Lars Schmidt: HR Innovator
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Lars Schmidt is a renowned HR expert and thought leader who has been at the forefront of transforming HR practices for over 25 years. As the Founder and CEO of Amplify Talent, he helps category-leading companies around the world build innovative people teams and programs to drive business growth.
Lars Schmidt's Notable Achievements
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Here are some of Lars Schmidt's key accomplishments:
- Founded Amplify, a consulting firm that helps category-leading companies like Hootsuite, SpaceX, NPR, Plaid, and Vimeo build innovative people teams and programs to drive business growth.1
- Co-founded HR Open Source (HROS) in 2015, a global community of HR professionals dedicated to sharing knowledge and resources to advance the practice of HR. Grew HROS to thousands of members and hundreds of companies.2
- Created an open-source Coronavirus HR Comms resource in early 2020 that compiled guides and best practices for companies navigating the pandemic. The resource went viral and was shared tens of thousands of times globally, providing critical guidance for HR practitioners.2
- Served in senior HR leadership roles at companies like Ticketmaster and NPR, where he led global talent acquisition and HR innovation.13 Received NPR's Innovation Award in 2013 for making a significant impact.3
- Authored the bestselling book "Redefining HR", co-authored "Employer Branding for Dummies", and hosts the Redefining HR podcast, establishing himself as an industry thought leader.124
- Recognized as a LinkedIn Top 100 Influencer, Huffington Post Top 100 Most Social HR Expert, and HR Examiner Top 100 HR Influencer for his pioneering work and impact on the field.3
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Innovative Talent Solutions at Amplify
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Amplify Talent Solutions brings a fresh perspective to recruiting, going beyond traditional methods to help companies find, hire and retain top talent efficiently. Their experienced team partners closely with clients to understand their unique needs and develop tailored solutions leveraging innovative approaches.1 This allows Amplify to deliver high-quality candidates that drive business growth for clients in industries like vehicle technology.2
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Amplifying Startup Talent Success
flexos.work
Lars Schmidt has extensive experience working with startups and venture-backed companies to build innovative people teams and programs that drive business growth. Through his firm Amplify, he has partnered with category-leading startups like Hootsuite, Plaid, Vimeo, and Duo Security to develop forward-thinking HR practices.1
Schmidt understands the unique challenges and opportunities facing high-growth startups and works closely with founders and people leaders to design talent strategies that scale. He helps startups build strong employer brands, attract top talent, and create engaging candidate experiences that reflect their culture and values.2
By leveraging his deep expertise in HR technology and data-driven decision making, Schmidt enables startups to implement agile people processes that support rapid growth and change.1 He also advises on building inclusive cultures, developing leadership capabilities, and navigating the complexities of global expansion.2
As a trusted advisor and thought partner, Schmidt empowers startup HR leaders to be strategic business drivers, not just administrative functions.1 Through his work with venture-backed companies, he is shaping the future of HR in the startup ecosystem and helping to build the next generation of iconic brands.2
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The HR Open Source Movement
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The HR Open Source (HROS) movement is gaining traction as companies look for cost-effective HR software solutions that can be customized to their specific needs. Open source HR systems have no license fees and provide access to the source code, allowing organizations to modify and extend the software.12 While open source HR is still in its early stages compared to other business functions, there are now viable options like OrangeHRM and Sentrifugo that offer core HR modules for employee records, time tracking, recruiting, and more.345 However, open source HR software often has fewer features than proprietary systems and may require more technical skills to implement and maintain.5 Companies should carefully evaluate if the cost savings and flexibility of open source outweigh potential limitations in functionality and support.
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NPR Digital Transformation Leadership
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Lars Schmidt played a key role in leading NPR through its digital transformation during his tenure as Senior Director of Talent Acquisition and Innovation. He worked closely with NPR leadership to reimagine the organization's approach to talent and culture in the digital age.1
One of Schmidt's notable projects was launching the @NPRjobs Twitter account to build community and engagement around careers at NPR. The account shared job opportunities, provided a behind-the-scenes look at life at NPR, and curated career advice and resources.1 Schmidt strategically designed the content mix, with less than 20% focused on job postings, to provide genuine value to followers.1
Schmidt also spearheaded the collaborative #PubJobs hashtag to increase visibility of public media career opportunities across NPR, member stations, American Public Media, PBS, and other industry organizations.1 By leveraging NPR's social media reach and partnering with other public media entities, Schmidt helped spotlight careers in the industry and attract diverse talent.1
These innovative digital initiatives, combined with an emphasis on employment branding and candidate experience, enabled NPR to successfully navigate its transformation and build a strong talent pipeline.2 Schmidt's work at NPR showcased his ability to develop forward-thinking talent strategies that align with an organization's digital evolution.
