Kristin Gaarder, Chief People Officer at Perforce Software

Episode notes

Empathy at Scale: Perforce’s CPO on AI, Authentic Hiring, and Leading Individuals Summary When change is constant and AI is rewriting work, how do you create clarity, safety, and performance for a global workforce? Kristin Gaarder, Chief People Officer at Perforce Software (2,000 employees across 30+ countries), shares how her team supports technologists navigating rapid transformation, geopolitical uncertainty, and change fatigue—without losing the human thread. She unpacks the real risks AI introduces to talent acquisition (think synthetic candidates and system infiltration) and why Perforce is reintroducing in-person touchpoints to validate skills and character. Kristin details a company-wide leadership learning journey: from building high-performing teams on trust and healthy conflict to leading each individual with empathy and precision. She also breaks down Perforce’s listening architecture—small group sessions, town halls, pulse and engagement surveys, CEO surveys, and always-on feedback forms—to replace “hallway chatter” in distributed teams and rebuild trust through action.