In this episode, host Thomas Bertels welcomes Dr. Solange Charas and Stela Lupushor, co-authors of "Humanizing Human Capital". They share how four major trends - demographics, digitization, datafication, and disintermediation - impact HR. Putting Human Capital in the context of the pandemic, the authors explain the tensions between employees and employers around remote work, surveillance technology, and the greater need for worker autonomy and discuss how harnessing the power of data analytics can move organizations successfully into the future of work.

By embracing data analytics, organizations can tap into their own data to improve organizational productivity and the employee experience rather than relying on industry best practices. They advocate for a shift from standardization to personalized and a move towards servant leadership to help people thrive. By looking at work through the employee lens, companies can create systems that help them do their best work and become more productive. They explain that by listening to the employees' voice and incorporating employee feedback, HR can improve retention rates, positively shape the brand, and reduce costs of recruiting and training. HR departments that embrace Human Capital and data analytics receive 3x the Return on Investment, get more money for their programs, and increased value for their organization.