Research and Insights Archive

Research and Insights from the Center for Effective Organizations

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Podcast: Who has the Best People Analytics Team? And what does the Future hold for Alexis?

Podcast: Who has the Best People Analytics Team? And what does the Future hold for Alexis?

Oct 8, 2025 | ,

In this podcast episode, host Cole Napper interviews Alexis Fink, former leader at Meta, Microsoft, and Intel, about her “post-corporate season,” where she now runs the People Analytics Board for I4CP, collaborates with USC’s Center for Effective Organizations, writes, teaches, and helps organizations navigate AI and the future of work. She also discusses the upcoming SIOP Leading Edge Consortium, the evolution of people analytics beyond dashboards, and the importance of balancing I/O psychology with data science and business acumen to drive meaningful organizational value.

USC CEO Webinar: Driving Organizational Change with Data – in the Age of AI

USC CEO Webinar: Driving Organizational Change with Data – in the Age of AI

Sep 3, 2025 | , ,

Over the past quarter century, workforce/people analytics has become central to the work of HR. Yet good analytical work often fails to gain traction. And even though AI is poised to transform how analytics is conducted, it cannot solve the challenge of integrating data-based insights with effective organizational change. Integrating analytical practices with organization development and change practices can help each of these HR specialties be stronger, driving better overall outcomes for the organization, and make the best use of what AI has to offer.

Uncertain Times Call for Analytics

Uncertain Times Call for Analytics

Sep 2, 2025 | ,

We are living through a tornado of change in organizations. When things change, our old practices often don’t work as well – or, we’re worried that they won’t work as well. So, we change them – often on pretty shaky evidence. But most of the time when we do this, we are looking at a symptom – not at the root cause. Like a Sisyphean game of whack-a-mole, that root cause keeps throwing up problems in new places.

The World of HR Is Changing Rapidly: I-O Psychology Can Help

The World of HR Is Changing Rapidly: I-O Psychology Can Help

Jul 1, 2024 | ,

This SIOP White Paper Series examines the workplace that is being transformed by advancements in AI, emerging technologies, and changing cultural landscapes, reshaping organizational operations and employee interactions. In response, human resources teams have become more sophisticated and influential, leveraging expertise and data to enhance organizational effectiveness and gain a competitive edge.

Employee Surveys and Sensing: Challenges and Opportunities (Society Industrial Organizational Psych)

Employee Surveys and Sensing: Challenges and Opportunities (Society Industrial Organizational Psych)

Feb 18, 2020 |

Professional practice in the design and execution of employee survey programs has evolved tremendously over the past decade. Advances in technology and enthusiastic new interest in talent analytics have combined to create an exciting space with a good deal of innovation along methodological lines, matched by renewed interest in the strategic role of surveys and sensing for improving organizational effectiveness.

Investing in People: Financial Impact of Human Resource Initiatives, Third Edition

Investing in People: Financial Impact of Human Resource Initiatives, Third Edition

Jun 21, 2019 | , ,

The demand for organizational accountability has never been greater. The future of work, talent, and employment are changing at an unprecedented pace, and organizational decisions about how to invest in people are under increasing scrutiny. Leaders realize their decisions about human resources are crucial in an uncertain and interconnected world, yet decisions about people remain among the least systematic and evidence-based, compared to resources such as money and technology. Investing in People draws upon state-of-the art practice and research across disciplines including psychology, economics, accounting, and finance to provide HR professionals and leaders with proven guidelines for evaluating key HR initiatives.

Analytics and Design for High Performance

Nov 15, 2017 | , ,

In this webinar Drs Levenson and Fink review the evidence on the roles of technology and control systems in promoting performance, separate from employee engagement. They show how engagement can help enhance performance in some jobs while having little to no impact in other jobs.

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Workforce Planning that Really is Strategic

Workforce Planning that Really is Strategic

Aug 31, 2017 |

Alec Levenson and Alexis Fink share how most workforce planning efforts are fairly short sighted and narrow, and could more accurately be called 12 month hiring plans. Strategic workforce planning promises to deliver greater value by using a longer time horizon and a talent supply chain approach.

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Untangling Engagement and High Performance

Aug 27, 2017 | , ,

Alec Levenson (CEO) and Alexis Fink (Intel) explain how employee engagement and performance are supposed to be closely related, and there is both empirical and conceptual support for a strong relationship.

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Analytics for Driving High Performance

Mar 15, 2017 | ,

In this webinar, Alec Levenson and Alexis Fink discuss some of the current challenges in the way that analytics are applied to HR and talent issues. The problem we face in organizations today is not a lack of analysis but oftentimes the opposite: too much analysis and data are thrown against the wall in the hopes that something will stick and make sense.

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