#145 - Alexis Fink - Who has the best people analytics team? And what does the future hold for Alexis?

Check out this episode of the #1 people analytics podcast with special guest Alexis Fink, Principal at Propeller Insight and People Analytics & Workforce Strategy Leader at Meta, Microsoft, and Intel! In this wide-ranging conversation, Alexis explains how she’s “flunking retirement” while joyfully redefining her post-corporate season—teaching, advising, mentoring, and shaping the future of work. She reflects on leading premier people analytics teams at tech giants, explains why IO psychology remains the backbone of workforce strategy, and warns against the tyranny of dashboards that keeps analytics groups endlessly building visualizations instead of delivering true business value. Alexis offers insight into the rise of AI and its impact on job design. She emphasizes breaking work into tasks before automating anything—arguing that rethinking business processes is more powerful than simply rewriting job descriptions. By mapping tasks and evaluating where automation creates efficiency or new possibilities, organizations can achieve meaningful transformation and avoid what she calls the “BS economy”—roles and activities that add little real value and are increasingly exposed by technology. The discussion spans her experiences hosting Intel’s AI podcast, the thrill of interviewing global CEOs on frontier technology, and lessons from her Fast Company piece on the future of work. Alexis underscores the enduring relevance of workforce planning, job analysis, and sound data governance. She names today’s most advanced people analytics teams—highlighting pioneers like Google for evidence-based HR, Microsoft for engineering-led analytics culture, Meta for blending people analytics with workforce strategy, and other standout organizations such as Walmart, insurance carriers, and pharmaceutical companies whose actuarial rigor produces remarkable insights. Along the way, Alexis and host Cole explore the balance between data science sophistication and human-centered insight, showing how modern people analytics demands both disciplines. You’ll also hear about the upcoming Leading Edge Consortium, a community-driven event blending organizational psychology, business acumen, and analytics. Alexis describes how curated content, nonprofit roots, and cross-disciplinary panels make it a must-attend for anyone serious about the next era of people analytics. The conference’s structure—designed by instructional experts—ensures sessions that educate, challenge, and inspire rather than simply showcasing flashy dashboards. Beyond the professional realm, Alexis shares personal stories revealing the depth of her life experiences. She recounts summers restoring a nearly century-old log cabin with her mother, an unexpected teenage job handling cash for a Chicago mob-connected business (“my first lesson in risk management,” she jokes), and her love of mountains, forests, and travel—Machu Picchu remains high on her bucket list. Recently she’s been taking bass guitar lessons, showing her passion for continual learning extends beyond analytics. Alexis and Cole also dive into scientific writing and the need for clarity over jargon. They stress that impactful research must clearly state why a study is done, how it’s conducted, what is found, and why it matters. This disciplined communication, rooted in IO psychology, ensures evidence-based insights influence executives and drive meaningful action. Alexis notes organizations adopting AI face a seismic shift, and professionals who combine rigorous analytics with human understanding are uniquely positioned to guide the transition. If you like this episode, explore prior episodes at colenapper.com. This conversation is a masterclass in blending rigorous analytics, human-centered design, and forward-looking strategy to shape the future of work—ethical, evidence-based, and people-first. Music: Verão by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com