Yelp's Carmen Amara on Empathy in Leadership and the Future of Remote Work

Carmen Amara, Chief People Officer at Yelp, shares her journey into HR, emphasizing the importance of finding purpose in work and creating a people-first culture. She discusses the power of storytelling, Yelp's shift to remote work, and the role of empathy in leadership, and she debunks myths about HR--particularly the misconception that one must choose between profit and people. What is Your Why? Carmen discusses her desire to make an impact, and how she found a purpose in HR: helping businesses solve complex problems using people, while helping people broaden their skills and develop careers. Yelp's Culture of Belonging Carmen talks about the importance of people-first company culture, and how she was drawn to Yelp's mission, values, and culture of inclusion. Embracing Remote Work Culture Carmen explains Yelp's data-driven decision to stay remote-first after the pandemic, and how listening to employees has been foundational to the company's decision-making. Empathy in Leadership Carmen discusses how empathy in leadership is now more important than ever as the lines between work and life can sometimes blur. Navigating AI in the Workplace Carmen explains how AI can enhance human work rather than replace it, as well as how Yelp is maintaining the integrity of first-party reviews. About Carmen Amara Carmen joined Yelp in 2022 to lead People Operations. She is an accomplished human resources executive with over 20 years experience helping employees and global organizations succeed. Prior to Yelp, Carmen served as Vice President of Global People Operations & Development at eBay. She was also a Human Resources Director at Home Depot where she provided strategic direction for a variety of operational and corporate functions. Carmen holds a B.A. in Spanish and International Relations from Colby College, an MBA in International Business from Bentley University, and is certified in Executive Coaching through Columbia University. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmenamara/ Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/ Host: Jessica Kriegel Website: jessicakriegel.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jessicakriegel Instagram: @jess_kriegel Culture Partners Website: culturepartners.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/culturepartners