life within the organization, their experience with it. This encompasses, for example, the emotional experiences of employees at various touchpoints, like participating in daily team meetings, using the company’s tools and technologies, or during interactions with leadership.

What to map?

First, it’s important to decide which part of the employee experience journey you want to start with. At this point, there are a couple of routes you may take:

• High-level mapping. Obviously, it simply would take too much time to map the entire journey, as the employee lifecycle is way too long for one map. Unless you want to start with a high-level map and dive into details later as you dig more information. The downside of a high-level approach is that you won't get a lot out of it. The formula is fewer details = fewer insights.
• Focus on a specific part of the journey. It would be a whole lot easier to start with something like onboarding. The best part about onboarding is that if you are an HR, you have just enough knowledge to take the first steps.
• Identify the most problematic stage and start with it. However, it’s not that easy to tell which part is the most problematic without running research.

Employee journey stages

As we’ve touched the employee journey stages, let’s consider some of the common ones to give you an idea of what to include in your employee experience journey map.

• Attraction. This is the beginning of the journey, where potential employees first encounter the company brand or job opening. They form initial impressions about the company culture and values, and these impressions are often influenced by the company website, social media presence, and employer reviews.
• Recruitment. The potential employee actively considers the job opening and applies for a position. This stage may encompass submitting applications, attending interviews, and communicating with the company's hiring team.
• Hiring. This is when you make the job offer, and the candidate accepts it. 
• Onboarding. The new employee starts their job, they get oriented and integrated into the organization. They learn about company policies, may undergo training for their specific role, and start building relationships with the team and managers.
• Development. This stage involves the employee's growth within the organization. It includes receiving feedback, pursuing professional development opportunities, and potentially participating in mentoring or coaching programs.
• Advancement. This is when the employee moves up within the company hierarchy through promotions or transfers. 
• Exit. This is the final stage of the employee journey when the employee leaves the organization, whether for retirement, a new job, or other reasons. The exit process can include such substages as exit interviews, knowledge transfer, and the employee's transition out of the company.

Looking for more information about employee journey stages to add to your model of journey map? Check out our deck of cheat cards to look deeper into the stages and substages of employee journeys.

Three steps in designing an employee journey map

Now, we will cover the basic steps for creating a full-fledged, true-to-love employee journey map.

Start with employee experience research

Employee research, often referred to as employee surveys or employee feedback programs, is of paramount importance for organizations across various industries. 

It involves collecting, analyzing, and acting upon feedback from employees to gain insights into their experiences, attitudes, and needs within the workplace. Here are some key reasons why employee research is important:

• It enhances employee engagement. By understanding what engages or disengages employees, organizations can take targeted actions to boost engagement.
• It supports informed decision-making. Employee research provides quantifiable insights, allowing leaders to allocate resources more effectively and prioritize initiatives that matter most to employees.
• It helps measure progress. By conducting surveys periodically, organizations can track progress over time. They can see how their efforts to address employee concerns and improve the workplace have translated into tangible results.

In other words, employee research is a strategic tool that empowers organizations to create better workplaces, improve employee satisfaction, increase productivity, and drive overall success. It aligns the interests of employees and employers, contributing to a positive organizational culture and sustainable growth. 

So, you should always start with profound research. Otherwise, what exactly are we going to put on that map? And when it comes to interviewing employees, some really nice factors contribute to great research:

• Employees are easy to get in touch with, and such research is inexpensive compared to customer research. Imagine a situation where you have to bring a bunch of customers for a focus group or an interview. Each has a different time availability and level of involvement. Plus, chances are they might want to have something in return. Whereas, employees are almost always there and ready to share their thoughts over a cup of coffee.
• You have lots of data already. If you’ve been working in the company for a while, there’s probably enough information for you to start with employee journey mapping. And you can always talk to the HR department to get this information.
• Co-creation opportunities. There is nothing better than inviting coworkers for a journey mapping workshop . And again, it’s much easier within a company than when you’re trying to bring in real customers.

In addition to employee feedback and interviews, it may also be helpful to review internal audit reports to gain a better understanding of potential areas for improvement in the employee experience journey.

