In the evolving world of HR, technical knowledge and compliance expertise are essential—but they're not enough. The most successful HR professionals understand that influence and trust are the real currency that drives organizational impact.
In this episode of HR Snacks, host Joel sits down with Jocelyn King, founder and CEO of Virgil HR, to explore how HR leaders can build the relationships and credibility needed to move from order-taker to strategic partner.
From HR Practitioner to Tech Founder
Jocelyn brings a unique perspective to the HR tech space. With a career spanning leadership roles at Target and high-growth tech companies—including VP of HR at a 20,000-employee FTSE-listed company—she experienced firsthand the challenges of tracking employment and labor laws across multiple states.
"HR is kind of reliant on Google. What are the maternity leave requirements in California? You go down a rabbit hole for three hours."
This frustration led her to create Virgil HR, a SaaS solution that empowers HR professionals to make smart, compliant employment decisions in real time. But her journey from HR leadership to entrepreneurship gave her deep insight into what makes HR professionals truly effective: it's not just what you know, it's whether people trust you enough to listen.
Why Influence Matters More Than Expertise
Jocelyn emphasizes that regardless of whether HR initiatives are compliance-related or focused on culture, sustainability, or employee experience, getting things done requires buy-in from other leaders.
"HR is a really tough profession to be in because more often than not, the different initiatives that you take on in human resources... you're generally going to have to get buy-in from other leaders in your organization, in particular, your CEO."
The reality is clear: even the best ideas fall flat without organizational influence. Jocelyn has witnessed countless HR professionals try to push forward initiatives that never gain traction—not because the ideas were bad, but because they hadn't built the trust and relationships necessary to drive change.
The Foundation of HR Success
When asked about HR's role in corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability initiatives, Jocelyn pointed out that the answer depends on the organization and the professional. But regardless of the initiative, one principle remains constant:
"One of the most important things that you can do as an HR professional isn't even necessarily putting all of these best practices in place yet. The very first thing that you need to do is work on your relationships with other leaders in the organization and also ensuring that you're building trust across the organization as well."
This is a powerful reframing of the HR profession. Rather than focusing immediately on policies, programs, and best practices, HR professionals must first establish themselves as trusted advisors who understand the business and have genuine relationships across departments.
Building Your Influence: Key Takeaways
Lead with relationships, not processes – Before implementing any initiative, invest time in understanding your leadership team and earning their trust.
Understand the business deeply – HR professionals who understand metrics, product development, engineering, and marketing are better positioned to provide strategic guidance.
Be a consultant, not an order taker – Position yourself as a strategic advisor who helps leaders make informed decisions, not someone who simply enforces rules.
Earn the right to drive change – You can't push forward sustainability initiatives, DEI programs, or culture transformations without first establishing credibility across the organization.
The Bottom Line
As HR continues its transformation from administrative function to strategic business partner, the ability to build influence and trust becomes the defining skill. Technical expertise opens doors, but relationships determine whether you can walk through them.
Jocelyn's journey from HR leader to tech founder demonstrates this principle in action. By understanding the business deeply and building genuine relationships with leaders, she was able to identify a real problem and conviction to solve it—and eventually, the support to bring her vision to life.
Listen to the full conversation with Jocelyn King on HR Snacks Episode 39: Building Influence and Trust in HR.
