Susy Martins and Jeff Waldman shared their perspectives on the evolving role of HR, emphasizing that success today requires more than traditional people skills. Hiring should prioritize integrity, intelligence, and energy, while HR professionals must understand broader business functions like finance, marketing, and tech. They cautioned against rushing into AI or new tools without first identifying real organizational problems, recommending a thoughtful, goal-driven approach to tech adoption. Key areas of focus included analytics, change management, and personalized employee experiences. The conversation wrapped with a reminder to build strong professional relationships, avoid office politics, and lead with intention and strategy.
Chapters
Introductions and Backgrounds
Susy Martins opened the discussion by sharing her background—15 years in corporate roles and the past 7 years immersed in the tech space. She now works fractionally with scaling companies across North America and the Middle East.
Jeff Waldman followed by introducing his 25-year career in HR, detailing his pivot to advising HR tech companies. He emphasized his commitment to enhancing brand awareness and noted his recent attendance at the HR Tech Conference in Las Vegas.
The HR Journey and Making an Impact
Susy highlighted the value of integrity, intelligence, and energy in successful hiring practices. She advocates for building teams with “smart and happy” individuals, emphasizing positivity and reliability.
Jeff underscored the need for HR practitioners to be business-savvy. He pointed out that understanding the full scope of a company’s operations enables HR leaders to translate HR initiatives into measurable business outcomes.
Building Business Acumen
Jeff encouraged HR professionals to invest time with business unit leaders to better grasp their challenges and strategic goals.
Susy stressed that HR must understand how businesses generate revenue—just like marketing or sales departments. She recommended courses in finance, tech, marketing, and strategy to strengthen business literacy.
She also noted the current lack of specialization in areas such as benefits, compensation, and employee relations, presenting these as valuable niches for HR professionals.
The Evolving Role of HR and Technology
Susy addressed the increasing convergence of HR and IT, citing Moderna as an example. She pointed to the growing need for HR to tackle tech-driven issues, such as processing large volumes of job applications efficiently.
Areas of Demand in HR
Jeff identified key growth areas in HR, including analytics, HR tech, change management, and employee experience design.
He also highlighted the rising importance of personalization and the need to understand generational shifts in the workforce.
Data Management and Analytics
Susy warned against the “FOMO” effect around AI. Instead, she advised HR leaders to focus on aligning tech adoption with organizational goals and solving actual problems.
She emphasized understanding data inputs and using triangulation to ensure data accuracy.
Jeff added that while HR professionals don’t need to be data experts, they should utilize modern tools to draw insights from data—always with business strategy in mind.
Choosing the Right HR Tools
Jeff provided a checklist for selecting HR technology: consider company size, goals, remote work structure, system integration, user experience, customer support, and future product development.
Susy recommended starting with manual methods to fully understand the problems before implementing tools. She mentioned Humie for simple needs, HiBob for more advanced solutions, and Workleap as a strong Canadian performance management platform.
Maximizing HR Technology and Org Design
Jeff advised making the most of existing HR tech ecosystems and shifting attention toward organizational design. He emphasized aligning people and technology to support company goals, referencing Moderna’s integrated approach as a case study.
Networking, Mentorship, and Personal Branding
Jeff stressed the long-term benefits of relationship-building and networking within the HR community. He encouraged dedicating intentional time to these efforts and establishing a personal brand.
Susy offered advice on internal culture—steering clear of office politics and gossip, and instead focusing on positive contributions and relationship-building.