Why ServiceNow UX Still Frustrates Users (And How Monochrome Fixes It)

Have a look at real ServiceNow Employee Center examples that fix common UX problems like slow portals, broken search, and complex HR forms. Monochrome helps CIOs and HR leaders deliver a self-service portal experience employees love to use. Read More
Why ServiceNow UX Still Frustrates Users (And How Monochrome Fixes It)

If you’ve heard complaints about your ServiceNow Employee Center, you’re not alone. From HR portals with endless forms to search that never finds the right answer, these issues are common, but they’re not unsolvable.

What is ServiceNow Employee Center?

ServiceNow Employee Center is the self-service portal where employees access HR, IT and workplace services in one place. It replaces scattered systems with a single entry point for requests, knowledge and tasks.

Why do employees complain about ServiceNow Employee Center?

The most common complaints include:

  • Employee Center portals that load too slowly
  • Search that doesn’t return useful results
  • HR knowledge buried deep instead of appearing in search
  • Long forms and order guides that people abandon
  • Confusion between Service Portal and Employee Center
  • No way to measure adoption or UX health

These problems mean employees avoid the portal, send tickets or emails, and your ServiceNow investment fails to deliver value.

ServiceNow Employee Center examples of common issues and fixes

1. Slow employee center portals

Problem: Delays of 5 – 10 seconds drive users back to email.
The Monochrome fix: Performance audits, widget optimisation, caching, and script clean-up to deliver fast ServiceNow Employee Center experiences.

2. Poor search experience

Problem: Employees say “I can’t find anything.” AI Search often opens the wrong view or misses HR content.
The Monochrome fix: Configure AI Search properly, reindex knowledge, and map results to the right actions. We also build smart fallbacks so searches never dead-end.

3. Long HR forms

Problem: Many ServiceNow HR portal examples show giant forms. Users drop out instead of completing them.
The Monochrome fix: Simplify HR request flows with shorter forms, conditional fields, and progressive logic. This raises completion rates and adoption.

4. Service Portal vs Employee Center confusion

Problem: Leaders worry Service Portal is being deprecated. In reality, ServiceNow is investing in an Employee Center, but both still exist.
The Monochrome fix: We create a roadmap that blends Service Portal and Employee Center where needed, while reducing technical debt and delivering a consistent design.

5. Measuring adoption and UX

Problem: Without data, CIOs and HR leaders can’t see where UX breaks down.
The Monochrome fix: We implement analytics to track failed search queries, monitor request drop-offs, and embed NPS surveys in the Employee Center.

What our clients say about us:

  • “We’ve received an incredible level of service from Monochrome. Everything we’ve asked for has been delivered with excellent results.”
  • “Monochrome consistently deliver where we’ve struggled before. Always knowledgeable and ahead of the curve.”
  • “The team continue to deliver with speed and precision. High-level execution every time.”

The Monochrome free UX accelerator

We offer a Free UX Accelerator that includes:

  • A UX health check of your ServiceNow Employee Center
  • A report highlighting barriers to adoption
  • Real ServiceNow Employee Center examples and HR portal examples
  • Practical recommendations to improve experience immediately

Why CIOs and HR Directors choose Monochrome

We are champions for the end user in design and support. Our approach reduces technical debt, speeds up adoption, and makes portals easier to use. With Managed Services and Upgrade Insurance™, fixes stay fixed through every upgrade.

Don’t let poor UX drain your ServiceNow investment.

Book your Free UX Accelerator today and see what great ServiceNow Employee Centers look like.

Don’t believe us? Here’s proof:
Browse over 100 Employee Center examples on our ServiceNow portfolio, our competitors don’t want you to see this.

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