In each edition we delve into the minds of those who are redefining the boundaries of health. Our goal is to share the insights and stories of those leading the way to achieve the highest attainable standard of health for everyone.

In this edition of Health Innovation Insider we speak to Alexandria Arbuckle about her journey into the world of health innovation with the launch ofLifeForce.

You hold a big role as Chief People Officer at Hurdle, the diagnostic testing pioneers. From your experience there, what gap did you see in health roles that led you to create LifeForce?

As a Chief People Officer, you’re responsible for supporting the people in the organisation, but also for supporting the organisation you’re working with in achieving its most challenging goals by utilising its most important asset – its people. Throughout my career, I’ve seen many startups – especially those in the health space – struggle with the delicate balance of tight budget constraints and the need to hire and retain the niche experts they need to succeed. Hurdle’s mission is to make accessing health data more affordable and accessible through tech and diagnostics; LifeForce’s mission is to make accessing expertise more affordable and accessible. LifeForce connects startups, like Hurdle, with the experts they need fast, often at a fraction of the time, and therefore cost, so they can continue to drive health and tech advancements forward.

What’s the biggest challenge you see for health organisations when it comes to the recruitment and retention of people?

I alluded to it before, but tight budgets and high expectations for recruitment and retention can be competing priorities. Health organisations typically need access to niche expertise that can only be gained through years of education and experience; however, when it comes to compensating these highly qualified, talented, and hard-to-find people, many organisations fall short. If you want to attract and keep top talent, you need to be able to pay them fairly – making sure you have the dedication and budget in place to do so can be a significant challenge.

What are you most excited about when you think about how we will work differently in the next 5 years and how will LifeForce support that?

I believe that fractional work is the future. Fractional hiring, which means bringing on short-term and focused experts whose deep expertise enables them to tackle challenges in a fraction of the time it may take a full time employee with a broader scope or less experience, delivers results and saves companies money. Beyond the benefit to companies – fractional work gives those performing the work more freedom and diversity of experience. It’s a win-win. LifeForce is helping to drive that evolution and I think that’s pretty exciting.

In your opinion, what is the key to a collaborative and happy workforce? How do you build it, sustain it and keep it healthy?

The key to a collaborative and happy workforce is creating a space where every individual feels seen, valued, respected, and part of the journey. It’s not a secret – if you want your people to perform well, treat them well. But, more deeply, building and safeguarding a strong foundation of shared values, mutual accountability, trust, communication, and ownership creates an environment that naturally fosters collaboration. And when it comes to joy? Senior leadership is responsible for setting the tone, People Teams are accountable for keeping a pulse on the org and moving initiatives forward, but employees at all levels can (and should) contribute to crafting and sustaining a joyful employee experience.

Could you please tell us an interesting fact about yourself?
I love hosting dinner parties and I’m the proud pet parent of several rescue animals.