Innovation doesn’t happen in a vacuum. At One Model, it’s not just a product feature or roadmap milestone. It’s a daily habit shaped by the people behind the platform. Whether they're configuring AI workflows, solving complex security challenges, or enabling customers to tell better data stories, One Model employees are trusted experts who bring their full creativity to every problem they tackle.
That means new ideas, better solutions, and lasting impact often begin with the people closest to the work, and closest to the customer.
To get a closer look at how innovation takes shape inside the company, we asked five team members to share their perspectives. Their responses revealed five core dimensions of employee-driven innovation that make One Model different.
Built with Transparency, Backed by Trust
It starts with visibility. Customers don’t have to wonder how a metric was calculated or whether a number can be trusted, they can see it for themselves.
"All of the configurations—how we bring in the data, how we build the metrics and dimensions, what logic we use—are visible," said Customer Advisor Kelly Kirkpatrick. "Permissioned admin users can access and understand all of it."
That kind of transparency doesn’t just help teams work faster, it builds confidence. James Morales, Director of Security and Privacy explains that "Every department's workflows have security essentially baked into the processes. I think that separates us from a lot of other companies."
It’s a foundation of trust that spans data, ethics, and accountability. As former VP of People Analytics Strategy Richard Rosenow put it, "Today’s HR leaders are held accountable for what happens inside the tech. They need transparency and control."
Innovation with a Human Lens
From machine learning to generative AI, One Model has always prioritized innovation that centers the user and makes advanced tools accessible to HR teams.
"I help clients do machine learning projects or make the assistant work for their organization," said Hayley Bresina, Product Manager on the One AI team. "My goal is to build tools that are powerful but also accessible."
That accessibility matters. As Hayley explained, "HR analysts are the true experts of that data. One Model puts powerful tools in their hands and helps them work better with data scientists."
This kind of people-first approach is at the heart of employee-driven innovation at One Model. "We take great care to ensure we’re not using our AI unethically, and that it serves the exact purposes we say it does, without bias," James Morales added.
Even in the sales process, the emphasis is on clarity over hype. "There are a lot of lightweights out there offering simplified versions of the latest trend," said Phil Schrader, VP of Sales and Solution Architecture. "We get to talk to people who want the real thing."
This is employee innovation in action: where team members design and deliver tools that respect the user, not just the buzzwords.
Solving Real Problems, Not Just Selling Features
At One Model, solving problems isn't a tagline. It's a process.
"We don’t just want to fix something. [One Model wants] to fix it so well it doesn’t show up again," said Richard Rosenow. That means getting to the root of a problem, not putting a Bandaid on it.
Phil Schrader sees that same spirit in the sales process when working with prospects: "We’re genuinely trying to solve the problem together. The conversation becomes, 'Well, this won’t work so well, but this will.' It’s a great moment. You know you’re going to end up in the right place."
Kelly Kirkpatrick sees it on the customer side: "Customers can make changes to metrics—names, calculations, whole new sets—instantly. That might seem small, but it’s huge."
These aren’t just employee innovation examples, they’re evidence of a culture that values depth over shortcuts, clarity over convenience.
Scaling Impact, Together
When you build for flexibility, you make it easier for others to build, too. That’s a central belief among the One Model team.
"It’s great to watch analyst teams grow in their expertise with One Model," said Kelly Kirkpatrick. "With each sprint, they expand what they can do."
"One Model gives the scaffolding," said Phil Schrader. "You go from not having the tools to having a complete toolset that supports end-to-end analysis."
Richard Rosenow sees that impact multiply: "When I was a practitioner, I could help my company. At One Model, I could help hundreds. One Model can help companies and employees flourish. One Model is making People Analytics better. And if we can make it better, faster, and more available, we can help more people build the work lives they want."
It’s a shining example of what employee innovation can look like—where team contributions fuel customer breakthroughs. When companies invest in employee creativity and innovation, the results ripple outward in real, measurable impact.
Why We Stay
Ask anyone at One Model what keeps them going, and the answers tend to come back to three things: the people, the purpose, and the pride of building something that matters.
"I tell people all the time, I have the best job ever," said James Morales. "The culture is the best I’ve ever had at any workplace."
"There’s a moment when you’re sitting with a CHRO talking about promotion rate, and you know it’s accurate because of everything baked into the logic," said Phil Schrader. "That’s good for your career. That’s what we want for our customers."
One Model’s innovation isn’t confined to a single team or initiative. It lives in the day-to-day choices, conversations, and commitments of its people. From platform features to customer relationships, the difference is in how problems are solved and who’s empowered to solve them.
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