Surely, there will be a conflict of interests and ethics issues, so be ready to get creative!

Before doing any kind of research, make sure you come up with a list of sources. They can be:

• Employee feedback. If you are an HR, chances are you have a lot of info on hand that can be used for employee experience mapping.
• Interviews with employees. Trust me, they have so much to say, and chances are they wanted to say it years ago.
• Interviews with managers. They observe employees and are able to give you a whole different perspective on things.
• Polls and surveys. Those can give a lot of quantitative data. And the best part is that polls can be anonymous.

Produce an employee persona

To truly empathize with employees, it’s vital to create an employee persona. It is a made-up person that is based on real employees. It should have some basic description as well as some of the details you found during the research phase: goals, motivations and frustrations, some background, and maybe even skills.

Meet Michael, our example, a young finance professional in the heart of NYC. With a year's experience under his belt, he aspired to land a job in a prestigious firm. Living with his brother's family in their cozy apartment, he found solace in their company but yearned for his own space. His daily routine includes job hunting between work, and his mind is always set on reaching the top of the corporate ladder.

You can have one, two, or multiple personas depending on your needs. To create your own persona, here's our guide with examples of how to create a persona in 7 steps .

Map the employee experience journey

Now, after the research has been done and personas have been created, it’s time to put everything on a map. The way you map an employee experience journey is the following:

• Define the stages you need for your map

If we talk about the journey part that covers a new employee onboarding, there will be stages like awareness, research, first contact, phone screening, job interview, the hiring process, the first day, the list goes on. It is very likely that some stages will have multiple substages (especially the hiring process and job interview).

• Decide on map layers or sections

These are layers of data you want to have on your map. Some of the commonly used journey map layers include employee goals, employee expectations, emotional experience, process, channels, touchpoints, and problems.

For each stage you defined, fill in the map sections with data about this stage. For example, write down the goals of the employee persona as well as their expectations or describe the process the employee persona goes through at each stage.

Feel free to add anything that can benefit you in the search for employee experience insights. If you feel like adding some quotes from real employees — it's great. Want to add a photo of the workplace for a new employee? Go ahead! 

In fact, if you're mapping employee experience in our journey mapping tool , multiple sections will help you capture all the details you might want to have in your map!

• Find flaws and come up with solutions

Once you see the whole picture, you can start looking for roadblocks that prevent employees from, for example, getting the best onboarding experience.

Once you put roadblocks on the map, you can come up with ideas and solutions. In the end, you will have a map that looks somewhat like this:

What’s next?

Once the journey map has been created, it serves as a valuable foundation for a positive employee experience. To ensure that their experience continually improves and stays aligned with the evolving needs of your company, consider the following actions:

• Collect ongoing feedback. Encourage employees to provide feedback throughout their journey. This can be done through surveys, one-on-one discussions, or anonymous feedback channels. This feedback should be used to identify pain points and areas for improvement.
• Regularly update the map. As processes and procedures change within your organization, update the map accordingly. This ensures that it remains an accurate reflection of the journey and can guide improvements effectively.
• Implement quick wins. Identify low-hanging fruit or quick wins based on the map insights. These are small, immediate changes that can significantly improve the experience without requiring extensive resources or time.
• Prioritize key touchpoints. Focus on the most critical touchpoints in the journey that have the greatest impact on the employee experience. Allocate resources and efforts to improve these areas first.
• Involve cross-functional teams. Collaborate with HR, IT, training, and other departments to address issues and implement changes. A cross-functional approach ensures a holistic perspective and comprehensive solutions.
• Set clear objectives. Define specific goals and objectives for improving the employee experience. This provides a clear direction for change initiatives and helps measure their success.
• Training and development. Invest in training and development programs for managers and mentors involved in onboarding. Equip them with the skills and knowledge needed to support the company’s employees effectively.
• Leverage technology. Use technology to streamline and automate parts of the onboarding process. This can reduce administrative burdens and create a more seamless experience for new hires.
• Monitor progress. Continuously monitor the impact of changes on the employee experience. Key performance indicators (KPIs) should be tracked and analyzed to ensure that improvements are achieving the desired outcomes.
• Employee involvement. Involve new employees in the co-creation of their onboarding journey. Seek their input and preferences to tailor the process to individual needs.
• Celebrate successes. Acknowledge and celebrate successes and improvements at different stages of your employees’ journey. Positive reinforcement can motivate teams to keep making enhancements.
• Stay compliant. Ensure that the onboarding process remains compliant with all relevant laws and regulations. Regularly review and update documentation as needed.
• Communication and transparency. Maintain open and transparent communication with employees regarding changes in the onboarding process. Provide clear explanations and expectations to manage their experience effectively.

