When Gina joined Flat Iron three years ago, it had nine restaurants and around 540 employees. It now has 23 locations and more than 1,300 people. The informal ways of working that worked for a small company no longer fit. Managers needed clearer processes, more support and the confidence to handle tough conversations early.
Adam Lacey talks with Gina Knight, who leads all things people at Flat Iron, about how her team is helping managers grow without making things more complicated than they need to be.
Gina shares why development should keep going after someone becomes a manager. Her team looks at people data to see how talent moves through the company and spots where people get stuck. Then, they create simple tools to help managers handle these challenges.
One of these tools is a decision tree for performance issues. It guides managers to check things like probation status, working hours, health and other underlying issues before deciding what kind of conversation to have. The tool doesn't give a final answer, but it helps managers think through the problem, make fairer decisions and feel more confident when talking with their team.
Gina also talks about how Flat Iron builds these tools into induction, development programmes and operational reviews. About 70% of employees now say they've had a review with their manager in the last three months, up from 54%. Hardly anyone appeals disciplinary decisions anymore.
They also discuss using AI to find better insights without replacing human judgement, why polished presentations can fall apart when candidates cannot explain the thinking behind them, and how broadening your perspective, creating access and taking action can shape your career.
What you'll learn in this episode
- Why managers need ongoing development, even after they get promoted
- How simple decision trees can help managers have fairer and more confident conversations about performance
- How people data can show where problems come up in hiring, development, promotion and retention
- How Flat Iron makes management tools part of daily work, not just a one-time rollout
- Why AI should support people's judgement rather than do their thinking for them
- How broadening your perspective, creating access and taking action can open up more career opportunities
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What is The Assembly?
The Assembly: Where L&D Minds Assemble
The future of workplace learning doesn’t live in theory — it lives in lived experience, fresh research, and honest conversations.
That’s what The Assembly delivers.
Hosted by Adam Lacey, Co-Founder of Assemble You and digital learning veteran, and Brigid McCormack, a newcomer to the world of L&D, this is your go-to space for rich, real talk on what’s driving L&D forward.
In each episode, you’ll find:
Richer insights that go beyond surface-level tips to unpack what really works in learning today
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Formally known as L&D Challenges.