I’ve watched with great interest as the people-first frameworks behind the first half of my career have made their way steadily into enterprise. Human Resources program growth is outpacing other parts of the business, in fact Chief People Officers (CPOs) were the fastest growing C-suite role in 2020 –outpacing peer roles by 44%. The high demand for data-driven HR is coming from above as well as within: from each company’s board, as well as it’s workforce.I’m pleased to say that co-founding Included is a culmination of my career and passions to date.
It’s not been a surprise – the incredible speed with which companies are adopting data-driven HR practices or the demand that drives it. The simple fact is that modern HR best practices represent a once-in-a-generation revolution in what we call employee engagement.The demand for evidence-based people management is a concept welcomed by all.
In order to found Included, I now depart a career in leadership coaching across a portfolio of C-suite clients. However, at the start of my career coaching practice I specialized in mid-career and younger, high potential clients. I spent years coaching professionals of various backgrounds who were trying their hardest to grow their careers in big, matrixed organizations.
A common thread through their experiences was this: if they did not magically figure out how to advocate for themselves, they would slip through the cracks. Rare was the excellent manager who took the time to nurture, advocate for, and advance every individual on their team.
When you center the belonging, performance and growth experiences of all employees you are necessarily driven to create programs, policies, and yes –technology that closes gaps and strengthens impact for all employees. This is called human-centered design and I’m proud to be co-founding Included where we bring this concept to life.
We haven’t yet seen the breakthrough progress we want within business’ ability to recruit, develop, grow and promote a high-performing, engaged global workforce –but with technology like Included, the ability to measure and track our outcomes is rising.
CPOs are now being asked to move from why metrics to how metrics – meaning no longer is the question: Why are we not retaining top talent, instead we are asking: How can we meet the needs of all employees?
The technology to drive a continuous improvement process, used by every other part of the business to deliver on goals and continually course correct does not yet exist for HR programs. This feels like a miss of outsized impact.
I began people-centric work at a time before technology existed as it does today, and before the private sector was investing in this topic area. I mentored under leaders who had dedicated their lives to closing performance gaps across our society.
The culture initiatives, HR councils, and employee engagement practices that my contemporaries and those mentors that came before us pioneered in organizational development to increase the reach, impact, and power of all employees in the business process are now being adopted by HR leaders from all sectors.
That global brands are adopting these frameworks bodes well for a strong belonging and productivity experience per employee. But as my mentors taught me decades ago when I began this work: follow the numbers –they prove out our story.
Included’s AI native approach to people data allows CPOs, HR leaders and managers to go beyond current state and gain access to the insights they need to tell the full and complete people story of their workforce development.
At Included we believe HR leaders deserve the capability to measure what matters, continuously.
If you are interested in learning more about how our Early Adopter customers are continuously measuring and improving the reach and impact of their global HR programs, please reach out. I’d be happy to discuss our results and what opportunities there are to join our Early Adopter cohort!
Cheers,
Laura Close
[email protected]