Remember, journey mapping is not a one-time activity; it should evolve alongside your company's growth and changing needs. By actively listening to employee feedback, making data-driven decisions, and continually refining the onboarding experience, your organization can create a positive and impactful journey for new employees from day one.

Wrapping up

Mapping the employee experience is undoubtedly a challenging undertaking, one that demands a significant amount of effort, time, and resources. However, the rewards that come with creating an exceptional workplace environment and a satisfied workforce are simply too compelling to ignore.

Good news: we have a library of free templates, including employee experience map templates, which you can use for high-level mapping. Either download a PDF file and print it out or create a map in our Journey Mapping Tool, tweak it as you like, and then export it to show all the insights you came up with! 

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Thanks for the map. It’s a great template to start with for my company’s employee journey.

You’re welcome, Chris! We also have templates for remote employee journey and an employee journey mapping whitepaper with expert advice. Be sure to check those out and happy mapping!

Thank you for these employee journey mapping examples. Our problem is not so much with onboarding but with keeping people from leaving after 6-8 months. Do you have any advice on how to improve retention in the long run?

Hi Tarik, you’re welcome! We do have some employee experience examples you could use for better retention, and a detailed breakdown of common stages people go after the probation period is over: annual performance evaluation, office events, paternity leave, skill upgrading, etc.

You can find them all in our filled-out template called “End-to-end employee journey map” right here: https://uxpressia.com/templates/education-and-career

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Last updated January 30, 2023

A guide for mapping your employee experience

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From the moment a candidate becomes attracted to your business, you have the opportunity to engage them in a unique and fulfilling experience. But the journey from interested candidate to fulfilled employee doesn't just happen – instead, it should be deeply considered and intentionally mapped.

Planning what your company’s employee experience (EX) looks like brings structure to each stage involved in an employee’s journey, leading to a consistent and equitable experience for each team member. 

By prioritizing a structured approach to creating an employee experience, you can develop a process that keeps you, your team, and other people leaders accountable for ensuring every employee has the best possible experience at your organization. Tracking the employee experience (through surveys and other touchpoints) confirms that the experience you're providing is fair across the organization.

In this article, we introduce our approach to mapping the employee experience and provide you with a guide for evaluating your existing employee experience and a step-by-step process for optimizing the experience for everyone involved. 

Why and how we created the employee journey mapping guide

The employee experience directly impacts your team’s performance, engagement , and well-being , and has a tremendous influence on your customer satisfaction and even profits. So to help your company streamline the employee journey mapping, we created a guide to optimize your existing EX and/or create a new approach that will work better.

In our experience working with over 5,000 diverse companies – with workforces ranging from 100 employees to 100,000, from bra makers to bread makers, from Melbourne to Milan – we've noticed there are a few things that are constant. All employees experience a typical set of stages in their journey, with specific key moments that make or break their experience. We created our guide for mapping the employee experience to help you make those key moments exceptional. By tapping into what makes your employees and company unique, you can supercharge engagement and retention at your organization.

Start mapping your employee experience

How an employee journey map can help you .

Mapping your employee experience offers multiple benefits to all parties involved in an employee’s journey, including:

• Helping HR teams effectively track an employee’s progress during their time at your company
• Enabling managers to better guide their direct reports through the employee journey
• Provide individual employees with a consistent and fair path toward success.

“With this guide, you’ll learn the common stages of your employee’s journey and prioritize the places where you could have the largest impact,” says Fresia Jackson, the Culture Amp People Scientist behind the design of this worksheet. “By putting yourself into your employees' shoes, you can see whether your values show through during key moments that matter and where you may be falling short. But since insight is nothing without action, we’ll also guide you through transforming what you learn into unique and impactful actions.”

