Designing the Employment Experience

Table Of Contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• List of Figures
• List of Tables
• Introduction
• Chapter 1 Empathy in Employment Experience Design
• 1.1. Empathy’s Role in Modern Workplace Dynamics
• 1.1.1. Exploring empathy’s significance in contemporary work environments
• 1.1.2. Empathy as a catalyst for improved workplace relationships
• 1.2. The Evolving Landscape of Employee Experience: Towards Empathic Design
• 1.2.1. Shifting paradigms: From traditional to empathy and employee-centric work definitions
• 1.2.2. Employment experience definitions and empathic design principles
• 1.2.2.1. Employee-centric approach
• 1.2.2.2. Touchpoint centric
• 1.2.2.3. Relational centric
• 1.3. The Business Case for Employment Experience Empathic Design
• 1.3.1. Economic and psychological benefits of empathy-centric work design
• 1.3.2. Demonstrating the value of empathic design
• Part 1 Conceptual Frameworks
• Chapter 2 The Influence of the Relational Employer Brand(ing) in Employment Experience Empathic Design
• 2.1. Conceptual Framework for the REB
• 2.1.1. Unpacking the components of the REB
• 2.1.2. Influence of the REB on employee relational architecture
• 2.2. Conceptual Framework for the EBRP
• 2.2.1. EBRP as baseline for job role and workplace dynamics
• 2.2.2. From ‘I’ to ‘We’: Co-creating a more authentic employee experience
• 2.2.3. Co-created employment narratives: EBRPs as pathways to ‘self in role’ balance
• Chapter 3 The Role of Feedback Calibration Paths in Employment Experience Empathic Design
• 3.1. Defining Feedback Calibration Paths
• 3.1.1. Feedback calibration paths and the EBRP
• 3.1.2. Iterative advancement of feedback calibration paths
• 3.2. Paving the Way to the Empathic Design of the Employment Experience through Feedback Calibration Paths – A Balancing Act
• 3.2.1. Calibrating workplace behaviour: A relational framing
• 3.2.2. Calibrating employment narratives: A cognitive and affective process(ing)
• Part 2 Empirical Studies
• Chapter 4 Calibration Models for an Empathic Co-design of the Employment Experience – An Empirical Approach
• 4.1. Research Design and Methodology: Laying the Empirical Foundation
• 4.1.1. Population and sampling
• 4.1.2. Data collection
• 4.1.3. Methodology
• 4.1.4. Data screening
• 4.1.5. Measurement model analysis
• 4.2. Examining the Impact of Feedback Mechanisms on the Cognitive and Affective ‘I–We Mergers’ – An Empirical Analysis
• 4.2.1. Measures
• 4.2.1.1. Feedback-seeking behaviour (FSB)
• 4.2.1.2. Goal orientation (GOr) types
• 4.2.1.3. Job role goal clarity (GRC)
• 4.2.1.4. Person-organisation fit (POF)
• 4.2.1.5. Job satisfaction intrinsic cognitions (JSCogInt)
• 4.2.2. Control variables
• 4.2.3. Hypotheses development
• 4.2.3.1. The impact of feedback-seeking on job role goal clarity
• 4.2.3.2. The impact of feedbacks seeking on POF
• 4.2.3.3. The impact of feedback-seeking on job satisfaction cognitions
• 4.2.3.4. The impact of GOr types on job role clarity
• 4.2.3.5. The impact of GOr types on POF
• 4.2.3.6. The impact of GOr types on job satisfaction cognitions
• 4.2.3.7. The impact of Job role clarity on perceived POF
• 4.2.3.8. The consequences of Job role clarity for job satisfaction cognitions
