Recruiting for a fast-growing company can be quite a challenge, as managers are often under pressure to quickly find top talent. Speed in hiring is just one aspect that the HR leader at one of Toronto’s hottest startups needs to consider. Agility is crucial in this role.
Brett Reed, talent and people leader at SnapTravel, approaches the task of finding and developing talent for a hypergrowth team with a comprehensive perspective. He emphasizes the importance of HR being strategic in building up the company’s human capital. Approaching the situation with a strategic perspective, he looks to technology as a means to gain insight into SnapTravel’s workforce.
“It’s high time for HR to embrace the advancements of the 21st century,” he remarked. Embrace the power of modern technology.
As a top-grossing travel booking app on the Facebook Messenger ecosystem, SnapTravel has established itself as a leader in the industry. It seamlessly integrates the efficiency of chatbots with the personalized assistance of human travel agents.
Reed’s management style is characterized by a philosophy that emphasizes empowering employees with technology. He thinks that automating recruitment, onboarding, and other repetitive HR tasks can be advantageous in allowing managers to focus on more critical aspects of their work.
Reed is focused on gaining a deep understanding of employees’ workday and the tools they use as part of this strategic shift. As a management consultant, he immerses himself in the world of SnapTravel’s engineers by asking them fundamental questions about the technology they utilize.
When it comes to high-performance technical individuals, I inquire about the technology stack they are proficient in. Could you please provide information about the technologies you are currently utilizing? What is the rationale behind your choice of technologies? How can one effectively utilize these technologies and understand their interplay? Reed stated.
Reed fully engages with the work of his peers to create a hypergrowth team. Although he didn’t have a background in a technical field, he recognizes the significance of familiarizing oneself with the language of an engineering-focused work environment in order to effectively guide and support SnapTravel’s talented and diverse team.
“Surrounding yourself with these exceptional individuals who consistently achieve remarkable growth is truly inspiring. Witnessing their success can have a profound impact on your own personal growth and performance,” he remarked.
Reed embodies a modern HR leader who skillfully utilizes technology to benefit HR, all while maintaining a meaningful connection between management and employees. For HR leaders who may be uncertain about their digital strategy, he offers a straightforward suggestion: “Take the plunge.”
Join the engineers for a discussion. Collaborate closely with the developers. Collaborate closely with the designers. Pay close attention to the types of problems they are solving,” he advised. When you fully immerse yourself in the team, you will gain a new perspective.