Four steps for mapping the employee experience 

First of all, it's crucial to understand each individual stage of an employee’s journey. 

After you understand each stage, there are four steps you can take to map your employee experience:

• Moments that matter
• Organizational context
• Employee lens
• Prioritize.

Below, we discuss each stage briefly, but if you want to learn more about each stage in detail, check out the full guide to mapping the employee experience .

Step 1: Moments that matter

Within each stage, there are moments that will especially (and uniquely) matter to the employees at your organization. For example, within "Attract," a "Moment that matters" is "Receiving their office letter."

Although every stage is essential, there are specific stages that will drive particularly outsized results in your workforce. By identifying and focusing on the particular moments that matter to your people, you can help boost engagement, performance, and more.

Step 2: Organizational context

The employee journey map is incomplete without organizational context. Factors such as your company mission , vision, and values are crucial aspects of your employee experience. How your organization exhibits and lives these will directly impact an employee’s experience working with your team . As such, defining and prioritizing the key moments that demonstrate your values is crucial.

Step 3: Employee lens

In addition to the company’s ability to live its values, the employee’s lived experience also shapes how they will interact with their work. For example, are they new parents? Where are they in their career? It's important to consider how an employee’s unique (and intersectional ) identity or circumstances could impact their journey at your company. 

Step 4: Prioritize

The final step of the employee journey mapping process is to choose what stage and moment to focus on. It's a good idea to be narrow, as it will be hard to measure whether your actions are effective if multiple changes happen simultaneously.

Senior Content Marketing Manager, Culture Amp

Alica Forneret

Writer, Culture Amp

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FigJam Explore your coworkers’ experiences with an employee journey map

Trace colleagues’ company paths from their recruitment to their next promotion and collect valuable insights along the way.

Employee journey map template

Employee journey mapping is beneficial not only for performance management but to also gain insight into internal communications and company culture. Chart every employee’s trek to the top with this collaborative template.

This compass points toward satisfied coworkers

Check in with teammates to understand the different pathways to progress and clarify the climb ahead.

Chart the course: Visualize each employee’s journey from preboarding to onboarding.

Stay en route: Improve upon hiring and training processes based on coworker feedback.

Rate the trail: Gauge the challenges that come with each step in your onboarding process to support new hires and current team members.

FigJam Reach the summit without scrambling

Teammate staring down a fork in the road? FigJam’s employee journey maps reveal stepping stones and danger zones so everyone can reach the peak. Whether you’re innovating the onboarding process or carving out a growth opportunity, easily source feedback and support from your trusted spotters through Lil’ Notes, Emoji, and Anonymous Thoughts.

All roads lead to Community

Make inroads with an employee journey map that guides your team’s growth. Then, take a beautiful, productive detour with templates from the Community.

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What is an employee journey map?

An employee journey map follows a team member’s path at a company, from their recruitment to their offboarding. These charts cover every stage of employee life cycle and growth in the company in order to reveal where they are on their career trajectory, point out where they’re going, and shine a light on their experiences along the way. For employers, these maps can uncover trends and areas for improvement and inspire employee-centric thinking—especially when they contain feedback from team members. Employee journey maps are also beneficial for gaining insight into company culture, employee experience, and engagement.

How many steps are there in the employee journey?

While each employee experience and journey is unique, most pathways include these five major steps:

1. Recruiting

2. Onboarding

3. Development

4. Retention

5. Offboarding

As you create your map, you’ll fill in touchpoints, recommendations, and employee experiences for each of these distinct stages. FigJam’s collaborative employee onboarding journey map template makes it easy to analyze each moment of the journey and solicit insights from your fellow travelers.

What is the employee onboarding journey?

The onboarding stage of the employee journey follows your colleagues’ experiences from their hiring through the end of their training period. During this time, the employee can expect to meet their coworkers, learn company procedures, enroll in benefits, and maybe field some questions at a get-to-know-you lunch.

