Empowering Workplaces

In this episode, Sanja talks with Dr. Alexis Fink, an experienced industrial-organizational psychologist who has shaped workforce strategy across global giants including Meta, Microsoft, and Intel.

Dr. Alexis shares stories from her career bridging the gap between corporate strategy, daily execution, and human talent. She discusses what it takes to use data to ensure the entire ecosystem thrives , and how organizations can drive business success while simultaneously improving the personal lives of their teams.

The conversation explores how people analytics teams can better align with business strategy by partnering with finance, sales, and operations, the importance of understanding different human experiences to build true empathy, and the ways AI can be leveraged to reduce repetitive drudgery and unconstrain teams. Dr. Fink also reflects on the necessity of cultivating a multidimensional identity to build resilience and combat burnout in today's demanding environments.

Guest:

Dr. Alexis Fink is a leader defined by her profound empathy and lifelong commitment to ensuring that the human remains at the heart of human resources. With an extensive background in organizational transformation and people analytics, she has led initiatives at companies like Meta, Microsoft, Intel, and BASF. Today, in her post-corporate season, she advises startups, teaches, and consults to help create workplaces where everyone truly belongs.

Useful links:

What does it really mean to create a psychologically safe workplace and can you actually measure it?

In this episode of Empowering Workplaces, host Sanja Licina, PhD sits down with Dr. Serena Huang, AI leader, people analytics expert, and author of The Inclusion Equation. Together, they explore the intersection of data, AI, and human behavior, unpacking how organizations can move beyond good intentions and start building environments where people feel safe to speak up, contribute, and challenge the status quo.

Serena shares insights from her experience leading AI and analytics at companies like PayPal, GE, and Kraft Heinz, including the surprising moment when an algorithm predicted her own resignation. The conversation dives into responsible AI, bias in hiring technologies, and why psychological safety is far more nuanced than most organizations realize.

If you care about leadership, culture, and the future of work, this episode offers both practical frameworks and thought-provoking perspectives on turning data into meaningful change.

In this episode of Empowering Workplaces, we welcome Clint Kofford, President and Managing Director at LeaderWorks. Clint introduces us to the Family 360, a 360 feedback tool created at LeaderWorks to help leaders understand how they show up at home just as much as they do in the office.He shares his own experience going through the process, the surprising lessons it revealed, and why he believes strong family relationships create a flywheel effect that fuels professional success. This conversation goes beyond leadership strategies, it’s about creating alignment between who you are at work and who you are for the people who matter most.

Visit LeaderWorks website and learn more about the Family 360: leaderworks.co

On this episode of Empowering Workplaces, hosts Sanja Licina, PhD, and Guille Santana sit down with Dr. Shonna Waters and Dr. Erin Eatough, co-founders of Fractional Insights, to explore the findings of their report, The Risk of Angst, and explain why unmet needs like security, significance, and growth silently drain employee performance and engagement.

You’ll also learn about three dominant work mindsets: Universalists, Transactionalists, and Stewards, and how leaders can shift their cultures to meet diverse expectations.

If you care about performance, retention, and designing better workplaces for everyone, this episode offers powerful insight, clear data, and immediate takeaways.

Download The Business Risk of Work-Related Angst Study: https://www.fractionalinsights.ai/the-business-risk-of-work-related-angst

In this episode of Empowering Workplaces, hosts Sanja Licina, PhD, and Guille Santana sit down with Malvika Jethmalani, founder of Atvis Group and Women Shaping AI. Malvika shares her journey from finance to HR, how data and analytics drive her people strategy work, and what inspired her to launch a movement to ensure women have a seat at the table in the future of AI. Together, we talk about representation, impact, and what practical steps can help close the gender gap in AI today.

Join Women Shaping AI here

On this episode of Empowering Workplaces we welcome Lynn Merritt, CHRO at Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. Lynn shares with us how she’s creating a culture of trust, transparency, and inclusion across a huge network of community-focused healthcare organizations. 

With 20+ years in healthcare HR, she shares the ups and downs of piloting initiatives like a four-day workweek pilot, why really listening to employees matters, and how being authentic keeps teams engaged and motivated.

Join hosts Sanja Licina, PhD, and Guille Santana for this inspiring conversation full of real talk about making work better and more meaningful. Plus, Lynn’s top tips for HR leaders trying to do the same.