MARIA NOLAZCO MASSON

Agile HR & Organizational Innovation

Using AI to Improve Employee Experience: What’s Real, What’s Hype

“AI will transform the employee experience.” You’ve heard it. Maybe you’ve said it. And while that’s true in some areas, not every shiny tool delivers on its promise. In People teams, we can’t afford to chase hype. We need to know what’s real, what’s

Agile HR & Organizational Innovation

HR Prompt Engineering: Making AI Work for People Teams

AI won’t replace HR. But HR that knows how to use AI? That’s a different story. Prompt engineering is fast becoming a core skill for People teams—not just to move faster, but to think better, standardize processes, and scale expertise. When you know how to ask the

HR Tech, Systems & Platforms

How to Audit Your HR Tech Stack in 30 Days

You don’t need six months or a consulting firm to evaluate your HR tech stack. But you do need a structured, outcome-driven plan. A focused 30-day audit can uncover inefficiencies, surface risk, and position your team for smarter tech decisions. This is not just an operational exercise—it’s

HR Tech, Systems & Platforms

Tech Isn’t the Problem. Lack of Process Is.

When HR tech breaks down, we often blame the system. But most of the time, the real issue is much simpler: the lack of clear, consistent, and scalable processes. You can’t automate what you haven’t defined. Even the best tool will fail if your workflows are unclear, ownership

HR Tech, Systems & Platforms

The Hidden Costs of a Bad HRIS Setup

Most companies don’t realize they have a bad HRIS setup until it’s already costing them. The system works—people can log in, request PTO, maybe pull an org chart. But beneath the surface, things don’t quite add up. Job levels are inconsistent, approval chains don’t route

AI for the People Function

Clear with AI. Vague with People. Time to Fix That

We’ve learned to speak clearly to AI—but we still struggle to do the same with people. That’s a leadership gap. And it’s costing time, clarity, and trust.We’ve learned to speak clearly to AI—but we still struggle to do the same with people. That’

People Analytics & Metrics in Action

How to Build Trust in Your People Analytics Function

You can build the best dashboards in the world—clean data, beautiful visuals, predictive models—but if people don’t trust your work, they won’t use it. Trust is what makes People Analytics useful. Without it, you’re just sharing charts no one acts on. And trust doesn’t

People Analytics & Metrics in Action

Do People Really Understand Your Metrics? Why Definitions Matter

We talk a lot about KPIs in HR—headcount, attrition, span of control, engagement scores. But here's the problem: we’re not always talking about the same thing. It’s easy to assume everyone understands what a metric means. But in practice, even basic terms like “headcount” or

People Analytics & Metrics in Action

Why Is It So Hard to Measure in HR?

Unpacking the Real Barriers Behind People Metrics—and How to Move Forward Introduction In today’s data-driven world, HR is expected to measure everything—from engagement to performance, culture to capacity, DEI to turnover. And yet, even the most forward-thinking People teams often find themselves facing the same frustrating question:

People Analytics & Metrics in Action

How to Work With “Imperfect” Data—Not Around It

People data is never static, never flawless, and never finished. And that’s exactly why it’s so valuable. Unlike financial data, which gets reconciled to the cent, people data is shaped by real human behavior. It evolves in real time—because people evolve in real time. And yet, HR

People Analytics & Metrics in Action

From Perfection to Progress: Rethinking How We Measure in HR

Why Shared Understanding Matters More Than a Single Source of Truth Introduction In my recent article, Why Is It So Hard to Measure in HR?, I explored the unique challenges our field faces when it comes to data and measurement. From messy systems to abstract outcomes, HR measurement is notoriously

People Analytics & Metrics in Action

Expectation vs. Reality in People Analytics

People Analytics promises a smarter, data-driven HR function. But many companies jump in with unrealistic expectations. They want dashboards, predictions, and automation—without fixing the basics. Below are five common expectations compared to what actually happens when you start doing the work. 1. Expectation: We’ll run predictive models and

People Analytics Staircase

Climbing the People Analytics Staircase – Step 5 Deep Dive

From Insight to Influence: Operationalizing Strategic and Prescriptive People Analytics Expanded guidance based on Step 5 of Climbing the Staircase of People Analytics: Why Every Step Matters Introduction Step 5 is where People Analytics transforms. After building trust in the data, surfacing patterns, and forecasting risks, we now enter the