Suppose you were to unpack this step on an employee journey map example. In that case, you might note the expectations at this time (understand HR policies), touchpoints (one-on-one with supervisor), and the employee’s experience (big fan of the company lunch, not so keen on the thermostat setting). FigJam's employee journey mapping templates make it easy to track everything.

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Key Moments of The Employee Journey Map: Template

An employee journey map portrays your employees’ experiences at every phase of their tenure with a company. They can view the journey map as a storytelling tool across the various stages of the employee lifecycle . Employers should make every experience better and portray expectations from the very beginning of the journey.

We have drafted an employee journey map template . You can download our free employee journey map template right here:

What is the Employee Journey Map?

The employee journey map is a visual representation of employees’ interactions with their employer throughout all the stages of the employee lifecycle. Employee journey mapping helps businesses step into their employee’s shoes. They do so in order to acquire an employee experience perspective .

Every employee journey with an organisation starts with the application period and recruitment. It concludes with the exit from the organisation, Offboarding . Preboarding & Onboarding are also critical stages. You can build strong strategies by using an onboarding plan . Yet, even after offboarding, the journey could resume. This is valid in cases of returning to work for a former employer, hence, Reboarding .

There are multiple tools that employers can use to manage their time inside a company. We publish some of these tools on our blog HR. For example, you will find articles on the HR lifecycle and the employee life-cycle model . An employee journey map is a similar tool.

How an Employee Journey Map Can Impact the Employee Experience

An employee journey map is a graphical tool that painstakingly describes the moments that matter to employees.  Undoubtedly, employees react emotionally to different moments.

You can maximise the key moments that improve employee engagement and minimise those that result in disengagement. Employees with emotional satisfaction will stay engaged with the job and enhance the productivity of the company.

This is why we created the ‘Moments of Power’ framework. It is essential that the employer acknowledges the most important moments at the start of the employee journey. Check out the moments of power below.

Moments of Power

The Four Benefits of Employee Journey Mapping

Pinpointing the employee journey’s important moments helps build a strong foundation for a positive employee experience . Furthermore, a thorough examination of the employee journey will show that each stage presents different challenges and opportunities. This is valid for both employees and employers. Let’s review some key benefits of employee journey mapping.

1. Get Different Stages that Bring Specific Experiences

Let’s take the case that you would like to measure employee engagement. It might be tone-deaf to treat the entire workforce as a single unit with a shared experience. After all, different employees have different experiences and they are many times linked to the stage in their journey. Furthermore, is it not intuitive that a new employee might not share the same experiences as an employee who is about to leave the company?

Thus, employee journey mapping will help differentiate between each stage of the employment relationship. Once the employers define the stages, they can proceed with identifying areas that need intervention.

2. Take the Opportunity for Insights and Anticipation

Employee journey mapping offers valuable insights into the employee journey with an organisation.

For instance, the way new hires start this journey matters . It can set you on a positive work journey with the employer. However, if new employees start on the wrong foot due to errors from the employer side, they might never build the desired engagement and connection with the job. Thus, there is no second chance for making a good first impression.

Other notable essential moments in the journey of an employee are the first one-on-one with the direct manager, or the first full performance review. Moreover, onboarding process activities, training, and team events are also highly relevant. These events shape their experience as an employee in an organisation, minimising their time to performance.

An employee journey mapping exercise helps the employer better prepare for those crucial moments. If having access to training is important to employees then also your journey map will contain this critical stage.

3. Get the Insights for a Better Hiring

Maybe it’s not the most intuitive benefit, but employee journey mapping can also offer an opportunity for better hiring.

Actually, understanding journey mapping can help companies understand the organisational core values. By doing this, they get a better understanding of who will fit well and thrive in the organisation.

This clarity can contribute to attracting and hiring competent and happy candidates compatible with a company’s experience. This enables HR to select the candidates that best suit the company’s operations and that will thrive in the company.

4. Improve Your Employee Engagement

The employees’ experience with an organisation impacts their productivity and the organisation’s success. Positive experiences lead to engagement and longer tenures within a company. The essential moments of the employee journey map should aim to create a memorable experience that can have a lasting impact on employers’ opinion of the workplace.

