Excellence in HR and culture: Putting data into action

Driven by data and empathy, Mari Kemp puts people — not just employees — first.

Kemp serves as the senior vice president of human resources at Ease, which helps health insurance agencies reimagine benefits enrollment. Gathering data from online surveys sent to leaders, employees and former hires, Kemp creates a culture of feedback, establishing an HR space that is proactive rather than reactive. As a result, she’s introduced employee resource groups dedicated to everything from empowering women to encouraging fitness.

Unsatisfied by how diversity is treated in the executive space, Kemp also developed the newly-launched Diversity with Initiative program, which reshaped Ease’s recruitment and promotions methodologies. Kemp knows that certain demographics are disproportionately suggested for promotions. So when there’s a role available, she’ll work with managers to understand exactly why a candidate was suggested and make sure that diverse candidates are also being given fair consideration. “Diversity is not something that you do with one big event and then move on,” Kemp says. “It becomes part of how we think and move forward.”

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With data on her side, Kemp can easily spot if and when Ease is missing the mark, from diversity efforts to employee engagement. “It's not just about the job," she says. "It's looking at yourself as a holistic person. We have to keep our ear to the ground and stay close to our people and meet them where they are to be successful as a business.”