People-Centric HR in Practice: How Jen Schomer Turns Organizational Chaos into a Culture of Trust and Performance

In today’s whiplash workplace—where startups scale fast, funding dries up faster, and employee expectations keep evolving—HR isn’t a back-office function anymore. The rise of fractional leadership, remote teams, and constant regulatory change has forced companies to rethink how they support people while still hitting business goals. Leaders are realizing that “culture issues” often trace back to basics like security, clarity, and trust—and the cost of getting that wrong shows up in turnover, productivity, and brand reputation.

What happens when HR stops being just paperwork and policies, and starts becoming a true business partner for people and performance?

In this episode of Professional Quotient, Jason Winningham talks with Jen Schomer, founder of Catalyst HR and People Solutions, about what it really means to practice people-centric HR. Jen shares how she moved from business operations into HR, discovered she’s a “builder,” and developed a niche in creating order out of chaos for growing and changing organizations. Together, they unpack how HR leaders can act as builders during chaotic times—creating structure without suffocating people, translating human problems into business metrics, and shaping cultures where employees feel safe, supported, and accountable.

Jen and Jason explore the difference between “old school” administrative HR and modern, forward-thinking HR that translates people metrics into real business impact, and treats employees as the company’s greatest asset instead of just a line on the P&L. Jen also talks about fractional HR, building programs in messy environments, and her advice for anyone trying to break into or grow within the HR field—starting at your level, protecting your integrity, and finding real mentorship.

They also explore: 

• How turnover, role clarity, and culture challenges tie directly to business outcomes
• The growing role of fractional HR and why it’s valuable for small and mid-sized companies
• The importance of mentorship, integrity, and building a strong foundation when entering HR
• How to help employees succeed by creating conditions that support safety, growth, and performance

Jen Schomer is the founder of Catalyst HR and People Solutions and a Seattle-based HR consultant known for stepping into fast-moving organizations and creating order out of chaos. She began her career in business operations before transitioning into talent acquisition and broader HR leadership, where she discovered her niche as a “builder”—designing scalable recruiting systems, developing managers, and guiding organizations through change. Jen holds senior HR credentials from both SHRM and HRCI, and her work is rooted in a blend of process-driven operations thinking and deeply people-centered leadership.

If you care about building workplaces where people and business both win, this conversation will give you practical insight—and a new way to think about your own PQ in HR.