People Analytics Staircase

Climbing the People Analytics Staircase – Step 4 Deep Dive

From Analysis to Anticipation: Building a Responsible Predictive People Analytics Practice Expanded guidance based on Step 4 of Climbing the Staircase of People Analytics: Why Every Step Matters Introduction Once you’ve built a stable foundation of clean, well-governed data and a healthy descriptive analytics practice, the next logical step

People Analytics Staircase

Climbing the People Analytics Staircase – Step 3 Deep Dive

From Metrics to Meaning: Operationalizing Descriptive People Analytics Expanded guidance based on Step 3 of Climbing the Staircase of People Analytics: Why Every Step Matters Introduction At Step 3 of the People Analytics staircase, the work begins to visibly pay off. With clean, consistent, and well-governed data in place, we’

People Analytics Staircase

Climbing the People Analytics Staircase – Step 2 Deep Dive

From Chaos to Confidence: Mastering Data Quality and Governance in HR Expanded guidance based on Step 2 of Climbing the Staircase of People Analytics: Why Every Step Matters Introduction In the first step of the staircase, we focused on collecting the right data—at the right time, in the right

People Analytics Staircase

Climbing the People Analytics Staircase – Step 1 Deep Dive

Building Reliable Data from Day One: A Technical Guide to People Data Collection Expanded guidance based on Step 1 of Climbing the Staircase of People Analytics: Why Every Step Matters Introduction In Step 1 of the People Analytics Staircase, we discussed the importance of intentional, structured data collection as the

People Analytics Staircase

Climbing the People Analytics Staircase – Step 5

Where Insight Becomes Impact: People Analytics as a Strategic Driver Part of the series Climbing the Staircase of People Analytics: Why Every Step Matters Introduction We’ve come a long way—starting with intentional data collection, shaping a culture of data quality, translating patterns through descriptive analytics, and finally exploring

People Analytics Staircase

Climbing the People Analytics Staircase – Step 4

From Why to What’s Next: Entering the World of Diagnostic and Predictive Analytics Part of the series Climbing the Staircase of People Analytics: Why Every Step Matters Introduction After exploring what’s happening in the workforce through descriptive analytics, it’s only natural to ask: Why is this happening?

People Analytics Staircase

Climbing the People Analytics Staircase – Step 3

The Power of Knowing What’s Happening: Descriptive Analytics Done Right Part of the series Climbing the Staircase of People Analytics: Why Every Step Matters Introduction By now, we’ve explored how intentional data collection and solid data governance create the foundation for People Analytics. We’ve laid the bricks.

People Analytics Staircase

Climbing the People Analytics Staircase – Step 2

Where Trust Begins: Building Data Quality and Ownership Part of the series Climbing the Staircase of People Analytics: Why Every Step Matters Introduction In the first step of this series, we explored how intentional, consistent data collection lays the foundation for meaningful People Analytics. But even the most carefully captured

People Analytics Staircase

Climbing the People Analytics Staircase – Step 1

Smart Data Starts at the Source: Getting Data Collection Right Part of the series Climbing the Staircase of People Analytics: Why Every Step Matters Introduction This article is the first deep dive in my series Climbing the Staircase of People Analytics: Why Every Step Matters, where I explore how organizations

People Analytics & Metrics in Action

Honored to Be Featured by David Green in Data Driven HR Monthly

I'm incredibly excited to share that my recent article, "Why the People Team Needs to Be Deeply Involved in Finance Results", was featured by David Green in the April 2025 edition of Data Driven HR Monthly! For those who may not know, David Green is one

Agile HR & Organizational Innovation

AI in People Processes: Where It Helps—and Where We Still Need Humans

Artificial Intelligence is changing the way we work, and HR is no exception. From resume screening to personalized learning, AI is being marketed as the answer to almost every People challenge. But the reality is more nuanced. When used thoughtfully, AI can make People processes smarter, faster, and more scalable.

People Analytics & Metrics in Action

Understanding ONA: How Organizational Network Analysis Uncovers the Real Way Work Gets Done

Most org charts are clean, tidy, and hierarchical. But real influence, collaboration, and bottlenecks don’t follow the boxes—they flow through the informal networks that connect people every day. That’s where Organizational Network Analysis (ONA) comes in. ONA helps us look beyond the job title and reporting line,