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Keynote Speaking and Global Engagements
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Lars Schmidt is a sought-after keynote speaker who delivers engaging talks on HR innovation and the future of work at conferences and events worldwide. Prestidge Group, a top personal branding agency, helps establish thought leaders like Schmidt as global keynote speakers by securing speaking engagements, including at TEDx events, and providing speaker support services.1 Schmidt's keynotes share insights from his decades of experience transforming HR at category-leading companies, inspiring audiences to reimagine their people practices.2 Event organizers turn to speaker bureaus like Global Speakers Bureau to book experts such as Schmidt to educate and motivate their audiences on important business topics.3
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Redefining Work Podcast Highlights
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Lars Schmidt hosts the popular Redefining Work podcast, which explores the evolving world of work through conversations with innovative business leaders, HR experts, and thought leaders.12 Each week, Schmidt interviews guests who are shaping the future of work, covering topics like scaling culture, inclusion, AI in HR, and distributed teams.12 The show features a diverse range of voices, from startup founders to Fortune 500 executives, who share real stories and actionable insights.13 Redefining Work has been recognized as one of the top HR podcasts and a must-listen for HR professionals looking to stay ahead of the curve.42 With Schmidt's engaging interview style and knack for surfacing forward-thinking ideas, the podcast challenges conventional thinking and inspires listeners to reimagine the workplace.2
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Redefining HR: Bestselling Book
amazon.com
Lars Schmidt's bestselling book "Redefining HR" is a practical guide for HR professionals looking to transform their organizations and drive business performance through progressive people practices. The book draws on Schmidt's extensive experience as an HR practitioner and consultant, as well as insights from leading people executives at companies like Hubspot, Stripe, Reddit, and Mastercard.1 Through real stories and examples, "Redefining HR" breaks down the core components of modern HR, from analytics to inclusion, providing a framework for building scalable people infrastructures and maximizing human potential.12 While written for HR practitioners, the book is also a valuable resource for business leaders who recognize that putting people first is essential for success in today's rapidly changing world of work.1 "Redefining HR" has been praised by thought leaders like Adam Grant as having "the potential to transform the future of HR" and inspire readers to catalyze positive change in their organizations and careers.12
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Lars Schmidt's Fast Company Insights
fastcompany.com
Lars Schmidt is a regular contributor to Fast Company, where he writes about the evolving world of work and HR innovation. His articles provide insights and advice for navigating the challenges and opportunities facing today's organizations.123
In his annual "7 ways HR will look different" series, Schmidt forecasts key trends shaping the HR landscape, such as the rise of remote work, increased focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and the growing importance of employee well-being.23 He offers practical strategies for HR leaders to adapt to these changes and build more resilient, people-centric organizations.23
Schmidt's Fast Company articles also explore topics like the future of recruiting, the impact of AI on HR, and the role of HR in driving business transformation.1 By sharing real-world examples and best practices from innovative companies, he provides a roadmap for modernizing HR and creating workplaces that attract, engage, and retain top talent.123
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Lars Schmidt's Prestigious Accolades
linkedin.com
Lars Schmidt has received numerous awards and recognition for his contributions to the field of HR and talent acquisition. In 2013, he was the recipient of the NPR Innovation Award, a peer-nominated award recognizing risk taking and results that make a significant impact for NPR.1 He was named one of LinkedIn's Top 100 Influencers in 2014 and chosen as one of three leads for their LinkedIn100 class, a product advisory group made up of top global LinkedIn clients.1 Schmidt has also been recognized as one of The Huffington Post's Top 100 Most Social Human Resource Experts on Twitter and the HR Examiner's Top 100 Influencer in Human Resources.1 His company, Amplify Talent, was named a Top HR Company To Watch in 2015 by LAROCQUE for establishing talent strategies that are as strategic as they are rooted in common sense.1 These accolades highlight Schmidt's reputation as a pioneer and thought leader in HR and talent acquisition, leveraging the latest technology and thinking to drive innovation and results.12
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