HR Innovation at Diageo: A Conversation with Brittany Polanco

This episode of Cruising Altitude features a conversation with Brittany Polanco, Director of HR Innovation at Diageo, hosted by Nicole Alvino, CEO and co-founder of FirstUp. They discuss the critical role of leadership in shaping the energy and attitude of work, whether in-person or remote. Brittany shares insights on the importance of empowering leaders, co-creating employee experiences, and driving organizational innovation. They also explore the integration of AI in HR and the future of the HR function. Brittany, who has over 10 years of HR experience including roles at Hilton Worldwide and PepsiCo, emphasizes the need for leaders to have a clear vision and create environments that encourage creativity and collaboration. The episode touches on the importance of psychological safety, the nuances of employee experience, and the significance of continuous learning.Quotes*”Leaders who haven't been shown or given that empowerment creates a cycle of them not having that space to take ownership, to really drive results, to lead. And I think that ends up coming down to the team below them or the colleagues around them. So I really think that there's so much importance on the folks that you bring into your team and particularly the leaders that you bring in to be able to start this behavior. It has to start somewhere.”*”[On] the topic of employee experience, I am a neurodiverse leader. It's something that has played a big role in my career. I think it's been a tremendous strength for me and it also, I think, broadens my perspective when I think about the employee experience. And just as we as a society get more and more in tune with all the different facets of what that can mean and how we can support employees best, is definitely a passion point of mine.”*”Honestly, I think that at this point, employee experience is just a must-do for everyone at the company. I think that It's clear how competitive it is and what standards we need to have as an employer to attract and develop and retain the best talent.”*”In a world of what does ‘great’ look like in employee experience, there is so much nuance. But I do believe that the more that you can allow each individual to bring their strengths and their creativity, and the more you make a structure where you appreciate and pull in the strengths and skills of those and other functions and other teams, that's what I've really appreciated.”*”There's something beautiful when you give yourself permission to be human. You know, we show up every day in these jobs and with these people who we spend so much time with. And the more we can embrace our full selves the more that we can really connect at a human level, I think the better the work, the better the experience.”Time Stamps[0:52] Meet Brittany Polanco, Director of HR Innovation at Diageo[4:26] Brittany's Role at Diageo[5:37] Understanding Diageo and Employee Personas[7:42] Challenges and Innovations in HR[11:14] The Importance of Employee Insights[17:03] Balancing Leadership and Employee Experience[23:23] Future of HR and AI IntegrationLinksConnect with Brittany on LinkedInLearn more about DiageoThanks to our friendsThis episode is brought to you by Firstup, the world’s first intelligent communication platform. More than 40 percent of Fortune 100 companies use our platform to connect with their people, design and deliver personalized communications, and gain engagement insights throughout the employee journey. That’s how they give their employees better experiences from hire to retire. Learn more at firstup.io