1. The next iteration of the People team will own workflows, not just headcount

Thomas dropped a provocative idea: in modern orgs, the people team should own both workforce and workflow.

"We believe the people function is increasingly about not just owning the workforce, but also the workflows."

At Juro, this meant the internal IT team (which they call "WorkTech") now reports into People. Their mission? Bring people and technology closer together.

This shift allows People to think more holistically about how work happens — not just who does it. As Thomas put it:

"Tech is a huge part of the employee experience. If you think of People as a product, then you start asking: how do we make the technology that employees use every day work better for them?"

2. To build for AI, start by rewriting your OS

Thomas sees the People team's job as shipping a new company operating system (OS) every year. At Juro, that OS is defined by three elements: pay, performance, and progression.

The team reviews each annually to ensure they work in unison and reflect how the company is evolving. In a world where AI is shifting how we all work, this constant iteration is key.

"Our own operating strategy is: set the gold standard for how software companies operate in the AI era."

That vision helps the People team prioritize. Instead of chasing shiny tools, they're shipping what matters most — and evolving with the company.

3. Build your AI stack the way you built your SaaS stack

Instead of mandating AI from the top down, Juro has built a culture of AI experimentation.

They started by giving everyone safe, legal-reviewed access to tools like ChatGPT. Then they layered in rituals: AI show-and-tells, peer-led demos, internal GPTs, and use case showcases at all-hands.

The result? 95% of engineers use Cursor. Finance is rebuilding its ERP in an AI-native system. And the People team has built a rejection email GPT that saves hours each month.

"We're not just saying 'we want to be AI-native.' We're actively doing it — and showing the receipts."

4. A new role for HR: onboarding your AI coworkers

One of the boldest ideas from the episode: if AI is becoming a part of your team, someone has to onboard it. Thomas sees that as core HR territory:

"You don't want just anyone onboarding your AI tools. You want someone who understands your culture, your values, your employees."

That's why he believes People will become the AI stack owners in modern orgs — not to police usage, but to guide thoughtful adoption.

5. Don’t copy the product team. Learn from them.

Thomas embraces the idea of People Ops as a product — with roadmaps, user research, and iteration. But he’s also quick to point out the limits.

People teams, he says, are shapeshifters. They're product managers, engineers, customer success, and sales all in one. And they need a playbook that reflects that.

"If we keep chasing somebody else's playbook, we'll never find our own step. We need the freedom to completely redraw it."

Start with your own operating vision. Fall in love with the problems. And build what your company needs — even if no one else has done it yet.

‍

See you next week!

P.S. If you like MPL, help us grow the show by giving us a 5 star rating on Apple or Spotify.