Welcome back to this week’s P | A | C | T news, your newsletter by Tech Talent North.
We talk a lot about HR having a seat at the table but what does it really mean to be part of the business?
This question has never been more relevant, as tech companies continue to navigate rapid growth, shifting priorities, and rising global tensions.
This week, we turn to Tyler Cheyne, VP of People and Culture at Svante, who offers a grounded, people-first view of what embedded HR looks like in practice. From designing programs that reflect real business needs to building trust and credibility through presence, Tyler reminds us that strategic alignment starts with one thing: meeting people where they’re at.
Key takeaways:
- Understand the business and its people before designing HR solutions.
- Trust and credibility are the foundation of HR’s influence.
- Start where the business is at, then guide it forward at the right pace.
His insights are a timely reminder that HR’s greatest influence comes not from policy but from partnership.
In fast-growing tech companies, HR can’t afford to stay on the sidelines.
With rising burnout and constant change, People & Culture leaders are being called to lead, not just support. But what does it really mean to embed HR into the business?
Tyler Cheyne, VP of People and Culture at Svante, says it starts with knowing your people as well as your strategy. In a conversation with PACT, he shares how HR can build trust, shape culture, and influence outcomes by meeting the organization where it’s at.
Know Your Customer, Know Your Impact
At Svante, HR starts with a simple but often overlooked principle: know the people behind the business. Not just what they do, but how they think, what drives them, and how they interact with each other. Tyler suggests it is similar to understanding the depth, context and background of the main characters in a story.
By knowing who you’re designing for, you create programs that resonate. This isn’t about demographic data, it’s about cultural nuance, motivations, and shared values.
Tyler frames HR as an internal advisory role and one that functions more like account management than administration.
“People Business Partners should think of themselves as account managers for their Department Head. You sit on their leadership team , and they can go to you for people advice.”
“People Business Partners should think of themselves as account managers for their Department Head. You sit on their leadership team , and they can go to you for people advice.”
When you understand your audience, you stop creating initiatives for the business and start creating initiatives with the business.
Trust is the True Currency of HR
In a world where every team is under pressure to perform, trust becomes HR’s most valuable asset. Without it, even the best-designed programs fall flat.
For Tyler, building trust isn’t just about being helpful, it’s about being credible, consistent, and approachable. It means being visible across the organization, offering clear guidance, and showing up when it matters.
“You have to talk to people. You have to build a relationship, and you have to gain their trust by providing service and credible advice.”
It’s this relational foundation that allows HR to act as a change agent because influence only works when people believe in the source.
Meeting the Business Where It’s At
Innovation in HR doesn’t have to mean disruption. In fact, the most effective programs often begin by solving today’s challenges while quietly preparing for tomorrow’s needs.
Tyler encourages P&C leaders to adopt a maturity model mindset. Start small, build trust, and scale over time. Don’t drop fully baked solutions on a business that isn’t ready. Listen first, then layer in the long-term vision.
“Meet the business where it’s at. Satisfy immediate needs, knowing where you want to go.”
This mindset played out at Svante when HR explored a new self-nomination process for promotions. While strategically sound, leaders weren’t ready for the difficult conversations it would introduce. Rather than push forward, the team hit pause, using it as a signal to build future readiness instead.
This isn’t playing it safe. It’s strategic patience and it’s how lasting change happens.
From Policy Gatekeepers to Culture Architects
At Svante, HR doesn’t operate from a distance. The team shows up in the business, both physically and culturally. Whether it’s participating in team events, sitting in open workspaces, or joining casual conversations, visibility matters.
That presence builds the trust and credibility needed to identify real gaps and act on them. A great example? Peer reviews. After noticing collaboration wasn’t being captured in performance feedback, HR tested a pilot with project teams. Pilot participation was high, and organization-wide demand followed. In the next cycle, peer feedback was fully integrated across the company, with measurable success.
“We had 80% participation in the peer reviews and 95% participation in the performance reviews. The result was embeddedness of the ‘Collaboration’ company value.”
The takeaway: when HR is embedded, it can respond quickly, test ideas in context, and scale what works.
HR That Evolves with the Business
HR isn’t static and it should grow with the company. That means aligning to business goals but also to company readiness, pace, and culture.
Tyler sums it up with a powerful phrase: evolution, not revolution. That philosophy guides how Svante’s HR team approaches every area, from leadership development to change management.
“HR leaders are always responsible for setting the premise… meeting the need, and then slowly pushing it.”
Cookie-cutter solutions don’t cut it in high-growth environments. Real impact comes from adapting proven strategies to your company’s unique culture and context, especially in industries like clean tech, where innovation is constant and teams are learning as they build.
Final Advice: Lead With Credibility & Curiosity
When asked what advice he would give to his earlier HR self; Tyler reflected on something a mentor once told him: meet the organization where it’s at. That simple guidance has shaped his entire approach to leadership, influence, and growth.
“Credibility is knowing your stuff… and the relationship? You just got to meet people and get out there.”
HR done well isn’t about control, it’s about connection and in today’s tech sector, where trust and agility are key competitive advantages, that might just be HR’s most important job.