The HR Edit: Reinventing How Work Works at Regeneron

HR is not an enabling function. HR is a strategic driver that builds future capability and business performance. Sally Paull, EVP and CHRO at Regeneron, joins KeyAnna Schmiedl, Chief Human Experience Officer at Workhuman, to unpack how HR leads when structure is shifting, skills are scarce, and trust is the differentiator. In this episode Paull challenges outdated norms, arguing that org design must move from boxes on a chart to matching work with skills, and that HR credibility begins with deep business fluency. She highlights a convergence of forces reshaping the workforce and calls for cross‑industry collaboration to create new templates for how work actually gets done. What you’ll learn 1. How HR earns strategic credibility by learning the business and spending real time with leaders. 2. How to shift org design from hierarchy to skills, matching work to skill instead of job to structure. 3. How to lead through constant change as multiple forces converge, from technology to demographics and talent pipelines. 4. How to build trust and reduce fear by making tough decisions visible, communicating intent and impact, and involving employees in the process. 5. How human‑centered rewards and well‑being strategies increase alignment and performance, with examples like companywide share ownership and global mental health support. Who’s in the conversation Sally Paull, EVP and CHRO, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals KeyAnna Schmiedl, Chief Human Experience Officer, Workhuman Try this in your org 1. Sit with the business. Map how work is accomplished, what fuels success, and where drag lives, then align HR priorities to those realities. 2. Start skills mapping. Pair critical work to skills and build pathways that move people across work, not just up structures. 3. Make tough calls visible. Explain intent, measure impact, share the delta, and adjust in public to build trust. 4. Balance data with listening. Use evidence and stay tuned to the “gestalt” of what people are experiencing. 5. Collaborate beyond your walls. Share patterns and templates with peer CHROs so the function moves faster together. Series This conversation appears in The HR Edit, a collaboration between The Female Quotient and Workhuman, spotlighting leaders who are reimagining how we make work work for everyone. Join the discussion What is one practice your HR team is using to move from structure to skills? Add your perspective in the comments.