In high-performance environments, people strategy is no longer a back-office function. It is a competitive differentiator. That idea sits at the heart of a recent UC Today conversation, where Kristian Mann speaks with Hayley Mann, Chief People Officer at Formula E, about how the all-electric racing series is evolving its approach to workforce management.
Formula E, now over a decade into its journey, operates in a uniquely demanding context. With a globally distributed workforce, frequent travel, and the pressures of live sporting events, its people operations must move at pace while maintaining consistency. The organization has partnered with HiBob to unify and enhance its HR processes, aiming to support both operational efficiency and employee experience.
Hayley Mann brings a grounded, practitioner-led perspective to this discussion. As CPO, she offers insight into how a mid-growth, high-intensity organization navigates scaling challenges, platform consolidation, and cultural alignment. Her experience provides a clear lens into what modern HR leadership looks like when performance and agility are non-negotiable.
From Fragmentation to Focus
A central theme in the conversation is the complexity that comes with growth. Formula E, described by Mann as being in a teenage phase, faces the dual challenge of expanding capabilities while maintaining cohesion. Over several years, the organization introduced multiple tools, systems, and frameworks designed to support its workforce.
However, this expansion created unintended friction. As Mann explains, there was just a lot of stuff in lots of different places, leading to a fragmented employee experience. For line managers in particular, people management risked becoming a secondary task, something separate from their core responsibilities rather than embedded within them.
This fragmentation also impacted consistency. In a fast moving organization, inconsistent processes can quickly undermine performance. Mann highlights the importance of ensuring that employee lifecycle management, communication, and engagement are aligned across the business, regardless of geography or role.
Another critical pressure point was connection. With a workforce split between on the ground race teams and office based staff, maintaining authentic, meaningful engagement proved challenging. The need for a unified platform that could bridge these gaps became increasingly clear.
Consolidation and Cultural Fit
Rather than launching a traditional vendor search, Formula E took a more pragmatic route. The organization already had HiBob in place but had not fully utilized its capabilities. The decision, therefore, was less about replacement and more about optimization and consolidation.
Mann emphasizes that effectiveness, not feature overload, was the priority. We were not trying to do 20 things, just a couple of things really well. This reflects a broader shift in enterprise tech strategy, where usability and integration often outweigh breadth of functionality.
A standout factor in HiBob’s favor was its alignment with Formula E’s culture. Mann describes the importance of a platform that feels dynamic, interactive, and reflective of a high performance environment. Features such as a social media style interface and intuitive communication tools helped reinforce this alignment.
AI also plays a role, particularly in performance management. The platform’s ability to generate summaries from input data allows managers to focus on meaningful conversations rather than administrative tasks. In a time sensitive environment, this shift from process to impact is significant.
Mobility is another key consideration. With teams constantly on the move, a strong mobile experience ensures that employees can engage with HR processes in real time, whether at the track or between events. This accessibility supports both efficiency and engagement.
What Good Looks Like
Looking ahead, Mann outlines a clear vision for success over the next 12 months. A primary goal is to fully unlock the platform’s potential in areas such as talent management, workforce planning, and talent pipelining, capabilities that can drive more strategic decision making.
Equally important is improving employee feedback on user experience. A system may be technically robust, but its value ultimately depends on adoption and ease of use. For Formula E, success means creating a seamless, intuitive experience that employees actively engage with.
Another anticipated outcome is increased capacity within the HR team. By reducing manual workloads and administrative overhead, the team can shift toward more proactive, forward looking initiatives. This aligns with Mann’s broader view of HR as an enabler of performance rather than a support function.
For other HR leaders, Mann offers practical advice: define both technical and cultural non-negotiables. While functionality is critical, the cultural fit of a platform can determine whether it truly integrates into the organization. The impact of getting this wrong is really huge, underscoring the strategic weight of such decisions.
Driving Performance Through People
The Formula E case highlights a broader trend in enterprise technology, consolidation with purpose. Rather than accumulating tools, organizations are reassessing how systems work together to deliver a cohesive experience. In this context, HR platforms are becoming central to operational success.
What stands out is the emphasis on embedding people processes into daily workflows. By making these processes intuitive and accessible, Formula E aims to ensure that leadership, engagement, and performance management are not add ons but integral to how work gets done.
The conversation also reinforces the importance of cultural alignment in technology decisions. A platform that mirrors the organization’s pace, values, and communication style is more likely to drive adoption and deliver long term value.
Ultimately, Formula E’s approach reflects a shift toward HR as a strategic engine. By focusing on connection, consistency, and enablement, the organization is positioning its people function as a key driver of performance, both on and off the track.
