Nicholas Nyhus
SVP & Chief Human Resources Officer
Aspirus Health
Episode 199
Elevate HR: Drive organizational effectiveness, not just transactions
Current chapter: Built by People podcast features insights from world's top HR leaders
Built By PeopleMay 8, 2025 · 10:47
Thesis
“HR leaders must transcend transactional roles to become strategic organizational effectiveness partners by anticipating business needs, driving results through talent and culture, and leading with courage and a deep understanding of financial, operational, and strategic aspects of the business.”
Show notes
Transforming HR for Organizational Success: Insights from Nickolas Nyhus
In this episode of the Built by People Podcast, the host Dave welcomes Nickolas, who shares his extensive career journey across various industries and regions.
Nickolas discusses transforming HR from a transactional role to an essential business partner, emphasizing the importance of tailoring strategies to local realities and aligning with organizational values. He shares examples of implementing workforce pipeline strategies and reducing contract labor costs.
Nickolas also delves into developing the next generation of leaders through behavioral assessments, executive mentorship, and experiential learning. He highlights the success of using organizational health index assessments during acquisitions to enhance employee engagement and strategic alignment.
Nickolas concludes with advice on understanding business operations, leading through courage, and enabling performance through people.
00:00 Introduction to the Built by People Podcast
00:41 Meet Nickolas: A Journey Across Industries
01:58 Transforming HR Roles: From Transactional to Essential
04:37 Developing the Next Generation of Leaders
07:13 Implementing Organizational Effectiveness Initiatives
09:41 Parting Advice for HR Leaders
10:39 Conclusion and Farewell
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What you'll take away
- 1HR leaders must shift from reactive, transactional tasks to proactive, anticipatory strategies, acting as 'organizational effectiveness partners' deeply integrated with business operations.
- 2Effective leadership development programs should combine behavioral assessments, executive mentorship, and real-world action learning projects, focusing on leadership in all roles, not just people managers.
- 3In periods of significant change, like acquisitions, prioritize 'change enablement' by establishing a baseline through employee assessments, ensuring clarity of purpose, and implementing timely feedback loops for accountability.
- 4To gain influence, HR professionals must understand the business's financials, operations, and strategy as thoroughly as any other executive at the table.
- 5Leading with courage involves advocating for difficult truths, championing unheard voices, and recognizing the cumulative positive impact of small, engaging leadership moments.
What most organizations get wrong
- •I actually even don't like using the term change management because it implies that you can actually manage it in a way and it's really more— I look at it as change enablement.
In Nicholas's words
“HR needs to move from reacting to anticipating.”
This quote succinctly captures the essential shift in HR's strategic role towards proactivity.
“we also have to think like the operators and we have to drive results through talent, culture, and organizational capability.”
This highlights how HR can directly contribute to core business outcomes, moving beyond a support function.
“Our philosophy was that you're leaders in every chair, whether you lead people or not, you're leading projects. So if you're an individual contributor, you still have to lead and influence people, including yourself.”
This expands the traditional definition of leadership, encouraging a broader view of influence and responsibility across all roles.
“I actually even don't like using the term change management because it implies that you can actually manage it in a way and it's really more— I look at it as change enablement.”
This offers a contrarian perspective on a common HR term, emphasizing empowering people through change rather than just controlling it.
“HR needs to know the business better than anyone at the table. We've been finally invited to the table, but we need to understand that business better than anyone.”
This underscores the critical requirement for HR leaders to possess deep business acumen to be influential strategic partners.
The problems this episode addresses
- •HR being perceived as merely transactional rather than essential business partners.
- •Labor shortages, particularly in sectors like healthcare, hindering service expansion in growing markets.
- •Skill gaps on the horizon and continuing labor shortages impacting organizational capability.
- •Challenges during mergers and acquisitions, specifically around managing change and integrating cultures.
- •Difficulty in fostering executive presence and learning through proximity in remote/hybrid work environments.
- •The need for timely identification and resolution of system implementation issues, especially when tied to revenue.
In this episode
Built by People podcast features insights from world's top HR leaders
Built by People
Dave: Nicholas, share a little bit more about your career journey
A Few Moments with Nicholas Feuer
How can HR leaders transform their roles from being transactional to becoming business partners
WSJD Live: Human Resources Transformation
You helped develop the next generation of leaders within your organization
How to Develop the Next Generation of Leaders
Nicholas: I think people are hard to change through change management
How to Manage an Acquisition's Organizational Effectiveness
Nicholas: HR needs to know the business better than anyone
Legacy of the Built by People
Topics covered
Organizations and entities mentioned
Full transcript
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