• 4.2.3.9. The mediating role of job role clarity in the relationship between FSB and POF and JSCogInt
• 4.2.3.10. The mediating role of job role clarity in the relationship between GOr types and POF and JSCogInt
• 4.2.4. Results
• 4.2.4.1. Measurement model analysis
• Reliability and validity test for reflective items
• Discriminant validity for reflective items
• 4.2.4.2. Structural model analysis
• Path analysis
• Two-stage HCM analysis
• Hypotheses testing
• Mediation analysis
• 4.2.5. General conclusions
• 4.2.5.1. Theoretical contributions
• 4.2.5.2. Practical contributions
• 4.3. Examining the Impact of Feedback Accountability on Employee Perceived ‘Return on Investment’ and Sustainability of Work Definitions – An Empirical Exploration
• 4.3.1. Measures
• 4.3.1.1. Feedback accountability (FAcc)
• 4.3.1.2. Job role clarity (RC)
• 4.3.1.3. Person-organisation fit
• 4.3.1.4. Employee engagement (EE)
• 4.3.2. Control variables
• 4.3.3. Hypotheses development
• 4.3.3.1. Impact of FAcc on role clarity
• 4.3.3.2. Impact of FAcc on EE
• 4.3.3.3. Impact of FAcc on POF
• 4.3.3.4. Impact of role clarity on EE
• 4.3.3.5. Impact of role clarity on POF
• 4.3.3.6. The mediating role of role clarity in the relationship between FAcc and EE
• 4.3.3.7. The mediating role of role clarity in the relationship between FAcc and POF
• 4.3.4. Results
• 4.3.4.1. Measurement model analysis
• Reliability and validity test for reflective items
• Discriminant validity for reflective items
• 4.3.4.2. Structural model analysis
• Path analysis
• Two-stage HCM analysis
• Hypotheses testing
• Mediation analysis
• 4.3.5. General conclusions
• 4.3.5.1. Theoretical contributions
• 4.3.5.2. Practical contributions
• 4.4. Limitations
• Chapter 5 Advancing Employment Experience Co-Design: Evolving Applications and Emerging Research Avenues
• 5.1. Evolving Applications in the Academic Realm
• 5.2. Evolving Applications in the Practitioner Realm
• 5.2.1. Empathic design for the hybrid workplace
• 5.2.2. Navigating skills-based organisations
• 5.3. Humanising Work in the AI Era: Empathic Design for More Inclusive Employment Experiences
• 5.3.1. AI-driven structures and the application of empathic design principles
• 5.3.2. Possible designs for empathic AI-driven structures: Practical strategies and examples
• Chapter 6 Designing Sustainable, Purposeful Work Environments and Structures through Empathy-Centric and Relational Practices
• 6.1. The Emerging Role of Empathy-Centred Practices in Future Workplaces
• 6.2. Interweaving Feedback Calibration into Organisational Adaptability
• 6.3. Integrating Relational Practices into Organisational Design
• 6.4. Reimagining Future Work Environments Through Empathy and Connection
• 6.5. Bridging to Actionable Resources
• Appendices
• Appendix 1
• Appendix 2
• Appendix 3
• Worksheet Design Strategy 1: Self-Reflection and Manager Reflection
• Worksheet Design Strategy 2: Touchpoint Identification
• Components
• Worksheet Design 3: Relational Dynamics Assessment
• Components
• Worksheet Design 4: Empathy Mapping for Recruitment and Onboarding
• Instructions
• Conversation Design Strategy 1: Building Empathy Through Onboarding Narratives
• Strategy
• Additional Conversation Designs
• Bibliography
• End Notes
• Index

