Voices of HR

Employee handbooks with clear policies that protect your business from legal risks and retaliation claims and are compliant with employment laws can be useful tools for HR. But if it's been a while since you updated your handbook, you need to listen closely to our next guest, Jake Sitman, Chair of the Employment Law and Labor Relations Group for the law firm Fitzpatrick, Lentz, and Bubba. He’ll share his insights on writing and maintaining an effective employee handbook.

Highlights

[3:01] The greatest risk for employers today

[5:17] Understanding retaliation

[8:41] The common mistake employers make

[11:42] Remote work and risk

[18:01] Harassment policy mistakes

[22:17] Where to start with reviewing your handbook

[25:52] Avoiding overly detailed handbooks

[29:46] The impact of company culture on your handbook

[33:06] Handbook best practices for HR

[36:50] The risk of having little or no documentation

Guest Bio

Jake Sitman, Chair of the Employment Law and Labor Relations Group, Fitzpatrick, Lentz and Bubba

Jake Sitman is one of Pennsylvania's leading labor and employment law attorneys, a skilled litigator who often represents employers in federal and state courts in defense of discrimination, harassment, whistleblower and wrongful discharge claims. Jake also counsels and trains business owners, executives, and HR managers in ways to reduce legal risk and how to make smart, strategic, and cost-effective personnel-related decisions. He is an author and a frequent speaker on labor and employment law topics for various chambers of commerce and industry trade groups.

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HR pros often have to navigate situations where the company's interests may conflict with the needs of individual employees. HR veteran Jackie Plunkett has extensive experience as both an in-house practitioner and as a consultant. Today, she shares her insights on how to build trust and respect with employees while also reducing employer risk. 

Highlights

[2:46] Poor employee relations can be corrected

[6:06] Building relationships and a culture of openness

[14:35] Terminations and confidentiality issues

[16:22] Proactive relationship building with employees

[21:06] Managing up and having candid conversations with leaders

[29:56] “Evil HR departments”

[31:18] Online reviews of employers and social media videos

[34:11] HR ethics and managing risk

[42:40] AI and HR

[43:44] Staying on top of trends and compliance

Guest Bio

Jackie Plunkett, VP of HR, SuccessFuel

Jackie Plunkett is a SHRM-certified professional with more than 25 years of experience as an in-house practitioner and as a consultant in a variety of industries. She has extensive experience in employee relations, investigations, performance management, training and development, policy writing and enforcement, FMLA administration, conflict resolution, workers’ comp claims and unemployment hearings. In addition to Jackie's role as VP of Human Resources at SuccessFuel, she's a contributing writer to HRMorning.com, where she helps her HR peers tackle some of the most difficult issues facing them today.

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Companies are missing golden opportunities to hire high performing talent that’s being trained and certified right now by nontraditional workforce development programs. To help your organization tap into traditionally overlooked talent communities, we’ve called in Michelle Sims, CEO of YUPRO Placement. Michelle tells us, "For 40 years, the trend has been to use a four-year degree as a proxy for your skills when, really, a piece of paper and a resume don't always represent what you can actually do and what you know."

Highlights

[3:25] What is skills-based hiring?

[4:10] A learn-and-earn, skills-based hiring success story involving an internship

[10:35] Getting connected with local nonprofits and nontraditional workforce development programs

[14:18] What nonprofits and workforce development programs are training for

[17:44] Apprenticeships involving modern business skills

[19:42] Addressing common concerns and objections, and building momentum, for skills-based hiring

[25:23] Practical tips for companies transitioning to a skills-based approach

[29:32] Building advocacy for skills-based hiring

[30:47] Lifetime support for workforce development program alumni and the potential future of talent

Guest Bio

Michelle Sims, CEO, YUPRO Placement

Michelle Sims is the CEO of YUPRO Placement, a skills-first placement firm that sources, recruits, retains, and advances historically excluded talent. A champion of skills-based hiring, Michelle leads a purposeful ecosystem of employers and training providers who collaborate on and commit to creating equity in our workforce. Michelle has been recognized on both the SIA Global Power Women 150 List and the SIA DEI Influencer list and is a regular contributor with the Forbes Business Council as a subject matter expert on employers adopting skills-first hiring practices in order to create equitable career pathways for overlooked talent.

