Jen Kuhn On Leadership

“What made you a leader is not enough to keep you being a leader. To remain relevant as a leader, you must be humble enough to always be listening and to always be learning.”

Jen Kuhn came to the nation’s capital five years ago to take on the role of vice president of human resources at Bank-Fund Staff Federal Credit Union ($6.3B, Washington, DC), bringing with her six years of experience with health IT and tire manufacturing businesses.

She also brought with her a desire to celebrate and educate others on the value of differences as she took charge of employee relations, talent acquisition and development, compliance, and diversity initiatives at BFSFCU.

Kuhn, who now carries the title of chief human resources officer, is also responsible for training, facilities and real estate management, and physical security for the DC offices that are home to approximately 350 staffers. One of them is her direct report on an HR team of a dozen.Here she describes how all this fits into, as she puts it — “ever-evolving” — leadership at the 96,000-member cooperative.

On the biggest difference between credit unions and the private sector in terms of HR leadership …

I never pictured myself working at a credit union and was hesitant when I first learned about the opportunity at Bank-Fund. However, when I met the leadership team and they shared their vision for a digital transformation driven by an engaged staff, I knew there was something special about this place.

On my first day here, we launched our first-ever employee engagement survey. The results showed we were average when it comes to employee engagement. Employees had a limited understanding of the credit union’s strategic direction, and they were unsure about me and what I was going to do next.

During my first few months, I got the opportunity to meet, listen, and learn. There was an intense desire from staff to make sure the credit union was positioned to be around for another 75-plus years, and they wanted to be involved in that change.

There was a sense of ownership and pride in the credit union, which was a key differentiator from the private industry. With the board of directors, we developed our strategic priorities and highlighted how our people were integral to the Bank-Fund Staff’s success. Even with a global pandemic, our survey results improved every year. In 2023, our employee engagement score was considered one of the highest in the financial services industry.

On how HR has changed during the past few years and how leaders can meet the new challenges and opportunities …

Our whole world has changed as a result of COVID-19. HR has always worn multiple hats, but our role has become increasingly more visible in the past few years. Leaders sought out their HR partners to help guide them through the impact of a global pandemic and the sudden blend of work and home life.

We played a critical role in helping teams navigate how to recalibrate their existing practices to ensure delivery on critical tasks. The most effective leaders are the ones that embrace change and help their teams feel safe and thrive in a world of constant change.

On leadership style and its impact on Bank-Fund Staff …

I’m not sure I have one style, and I think it’s ever evolving. Before COVID-19, I openly shared my cell phone number with anyone in the organization because I want them to feel safe communicating with me. During COVID-19, I recalibrated and focused more on transparency — we don’t have the answers to how this global pandemic will impact us, and we might have some missteps along the way. We shared we are on this journey of uncertainty with them and will get through it together.

It can be easy to forget we’re all humans and we’re all doing our best. We all became a bit more comfortable with that, so today I would say I’m trying to inspire others to identify ways we can be better and empower them to be that change.

On working across the enterprise to ensure HR has a place at the table and has the tools to meet each department’s diverse needs …

Bank-Fund’s CEO, Eli Vazquez, is HR’s biggest advocate here. His vision and passion for people is what inspired me to join the Bank-Fund team back in 2018. He knows the value of a strong HR team and has made sure we’re integral to all aspects of the business.

“In the world of AI and technology, it can be easy to conclude the best solution is always automation. There is significant value in making work easier, but when it comes to people, the human element is essential to obtaining top talent, sustaining engagement, and retaining people.”

On effective strategies for identifying, recruiting, attracting, hiring, and retaining the people the credit union needs …

In the world of AI and technology, it can be easy to conclude the best solution is always automation. There is significant value in making work easier, but when it comes to people, the human element is essential to obtaining top talent, sustaining engagement, and retaining people.

In recruitment, we tell candidates we know what it’s like to be on the other side of this conversation and we’re going to keep them well informed at each stage of the process. Our onboarding program is one of the best out there with engaging educational content, relationship building, and networking across the organization. We want them to see and experience what makes Bank-Fund so special and that it all starts with our people. Then, they become the reason we’re so successful.

CreditUnions.com’s On Leadership series spotlights notable leaders across the credit union landscape by discovering how they joined the movement, learning what makes them tick, uncovering career lessons and successes, and seeking advice for the future of the movement. Read the whole series today.

On how the diversity imperative has changed and how leadership can help …

Our sponsor groups are the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund, and our people reflect our membership. We might just have the most diverse workforce out there. Our focus has been a little different in that our efforts are more on inclusion, equity, and belonging.

Our inclusion advisory group is led by staff from across the organization, and they’re getting leadership experience through advocacy, education, and project experience. For example, the IAG advocated for process changes in the member experience to remove or update outdated fields like binary gender, obtained university-backed DEI certifications to deepen their own knowledge, and used their newfound understanding to hold their co-workers accountable.

The IAG also crafted our institution’s inclusion statement, the standard to which all staff are held. One area in which we combined employee engagement with our DEI efforts allowed staff to suggest dishes they found representative of their identities and worked with local businesses to get an educational way to learn about their co-workers and culture through food.

Our diverse staff has also afforded us the opportunity to address inclusion through less-discussed topics like creating a more accessible workplace for people with disabilities.

On advice, lessons learned, or takeaways on the topic of leadership, generally, and human resources specifically …

What made you a leader is not enough to keep you being a leader. Just like golf, leadership is fundamentally a game of mistakes and recovery. Leadership is ever evolving, and to remain relevant as a leader, you must be humble enough to always be listening and to always be learning.

 This interview has been edited and condensed.

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