The Headcount People – Details, episodes & analysis

In this insightful episode of The Headcount People, host Tushar Makhija welcomes Alisa Avelar, a seasoned VP CHRO who has led HR teams at multiple hypergrowth companies. The discussion dives into the complexities of selling the HR story to the leadership table, addressing why HR departments often feel unheard or face pushback. Alisa shares her journey into HR, highlighting her passion for learning and development to support employees' career growth. The conversation covers a wide range of vital HR topics including the new normal post-pandemic, the importance of grace and patience in the workplace, and strategies for influencing and gaining a seat at the leadership table. Alisa also emphasizes the need for robust HR data tools and how to effectively use people analytics for better decision-making. The episode provides valuable perspectives on balancing business growth with employee wellbeing, making it a must-watch for HR professionals and organizational leaders. 00:00 Introduction to the Episode and Guest 01:22 Alisa Avelar's Journey in HR 02:40 The Evolution of HR in the Modern Workplace 04:10 Balancing Business Growth with Employee Well-being 07:26 Strategies for HR Leaders to Influence and Drive Change 12:01 The Importance of Data-Driven HR and the Challenges of Tooling 25:28 The Future of HR: AI and the Human Touch 30:21 The Impact of Technology on Human Connection 31:12 The Role of HR in Organizational Development 33:00 Challenges and Solutions in HR Technology 36:08 The Importance of Data in HR Decision Making 37:44 Choosing the Right HRIS for Your Organization 42:13 The Cost of Underinvesting in HR 50:30 Strategic HR Management and Headcount Planning 57:52 Final Thoughts on HR's Role in Organizational Success

🚀 Get ready to dive deep into the heart of organizational growth with our upcoming podcast episode featuring Alisa Avelar, a seasoned HR veteran who's steered hyper-growth companies through the ups and downs of building teams with insight and empathy. 🌟 🔍 From navigating the complexities of team dynamics during rapid expansion to fostering a culture of patience and grace post-pandemic, Alisa shares invaluable insights that every leader needs to hear. Whether you're an HR professional seeking to make a larger impact, a CEO wondering how to align company growth with people strategy, or just curious about the behind-the-scenes of company building, this episode is for you. 🤝 Join us as Alisa Avelar and Tushar Makhija explore the pivotal role of HR in shaping the future of work, the importance of data in making informed HR decisions, and the undiscussed challenges of scaling an organization. Discover why investing in HR tech and tools is not just a necessity but a strategic move for long-term success. ✨ Don't miss out on this enlightening conversation packed with stories of resilience, strategic insights, and the path to becoming a true partner to the C-suite. Tune in May 23rd to 'HR at the Helm: Steering Organizations Through Change with Insight and Empathy.'

In this episode from The Headcount People podcast, we interview Raman Mann, a seasoned RecOps professional with almost 10 years experience in People & Talent Programs, Operations, and Systems. In this conversation, we dive deep into the world of RecOps and headcount management, discussing various tools, team collaboration, alignment strategies, communication with stakeholders, talent mapping, and more. Join us as we explore the chapter list questions below, with: 🎙️Our Host: Tushar Makhija, Founder/CEO at TeamOhana Learn more about Tushar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tusharmakhija/ 🎙️Special Guest: Raman Mann, RecOps specialist Learn more about Raman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramandeepmann/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- CHAPTER LIST: 00:00 - Cold Open 03:11 - When you joined your last companies, what tools did you use? 05:34 - Which teams work together on headcount management? 06:52 - How do you make sure that everyone is aligned? 08:19 - What happens after you get the list of approved headcount? 12:24 - How do you communicate with hiring managers and finance about changes? 14:36 - How do you prioritize tools? 15:53 - When do you upload approved roles to the ATS? 19:05 - What is the impact of that inefficiency from your unique lens and your experience? 20:10 - Things that you would like the finance team to do better? 20:47 - Suggestions for hiring managers to work with recruiting ops? 21:58 - How can recruiting support budget variance tracking? 22:57 - How have you optimized tools to communicate with other stakeholders? 24:02 - What effort does it take to prepare a manual spreadsheet or keep the manual spreadsheet up to date? 25:13 - Is there a benefit of keeping things up to date in a more realtime basis? 26:35 - What are the types of questions that say business leaders want to know? 27:57 - What are some of the things you're doing differently now that we're all working from home to drive alignment and collaboration? 29:20 - How do you do talent mapping with the HR business partner? 30:39 - What does good organizational design look like? 32:21 - What would be your advice and blueprint for future Rec Ops professionals? 34:38 - What would you do differently and what should people be really careful about? 35:32 - How optimistic are you about the future, and what brings that optimism to you? #recruitingtips #talentacquisition #hrmanagement

Watch this short preview and get excited for the next episode from The Headcount People podcast, with special guest, Raman Mann, a seasoned RecOps professional with almost 10 years experience in People & Talent Programs, Operations, and Systems. In this conversation, we dive deep into the world of RecOps and headcount management, discussing various tools, team collaboration, alignment strategies, communication with stakeholders, talent mapping, and more. Join us as we explore the chapter list questions below, with: 🎙️Our Host: Tushar Makhija, Founder/CEO at TeamOhana Learn more about Tushar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tusharmakhija/ 🎙️Special Guest: Raman Mann, RecOps specialist Learn more about Raman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramandeepmann/ ✅Subscribe to our channel and never miss an episode, watch past episodes, learn best practices, and more!

