This HR exec is working to retain culture in a virtual-first workplace

Kerri Jones, now CPO at the home services and repair provider Frontdoor, is proud of her unique professional background. With more than a decade of foundational experience in HR, Jones most recently worked in other operational and project management roles at companies including H&R Block and Waddell & Reed. She led H&R Block’s overhaul of its recruitment program of more than 100,000 seasonal professionals during tax season, shaving more than 10 days off the time it took to fill open roles.

Jones is focused on evolving Frontdoor’s culture and deepening employee engagement, especially as it transitions to a remote-first workplace. She said it’s paramount that she connects every employee’s work to the company’s mission, and her experiences in overseeing big projects in operational capacities is helping her bring Frontdoor’s employees along for the ride.

How do your experiences in operations and project management influence how you approach HR?

I’m really thinking about the business first, and then HR follows…It’s about using all of my past leadership experiences to really lead teams through change. My team does that by focusing on acquiring and developing top talent, by ensuring that our culture continues to be inclusive…And the other thing that we do is…keep our pulse on employee engagement and [organize] teams in the right way to drive that business transformation forward.

Do you feel like because you had dabbled in other areas of business, you were teed-up perfectly for this moment in the HR/people world?

Bill Cobb, our CEO…reached out to me and said, “Hey, you know what, I'd like to talk to you about the chief people officer role.”…What he was really looking for me to come in and do was to help drive transformational change…Because I did [an]“operational tour” [of different roles], I was able to really hone my skills there and understand what great looks like and what it can look like.

I think maybe it’s fate…but it was certainly the right timing…especially when it came to what Frontdoor was looking for. So, I was able to bring this foundational HR experience and also this operational element that I’ve been spending time in over the last eight years. Couple that with strong leadership, and you can do anything.

Tell me a little bit about your thoughts on mentorship and supporting younger aspiring folks in the corporate world?

I would say it’s awfully important, and I think something that has helped me be successful is to really focus on relationships and building relationships…creating opportunities for exposure. Somebody did that for me when I was younger in my career, gave me opportunities to present or perform or share information with executives…I think it’s really important as leaders, as human beings, to give people those opportunities to engage with executives and people across the organization.

You’re one of a number of new female execs at Frontdoor, and I’m wondering if that’s allowing the company to approach the workplace policies any differently?

It really sets the tone that Frontdoor is very interested in diversity, equity, and inclusion. So, what’s really important is that we have representation in all areas of the organization, not just at that leadership level, but I think you want to walk the talk. We have a leadership team that is committed to doing that and ensuring that we have a robust employee base that brings many different experiences.

Tell me a bit about what’s on your radar at work right now. What are you working on?

We’re trying to figure out the best approach for this virtual-first culture and environment. So, we’re going to spend a lot of time there. What I’m really excited about doing is helping our associates understand how the work that they do each day directly aligns with our strategy. So, my goal is to ensure that everybody that works at Frontdoor understands why we’re here…regardless of the function that you’re in. I want people to understand the business.

Correction, Mar 22, 2023: This article was updated to reflect that Kerri Jones previously led H&R Block’s overhaul of its recruitment program of more than 100,000 seasonal professionals during tax season.