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For many companies, employing formerly incarcerated individuals may seem like a high-risk proposition. However, there are more people with charges and convictions than you realize. And there are plenty of moving, life-changing success stories that show that fair chance hiring can be good for your business. Ken Oliver, Vice President of Checkr.org shares his own success story and tells us that “fair chance hiring doesn’t mean hire every single person with a record. Every company has a right to hire the best person for the job. We don’t want them to lower the bar, we just want them to lower the barrier to access.”

Episode Note: See the links below to learn more about Checkr.org and to view the incredible story of Ken Oliver’s Friend, Larry Miller - From Prison to Nike’s C-Suite: Larry Miller’s Journey.

Highlights

[2:29] From prison to VP

[5:36] The value proposition of re-entry programs

[11:36] Overcoming objections to fair chance hiring

[16:13] Data and evidence supporting fair chance hiring

[18:00] The “From the Streets to the Boardroom” resilience story of a leader at Nike

[23:58] The business impact of diversity of lived experiences

[26:50] The justice-impacted and the labor gap

[36:07] How HR can introduce fair chance hiring and tactical things to consider

[41:38] What the EEOC and Title VII say about hiring someone with a record

[45:57] Checkr’s training sessions for HR pros and government-funded apprenticeship programs

Guest Bio

Ken Oliver, Vice President, Checkr.org

Ken Oliver is Vice President of Checkr.org, the social impact division of background screening company Checkr Inc. He also serves as the executive director of the Checkr Foundation. Checkr.org is dedicated to the mission of building a fairer future of work, one job at a time, by reshaping the narrative and providing pathways to sustainable employment for nearly 80 million Americans with an arrest and conviction record.

Ken's professional expertise spans the landscape of diversity, equity and inclusion and justice, record clearance, talent development, talent sourcing, strategy, change management, and public policy. His insights and contributions to the field have been recognized and featured in publications such as Newsweek, Forbes, Fast Company, The New York Times, and others.

He also played a role in shaping California Governor Gavin Newsom's 2021 Future of Work Report.

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Although some companies have been cutting back on their DEI efforts lately, Mita Mallick, the Head of Inclusion, Equity, and Impact at financial software company Carta, says, “Now’s not the time to put DEI on the back burner. There’s a business case for creating an inclusive workplace and fostering a culture of belonging. Right now, in the US, 40% of individuals identify as non-white. That number is rapidly changing. That doesn't include individuals with disabilities, veterans, the LGBTQ+ community, and others. If you don't have those voices and talent in your organization I don't know how you expect to stay competitively successful.”

Highlights

[2:32] The challenges and opportunities facing DEI efforts in the workplace

[8:35] Why does inclusion matter?

[10:40] Why microaggressions and bullying happen get tolerated

[13:24] Strategies for responding to complaints about microaggression

[16:15] How bias can be an obstacle to pay equity

[19:14] Some top myths about inclusion in the workplace

[21:05] Confusion among C-suite leaders about DEI’s impact on their company brand

[23:20] Tips for HR professionals who are working to create an inclusive workplace

[29:00] Treating DEI as an important business function

[31:50] What should employers strive to be?

Guest Bio

Mita Mallick, Head of Inclusion, Equity, and Impact, Carta

Mita Malik is the Head of Inclusion, Equity, and Impact at the financial software company Carta. She previously worked with leading iconic brands like Aveeno, Avon, ChapStick, Vaseline, Suave, and Dove, ensuring that black and brown people were represented in advertising campaigns. Mita is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author, co-host of the “Brown Table Talk” podcast, and a contributing writer to Harvard Business Review, Adweek, and Entrepreneurial Data.

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Leveraging competitive benefits that appeal to everyone is a challenge for a lot of HR pros today. According to Amy Spurling, the founder and CEO of Compt, “A lot of companies have really great programs, but when they start looking at utilization, it's usually around 3 to 5% per thing that you're offering. It is very low. And so you're spending across each individual thing and getting incredibly low utilization. The challenge is then to reach more people and keep more people engaged without cutting benefits.” A former CFO and COO, Amy shares strategies for increasing engagement while offering employees the opportunity to make personalized decisions that are best for them.

