Harriet

Evolution in the face of the revolution 🦖 💪 AI is no longer a thought experiment. The business mandate is clear: make it real, make it useful, make it ROI-positive. But where to start? And how will HR leaders need to evolve to meet such rapid change? This session is for HR teams looking to lead through transformation and translate company-wide strategy into action. Join Cecily Motley(Co-Founder, Harriet) in conversation with our new Advisor Jeff Wellstead — Strategic HR Advisor, AI in HR Expert, and former HRD across both multinational enterprises and 16+ startups — to unpack where AI is genuinely delivering value, how to start safely, and why AI can explode HR's value. We'll explore: >Adoption - what’s blocking progress for HR teams, and how to shift from experimentation to execution >How to bring your CFO and IT stakeholders with you >Why “crawl, walk, run” can be more effective than “big bang” and some examples of where you can find quick ROI wins. > Real worked examples and case studies of companies adopting and deploying AI and how they got there. This session is for: 👉 CPOs and People Directors who are AI-curious — or under pressure to deliver results 👉 HR teams ready to shape transformation instead of reacting to it 👉 Operators who want to build trust and momentum in the age of AI As always, it will be a quick 45 minute session with plenty of time for questions. See you there!

We’re thrilled to welcome Jeff Wellstead as an Advisor. 🚀 Jeff is a strategic HR Advisor, AI in HR Expert, and former HRD for both multi-national enterprises and over 16 start-up/scale-ups.  He’s helping shape the next wave of workforce strategy through ethical, skills-first AI, supporting HR leaders as they navigate the AI revolution—blending strategic clarity with practical execution. Jeff brings a rare combination of visionary thinking, infectious energy, and a deep understanding of what it takes to build modern, resilient organisations. He’s seen what works (and what doesn’t) from inside high-growth tech, fast-scaling consultancies, and some of the most forward-thinking HR teams in Europe. We’ve admired his work for years—and we’re lucky to now have him as part of our advisory team as we push forward our mission to rewire internal operations with AI. Welcome, Jeff 🎉 🚀

We're partnering with Open Org 🤝 When Adam Horne and John Faulkner-Willcocks told us about their latest project—to pull all of their expertise into one place complete with a selection of partners—we thought it sounded like exactly the kind of thing we wanted to be involved in. Why? We like that Open Org wants to help People People in similar-sized companies to the ones we work best with at Harriet (200–2000 FTE). We like their community approach—it takes a village, after all. We think the quality of what they produce is excellent 💡 So if you’re a People person in a scaling business looking to boost your development, find an ideas sounding board and get some support with the litany of challenges your role entails... you need an Open Org membership. 🎁 How do I do that? £120 a year gets you access to: 👉 12+ exclusive Open Org Playbooks (think high-utility “how-to” guides on culture, employer brand, and AI) 👉 Regular new content & playbooks dropped throughout the year 👉 Access to 50+ highly curated partners (including us 🙂 across HR Tech & Services) 👉 Carefully selected, modern personal development courses & cohorts 👉 Exclusive content co-created between Open Org and partners like us! 🙋♀️ Who’s it for? 👉 HR & People People 👉 In Startups/Scaleups (10–2000 FTE) 👉 Anywhere in the world 📍Check it out! Come find us 🙂 Where do I find that? You can join here: www.openorg.fyi/membership Feel free to use this code at checkout for 25% off today: OOLAUNCH25 (Only valid today though!)

Thanks for letting use use your data Stakkd!

We’re thrilled to welcome Gianna Driver as an advisor to Harriet. 🎉 Gianna brings a wealth of experience as a senior HR leader, having led People functions at some of the world’s most ambitious and fast-growing companies—including Bluevine, Exabeam and Lattice. She’s known for building high-performing teams, driving global people strategy, and championing employee experience at scale. Her mix of strategic insight, operational excellence, and deep empathy for employees is exactly what we aspire to as we grow Harriet. We’re incredibly grateful to have Gianna’s guidance as we enter this next phase—scaling our impact, refining our product, and helping even more HR teams transform how they support their people. Welcome, Gianna! 

60% of HR Tech products say they are AI powered. But what does that even mean? If you are a People leader looking at the HR Tech market and scratching your head, this is for you. 🚀 Just launched: “A Practical Guide to AI in HR Tech” What’s inside: ➡️ A new framing: AI-native vs. SaaS-plus —and why that distinction matters more than you think ➡️ An idea of where the market is today, with examples from IBM, Amazon, PwC on how AI is being used to speed up hiring, reduce churn, and personalise L&D ➡️ Fresh data thanks to Stakkd on what HR teams are actually looking for right now (spoiler: it’s not just recruiting) ➡️ Smart questions to ask any vendor claiming they’re “AI-powered” 📊 It’s built from real-world product data, usage trends, and what we’re hearing on the ground. With a special thank you to Jessie Schofer and Stakkd for allowing us to use their data. If you're in the middle of evaluating tools—or just trying to make sense of the landscape—this is for you. Share with anyone you think might find it useful (link to the report is below)

Let's cut to the chase. While everyone chases AI technology, HR can see the road ahead. This isn't just new software—it's a complete reinvention of work, culture, and human potential that requires careful navigation. By 2030, it is predicted that 59% of the global population will need re-skilling. AI isn’t just automation. It’s transformation. And HR are at the centre. This conversation is for the ones who see the bigger picture—who understand that sustainable AI adoption requires reimagining culture, roles, and human potential alongside the technology. We’ll cover: ▶️ Why caution isn’t resistance—it’s strategy ▶️ How to plan for real transformation (not just another tool) ▶️ The psychology of change: how humans actually process shifts in identity, systems, and power and how we can prepare and support people through this ▶️ Helping your people find their place in an AI-transformed workplace Join us for an engaged conversation with seasoned Transformation and People Pros - Carol Paddison and Natalie Lineton, moderated by Cecily Motley This webinar is your opportunity to pause—and plan smart. See you on 15th May

The importance of face to face 👥 About this time last week, Harriet's Camilla Bier was about to kick off our New Hampshire People Leader's Breakfast along with our brilliant advisor Tracie Sponenberg. We chatted to People leaders from a range of businesses about what AI actually looks like today. And it wasn't what people thought. Less scary. More helpful, mostly. Then we hit the road to meet with our US customers to talk about our product roadmap: how we are helping teams today and where we can help tomorrow. We came back with fresh ideas and renewed sense of purpose. Simply put, there is nothing better than face to face. Thank you to Tracie Sponenberg and all the amazing leaders we met last week!

In New Hampshire? Free tomorrow morning? Join us for our People Leader's meet up with Tracie Sponenberg and Camilla Bier. William & Sons Coffee, Concord. Tomorrow at 8am. See you there https://lu.ma/7hdmxx9w

We speak to HR teams all day every day. Which makes for some interesting insights. We sat down with our customer success expert, Svitlana (Lana) Kurochkina to learn what she’s seeing across Harriet’s customer base; common themes and challenges. Here’s the upshot: