Humu

Humu was established in 2017 by Laszlo Bock, Wayne Crosby, and Jessie Wisdom, all of whom are former Google executives. The founders' collective experience at Google, particularly in people operations and analytics, heavily influenced Humu's mission to improve workplace environments. Bock, having served as Google's Senior Vice President of People Operations, authored the book "Work Rules!", which details insights into managing and motivating employees, forming the foundational principles for Humu's approach.

The company developed a platform centered on behavioral science, specifically utilizing "nudges"—small, personalized suggestions sent to employees and managers. This system was designed to foster better habits in areas such as teamwork, management, and overall well-being. The platform would analyze organizational data to identify specific behavioral gaps and then deliver timely, scientifically-backed recommendations to prompt incremental changes. This core offering, the Nudge Engine, aimed to translate employee feedback into actionable steps for continuous improvement within organizations.

Humu's business model targeted large enterprises, offering its platform as a subscription-based service to help them enhance employee engagement and performance. The company's value proposition was its ability to move beyond simply collecting employee feedback to actively driving behavioral change at scale.

A significant milestone in Humu's journey was its acquisition by Perceptyx, a prominent employee listening and people analytics platform, in a deal announced in April 2023. Following the acquisition, the Humu brand and its products were integrated into Perceptyx's broader portfolio. Co-founders Laszlo Bock and Wayne Crosby joined the Perceptyx leadership team, with Bock taking on the role of strategic advisor and Crosby becoming a member of the board of directors. This merger combined Humu's behavioral change technology with Perceptyx's extensive employee survey and analytics capabilities, creating a more comprehensive solution for understanding and improving the employee experience.

Keywords: employee engagement, people analytics, behavioral science, HR technology, nudge theory, employee feedback, leadership development, organizational culture, performance management, employee experience