#117 - Dr. Roxanne Laczo - Has People Analytics Lost Its Way? Bring Back Validity

Help support the podcast: We are a listener supported podcast. By becoming a patron you will help us cover the costs of producing and distributing our podcast, while getting special premium access to the hosts. Please become a patron of Directionally Correct by going here: https://patron.podbean.com/directionallycorrect Join us on this episode of Directionally Correct, a People Analytics Podcast, hosted by Cole & Scott, as we dive deep into the world of people analytics with our special guest, Roxanne Laczo, Head of People Analytics at Cloudflare. In this enlightening conversation, we uncover the nuances of video meetings and the social dynamics they entail, explore the vibrant yet evolving cultural landscape of Austin, and discuss the art of jaywalking. Roxanne shares her journey to Austin, a city close to her heart but she finds increasingly overrated due to rapid modernization. We touch upon Austin's iconic spots like 6th Street and the evolving nature of the famous South by Southwest festival. Beyond Austin's metamorphosis, we dive into the essence of people analytics, discussing the intersection of theoretical foundations and technology in effectively measuring employee dynamics. Roxanne emphasizes the importance of understanding foundational psychological principles over a mere focus on technology and dashboards. She passionately conveys the need for integration of various assessments in people analytics for meaningful insights. Adding a lighter note, Roxanne humorously detours into her experiences with rodeos and her unforgettable encounter with Mike Tyson at an airport. We wrap up with insights from her teaching experience at UT Austin, where she creatively engages students with zookeeper job analyses and cognitive analysis exercises. Whether you're an analytics enthusiast or just curious about the changing pulse of Austin, this episode offers a rich blend of professional insights and personal anecdotes. Don't miss it! Scott gets petty about agreeableness via meta-analysis The thesis of politics of smell went viral and why Anthropic’s economic index of how people use AI in their jobs