In our latest episode, Daniel Fulmer, Finance Director at Invoca, shares his invaluable insights and expertise on navigating the intricacies of managing headcount in a rapidly evolving business landscape.

Daniel takes us on a journey through the evolution of the planning process, reflecting on the early days when it resembled the "wild west" with no defined structure. He highlights the transformative shift from relying on scattered spreadsheets to embracing a powerful headcount management tool that has revolutionized their operations. By leveraging this innovative tool, Invoca has saved valuable time and gained unprecedented visibility into their workforce.

Daniel addresses the biggest challenge they faced – managing an array of spreadsheets and ensuring accurate and up-to-date information amidst promotions, terminations, and the dynamic movements within the organization. He emphasizes the criticality of effective headcount management, especially in a software company where personnel expenses account for over 80% of the total spend and play a pivotal role in driving company growth. By mastering headcount planning and maintaining a robust plan, businesses can steer clear of the pitfalls of overstaffing or sudden layoffs due to unforeseen circumstances.

The conversation delves into the intricacies of the annual planning process, starting with a top-down target that is presented to department heads. Daniel unravels the collaborative process with teams, providing them with budgets and empowering them to prioritize their investments in software, personnel, and other crucial resources. While initial discussions are high-level, the planning process becomes progressively detailed, encompassing specific aspects such as job titles, levels, salaries, and start dates. However, Daniel acknowledges the possibility of changes and the need for flexibility, where adjustments and negotiations are made to navigate budget constraints effectively.

Throughout the video, Daniel underscores the importance of proactive planning and the immense value of adopting a rolling forecast approach. By consistently looking ahead and aligning future projections with current performance, businesses can make well-informed decisions, avoid unwelcome surprises, and quickly adapt to ever-changing market conditions. This agile mindset empowers companies to optimize their headcount expenses, extend their financial runway, and minimize the need for drastic measures such as layoffs during challenging times.

Join us for this enlightening discussion with Daniel Fulmer as we unravel the complexities of headcount management and discover the strategies that can help businesses navigate the annual headcount planning process with confidence and success.

Not every company needs a headcount management tool... but there are telltale signs when they do. In this teaser clip from our sixth episode of The Headcount People, Daniel Fulmer shares his take on when to bring a tool into your headcount process. Daniel is the Finance Director at Invoca, who has grown 4X during his tenure.

In this video, Krishna Vallabhaneni dives into the question of how to determine the number of new roles to add to your business plan each quarter. Krishna explains that the process begins with revenue planning, which is particularly crucial for subscription-based startups that may not yet be cash flow positive. By projecting revenue growth over the short and long term and updating those projections regularly, businesses can gain a better understanding of their hiring capacity. As Krishna notes, more revenue means more cash flow and more opportunities to bring new team members on board. Tune into the full episode for more insights from Krishna!

Krishna Vallabhaneni is the Vice President of Finance at Grin, a creator management platform for consumer brands to manage influencer marketing campaigns. With over a year of experience at Grin, Krishna leads the finance and accounting teams responsible for ensuring accurate and timely financials, which are clearly communicated to stakeholders across the company. Additionally, Krishna works closely with various business leaders to provide analytical support and insights on KPIs and their impact on financial performance. Before joining Grin, Krishna held similar roles at Clear and Revel Systems, both technology companies with subscription-based revenue models. Krishna's strong foundation in finance was built through prior experiences in investment banking, private equity, and consulting right after college. With a diverse background in finance and extensive experience in technology companies, Krishna brings a unique perspective to Grin's finance team. In this episode, we cover off on the processes that Krishna uses with his team to make sure the budgets and forecasts at Grin are as accurate as they can be. He discusses collaboration with other teams and how to create data integrity around headcount. 0:00 Cold open 0:54 Introductions 2:49 About Grin and the Finance team 4:52 Who would be your next hire? 6:04 Who is responsible for headcount management? 7:18 The first step in headcount planning 13:56 How are you working 'exact compensation' in your budgets? 15:52 How does org design influence your headcount plan? 17:00 How do hiring managers communicate with you? 19:22 Who shares info with you about internal transfers, backfills, attrition, etc.? 20:22 Why is it important to have the model up to date and precise? 21:30 Are you reporting these numbers up the chain on a weekly cadence? 22:57 How should heads of HR work with Finance? 25:01 Suggestions for Finance leaders planning the next 18-24 months 27:05 How do you approve new headcount requests? 29:25 Conclusion

Welcome Dave Wieseneck, VP Finance at Demostack, to The Headcount People podcast! Dave is a superstar when it comes to helping startups grow quickly and efficiently. He is a wizard with spreadsheets, but knows that tools and automation are the key to productivity and efficiency. We talk about the headcount planning process at Demostack, how they're approaching new investments in the 'new normal' of today, and when to move from manual work to a tool.

David Wieseneck talks about the shift from "growth at all costs" to "capital preservation" at his company, and many others in the tech landscape. The economy, plus the Silicon Valley Bank collapse, has led to a different approach to capital investment for Finance executives.