(US & Canada) Chris Eldredge, VP of Data Office at Paycor, speaks with Channie Mize, General Manager, Slalom Consulting, in a video interview about his current role, the organizational approach to data, leveraging AI and GenAI, and ensuring appropriate data access across the organization.

Paycor is a software-as-a-service company that focuses on human capital management, payroll, time, and talent solutions.

Eldredge, a seasoned professional with over 30 years in data and analytics, played a pivotal role in establishing Paycor’s data office, an effort underscored by his unique position reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer. Joining the company in 2019, he encountered a scenario devoid of a data warehouse or cloud data platform, prompting the team to build these foundational elements from scratch. The primary goal was to create trusted data that could support Paycor’s public offering, successfully achieved in 2021.

Collaborating closely with business units, particularly the product team, the data office focused on developing a multi-tenant cloud data warehouse. Eldredge emphasizes embedding data as a core component of Paycor’s operations, fostering a culture where it is pervasive and integral to decision-making.

One significant challenge was the absence of master data management solutions and consensus on key customer and product attributes critical to the business. Early efforts centered not on technical tasks but on aligning stakeholders to define priorities for the data warehouse, particularly for the Master Data Foundation. From there, the focus shifted to determining the most effective and reliable way to migrate that data into a trustworthy cloud platform.

Eldredge says that implementing effective data governance requires a strategic approach tailored to an organization’s objectives. At Paycor, the focus was on identifying the right individuals to make informed decisions about data elements, aligning efforts with what resonated with the executive community, and securing executive sponsorship. Ensuring stakeholder alignment was critical, as was emphasizing the importance of using the appropriate data sets. This process was not about imposing changes arbitrarily but about ensuring the initiatives were meaningful to the business, positively impactful, and provided stakeholders with compelling reasons to adopt new standards and certified data sets.

Further, Eldredge describes how the organization’s approach to data has evolved to address growing demand and ensure secure, enterprise-wide usability. He notes that the data team supports diverse departments such as customer experience, sales, and marketing daily, focusing on helping them effectively utilize data. To facilitate this, the team prioritized building systems and strategies to meet enterprise standards, starting with creating a centralized repository for certified datasets and educational resources.

Security and sensitive data management emerged as key challenges, particularly when integrating data from source systems that include personal information like social security numbers and payroll details. To address these issues, the organization collaborated with legal, risk, compliance, and infosec teams to securely store raw data in a controlled environment.

Eldredge says that this approach allowed for the creation of downstream data marts tailored to specific use cases, incorporating appropriate levels of sensitive information and security controls. These measures ensured that data could be safely leveraged without compromising privacy or compliance standards.

Speaking about how data requirements have changed with GenAI, Eldredge states that the success of both AI and GenAI heavily relies on data, as inadequate or misaligned data can lead to inaccuracies, hallucinations, and other complications. He notes that Paycor adopted a balanced “build and buy” approach to AI strategy. However, challenges arise when external solutions lack compatibility with the organization’s cloud data platform or cannot effectively utilize the data for model training.

To address this, Eldredge highlights the importance of aligning the organization through structured oversight, such as Paycor’s AI working group and steering committee. These structures ensure visibility into team activities, driving innovation while maintaining consistency. He stresses that consistent data practices are essential to prevent discrepancies across models. This involves careful management of data refresh cycles, a granular understanding of the data, and systematic handling of changes or restatements.

When asked about ensuring safe data access, Eldredge highlights the importance of ensuring data flows effectively across an organization while addressing and dismantling silos when they hinder progress. At Paycor, this challenge involved recognizing the distinct operational approaches of technical and business teams. Technical teams often rely on structured processes like DevOps and agile methodologies, focusing on test and development environments. In contrast, business teams prioritize direct access to production data and operate outside of these frameworks.

To bridge this gap, Paycor developed comprehensive intake processes for data requests. These processes catered to both technical and business needs, accommodating requests for training, adjustments, or enhancements to datasets. This approach necessitated the creation of multiple communication channels to foster collaboration between the data office and various teams across the organization.

Executive sponsorship played a crucial role in fostering a data-driven culture at Paycor. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization’s reporting needs shifted dramatically, transitioning from monthly to daily reporting. As Eldredge reveals, the CEO’s directive to provide trusted, timely data compelled the team to swiftly upgrade data systems and align diverse stakeholders.

Once implemented, the executive team’s awareness of the trusted data set a standard, enabling them to challenge discrepancies and ensure consistency across the organization. This alignment underscored the value of reliable data as a foundation for decision-making.

CDO Magazine appreciates Chris Eldredge for sharing his insights with our global community.