Coming to you from Rochester NY, meet Will Harris, the Bills superfan and analyst on the Global Business Analytics Physical Retail team. Will helps teams better understand store performance by connecting data across various platforms to create scalable reporting, streamline workflows and improve operational visibility.
Will is passionate about making complex challenges simpler. By turning data into clear, actionable insights and improving the way teams work, he helps create better experiences for employees and supports smarter decisions across Wayfair's retail business.
Read on to learn more about Will and his experience at Wayfair.
What project or accomplishment are you most proud of during your time at Wayfair?
One accomplishment I’m especially proud of is the work I’ve done around workforce enablement and automation, particularly helping connect systems and reporting in ways that make work easier for our home office and operations teams. A recent example is how we’ve been modernizing Physical Retail workflows through automation, reporting and better data foundations. The goal has been to build more scalable processes that help teams understand labor costs, training readiness, scheduling and operational health in a more connected way. What makes me proud is that this work is not just about dashboards or data. It is about helping people spend less time chasing information and more time acting on it.
What’s something about your team’s work that you wished more people knew about?
I wish more people knew how much “behind the scenes” work goes into accelerating operations from an enablement function. When a report, workflow, schedule view, or data pull looks clean and straightforward, there is usually a lot of thought behind how the data connects, how teams will use it and how it can scale over time. Our team is often working in the space between business needs and technical systems. That means translating operational questions into data models, reporting tools, automations and processes that leaders and field teams can trust. It’s a lot of problem-solving, partnership and continuous improvement.
What do you enjoy most about working at Wayfair?
What I enjoy most is the opportunity to build. Wayfair has given me room to grow, learn new skills and take on problems that don’t always have a clear playbook. I've had the opportunity to grow my career by working across several areas of the business, from learning and development to analytics and workforce technology. Each experience has given me a new perspective and today I get to bring those insights together to help support and improve our physical retail operations. That variety has helped me see how connected the business really is. I also appreciate working with people who are willing to think creatively, challenge ideas and move quickly when there is an opportunity to improve something.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
At different points, I probably would have said musician, professional athlete or something wildly unrealistic depending on the week. I’ve always been drawn to things that involve creativity, building skill and figuring things out through self-development. In a funny way, that still shows up in my work now. I may not be on a stage or a field, but I do get to be creative, solve problems and build things that hopefully make an impact.
Where do you call home and what does “home” mean to you?
I call Rochester, New York home. I’ve spent most of my life in Western New York (Go Bills!) and the Finger Lakes region, so home has always felt tied to family, familiar places, changing seasons, excellent food and the people you can fully be yourself around. To me, home is less about one specific place and more about feeling grounded. It’s where you recharge, laugh, cook, make memories and build a life with the people who matter most.
If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and why?
I would love to visit Italy. The food, history, architecture, scenery and slower pace of life all seem incredible. I’d want to experience the different regions, try as much local food as possible and spend time somewhere that feels both historic and deeply connected to everyday life. Also, I would be lying if I said the pasta, wine and coffee were not major selling points.
What’s your favorite Wayfair product that you’ve purchased (please include a link)?
My favorite Wayfair product that I’ve purchased is the
Red Barrel Studio Power Lift Recliner with Heated Massage. This product was purchased out of necessity after a health issue unfortunately impacted my home. The electric recline was a huge feature along with the heating & massage capability. It's been an absolute dream!