In this episode of the Built by People podcast, host Dave interviews Sakita Douglas, a seasoned HR executive with nearly 30 years of experience. Sakita shares her career journey from the private to the public sector, where she became the inaugural Chief HR Executive for Harris County in 2021. She discusses the challenges and opportunities of adapting to a large and diverse government organization with nearly 20,000 employees. The conversation covers key topics such as HR transformation, modernization, leveraging AI for predictive decision-making, and creating effective talent strategies across multiple generations. Sakita emphasizes the importance of stakeholder alignment and ongoing innovation to meet the evolving needs of the workforce.
00:44 Sakita Douglas: Career Journey and HR Beginnings
01:41 Transitioning from Private to Public Sector
03:13 Challenges and Opportunities in Public Sector HR
04:40 Building a Multigenerational Workforce Culture
07:43 HR Transformation and Modernization Efforts
11:05 Future-Ready HR Strategies and AI Integration
13:43 Balancing Talent Acquisition and Employee Desires
16:14 Final Thoughts and Parting Advice