SPOTLIGHT: Fueling Performance With the Human-Powered Enterprise

Organizations today are grappling with how to manage the merging of peoples’ work and personal lives. With many organizational processes and structures not fully accounting for the human impact they have on their employees’ lives, organizations are now looking for a better approach to the way we work. Peter Aykens and Sari Wilde, two leaders of the Gartner HR practice, offer a new, human-centric, approach that they argue will foster creativity and engagement among employees, ultimately delivering the best results for their organization.   Peter Aykens is the chief of research for Gartner’s HR practice. Peter is responsible for building and leading research teams within the practice to address clients’ key initiatives. Before his current role, he spent over 25 years at Gartner leading research teams focused on banking and financial services strategy, producing numerous studies that addressed business strategy, channels, marketing, customer experience and product challenges. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from St. Olaf College, a master’s degree in international politics from Aberystwyth University (formerly known as the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth) and a master’s degree and a doctorate in political science from Brown University.   Sari J Wilde oversees peer and practitioner research in the HR practice. She holds a bachelor's degree from Barnard College, Columbia University and a master’s degree in industrial and organizational psychology from New York University.   Caroline Walsh is a managing vice president in Gartner’s HR practice. Her teams help HR leaders build and execute talent, diversity, rewards, and learning strategies and programs. Caroline has also led Gartner research teams on commercial banking strategy and leadership. She holds a bachelor’s degree in East Asian studies from Columbia University, and a master’s degree in public affairs from Princeton University.