Taking the best elements of a product-led approach and applying them to HR activity can transform the people function. This book shows you how.
Written for all HR professionals, Transforming People Operations explains how to improve workforce and business performance by developing agile ways of working, evidence-based decision making and a culture of continuous feedback and iteration.
It explains everything from what this approach means for HR, what the benefits of it are and how to do it effectively. It covers how to proactively develop an employee experience which attracts, engages and retains the talent the business needs and supports them to operate at their full potential. There is also practical guidance on the importance of user research and how to encourage a continuous feedback loop as well as advice on how to build and improve employee experience at scale, the importance of testing and iteration and how to define metrics for success.
Most importantly, this book provides expert guidance throughout on how to embed evidence-based decision making and develop agile HR working practices to improve both employee and business performance. Full of tools, tips, case studies, exercises and interviews with HR leaders who are already seeing the benefits, this is essential reading for all HR practitioners needing to develop an agile, innovative and evidence-based approach to their people operations.
Industry Reviews
"At last, new thinking on operationalizing HR. We needed this. If you're thinking about how to take your people team to the next level, read this! Jessica's fresh thinking is the energy we need in an often predictable domain." * Ben Branson-Gateley, CEO and Co-founder, CharlieHR *
"A thoroughly enjoyable read. Built for People delivers a practical guide to unleash the true power of the People Team. Jessica lays a clear path for us to follow, and it leads to People teams delivering measurably more business impact." * Huw Slater, COO, Travelperk *
"Built for People is an indispensable tool for you and your team that offers a fresh approach to solving new and old issues in the workplace. It offers a clear and concise framework for rethinking how we approach and design programmes with and for employees." * Lars Schmidt, author, Redefining HR & founder, Amplify Academy *
"Jessica not only offers a more humane and durably effective approach to acquiring, growing and managing great talent, but also in the fundamentals of great product management unpacked in highly-relatable terms. People leaders will take away a fresh approach to building teams, and product managers will view their discipline through a novel lens. Rarely are these two disciplines discussed in the same place, but Jessica delivers a masterclass in both." * Andy Tyra, Chief Product and Technical Officer, Whereby *
"Jessica Zwaan doesn't just tell us how important People Ops should be: she urges us to make that a reality by leveraging principles used by the world's best product teams, often the same principles that our companies are already using, right down the hall." * Michael Wolfe, Co-founder, Gladly & Advisor, Point Nine Capital *
"Productivity and performance gains are guaranteed by following Jessica's powerful and deeply practical advice. Her experience in such a diverse range of organizations enables her to recommend an engaging approach to People Operations that is applicable to all, whichever sector and whether you're an established or emerging entity. It's fantastic that her innovative ideas are now accessible to a wider audience thanks to this excellent book." * Abbie Pugh, Head of Leadership Development, Kindred Capital *
"Jessica's book offers strategies that will encourage current and emerging leaders to question the status quo. Change driven by COVID and economic downturn makes this book essential reading for modern leaders who are required to manage transnational companies." * Dr Jeanne McConachie, Previous Manager, Griffith Honours College *
"With brutal efficiency, accessible clarity and smart framing, this book has given People Operations and HR Professionals no excuse to opt out of "productising" the things it creates. That Jessica describes herself as a terrible (but very passionate) crafter is almost poignant because this book creates craft from process, policy and protocols that are the HR hallmark. Smart, snazzy and searching you will change forever how you view the products that are necessary to enable your people to do their best work. The future of work may be human, but the future of People Operations is product management. It's the clarion call we needed." * Perry Timms, Founder, Chief Energy Officer, PTHR *