Mădălina Manolache and Gheorghe Epuran

Designing the
Employment Experience

Empathy-Driven Frameworks for
Talent Management and Employer Branding

Berlin · Bruxelles · Chennai · Lausanne · New York · Oxford

Bibliographic Information published by the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek

The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic data is available in the internet at http://dnb.d-nb.de.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2025004112

Cover © Madalina Manolache 2025

This book was produced as part of a project funded by Transylvania University of Brasov, grant nr. CNFIS–FDI–2019–0324.

Această carte este realizată în cadrul unui proiect finanțat de Universitatea Transilvania din Brașov, grant nr. CNFIS–FDI–2019–0324.

ISBN 978-3-631-91912-5 (Print)

ISBN 978-3-631-91913-2 (E-PDF)

ISBN 978-3-631-93155-4 (E-PUB)

DOI 10.3726/b22598

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Published by Peter Lang GmbH, Berlin (Germany)

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All rights reserved.

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Table of Contents

List of Figures

List of Tables

Introduction

CHAPTER 1 Empathy in Employment Experience Design

1.1. Empathy’s Role in Modern Workplace Dynamics

1.1.1. Exploring empathy’s significance in contemporary work environments

1.1.2. Empathy as a catalyst for improved workplace relationships

1.2. The Evolving Landscape of Employee Experience: Towards Empathic Design

1.2.1. Shifting paradigms: From traditional to empathy and employee-centric work definitions

1.2.2. Employment experience definitions and empathic design principles

1.2.2.1. Employee-centric approach

1.2.2.2. Touchpoint centric

1.2.2.3. Relational centric

1.3. The Business Case for Employment Experience Empathic Design

1.3.1. Economic and psychological benefits of empathy-centric work design

1.3.2. Demonstrating the value of empathic design

PART 1 Conceptual Frameworks

CHAPTER 2 The Influence of the Relational Employer Brand(ing) in Employment Experience Empathic Design

2.1. Conceptual Framework for the REB

2.1.1. Unpacking the components of the REB

2.1.2. Influence of the REB on employee relational architecture

2.2. Conceptual Framework for the EBRP

2.2.1. EBRP as baseline for job role and workplace dynamics

2.2.2. From ‘I’ to ‘We’: Co-creating a more authentic employee experience

2.2.3. Co-created employment narratives: EBRPs as pathways to ‘self in role’ balance

CHAPTER 3 The Role of Feedback Calibration Paths in Employment Experience Empathic Design

3.1. Defining Feedback Calibration Paths

3.1.1. Feedback calibration paths and the EBRP

3.1.2. Iterative advancement of feedback calibration paths

3.2. Paving the Way to the Empathic Design of the Employment Experience through Feedback Calibration Paths – A Balancing Act

3.2.1. Calibrating workplace behaviour: A relational framing

3.2.2. Calibrating employment narratives: A cognitive and affective process(ing)

PART 2 Empirical Studies

CHAPTER 4 Calibration Models for an Empathic Co-design of the Employment Experience – An Empirical Approach

4.1. Research Design and Methodology: Laying the Empirical Foundation

4.1.1. Population and sampling

4.1.2. Data collection

4.1.3. Methodology

4.1.4. Data screening

4.1.5. Measurement model analysis

4.2. Examining the Impact of Feedback Mechanisms on the Cognitive and Affective ‘I–We Mergers’ – An Empirical Analysis

4.2.1. Measures

4.2.1.1. Feedback-seeking behaviour (FSB)

4.2.1.2. Goal orientation (GOr) types

4.2.1.3. Job role goal clarity (GRC)

4.2.1.4. Person-organisation fit (POF)

4.2.1.5. Job satisfaction intrinsic cognitions (JSCogInt)

4.2.2. Control variables

4.2.3. Hypotheses development

4.2.3.1. The impact of feedback-seeking on job role goal clarity

4.2.3.2. The impact of feedbacks seeking on POF

4.2.3.3. The impact of feedback-seeking on job satisfaction cognitions

4.2.3.4. The impact of GOr types on job role clarity

4.2.3.5. The impact of GOr types on POF

4.2.3.6. The impact of GOr types on job satisfaction cognitions

4.2.3.7. The impact of Job role clarity on perceived POF

4.2.3.8. The consequences of Job role clarity for job satisfaction cognitions

4.2.3.9. The mediating role of job role clarity in the relationship between FSB and POF and JSCogInt

4.2.3.10. The mediating role of job role clarity in the relationship between GOr types and POF and JSCogInt

4.2.4. Results

4.2.4.1. Measurement model analysis

4.2.4.2. Structural model analysis