Marketers are masters at understanding customers. They map every step of the buying journey, identify pain points and smooth out friction to make purchasing a breeze. Globally, companies spend more than $1 trillion each year on this kind of customer insight and journey design. 

But when it comes to employees, the very people driving the business, companies invest a fraction of that effort. As Diana Dosik highlights in her TED Talk, Why we need to treat our employees as thoughtfully as our customers, leaders often have detailed answers about what makes customers’ lives easier, but little understanding of what makes employees’ lives at work harder. 

The result? Engagement programs that don’t solve the real problems. Smoothie bars and performance bonuses may look good on paper, but if employees still face frustrating roadblocks – like confusing processes or competing priorities – motivation will stall. 

Dosik points to companies like Google, which took a closer look at employee journeys and discovered a pain point for new mothers. By extending maternity leave from 12 to 18 weeks, Google increased retention of new moms by 50%. Instead of offering surface-level perks, they removed a barrier that truly mattered, aligning employee needs with company goals. 

The takeaway is simple: the same sophisticated tools we use to understand customers can – and should – be applied to employees. When organizations invest in mapping the employee journey, they uncover opportunities to eliminate friction, boost performance and build loyalty. 

A simple pain point that we often hear is lack of recognition – over a third of employees don’t think they’re being adequately recognized. At Hinda, we’ve seen how programs like service awards, points-based systems and personalized gifting not only boost motivation but also create the kind of emotional connection that keeps employees loyal over the long haul. 

Looking to better understand your own employees’ journey? Start small. Talk to your teams, identify the pain points and work together to design smarter solutions. Even incremental changes can spark meaningful results.