Managing HR on Campus: Data, Culture, and Courage at the Executive Table

Why It Matters

By showcasing cost‑saving consortia, data‑centric processes, and AI tools, GWU’s HR strategy offers a replicable blueprint for higher‑education institutions seeking fiscal resilience and agile talent management.

Key Takeaways

• Succession planning across all levels to ensure leadership continuity.
• Revamping performance management for multi‑generational workforce continuous feedback.
• Pursuing benefit consortium to cut health costs by 12‑15%.
• Launching People Service Center to boost HR data accuracy to 97%.
• Leveraging data and AI to streamline hiring and improve flexibility.

Summary

The episode spotlights George Washington University’s Chief People Officer, Sabrina Miner, as she outlines the university’s HR agenda amid a rapidly evolving higher‑education landscape. Recorded at the Sherm Executive Network Visionary Summit, the conversation frames HR as a 24‑hour operation that must balance corporate efficiency with public‑sector caution while navigating budget constraints and enrollment pressures.

Miner details four strategic pillars for the year: succession planning across all tiers, a revamped performance‑management system tailored to five generational cohorts, enhanced well‑being through workplace‑flexibility task forces, and a costly health‑benefits transition. To curb soaring insurance premiums, she is spearheading a regional benefit consortium that could shave 12‑15% off costs, while also negotiating a new provider contract.

Concrete innovations include an accrual‑based annual leave program that eliminates “use‑or‑lose” frustrations, and the People Service Center—a one‑stop hub that automates offers, promotions, and reporting, lifting data‑accuracy to 97% and slashing time‑to‑fill. Miner also highlights AI‑assisted resume screening and a data‑centric decision‑making culture that tracks vacancy pipelines and informs strategic moves.

These initiatives signal a shift toward data‑driven, flexible HR models that other universities can emulate to control costs, improve employee experience, and future‑proof leadership pipelines in an increasingly competitive academic market.

Original Description

In this episode of People + Strategy, we talk with Sabrina Minor, VP and chief people officer at George Washington University. Minor shares candid stories about leading HR in a complex, 24/7 campus environment, including how she’s modernizing performance management, succession planning, and workplace flexibility across a five-generation workforce. She also explores how AI and technology can reduce workload, strengthen trust, and inform strategy. Throughout the conversation, she reflects on leadership, influence, and the courage required to drive change in environments built to evolve slowly.

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