Faces of HR: Michael Pilnick on Creating Culture and Balancing Trust and Objectivity

As CHRO for First Advantage, a global provider of employment background screening and verification solutions, Michael Pilnick leads all human capital functions and people systems that directly impact employee engagement and business outcomes across the Americas, EMEA, India, and APAC. Since joining the Atlanta-based company in 2013, Pilnick has not only been a key advisor […]

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As CHRO for First Advantage, a global provider of employment background screening and verification solutions, Michael Pilnick leads all human capital functions and people systems that directly impact employee engagement and business outcomes across the Americas, EMEA, India, and APAC.

Since joining the Atlanta-based company in 2013, Pilnick has not only been a key advisor to the CEO and leadership team but also an Executive Sponsor for select clients, ESG committee member and contributed to FADV results through two private equity ownerships and recent Nasdaq IPO. We recently connected with Pilnick to discuss how he got his start in the industry, his best mistake, and more.

In our latest Faces, meet Michael Pilnick.

How did you get your start in the field?

With over 30 years of experience across Human Resources and Human Capitol, it is important to note that I did not know HR was my calling right out of college. After I graduated, I became a high school history teacher for the Navajo Nation in Arizona. I can say the Navajo culture was the most different culture I have ever experienced, and I grew up in New York City, a melting pot of cultures. I quickly realized that there was still a lot for me to learn when it came to building relationships, trust and how to earn respect across culture. 

That experience showed me that big cultural differences can be right in your own backyard, and that you need someone in that culture to confide in, to become an ally to help you understand the people more. In my case, it was to understand my students and their cultural norms. It taught me to never make assumptions, to ask questions, to listen. That first job, while it wasn’t in Human Resources, it was an eye-opening experience and shaped my foundation as an HR leader, teaching me empathy, how to navigate through a culture different from my own, and it reinforced how culture matters in every organization. It steered me toward a career where I could really help to drive a healthy and supportive company culture within organizations. 

What’s your best mistake and what did you learn from it?

When you have worked for as long as I have, you make many mistakes throughout the years. The greatest lesson learned for me is to always remain objective. While it is so important to build trusted relationships within the organization, it is equally important to not lose sight of your role as an HR professional and the expectation to remain impartial and unbiased.

Early in my career as a HR Business Partner (HRBP), I became embedded in my internal client’s business culture and without realizing, my objectivity became compromised. HRBPs need to strike a balance between collaboration and objectivity. While it is important to be friendly and collaborative, maintaining a certain distance is crucial to preserve objectivity. This ensures that the HR perspective is always present, allowing for unbiased support aligned with organizational goals. One needs to be true to the business objectives and at the same time build and keep trust.

Recognizing this balance between objectivity and managing trust was a significant step for me early in my career because it allowed me to regain both trust and objectivity and served as a reminder to always take a step back to reassess my role and boundaries. It is important to focus on establishing a balance between being involved and maintaining the necessary distance.

What’s your favorite part about working in the industry? What’s your least favorite part, and how would you change it?

My less preferred tasks involve administrative and regulatory duties, for example, those related to HRSS and total compensation. While I recognize their crucial importance and admire those with a knack for managing these quantitative tasks, this area is not personally the most engaging for me. I surrounded myself with subject matter experts in these fields to ensure their effective management.

My favorite aspect of HR revolves around sculpting and harmonizing business culture to match market demands. It involves a form of social engineering, comprehending and steering outcomes that the business and market require. This entails a high level of collaboration, working synergistically in an atmosphere of trust, and fostering cross-functional teamwork. I’m passionate about driving a company culture and values that not only support but also align with our clients’ needs. Many individuals believe that culture is beyond design, often shaped by external influences. However, it is possible to design group norms that define acceptable or unacceptable behaviors within a team or organization. Crafting these “around here-isms” or norms helps shape the environment and influences the outcomes and reputation of a business, a significant responsibility for HR leaders.

It sounds like through your experience you really care about people, and you want to help them feel safe and comfortable, which is important in the industry. Please elaborate here.

Practice active listening by engaging with numerous employees and customers. Both groups offer valuable perspectives; customers can provide insights into your employees. Establish trust and foster an environment that encourages open and honest feedback.

Embrace authenticity: show up genuinely, transparently, and empathetically. Follow through on commitments to establish trust, which in turn nurtures authenticity — a vital force. It’s crucial to empower all leaders, ensuring accountability. If leadership falls short, it’s essential to maintain honesty and ensure promises are fulfilled.

Make creating an inclusive workplace culture a top priority, especially focusing on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) initiatives to ensure a welcoming and equitable environment.     

Gain insight from human capital metrics. Look at the talent leaving the organization and the reasons behind it. Available data provides a snapshot of the current organizational state and helps formulate relevant questions to uncover further insights and ways to improve the company culture.

How can HR most effectively demonstrate its value to the leadership team?

A lot of the time, HR professionals are trusted advisors to their organization’s leadership team. We serve as an objective sounding board for leaders, engaging in difficult conversations by critiquing ideas without dismissing individuals and providing constructive feedback.

As the head of HR, forging robust relationships with the CEO and board members is crucial. It’s essential to pose challenging questions, have relevant data readily available, and offer guidance and coaching to colleagues as required.

HR teams have proven value by being an objective and trusted safe place for many employees. They offer a secure space where employees can confidently seek guidance, support, and have confidential discussions.

Where do you see the industry heading in five years? Or are you seeing any current trends?

In the next five years, I believe there will be a tremendous shift towards increased self-service and automation, largely driven by human capital platforms. This trend will streamline management tasks and empower employees with more autonomy in HR-related processes.

HRBPs will need to dramatically evolve into effective consultants, leverage data for decision-making and sharpen their active listening skills. Their role will pivot more away from administrative tasks toward offering consultative guidance and strategic support to the organization.

What are you most proud of?

I take pride in leading a team that is deeply ingrained in the transformation of First Advantage’s company culture. It’s been incredible witnessing the evolution of First Advantage’s company culture throughout the past decade. Despite multiple M&As, the company has successfully adapted and fostered an inclusive culture where team members feel a strong sense of belonging and see themselves as integral to the company’s future.

Do you have any advice for people entering the profession?

Get as much experience as you can! Gaining diverse experience across compensation, benefits, HRBPs, HR shared services, employee relations, recruitment, and international HR is crucial. It’s equally important to comprehend how your company generates revenue, understanding the P&L, and knowing your customers, including their challenges. Also, building relationships and partnerships across departments, such as the legal and finance teams, is essential. Managing HR shouldn’t happen in isolation; it requires collaboration and integration across the organization.

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