How the head of HR at Equifax Workforce Solutions is tackling change management and helping shape business strategy

Leading HR at an organization that provides HR services has its perks.

That’s the case for Stefani Steinway, SVP of HR at Equifax Workforce Solutions, a subsidiary of the credit reporting giant that provides employment and income verification services to companies. She said that her team and the business unit have a symbiotic relationship, in which her team offers input and feedback on products, and benefits as a customer.

“Being able to have that influence and support on some of the products when talking to our employer services teams and that part of the business that serves those customers is pretty cool,” Steinway, whose team of 40 supports around 3,000 employees, told HR Brew. “Not many HR professionals get to have that hand on both sides.”

In recent years, data privacy concerns have crept into the workplace, and employees have come to expect their employers to step up their privacy protections. During Equifax’s September 2017 security breach that exposed the personal information of 147 million people, hackers also allegedly had unauthorized access to Equifax Workforce Solutions’ customer tax records between April 2016 and March 2017. When asked how her organization approaches data security with employees, Steinway said cybersecurity best practices are now baked into workforce strategy.

Equifax’s 2023 Annual Security Report also details the company’s security measures, including training more than 23,000 employees and contractors on cybersecurity and launching more than 220,000 simulations to test its workforce’s cybersecurity knowledge.

“When you think about the employee lifecycle…security and data privacy are part of every part of that. So as an employee is onboarded, there’s training, there’s documentation,” she said. “It’s who we are now, as an organization, as part of Equifax.”

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What’s the best change you’ve made at a place you’ve worked?

The changes I’m most proud of at Equifax are the ones that make work easier for our employees every day. Often that means leveraging the latest technology to support our people. For example, I’m proud to have served on a team that helped expand our HR platform to Equifax’s employees in Canada.

I was asked to support the Equifax Canada team, and at the time, everything was manual. There was no investment in technology, so people were working off of the spreadsheet and tracking things that way. One of the reasons that I’m proud of that the most is, because it was the first time we've expanded a platform globally. It was for ease of work for the HR team but it also eased the relationship between the hiring managers and the employee population and HR, because everything was in one place.

What’s the most fulfilling aspect of your job?

Without a doubt, it’s the people. I love how our talent strategy contributes to our overall business strategy. By embracing technology we’re not only helping our organization grow, but we’re also helping to make work easier for our employees every day.

Every day, I’m motivated to be a part of the moments that matter for our employees. As an HR team, we’re responsible for ensuring that employees are supported throughout every aspect of the employee lifecycle—from their first day on the job to celebrating their 25th service anniversary, and all of the moments in between.

When the most important part of our organization—our employees—are supported, then our business is truly positioned for growth.

What trend in HR are you most optimistic about? Why?

The continued integration of technology into our processes to better support employees. Some people view HR as only using soft skills, but taking a data- and technology-driven approach to HR helps businesses meet their goals while also helping employees celebrate moments that matter along the way. As we leverage AI and other technology to enhance our productivity, we can put more energy and resources into proactive workforce planning, strong employee engagement, and growing manager capabilities.

What trend in HR are you least optimistic about? Why?

The speed of change in the workplace. Rapid change can be invigorating and is sometimes necessary. However, in today’s business climate, employees aren’t always given a lot of time to adjust to new technologies, processes, and organizational structures. This constant state of change can overwhelm our teams, and the pressure to keep up can lead to burnout and lower job satisfaction.

That’s why I believe HR leadership is more important than ever. We can help ensure that people are focused on the right things, with supportive leadership and the technology they need to make their jobs easier. In doing so, we can help protect mental health and decrease the immense pressure employees may be feeling.