Exclusive Interview with Amy Cohn, Chief People Officer, Allego

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Amy Cohn joined  Allego, a sales enablement platform provider, as its Chief People Officer (CPO) in January 2022. Amy oversees the strategic development and execution of HR initiatives, including talent management, leadership development, and DE&I.

She brings 20 years of human resources (HR) experience to the Allego team with a breadth of knowledge across all aspects of HR strategy. Most recently serving as the CPO of Quickbase, where she oversaw global HR operations and strategy. Prior to her time at Quickbase, Cohn served in senior leadership roles with Localytics, Millward Brown Digital and Compete, Inc.

In an exclusive interview with HR.com, Amy talks about her HR journey so far, the challenges she overcame in her career, and the future HR trends, among others. 

Excerpts from the interview:
   

Q: What has your HR journey been like and what influenced you the most to have a positive impact on your career?

Amy: I didn’t set out to begin a career in HR. In fact, I didn’t really even know what HR was when I started my career. Early on, I had an incredible manager and mentor who really took the time to help me develop as a well-rounded professional and build my expertise in HR, which gave me a solid foundation. I also worked with leaders who believed in my potential and gave me opportunities to stretch myself beyond my level of experience. During my 20 years in this space, the teams I have been a part of have most positively impacted me. I am honored that people trust me to provide leadership around creating company culture, developing leaders and embracing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I).

Q: What were your challenges during the early days of your career? What are those today?

Amy: The biggest challenge in the early days of my career was balancing work and life. I was a single mom of a child with learning disabilities and I often felt like I couldn't be both a great mom and a successful professional. This tension was hard. 

Today’s challenges are less about my personal circumstances and more about what’s happening in the world and creating a workplace environment where all people can thrive. 

Q: How do you see workplace culture changing over the years?

Amy: I am absolutely in awe of the changemaker generation that’s entering the workforce and how they’re challenging us to think differently and do better. This ranges from DE&I to broader corporate responsibility and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) initiatives to flexibility with when/where/how we work. I believe the organizations that engage this generation with open minds and embrace this learning opportunity will have a competitive advantage.  

Q: Can you share the top three learnings from the challenges you faced?

Amy: We all bring our own lived experiences to the workplace and our role as leaders is to create an environment where our differences become a part of the collective strength.

Creating connections and opportunities for collaboration in a primarily remote/hybrid environment takes intentionality and it’s worth it!

Knowing when you need a break is a sign of strength. 

Q: Where do you draw inspiration from? What do you have to say to those who are still struggling to find a place in the boardroom?

Amy: I draw inspiration from the people around me. I love to listen and learn. Through listening, I can better create initiatives and programs that celebrate the different experiences of our employees and build an environment where people feel included, valued and supported. 

To those struggling to find a place in the boardroom, I honestly feel a little awkward weighing in on this, but my simple advice would be to create connections to people and companies that align with your values and will value you. 

Q: Where do you draw the line when it comes to work-life balance?

Amy: Drawing this line has been a challenge for me historically. Yet I know having a good work-life balance is crucial because it influences engagement, productivity and retention. Working in a remote/hybrid environment can sometimes blur the lines between work and personal life, but it has helped me to build a schedule and ensure I find time for the people and things I enjoy. 

Q: What cultural change(s) have you brought into your company?

Amy: In my short time at Allego, my focus has been on shifting learning to action by developing new DE&I initiatives that continue Allego’s efforts to create a workplace culture where people of all backgrounds can thrive. By doing so, we can best attract, engage and retain a more diverse workforce. I have already experienced a different level of dialogue, comfort in asking questions and being curious, and a focus on disrupting bias.

Q: What are some major changes you see affecting HR within the next few years?

Amy: I think we will see a major shift in corporate responsibility related to ESG initiatives. It’s no longer satisfactory for an organization not to have a stance on issues or operate only in its best interests. Organizations are starting to change the way they work today to build a better future for their workforce that’s measured in decades, not quarters.
 

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