Moreover, the employee journey provides useful insights on engagement due to the countless feedback from employees. With this, employers will know what motivates and inspires them. Regardless if you work in a small company, or a large enterprise , employee engagement is crucial.

Employee Journey Map Insights

You can maximise the key moments that improve employee engagement and minimise those that result in disengagement.

Best Practices to Create an Employee Journey Map

We have compiled a set of best practices to help create an employee journey map.

Listen and Collaborate

Creating an employee journey map is not a task that a single person can ful-fill with no additional input. Collaboration and listening are key for gathering enough data and insights. After all, the journey map has to portray employee’s needs and perspectives.

However, HR should not assume they know it all, even if they are also employees. Of course their personal experiences are relevant and can be a starting point. But HR also has to encourage feedback from others at various levels and functions. This will ensure having access to multiple perspectives.

Develop Employee Personas

We already discussed that employee experiences vary across the various stages of the journey. The employee personas would be a way of differentiating between the experiences specific to different stages.

Personas are used frequently in the user experience field. The goal is to identify different types of customers, pain points, goals and needs . In our case, the customers are the employees.

So, when doing employee journey mapping it is essential to identify all the key employee personas. Some  criteria to differentiate between personal could be personality, demography, and career line, department, and of course, stage of employment.

Thus, some example of employee personas are: the candidate, the onboardee, the integrated employee, the career ladder climber, the departing employee, the returning employee.

Additionally, the onboardee employee persona can be further split into: the manager onboardee, the junior onboardee, the technical onboardee and so on.

Map the Employee Journey

Mapping the employee journey follows right after identifying employee personas. This involves deciding on the key employee lifecycle stages.

For example, we have selected 6 stages: Recruitment, Pre & Onboarding, Integration & Performance, Development, Exit: Offboarding and Post-Exit. A few mentions should be considered about these stages. Buddy Onboarding is a complimentary process to Pre & Onboarding. Moreover, the Development stage could also include a crossboarding process . This occurs when you switch to a completely new role.

Additionally, it is essential to identify what experiences are specific to each stage. In this context, an employee engagement survey can help collect quantitative and qualitative data. The data has to reflect which experiences are specific for each stage.

By starting with a solid foundation, by talking with current employees, by identifying their values, and the steps of your organization’s employee journeys, you can begin to map out what yours will look like, and how to integrate it with your organization. The survey will also identify the specific pain points, goals and needs.

Define Possible Interventions

Data collection has revealed pain points and additional employee needs. After knowing what is working and what is not, the opportunity for interventions and improvements arises.

For instance, a key feature of the employee onboarding journey map is effective communication between the new employees and the current workforce. Hence in the onboarding process, organisations should leverage effective communication properly while bringing new employees on board.

Employee Journey Map Examples

We have developed two employee journey maps. They detail the Preboarding Journey and Onboarding Journey respectively.

If you are curious to read more about preboarding vs. onboarding , we have devoted an entire piece on it.

Employee Journey Map Template

The employee journey map template is a tool that unites the employee experience across the lifecycle. Thereby it provides a holistic view critical to identifying and prioritising areas of focus. Then, the company can identify organisational actions, as well as the elements that will enable employees. This will establish the right impression in them and spur you to build the right engagement with the jobs.

You can download the employee journey map template for free and start your mapping process right away.

The first step for employee journey mapping is evaluating the employees’ experience to identify issues and opportunities to grow. Subsequently, all the information informs the creation of the employee personas. Once the personas are identified, the employee journey map template is an instrument that can easily customise this information.

The Six Essential Elements For the Employee Persona on This Template

Our employee journey map template highlights six essential elements for the employee persona. These are: 

• Goals & Needs : What are employees trying to achieve?
• Touch Points : What people, things, or organisations do employees get in contact with?
• Organisation Actions : What does the organisation do at this step?
• Barriers / Pain Points : What barriers come in the way of achieving their goals?
• Enablers : What helps employees achieve goals?
• Desired Impact : What is the desired impact?

Employee Journey Map Template: A Concrete Example

An employee experience journey mapping template is a tool that an organisation can use to showcase the worker’s entire journey in its establishment. It is an easy-to-use tool that can be edited and shared easily with the relevant stakeholders.

