Member Spotlight: Cole Napper

Name
Cole Napper

Position/Employer
Global Head of People Analytics at FedEx Corporation & Co-Host of the Directionally Correct Podcast

How long have you been a SIOP member?
15+ years

What roles have you had within SIOP?
Served on the Professional Practice Committee and various subcommittees

Interest area(s)
People Analytics and the "I"-side of I-O psych

What sparked your interest in I-O psychology?
I fell in love with I-O psychology for its ability to use research and data to understand complex phenomena in the workplace. It's fascinating.

What role do you see I-O psychology playing in the future of work?
I-O psychology research is right in the thick of guiding what the future of work looks like, whether it be remote versus in-office, teams, how to motivate employees, changes to the employee value proposition, etc.

What work trends are you seeing and hearing about and how can I-O psychology practitioners, educators, and students impact these trends?
I am extremely curious about the impacts of GenAI on the broader workforce (e.g., upskilling people vs. replacing jobs), it being a force multiplier to people analytics, and how it impacts the I-O psych research toolkit.

What advice would you give to students or those early in their career?
You have a license to learn. Go use your skillset and expand your boundaries.

What is one of your favorite SIOP Annual Conference memories/highlights?
Recording Directionally Correct live at the SIOP Annual Conference the last 2 years has been a riot. :)

Please share one non-I-O-related bit of information about yourself.
I'm an avid golfer.

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