Service Design
Making the first day feel like belonging: A human-centered approach to onboarding
context
In 2018, as part of a company-wide digital transformation, Spindox — an Italian software consulting firm — tasked the design team with reimagining the internal employee experience. The Human Resources department recognized the need to evolve their processes to make employees feel more welcomed, connected, and engaged. I led this initiative as a Service Designer, working across departments to deliver a more cohesive and human-centered onboarding experience.
Core problem
Spindox’s onboarding process was fragmented, inconsistent, and lacked a human-centered approach. New employees often started their journey without proper communication, tools, or a sense of welcome — leading to confusion, disengagement, and operational inefficiencies. HR managed the process but didn’t fully understand the employee experience or how different departments contributed to it.
Although HR managed internal tools and structures, they lacked a deep understanding of what employees actually experienced. Their processes felt fragmented and impersonal — especially during onboarding. At the same time, Spindox's consulting nature meant stakeholders were often unfamiliar with design thinking or service design approaches, adding another layer of complexity to the work.
Main hypothesis
If we redesign the onboarding process with a service design approach involving all key stakeholders, new employees will feel more welcomed, better informed, and more engaged from day one — leading to a smoother integration into the company.
insights
Most departments involved in onboarding were unaware of each other’s roles and dependencies.
🔄 Fragmented communication between HR, IT, Admin, and team leaders.
💻 Late or mismatched equipment delivery due to unclear role requirements.
❓ New employees arriving without knowing who to speak to or what to expect.
👀 HR lacked visibility into the full employee journey, leading to missed moments that matter.
Process
Co-creation & Collaboration
To foster alignment, I facilitated a workshop with all actors in the process. Many participants were unaware of how their actions impacted others or how delays (e.g., in ordering laptops) could ripple across the experience. The session was a breakthrough: not only did it surface friction points, but it also introduced stakeholders to collaborative tools and service design thinking.
Outcome
Given budget constraints, the solution wasn't about flashy perks or high-cost welcome kits. Instead, we focused on meaningful improvements that would make a new employee feel seen, supported, and informed. The key changes included:
A clear communication protocol outlining roles and responsibilities for each stakeholder during onboarding.
A welcome kit with essential information (e.g., Wi-Fi access, email setup, team contacts) presented in a friendly tone — transforming what was once an optional step into a standard part of the process.
A centralized check-in process led by HR to ensure new hires had someone waiting for them and a defined point of contact on day one.
Solution
Mapped the full onboarding journey using service blueprints to highlight gaps and touchpoints.
Facilitated a collaborative workshop with all stakeholders to align responsibilities and expectations.
Developed a lightweight, standardized onboarding protocol with clear role assignments.
Designed a simple but effective welcome kit with essential first-day information (Wi-Fi, email, points of contact) and a friendly tone.
Established HR as the primary point of welcome to ensure each new hire had a structured first day.
Impact
These changes led to a smoother, more consistent onboarding experience — making new employees feel more welcomed from the very beginning. The blueprint and communication improvements are now standard practice across Spindox’s HR operations.
“The onboarding experience now feels intentional and people-centered. It’s no longer just about paperwork — it’s about feeling part of the company from day one.” — HR Team Member