Let us take a concrete example using the candidate persona.The candidate persona seeks employment in a new organisation.

The touch points are: the application portal, the company’s social media accounts, recruiters, job boards, etc.

The organisation actions are: reviewing the application and if relevant inviting the candidate to an interview. The organisation will have to ensure that the applicant matches the role and the organisation as a whole. Additionally, the recruiter would make him/herself available to the candidate in case of questions regarding the application process.

Some barriers for the candidate persona would be: insufficient information regarding the application, unresponsiveness from the recruiter, misleading information regarding the role, negative reviews of the employer.

Some examples of enables are: friends or family already working in the company and referring the candidate, a very responsive recruiter that provides comprehensive answers to any curiosities & questions.

The desired impact for the candidate persona is receiving an employment offer and signing a contract.

This is a general and simplified example. It can be further customised. For example, designing a journey for a senior level candidate and an entry level candidate. Or for example, for a sales candidate or a business development candidate etc.

Employee Journey Map

Globally, only 20% of employees declare themselves as being engaged at work.

Employee Experience Journey Map

An employee experience journey map helps track the key stages and experiences in the employee journey. It creates a chronological chart that visually captures and examines each step of the employee experience. Although prevention is better than cure, business organisations should aim to improve the employee experience and not wait until issues spring up.

When employees have a positive experience, it translates into increased engagement, greater productivity, reduced recruiting cost, and low employee turnover.

The employee experience journey map of an organisation offers a unique way of representing the company’s goals, values, and processes. Again, it helps bring the company’s core values to life and build a strong culture.

Globally, only 20% of employees declare themselves as being engaged at work, according to Gallup. Thus, the vast majority of employees worldwide are having unpleasant work experiences and very little connection to their employing organisation.

Don’t Overlook Employee Mapping: Concluding Remarks

No doubt, the major challenge confronting most business organisations is getting their employees to feel engaged with their work. This is additionally coupled with a need to achieve better work efficiency.

However, the employees could have some underlying experiences hindering their capacities to perform optimally. This is why employee mapping is a useful tool for gauging the experiences of the workforce of an organisation.

Employee mapping starts when you gather everyone involved in the process of an organisation. Besides, it defines every step in executing the process. This helps in achieving rule compliance, business process improvement. Additionally, it helps boost employee effectiveness.

Hence organisations should leverage the right employee onboarding solutions tools like Introdus, employee onboarding software to bring onboard the new employees. Due to onboarding automation , new employees have access to a platform that ensures social integration with their employers from day 1.

Also, it has useful multimedia content that will empower new employees and build the right engagement with their jobs.

In conclusion, an employee journey map is a great asset in achieving employee engagement if properly harnessed. In addition, it will aid organisations in building their workforce with the right morale and motivation, thus resulting in enhanced productivity and profitability.

Remember that you can also check a Return Work Plan, by clicking here.

Benefit from a successful employee journey map with the proper tool.

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Facilities Management

Mapping the employment journey of Merit staff

Clara Wells began her career at the University of Iowa nearly two decades ago not knowing where that decision would lead. Since then, she has risen through the ranks from a custodian at the hospital to a custodial supervisor in Facilities Management. Her story is one of the tens of thousands made possible by the UI and its commitment to fostering an environment where employees can grow personally and professionally.

In support of the  University of Iowa Strategic Plan 2022-2027 , University Human Resources (UHR), is working to improve the experience of Merit staff so they, too—like Wells—can grow in their careers here.

In February 2023, UHR facilitated an Employee Journey Mapping workshop with 16 participants, including 11 Merit employees with an average tenure of 12.5 years at the UI. The lifecycle project considers the experience of a UI Merit employee beginning at "Job Acceptance" and ending at "Former Employee," with a focus on the first three years of employment.

Next steps in the Employee Journey Mapping project include the  Merit staff retention initiative —funded in part by a public-private partnership (P3 grant); prioritizing areas of focus, including onboarding, career development and supervisor training; and mapping the employment lifecycle of other employees like Professional & Scientific (P&S) and Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

Learn more about Clara Wells’s story and read the full article  here.