n8n is a fast-growing software startup, one that is playing a major role in the AI revolution.
The Berlin-founded workflow automation platform helps teams automate routine tasks, connect tools, and build AI-powered workflows that reduce manual work.
People Operations Lead Gera van Berlo joined n8n 18 months ago, when the company had just under 60 employees. Today, it has more than 330 and is on track to reach more than 450 by the end of 2026.
To keep pace with this growth, n8n’s people operations team needed more than a traditional HR system. It needed a connected source of truth that could support automation, global operations, and a fast-moving builder culture. A major part of that foundation is HiBob.
Building n8n’s people ops for scale
HiBob replaced a complex HR information system, one that didn’t offer the integrations that n8n needed.
And as n8n operates across Europe, the UK and the US, different regions have different regulations, systems, and processes. “HiBob is our single source of the truth,” says Gera. “Everyone has access to Bob in all regions, and where needed, HiBob integrates with the local regional system.”
“Bob doesn’t just work for human coworkers,” says Tom Martens, Automation Engineer at n8n. It’s also the system that provides necessary context for our internal automations and AI agents.” HiBob isn’t just supporting People Ops; it’s become the trusted employee data source that powers automations across the wider business.
This is critical for n8n, a company whose product is automation. Making sure HiBob integrates with its own in-house automations and third-party integrations is table stakes for n8n.
“My role basically means I listen to problems other internal teams are facing,” says Tom. “Mostly manual processes where people say, ‘I don’t want to do this by hand. It’s annoying.’ Then I try to find ways to automatically solve whatever needs solving.”
n8n uses HiBob’s API to make selected employee data available in a controlled way, such as job title, department, country, start date, manager, and team. That data can then support workflows across tools such as Notion, Slack, support systems, onboarding dashboards, and internal chatbots.
“HiBob includes a huge amount of very sensitive data, which is the nature of any HR information system,” says Tom. “But answering questions like ‘who is this person’s manager?’, ‘which country are they based in?’, or ‘which team are they in?’ is information you want to make widely available.”
“HiBob has very granular API permissions,” says Tom. “That means I can write to HiBob, but I can’t fetch data that I’m not authorised to read. HiBob does this extremely well, and a lot nicer than some of the competitors we’ve looked at.”
Reducing onboarding time by 90%
One of n8n’s biggest People Ops wins has been onboarding. As the company hires at pace, the People Ops team needs to keep track of new starters, credentials, local rules, probation dates, managers, and onboarding tasks across different countries.
Before automation, that created a lot of manual work.
“Before the automation with HiBob, I would forget at least one thing per person,” says Gera. “It would always have to backtrack.”
Today, n8n uses HiBob data and n8n workflows to power an onboarding dashboard. Credentials can be created automatically. Managers can receive Slack reminders when probation periods are coming to an end. Processes can adapt depending on a new starter’s country, start date, manager, or location.
“It’s all taken care of,” says Gera. “I now have more time to focus on talking to people about more involved and important matters, like visa issues. I have more time for human connection.”
The impact has been significant.
“I calculated it,” says Gera. “There was a 90% reduction in the time spent per onboarding with the automation that we created with HiBob.”
Helping people focus on meaningful work
For n8n, automation is not about replacing people. It is about removing the manual work that slows people down.
“We’re trying to use AI in a way that takes the manual, painful work away from people,” says Tom. “It helps people enjoy their work and focus on meaningful work.”
Instead of manually checking absence calendars, support teams can avoid assigning tickets to agents who are on holiday. Instead of manually copying email addresses between systems, onboarding workflows can create accounts automatically. Instead of asking People Ops for basic team information, employees can use internal tools to find the information they need.
“You save time,” says Tom. “But you also get increased accuracy, faster delivery times, greater efficiency, and observability.”
For Gera, the biggest benefit is the ability to move from admin to higher-value work: “Now we have the time to make other people’s lives easier.”
A dream team for connected People Ops
n8n’s advice to other companies is simple: choose an HR information system that connects easily with the rest of your software stack.
“An HRIS is such an integral part of every software stack these days,” says Tom. “Every company should adopt an HRIS that easily connects with the surrounding ecosystem.”
For n8n, HiBob’s value is not just that it stores employee data. It is that the data can be securely connected to the tools and workflows people already use.
“HiBob is about breaking down silos,” says Tom. “It’s easy to integrate HiBob while still maintaining permissions.”
That makes HiBob and n8n a powerful combination.
“n8n and HiBob are a dream team,” says Tom. “It’s basically a connector hook to everything else you might be using.”
Scaling without losing the human touch
n8n is still growing quickly, and the People Ops team is still building as it goes.
“We are building and flying the plane at the same time,” says Gera.
But with HiBob as its global source of truth and n8n powering automations around it, the team has built a model that can scale.
It is lean, connected, and designed around the way n8n already works: fast, flexible, and builder-led.
For Gera, the goal is clear. Automation should remove the repetitive work so People Ops can focus on the moments that matter.
“I can focus on the things that are fun and important,” she says.
If you’re inspired by n8n’s approach, HiBob’s Heartcore HR AI Innovators Group connects customers who are experimenting with AI and automation, creating a space to exchange ideas and learn from peers tackling similar challenges.
Main takeaways
- HiBob gives n8n a global source of truth for employee data across Europe, the UK and the US.
- HiBob’s API and granular permissions help n8n build secure automations around trusted people data.
- n8n reduced People Ops onboarding admin time by 90% using HiBob and n8n workflows.
- HiBob supports n8n’s builder culture by making employee context available without exposing sensitive HR data.
- Together, HiBob and n8n help a lean People Ops team support rapid growth while keeping work human.oss the organization
