diff --git a/jey_theme/hooks.py b/jey_theme/hooks.py
index cca47ec..bea3f9d 100644
--- a/jey_theme/hooks.py
+++ b/jey_theme/hooks.py
@@ -28,8 +28,12 @@ has_permission = {
     "*": "jey_theme.access_control.has_permission",
 }
 
-# Idempotent setup of the custom Taxes workspace (see setup/taxes_workspace.py).
-after_migrate = ["jey_theme.setup.taxes_workspace.setup"]
+# Idempotent setup of the custom Taxes workspace (see setup/taxes_workspace.py)
+# and the Employees /desk icon under Frappe HR (see setup/employees_icon.py).
+after_migrate = [
+    "jey_theme.setup.taxes_workspace.setup",
+    "jey_theme.setup.employees_icon.setup",
+]
 
 # override_doctype_class = {
 #     "Report": "jey_theme.custom_report.CustomReport"
diff --git a/jey_theme/setup/employees_icon.py b/jey_theme/setup/employees_icon.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5e72390
--- /dev/null
+++ b/jey_theme/setup/employees_icon.py
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+"""Idempotent setup of an 'Employees' /desk icon under the Frappe HR folder.
+
+HRMS v16 dropped the old 'Employee Lifecycle' workspace (see
+hrms/patches/v16_0/delete_old_workspaces.py), which removed its desktop
+icon from the Frappe HR folder on /desk. This re-adds an icon that goes
+straight to the Employee DocType list, owned by jey_theme so HRMS stays
+untouched.
+
+Frappe's DesktopIcon.is_permitted (frappe/desk/doctype/desktop_icon/
+desktop_icon.py) requires a Workspace Sidebar named after the icon's
+label to exist, otherwise the icon is filtered out of bootinfo even when
+link_type='External'. So we also create a minimal Workspace Sidebar with
+one item — a DocType Link to Employee — that get_route_for_icon picks up
+and routes to /app/employee. No Workspace page is created.
+"""
+
+import frappe
+
+DESKTOP_ICON_LABEL = "Employees"
+DESKTOP_ICON_PARENT = "Frappe HR"
+DESKTOP_ICON_ICON = "users"
+DESKTOP_ICON_IDX = 0
+
+SIDEBAR_NAME = "Employees"
+TARGET_DOCTYPE = "Employee"
+
+
+def ensure_workspace_sidebar() -> str:
+	item = {
+		"type": "Link",
+		"label": TARGET_DOCTYPE,
+		"link_type": "DocType",
+		"link_to": TARGET_DOCTYPE,
+		"icon": DESKTOP_ICON_ICON,
+	}
+
+	if frappe.db.exists("Workspace Sidebar", SIDEBAR_NAME):
+		sb = frappe.get_doc("Workspace Sidebar", SIDEBAR_NAME)
+		sb.title = SIDEBAR_NAME
+		sb.header_icon = DESKTOP_ICON_ICON
+		sb.app = "jey_theme"
+		sb.standard = 1
+		sb.items = []
+		sb.append("items", item)
+		sb.save(ignore_permissions=True)
+		return f"updated Workspace Sidebar {SIDEBAR_NAME!r}"
+
+	sb = frappe.get_doc({
+		"doctype": "Workspace Sidebar",
+		"name": SIDEBAR_NAME,
+		"title": SIDEBAR_NAME,
+		"header_icon": DESKTOP_ICON_ICON,
+		"app": "jey_theme",
+		"standard": 1,
+		"items": [item],
+	})
+	sb.insert(ignore_permissions=True)
+	return f"created Workspace Sidebar {SIDEBAR_NAME!r}"
+
+
+def ensure_desktop_icon() -> str:
+	existing = frappe.db.exists("Desktop Icon", {"label": DESKTOP_ICON_LABEL})
+	if existing:
+		icon = frappe.get_doc("Desktop Icon", existing)
+		icon.icon = DESKTOP_ICON_ICON
+		icon.icon_type = "Link"
+		icon.link_type = "Workspace Sidebar"
+		icon.link_to = SIDEBAR_NAME
+		icon.link = None
+		icon.parent_icon = DESKTOP_ICON_PARENT
+		icon.app = "jey_theme"
+		icon.standard = 1
+		icon.hidden = 0
+		icon.idx = DESKTOP_ICON_IDX
+		icon.save(ignore_permissions=True)
+		return f"updated Desktop Icon {DESKTOP_ICON_LABEL!r}"
+
+	icon = frappe.get_doc({
+		"doctype": "Desktop Icon",
+		"label": DESKTOP_ICON_LABEL,
+		"icon": DESKTOP_ICON_ICON,
+		"icon_type": "Link",
+		"link_type": "Workspace Sidebar",
+		"link_to": SIDEBAR_NAME,
+		"parent_icon": DESKTOP_ICON_PARENT,
+		"app": "jey_theme",
+		"standard": 1,
+		"hidden": 0,
+		"idx": DESKTOP_ICON_IDX,
+	})
+	icon.insert(ignore_permissions=True)
+	return f"created Desktop Icon {DESKTOP_ICON_LABEL!r}"
+
+
+def setup():
+	"""Entry point — safe to call repeatedly (e.g. from after_migrate)."""
+	results = [ensure_workspace_sidebar(), ensure_desktop_icon()]
+	frappe.db.commit()
+	for r in results:
+		if r:
+			print(r)