Jan 26All hail the algorithm: HR in hidingThe rise of being let go by a computer I heard a rumour that the 12,000 layoffs at Google were decided by an algorithm. Randomly selected. 🤖 Three IC engineers in this team, seven in that 🤖 plucked from the employee database by a roving SQL query. “Before we work on artificial intelligence why don’t we do something about…HR5 min readHR5 min read
Dec 7, 2022Time to kill the ‘1 remote — all remote’ rule?It’s time to kill the Sacred Mantra: If one person is dialing in remotely, everyone in the team must be remote. — You’ve been there. We all have. You’re at home dialing into a group meeting where everyone else is together. They’re crowded around one laptop, echo, they’re having conversations off mic. It’s only a matter of time before they forget about you anyway, so you just do your best to tune…Hybrid4 min readHybrid4 min read
Oct 26, 2022In defense of unlimited holiday 🌴Even after my most stressful days at work, I find myself on Twitter arguing with people I disagree with about how to build businesses (I steer clear of almost every other type of argument on Twitter). I don’t know why, but there are some topics that really get me going…HR11 min readHR11 min read
Jun 17, 2022A New Path to COOFor the last 5 or so years I’ve actively been on the path to COO. I don’t mean, “in retrospect I now see I’d been on this path all along”, I mean I have had a post-it note above my desk with a checklist for years… I could see that…Chief Operating Officer9 min readChief Operating Officer9 min read
Mar 11, 2022The Legal Implications of Remote Working Cross-BorderI wrote my law school dissertation on a very niche area of law which interests me a lot, and perhaps interests you too. — 12 months ago now — Jesus— I was just wrapping up my dissertation for my Senior Status LLB. I’m really pleased to say the submission went well, and I’m now a proud holder of a First Class Honours Bachelor of Laws. Go me. Over the last year I have promised…Legal25 min readLegal25 min read
Mar 10, 2021Compensation | Part III: Whereby’s Way to PayThis is the last post in my three-part series on compensation frameworks. If you haven’t already, I suggest you go here and read the first. Equally, if you have read the first one but haven’t had a chance to read the second yet — well, I think you should also…Compensation7 min readCompensation7 min read
Feb 18, 2021Compensation | Part II: Building A Consistent CalculatorTwo weeks ago I posted the first of a three-part series on compensation, this is the second part. 🚨 If you haven’t already, I suggest you go here and read the first. When Gitlab’s salary calculator page went private a few months ago, I had a fearful peer reach out…Compensation11 min readCompensation11 min read
Feb 6, 2021Compensation | Part I: Approaching Pay (a bit) like PricingIf there is an industry wide-open for disruption it is that of compensation. Reward and remuneration hasn’t evolved much beyond the world of excel, salary surveys, and legacy finance systems. This is the first post in a three-part series on how to build a really bloody good compensation framework. 💸 …People Management9 min readPeople Management9 min read
Nov 25, 2020How to hire lots of people exactly like you.Because you know you are fucking awesome, bro. Everyone keeps harping on about diversity. It never ends, am I right? YOU got where you are by pulling up your OWN bootstraps. You worked hard at school to get into the Russell Group Uni your dad went to. And sure it’s somewhat beneficial to your interests that he makes…Hiring5 min readHiring5 min read
Aug 21, 2020Distributed Working is the Greatest Lever for DE&I 🌍If you wield it for good, not evil. — “I don’t think we should lower the bar” If you’re reading this post I imagine you already know why this sentence is perhaps the laziest possible excuse for not prioritising DEI. Actually — the laziest is probably preceded by “if it ain’t broke...” If there is one thing 2020 has…People Operations8 min readPeople Operations8 min read
