The Power of Insight: How One Gap Analysis Transformed A Company, and My Future

In the early days of my career, I found myself at a crossroads. As a young HR professional, I was eager to demonstrate the strategic value of human resources, but I needed a breakthrough moment. That moment came when I presented a gap analysis on our function to our CEO.

• Identifying the Gaps

The company was facing significant challenges, from high turnover rates to disengaged employees. We were growing so fast, as many industry disruptors in tech do. I knew that a comprehensive gap analysis could uncover the root causes of these issues, I also knew we had the right core foundation and that could be leveraged to a greater capacity. By meticulously examining our HR processes, employee satisfaction metrics, and organizational structure, I identified several critical gaps that were hindering our growth.

• Presenting the Findings

Presenting these findings to the CEO was a pivotal moment. I didn't just highlight the problems; I proposed actionable solutions. I outlined how we could implement, measure, and enforce new HR programs to bridge these gaps. The presentation was not just about data; it was about a vision for transforming HR into a strategic driver of business success.

• Gaining Respect and Driving Change

The impact was immediate. By working to identify what was needed through gap analysis, I quickly gained the respect of our senior executive team as did our entire HR function, as well as support from broader management, and the employees. This respect was not just for the insights we provided but for the strategic approach we advocated. The CEO and board members began to see HR not just as a support function and cost center, but as a critical component of our business strategy that drove real revenue.

• Transforming HR into a Value Driver

This gap analysis presentation was a turning point in my career, as well as many others on the team (including Dean Budney who is still working with me at KLES today as our Executive Education leader!). I am SO proud of not only what this team accomplished, but what they have gone on to accomplish as HR leaders themselves.

Our impact demonstrated the power of strategic HR and set the stage for many future endeavors. By aligning HR initiatives with business goals, we were able to drive significant improvements in employee engagement, retention, and overall organizational performance.

Lessons Learned

This experience taught me several valuable lessons that continue to influence my approach to organizational development:

1. Data-Driven Decisions: Using data to identify gaps and measure progress is crucial for driving meaningful change.

2. Strategic Alignment: Aligning HR initiatives with business objectives ensures that HR is seen as a value driver, not just a support function.

3. Effective Communication: Presenting findings in a clear, actionable manner is key to gaining buy-in from senior leadership.

4. Proactive Solutions: Identifying problems is only half the battle; proposing and implementing solutions is what drives real change.

The experience was broadly impactful to more than just me, however. As one of the former founders recalls our time working together, he shared:

"By working to identify what was needed through gap analysis, how to implement, measure, and enforce the programs, Keri quickly gained the respect of our senior most executive team members, our management team, and the employees.

Keri became one of our strongest executives at the table, with a voice for the employees in addition to a voice for the business. She has an incredible knack for understanding operations, finance, sales, legal, and can translate findings to her primary function around what is needed to gain mass influence.

In fact, we often invited her to meet with board members, executives from our client base, and other industry leaders to express her thoughts and gain her insight on various topics.

During the time we worked together, Keri lead our Human Resource function while we grew from 250 employees to almost 4,000 by the time we were bought by Mphasis. Keri had the strategic vision to turn what was initially an HR department that focused on payroll and benefits, a transactional and highly administrative function, into a strategic talent management function that permeated through the entire company.

One of the most impacting programs she created was called Fast Lane. Keri was entirely responsible to launch a vision e originally thought was impossible - in an effort to solve an industry wide recruiting issue, she had a dream to create a program that brought people from outside of our industry, train them, and in turn make them more productive than industry veterans. Her ability to have thought out of the box on how to accomplish this, paired with her ability to execute successfully, measure results and adjust as needed, was industry record breaking. We were even featured in the Wall Street Journal.

Keri was also able to foster a culture within her team that quickly spread throughout the organization, making our entire employee base feel connected to the Digital Risk brand. In a tough and highly competitive industry, her strategic thinking and knowledge in these areas positioned us to be an employer of choice, improved our retention, and increased our employee satisfaction scores holistically.

She is passionate about making an impact and is able to with a strong moral compass, infectious passion for good, and relentless pursuit of success for the team. Keri often engaged herself in various speaking events, reaching, and writing, both as an industry professional and a top human resource thought leader."

~ P. Kassabov, Cofounder & Chairman

Moving Forward

Of all the things I look back on in my career that make me smile, it was this point that makes me smile the most. Today, at KLES, these principles are at the core of our approach. We help founders, growth companies, and investors navigate their unique challenges by providing data-backed talent assessments, strategic alignments, and comprehensive roadmaps. Our goal is to transform the Human Capital element of a business into a strategic partner that drives growth and profitability.

Reflecting on that transformative gap analysis presentation, I am reminded of the power of insight and the importance of strategic Talent Management & Human Capital Analytics. It was a defining moment that shaped my career and continues to inspire the work we do at KLES, with a foundation that has helped dozens of other organizations realize their success.

Together, we can turn challenges into opportunities and drive meaningful, sustainable growth.

What makes me smile most as I look forward? Working with the many companies out there who share these values, have similar problems to solve, and celebrating with them in their success. Each is a unique team, has their own story, and history that cultivates who they are today. Who they will be come through our work together... is what is truly most exciting.

Together we rise!

Keri Laine

Founder and CEO

KLES