From Chaos to Clarity: The HR Story Behind 'Center the Pendulum'

Have you ever felt like you're caught between the needs of employees and the demands of the business—without enough resources or time in the day to manage either? If you're a human resources (HR) leader, chances are you know that juggling act all too well.

A familiar HR story is at the heart of the book, Center the Pendulum: HR Tales of Transformation for Better Business Outcomes. Written as one woman’s story of change management and HR transformation, it’s really a practical guide based on years of experience and hundreds of conversations with HR leaders across the country.

By reading the book, HR pros gain tips on how to find that ever-elusive balance between the needs of their people and the goals and resources of their company, a task that defines the HR role today.

The Story of Jenn Clarke

At the core of Center the Pendulum is the fictional tale of Jenn Clarke, a single mom and seasoned HR leader facing the toughest challenge of her career. The story begins on a rainy Monday morning, her first day as the Director of Human Resources at Wilthorne Manufacturing. She has her work cut out for her. From outdated systems and processes to employee morale that’s at an all-time low, Jenn must quickly figure out how to bring order to the chaos.

As Jenn works to build a new HR function at Wilthorne, the book intersperses real-life examples of HR leaders who have faced—and overcome—similar challenges. These stories, shared in their own words, provide lessons that anyone working in HR can use. Whether it’s modernizing outdated systems, improving employee engagement, or finding creative ways to retain top talent, Jenn’s journey is filled with insights that HR professionals can apply directly to their work.

Fiction Meets Reality

The magic of Center the Pendulum is how it blends fiction with practical advice. Jenn’s story is fictional, but it’s grounded in the everyday challenges that HR leaders face.

At the heart of Jenn’s journey—and of the book itself—is the idea of the pendulum. In HR, leaders constantly find themselves swinging between the needs of the business and the needs of employees. How do they keep that pendulum centered? How do they find that delicate balance where both sides are met? How do they deliver experiences that matter to employers and employees alike?

Center the Pendulum guides HR leaders in managing those dynamics. Based on hundreds of isolved customer conversations over the years, the book outlines practical ways to build a better employee experience (EX) by executing strategies that also prioritize meeting tough business goals.

The ‘Joey’ Effect

One of our book’s key relationships is between Jenn and a trusted partner named Joey, a character who represents the kind of dependable, solution-oriented ally every HR leader needs. Joey helps Jenn navigate the complexities of implementing new HR systems, improving payroll processes, and gaining leadership buy-in for much-needed changes. Joey can be a vendor like isolved or an ASO or PEO partner like those found in the isolved Network. From previous experience, Jenn knows how critical it is to have a trusted partner who can extend the impact of her team.

Here’s where Center the Pendulum becomes more than just a fictional tale: Joey’s role in the story represents that trusted partner someone who can help you streamline HR processes and empower employees while still meeting the needs of the business. In other words, a partner who can help a team of one act like a team of 10 through the optimal combination of software and services.

Centering the Pendulum

Whether you’re an HR leader struggling to juggle competing demands or someone looking for fresh ideas on building a more effective HR strategy, Center the Pendulum provides food for thought, practical ideas, and maybe even a few laughs and tears along the way. Jenn’s story – and the isolved customer stories found within – is one that every HR professional can relate to, and the lessons within are invaluable for anyone looking to strike the right balance between people and business.