Title: Senior People Science Consultant

Residence: Isleworth in Greater London

Home town: London, United Kingdom

Avneeta Solanki’s future as a people scientist was clear from a young age based on an unusual ability. She was great at performing impressions of other people.

“I was always very curious about people even as a young child,” she says. “I am known in my family for doing great impersonations, and now I understand why—I was probably spending a long time watching people, their behavior, facial expressions, and mannerisms.”

Learn more about Avneeta’s work and life. 

Work

What’s your specialty on the People Science Team? My deep expertise is employee engagement. I have been in the people analytics and employee engagement industry for the last 15 years. In fact, while I was studying for my bachelor’s degree in psychology, I completed a six-month industry placement where I designed, implemented, and analyzed an engagement survey for a large public-sector department. 

Since then I’ve never looked back in terms of helping people be happier and more successful at work. Analyzing employee data to connect the dots and tell a compelling story to leaders is now second nature to me. But I’m also keen to stay curious and keep reinventing how I do this. 

How did you get to Glint? I joined Glint from IBM Kenexa, where I was also an employee engagement consultant. I liked how Glint speaks about employee engagement. The fact that we talk about “happiness at work” really resonates with me—we focus on the things that matter without making them overly complicated. 

What’s your motivation for doing what you do? Despite having been in this industry for a number of years, my motivation for wanting to have an impact on people’s happiness at work is as strong as ever. Although we never get to speak directly to the individuals taking an engagement survey, knowing that I have played a role in ensuring their voices are heard and their concerns aired keeps me motivated. This is something we can all relate to in our own careers. 

Any career goals you’re working toward? Having spent a number of years working as a Consultant and Individual Contributor, I am now flexing new muscles spending more time working with our People Science Strategic Development team. Focusing a little more on our thought leadership and how we enable our customers to apply People Science themselves is equally rewarding! 

What has been a big learning moment in your career? I spent a long time switching jobs until I found something I really loved and never looked back. Today it’s probably more acceptable to say you’ve been a “job-hopper,” but that was a difficult journey during a time when you were expected to remain in the same job for a few years before you moved. I’m glad things are different now and that we are talking about careers being more fluid, growth being multidirectional, and organizational values aligning with your own. 

Life

What was your first job? I was a sales assistant on the delicatessen counter in a large supermarket chain while I was 17 and at college. I almost quit after day one. (I had spent the day mopping floors, handling and slicing raw meat—ox tongue and black pudding—and washing a ton of dirty dishes.) But I ended up staying for two years thanks to great colleagues!

How many cups of coffee do you drink per day? One cappuccino to start my day, plus a green tea most days.

What do you like to do outside of work? I have a big wish list of what I’d like to do when I can find time in between working and taking care of my two kids. But I always make time to exercise regularly. (I love my high-intensity interval training workouts and our local bootcamp sessions in the park). I also love to bake sweet treats and get involved in some DIY projects at home!


Connect with Avneeta on LinkedIn.