Data Storytelling for People Teams with Serena Huang, PhD
02/21/25 • 35 min
Today's guest, Dr. Serena Huang, champions the crucial role of data experts in people teams, showing how people analytics can lead to smarter talent decisions. A globally recognized speaker and innovator, Dr. Huang has a unique background as a data executive at Fortune 100 companies and a Chief Data Officer in the startup world. Her work goes beyond numbers, using data to create healthier, more productive workplaces. A Wiley author and sought-after lecturer at top MBA programs, she’s passionate about empowering the next generation of leaders with data-driven insights. In this episode, Dr. Huang discusses her journey into the people side of business, why data experts are vital to talent teams, and how people analytics can transform decision-making. She also dives into the data behind remote work trends, pawternity, and the inspiration for her book; sharing valuable insights on the art of data storytelling in talent leadership.
Key Points From This Episode:
- Winning the fight with talent leadership: the importance of installing data experts on the people team.
- She unpacks the value of people analytics and how it generates valuable information.
- How she works with CHROs to define their actual problem.
- Data storytelling with people data: what makes it different.
- The verdict (and her opinion) on pawternity.
- We look at the current data on remote work and the push for office returns: making decisions based on informed data (from your people!)
- How Dr. Huang decided to write her book and what topic she wanted to focus on.
Quotes:
“What holds people back is the data quality. You can have great dashboards but when the underlying data is not trustworthy, no one is going to do anything with the data.” — @SerenaHuangPhD [0:10:27]
“Having autonomy, having the agency to decide where, how, and what you work on [is what matters] as humans. [And] I think that’s why remote work was so successful during COVID, for a short while, [and] that shocked everyone.” — @SerenaHuangPhD [0:21:38]
“For validation, I also found that people are much happier on Fridays. No matter where you are, no matter where you’re working, [on] Fridays, everyone’s mood is better!” — @SerenaHuangPhD [0:27:58]
“I think we are just starting on this AI journey and what AI can do. So much is yet to be seen!” — @SerenaHuangPhD [0:33:51]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
The Inclusion Equation: Leveraging Data & AI For Organizational Diversity and Well-being
Today's guest, Dr. Serena Huang, champions the crucial role of data experts in people teams, showing how people analytics can lead to smarter talent decisions. A globally recognized speaker and innovator, Dr. Huang has a unique background as a data executive at Fortune 100 companies and a Chief Data Officer in the startup world. Her work goes beyond numbers, using data to create healthier, more productive workplaces. A Wiley author and sought-after lecturer at top MBA programs, she’s passionate about empowering the next generation of leaders with data-driven insights. In this episode, Dr. Huang discusses her journey into the people side of business, why data experts are vital to talent teams, and how people analytics can transform decision-making. She also dives into the data behind remote work trends, pawternity, and the inspiration for her book; sharing valuable insights on the art of data storytelling in talent leadership.
Key Points From This Episode:
- Winning the fight with talent leadership: the importance of installing data experts on the people team.
- She unpacks the value of people analytics and how it generates valuable information.
- How she works with CHROs to define their actual problem.
- Data storytelling with people data: what makes it different.
- The verdict (and her opinion) on pawternity.
- We look at the current data on remote work and the push for office returns: making decisions based on informed data (from your people!)
- How Dr. Huang decided to write her book and what topic she wanted to focus on.
Quotes:
“What holds people back is the data quality. You can have great dashboards but when the underlying data is not trustworthy, no one is going to do anything with the data.” — @SerenaHuangPhD [0:10:27]
“Having autonomy, having the agency to decide where, how, and what you work on [is what matters] as humans. [And] I think that’s why remote work was so successful during COVID, for a short while, [and] that shocked everyone.” — @SerenaHuangPhD [0:21:38]
“For validation, I also found that people are much happier on Fridays. No matter where you are, no matter where you’re working, [on] Fridays, everyone’s mood is better!” — @SerenaHuangPhD [0:27:58]
“I think we are just starting on this AI journey and what AI can do. So much is yet to be seen!” — @SerenaHuangPhD [0:33:51]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
The Inclusion Equation: Leveraging Data & AI For Organizational Diversity and Well-being
Previous Episode
Flex EMEA TA Manager Benjamin Tarmann
Benjamin explains how he and his team measure candidate ROI, how he’s improved the candidate selection process, what to be wary of when using AI in TA, and the opportunities that await between what a candidate already knows and what they’re expected to learn in their new role. To end, Benjamin walks us through key data points that, when paid attention to, will help a company improve its candidate experience, and he shares vital advice for approaching a new job with the right attitude.
