Redirecting.work
Ben Waber
From People Analytics to Transforming Corporate Governance
I’ve been a fan of Ben for years, admiring his leadership at Humanyze. We met once in New York at a People Analytics meetup, but our primary interactions have been around research topics of mutual interest about the future of work. He once complimented me on my ability to bridge the practitioner and academic communities which was deep praise from someone who does it at the highest level from academia and as an entrepreneur.
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The Catalyst for Change
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Ben’s pivot was driven by frustration with his company and a realization about the true barriers organizations face. Despite his initial belief that a lack of data was the biggest
challenge, he discovered that the root problem was poor management culture. CEOs were mimicking others’ strategies without understanding their flaws, leading to ineffective decisions like unnecessary mass layoffs. “Selling dashboards and doing consulting to help them do the right thing was no longer the best use of my time,” he explained.
Ben’s desire to make a meaningful impact pushed him to switch his focus to want to focus on the finance community, where he believes he can drive change by aligning executive compensation with ethical and effective business practices. He recognizes the potential to influence corporate behavior from within and aims to demonstrate that good management is also good for business. “If you tie executive compensation to specific changes in organizational function, you can simultaneously improve working conditions and profitability over the medium to long term,” he asserts.
A New Direction
Ben has transitioned to strategic consulting in private equity and other firms, focusing on management practices and work styles that lead to better financial performance. He is also a visiting scientist at MIT and the Japanese Ritsumeikan University where he advises research on the societal implications of an aging society, economic development, and technology policy. Despite his entrepreneurial ventures, he values learning from academia more than from corporations, as academics have fewer incentives to downplay unfavorable results and generally are more transparent with their work.
His mission is to address societal inequities and contribute to a meritocratic world where everyone has an equal opportunity. Ben is particularly passionate about using data to correct unfair treatment of frontline workers and to chip away at behaviors that support income disparity. He believes in inclusive, performance-based practices and aims to maximize his impact over the next decade.
Support and Learning
Ben has always pursued his goals with a strong sense of purpose. He continues to educate himself by listening to academic talks during his long runs and focusing on topics like corporate law, AI, and organizational behavior. He draws inspiration from practices at firms like KKR, which link executive compensation to employee well-being and diversity metrics.
He emphasizes the importance of ethical management practices and simplifies advice to make it replicable for others. He plans to host an event at Harvard Business School to promote these ideas and embed them into operational strategies.
Expectations and Advice
Ben is confident in his financial stability and is not worried about money. He views his new direction as a long-term commitment, with a five to ten-year timeframe to impact. He acknowledges the challenges of driving significant change and advises others to be prepared for setbacks. “The things that are important to change are hard. You need to fight inertia and acknowledge that you may not always reach your goal.”
His advice for others looking to pivot includes:
1. Fight Inertia: Understand that meaningful change is difficult and requires persistence.
2. Control the Process: Focus on aspects you can control and make sure they align with your values.
3. Set Concrete Goals: Set specific, actionable goals that contribute to broader societal improvements.
4. Just Do It: Take action and try new approaches, even if success is not guaranteed.
Ben’s approach to his career and life is driven by a desire to improve work and create a more equitable world. He leverages his expertise in people analytics and finance to push for changes that align with ethical and inclusive business practices. His journey is a testament to the power of purpose-driven work and the potential to influence significant change from within the system.