Jessica Zwaan

Jessica Zwaan, a People Ops expert and author of 'Built for People,' shares her journey into the innovative world of PeopleOps as a Product. She reveals the origins of this game-changing framework and discusses how a pivotal blog post inspired her book. Jessica dives into the challenges and achievements of launching MPL Build, a collaboration aimed at enhancing team methodologies. She highlights shifts in perceptions about PeopleOps and explores the growing adoption of agile practices in the U.S., setting the stage for the future of HR.

David Hanrahan, Chief People Officer at Flare, and Jessica Zwaan, Author of Built for People & COO at Talentful, tackle outdated performance management practices that hinder employee growth. They discuss the shift from individual assessments to team-focused evaluations, emphasizing transparency and real-time feedback. The duo explores how AI can reshape performance reviews and addresses the complexities of linking performance to compensation. Their insights shed light on the evolving HR landscape, urging companies to adopt more collaborative and dynamic approaches.

Jessica Zwaan (Author, Built for People) and Ryan Bonnici (CMO, Gympass), joined us on The Modern People Leader.   We talked about why HR should be considered a revenue generating function, how to align yourself closer to revenue as an HR leader, and why you don’t need to get the metrics perfect for every single people program.  ---- (2:17) Good news stories (7:14) How Ryan and Jessica became Aussie besties (10:15) Ryan’s career journey: flight attendant —> Salesforce —> HubSpot —> CMO at G2 —> CMO at Gympass (15:40) Built for People is out (22:05) How HR leaders can align themselves closer to revenue (29:06) The CHRO role is the hardest role in the C-Suite (31:15) HR is a revenue generating function (32:32) Looking at things like the CAC to LTV ratio for employees (37:06) You don’t need to get the ROI or the metrics perfect (41:26) The waterfall style that HR has traditionally operated within (47:40) Crawl, walk, run approach to marketing HR programs (49:31) Rapid fire questions ---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get key learnings & career advice from Modern People Leaders 🛎 Follow Jessica Zwaan on LinkedIn 🛎 Follow Ryan Bonnici on LinkedIn 💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn ---- We're gifting free copies of Jessica's book, Built for People. The first 5 people to shoot me (⁠Daniel⁠) a LinkedIn DM get one.

Jessica Zwaan, COO at Talentful and author of Built for People, dives into the fascinating world of AI in HR. She discusses the challenges of AI abstinence versus open use, likening tools to an Iron Man suit for decision-making. Jessica introduces her 4Bs framework—Bot, Build, Borrow, Buy—for smart adoption. The conversation touches on overcoming stigma around AI, making thoughtful investment decisions, and creating effective organizational policies. It's a thought-provoking exploration of balancing innovation and ethics in the workplace.

In this engaging discussion, Jessica Zwaan, an expert in structuring people operations as a product team, shares her insights on building effective HR squads. She emphasizes the value of using spider diagrams for squad design and proposes piloting a single squad before scaling. The conversation also tackles the importance of aligning skills and roles within teams, balancing core HR duties with innovative projects, and the power of a shared mission across squads. Jessica's real-world examples provide a practical perspective on revolutionizing people ops.

Jessica Zwaan, the author of 'Built for People' and expert in People Ops, delves into innovative hiring practices for operational teams. She discusses the five essential skillsets needed in candidates, emphasizing the power of planning as a secret weapon. Zwaan introduces the concept of T-shaped talent and advocates for case studies in interviews to assess problem-solving abilities. With a focus on moving HR from compliance to strategy, she highlights the significance of flexibility and creativity in hiring processes, aiming to reshape the employee experience.

Jessica Zwaan, COO at Talentful and author of Built for People, brings insightful perspectives on people operations. She discusses the evolution of 'human ops' versus 'people ops', emphasizing that perfection isn't required in these frameworks. Zwaan also highlights the transformative impact of AI on HR, advocating for a balance between technology and human touch. Listeners can expect engaging tips on agile practices and how to effectively navigate team dynamics in a rapidly changing work environment.

In this discussion, Joris Luijke, CEO of Pyn, and Jessica Zwaan, author of 'Built for People', delve into the art of employee journey mapping. They emphasize designing for impactful moments rather than just processes, explaining why many employee experiences fail. The conversation covers the balance of prioritizing key moments, the common pitfalls in journey mapping, and the importance of creativity in crafting experiences. They advocate for a holistic view of the employee journey, suggesting effective collaboration across departments to enhance satisfaction and engagement.

Jessica Zwaan, the Chief Operating Officer of Whereby and author of Built for People, shares her insights on transforming the employee experience using product management principles. She emphasizes the importance of viewing work as a product and highlights how organizations often overlook the value of employee experience. Zwaan discusses the distinctions between 'people operations' and 'human operations', along with strategies to enhance workforce engagement. Her vision encourages a shift towards more meaningful work that prioritizes both employee welfare and organizational success.

Jessica Zwaan, a seasoned COO and author of 'Built for People,' shares her insights on innovative compensation strategies tailored for startups. She discusses how applying product management principles can revolutionize HR practices. Key topics include performance-based pay, the importance of transparency in compensation, and the need for flexibility in pay structures. Jessica emphasizes the dangers of freezing salaries during financial strain and offers practical advice for building trust and engagement among employees, ensuring teams thrive in dynamic environments.