Key Points From This Episode:
- Design and R&D TA Manager for EMEA at Flex, Benjamin Tarmann describes his new role.
- His daily tasks as he grapples with and embraces new responsibilities.
- The ins and outs of Flex and how Benjamin measures ROI.
- Candidate selection, improving foundational processes, and using the right metrics.
- Exploring the dangers of automation in TA and how to use AI responsibly.
- The opportunity gap between a candidate’s expertise and the demands of their new role.
- Data points to note for improving your company’s candidate experience.
- Benjamin’s parting advice on how to best approach a new job.
Quotes:
“It’s good to have somebody who’s familiar with the process to take a look at the process and analyze [it] because otherwise, you will either not even be aware of the issues in the process or you will be very confused by – [what] you see in the data.” — Benjamin Tarmann [05:01]
“I’m really lucky that I have a boss that gives me almost boundless independence and very minimal supervision.” — Benjamin Tarmann [07:31]
“The whole [Flex] organization lives and dies by the fact that we’re constantly working to improve our processes and systems and tools and methods.” — Benjamin Tarmann [08:55]
“We want to focus on internal candidate selection. We want to ensure that people have an avenue for career growth.” — Benjamin Tarmann [12:42]
“Don’t be afraid of diversity. Don’t be afraid of trying something else.” — Benjamin Tarmann [30:05]
“Have the bravery to try something that’s outside of your comfort zone, it will make you a better leader down the road.” — Benjamin Tarmann [31:53]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Next Episode
Skillsoft Chief People Officer Ciara Harrington
Ciara shares her journey from dreaming of being a CPO as a kid (briefcase in hand!) to leading global people strategies, the challenges of stepping into an internal leadership role, and the power of data-driven decision-making in HR. She breaks down Skillsoft’s strategy cascade, a system that ensures every employee’s work drives company success, and reveals how generative AI is changing the game for HR analytics.
Key Points From This Episode:
- From County Cork to the C-suite: Ciara’s path to becoming a CPO.
- The power of listening and widening your perspective when stepping into a leadership role.
- Fixing a disconnected remote team and the small changes that made a big impact.
- Why Ciara always wanted to lead HR and how her analytical brain helps her do it.
- Insight into the AI revolution in HR: turning scattered data into real business insights.
- How every role is a tech role and why HR pros must upskill in AI and analytics.
- Benefits of a company AI co-pilot (and why you probably shouldn’t use ChatGPT).
- Skillsoft’s strategy cascade and the secret to aligning people with company goals.
- Streamlining organizational structure for speed, clarity, and real business impact.
- The art of subtraction and why HR needs to stop doing outdated tasks and focus on impact.
- Tips for executives to inspire organizational engagement in strategic goals.
- Lean in, step up, and follow your passion: Ciara’s advice for aspiring HR leaders!
Quotes:
“To have influence in a boardroom or at the C-suite [level], it's important you're able to demonstrate that the activities your functions provide to the organization actually drive tangible business outcomes.” — Ciara Harrington [0:10:33]
“It doesn't matter if you're in IT, HR, finance, [or] product, every role is a technical role [these days]. As a result, every single employee or team member at every company needs to be up-skilling themselves in data, generative AI, and data and analytics.” — Ciara Harrington [0:15:04]
“That's how we want people to think about things: every time you're making a decision on how to spend your time, it should be on one of these five things. Our logic is, if every single person at our company does that, we will meet our business outcomes.” — Ciara Harrington [0:29:25]
“Do not follow the money. Follow the job. The money will follow you.” — Ciara Harrington [0:35:25]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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