Reading Between the Spreadsheets: How to Transform HR Data into Business Impact
About This Episode
In this eye-opening episode of HR Confessions, hosts Rebecca Taylor and Kim Rohrer explore the all-too-familiar tale of an HR professional caught in the challenging position of identifying organizational problems without having the authority to fix them. They explore the story of Megan, a Director of People at a tech startup who finds herself playing the role of Cassandra—the Greek prophet cursed with seeing the future but never being believed. Through Megan's experience with employee disengagement, a resistant CEO, and the struggle to create meaningful change, Rebecca and Kim offer valuable insights on effective change management strategies, communication techniques, and the emotional toll of being the messenger in HR. Whether you're an HR professional navigating similar waters or a leader looking to better understand workplace dynamics, this episode provides both validation and practical wisdom.Show NotesSkillCycle's most recent ebook provides a step-by-step guide to gaining influence and driving real change: https://www.skillcycle.com/strategic-hr-guidebook/Introduction to the concept of HR professionals as "Cassandra" - the Greek prophet cursed with seeing the future but never being believed Overview of the ADKAR change management model: Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, ReinforcementIntroduction to Megan's story - a Director of People at a 200-person tech company in the mid-2010s The company's experiment with removing meetings and implementing siloed work that became permanent How Megan identified disengagement issues using company data (08:37)The confrontation with the CEO when presenting her findings and solutions The CEO's rejection of Megan's data and suggestion that disengagement is "an HR problem" The immediate aftermath: an employee resignation confirming Megan's concerns The cruel cycle: Megan extending offers to new hires while knowing about the toxic cultureAnalysis of what Megan could have done differently: Sending pre-reads before the meeting Collaborating earlier in the process rather than presenting finished solutions Translating "disengagement" into business outcomes the CEO cares about How to reframe HR challenges to get leadership buy-inClosing thoughts on collaborative approaches to organizational problems Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices