We’re thrilled to have Caron Cone join Hyperscience as our VP of People.
Caron has worn many hats throughout her career, a testament to her knack for problem-solving and project management. You may be surprised to discover that she began her career as a Mechanical Engineer in the petroleum pipeline industry before making a career shift to the Human Resources field. A critical catalyst that has followed Caron throughout each role is her desire to understand the business and partner across the organization at every level, keeping people top-of-mind.
During this exciting, high-growth time for Hyperscience, we spoke with Caron about #LifeAtHyperscience, our values, and how we’re thinking about the future of work.
Thanks for taking the time, Caron! Could you tell us about your path to Hyperscience?
My path to Hyperscience has provided me with exposure to multiple industries, various sized organizations, and different professions. I have worked in a small company with less than 700 people and also been a part of an organization that had over 500,000 people around the globe.
When I found my way to Human Resources, I was able to apply my knowledge of the business, combined with a passion for data and analytics, project management, and problem-solving to effectively lead HR teams and serve as the HR Business Partner to numerous successful executives during my career. It has become clear to me over the years that people generally want the same things from their work experience, and that companies must focus on certain aspects in order to be successful no matter the company, the size, or the industry.
People want to do work that matters, they want to be rewarded and recognized for their contributions, and they want to report to a leader that cares about them, their growth, and their success. Companies that focus on these things, and simultaneously build a great culture that leverages diverse perspectives, will experience success.
What about the company compelled you to join?
I was seeking a company with a great culture and wonderful people because that was such a critical part of my experience in my prior role. It was also important to me to join a company where I could both contribute and learn.
During the interview process, everyone I met from the Leadership team and the People team was engaging, excited about the company, and they believed in the product and the team’s ability to accomplish great things together. The energy around the search was so positive. It was clear how seriously everyone took the process and how committed the team was to finding the right person to lead the People team.
By the time the process was complete, it was clear to me that Hyperscience had a positive culture; the company is full of kind, smart people, and there is a tremendous opportunity to have an impact on the lives of others. I was honored and humbled that the people I spoke to felt I was the right person to join such an amazing organization.
How does Hyperscience establish an atmosphere that encourages employees to “share their ideas” and “seek and share feedback”?
We believe in creating a transparent, inclusive, and open culture at Hyperscience. It is one that encourages creative problem-solving, creates space for failure and learning, and pushes the boundaries of what is believed to be possible. This is built into our DNA, and it’s the foundation of who we are. In fact, these things were built into our values very early in the company’s journey.
This is built into our DNA, and it’s the foundation of who we are. In fact, these things were built into our values very early in the company’s journey.
“Share your ideas” is a core value that we seek to live every day in different ways. We encourage Hyperscience employees to share their view, challenge each other’s thinking, and do things that haven’t been done before. Start-ups exist because someone, somewhere, decided that they had an idea worthy of pursuing. We actively look for ways to encourage people to share their views so that we make ourselves, each other, and the organization better as a result. No one models this value better than our CEO and Co-Founder, Peter.
An example of this is our approach to benefits. Our benefits are a true differentiator for us, and many of these benefits are a direct result of Peter encouraging employees to share their ideas, and taking action as a result. Our eldercare benefit in the United States is one such example. It was proposed by an employee and is a part of our benefits offering today.
“Seek and Share Feedback” is a recent value that we’re working to incorporate with greater intent. We believe that feedback is a simple way that we can collectively invest in each others’ development. At the core of this value is a willingness to learn and a commitment to true psychological safety. We believe that by developing our organizational capacity for giving and receiving feedback, we gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace. We are able to highlight what is going well, learn from our mistakes, move quicker, and ultimately make a greater impact for our customers – which is our guiding star at all times.
For something we talk about so frequently, giving feedback can be challenging. Like all skills, we get better by practice and through a consistent effort to build that particular muscle. We are looking to make this a regular part of our daily interactions, but also currently do this in a more formal way through a #praise channel on Slack, regular check-ins between leaders and employees, and our 360° feedback process.
How does Hyperscience prioritize and think about employee well-being, particularly coming out of COVID-19?
Even before COVID-19, Hyperscience has always been deeply committed to our employees health and well-being. One of the ways we do that is to provide employees the autonomy to work the way that makes sense for them, alongside dedicated resources to optimize their lives.
When it comes to autonomy, our future of work approach is anchored in flexibility. We want to give employees the option of choosing the approach to work that they believe makes them most productive and impactful, whether that’s in an office, at home, or a hybrid approach.
When it comes to resources, our benefits are robust and unique. We know that each person is unique and is coming to work with a different set of life experiences that impacts what work-life symbiosis will look like for them. As such, we seek to provide a multitude of options that will resonate differently depending on needs.
We are also invested in the mental health and well-being of our employee population, adding perks like Modern Health to ensure that our employees have easy, ongoing access to coaching or therapeutic services.
To read more of Caron’s insights on work-life symbiosis and her career advice for young professionals, check out part 2 of our conversation here.
Interested in joining our team? Check out some of our open positions.