Highlights

[3:00] The kinds of benefits it takes to attract and retain talent today

[9:41] How does a stipends-based benefits program give employees more control?

[13:50] What benefits employees are attracted to

[15:37] The impact of stipends on the local economy

[18:01] How one company got its CFO behind a stipend-based benefits program

[20:54] Impact of stipend benefits portfolios on employee engagement and retention

[24:50] Emerging benefits trends

[26:32] The impact of benefits on employee diversity, equity and inclusion

[30:01] Stipend utilization by salaried vs. non-salaried employees

[35:52] Stipends can dramatically improve employer-employee relationships

Guest Bio

Amy Spurling, Founder and CEO, Compt

Amy Spurling is the founder and CEO of Compt, an HR software company that enables companies to offer personalized, globally inclusive, and fully tax-compliant employee lifestyle benefits. Amy's experience as a former CFO and COO drives her belief that companies and employees can achieve much more together when employees are fully supported. A seasoned executive with nearly 20 years of experience in leadership roles at venture-backed companies, Amy has also closed over 10 rounds of financing, totaling more than $200 million, and managed two acquisitions to close. Amy received her master's of business administration from the Simmons School of Management, and a bachelor of arts from the University of Rochester.

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Success in attracting top talent is every bit as important as winning customers, but many small businesses focus more on marketing their product than marketing their company to potential new hires. According to Thad Price, CEO of HR tech company Talroo, “Many job seekers want more; they want a career path. They want to be part of something bigger. This requires you to rethink how you attract the candidates that want to grow with you. And that's marketing, right? That's buying into the brand, focusing your energy on the right audience that's looking for an opportunity and not just this transactional nature of income.” Highlights

[2:03] How the job market has changed

[5:36] Opportunity for small and medium-sized businesses to attract talent

[7:14] Brand, recruiting, and retention

[8:40] Gen Z and sense of purpose

[10:48] Being specific and strategic about how you market open positions

[14:33] How can generative AI improve talent attraction?

[18:06] Small businesses and generative AI

[19:47] Using generative AI to make job postings more engaging and focus on skills

[21:45] Solutions for the administrative burden of recruiting and improving candidate experience

[30:04] Where companies stumble in attracting and retaining talent

Guest Bio

Thad Price is the CEO of Austin, TX-based Talroo, the data-driven job and hiring event advertising platform that helps businesses reach the candidates they need to build their essential workforce. With more than 17 years of experience in online recruitment and the job search vertical, Thad is a recognized thought leader in the HR/talent acquisition space. Under Thad’s leadership, Talroo continues its mission of disruption in the industry. Prior to joining Talroo, he was a VP of Business Development at Job.com.

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When Yahoo's Chief People Officer, Lisa Moore, announced that they were moving away from annual performance ratings in favor of more frequent one-on-one feedback meetings, she got a standing ovation. Get a glimpse into how and why one of the world's most recognizable brands pivoted in its approach and built a sense of trust and engagement among employees.

Highlights

[2:27] Strategic changes needed at Yahoo and what had to stay the same

[6:10] Talent strategy that emphasizes agility and re-evaluating skills

[10:22] Evaluating the existing employee population

[13:36] An upskilling process that’s more practical and less theoretical

[17:12] Providing balanced feedback

[20:30] More equitable performance rating calibration

[24:13] Qualitative talent discussions

[28:55] Evaluating and supporting manager performance

[35:54] Pay equity

[40:44] Pay gap analysis

Guest Bio

Lisa Moore, Chief People Officer, Yahoo

Lisa Moore is the Senior Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer at Yahoo. She’s a globally experienced and highly strategic HR leader with a proven track record of hiring and leading high-performing teams in the media and technology space.

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Consistently developing college grads and early-in-career talent into long-term high performers is a constant struggle for employers. It may take developing an internship or mentorship program or investing in a financial wellness program. For insights on attracting and developing these high-potential workers, we've called in Paloma Thombley, VP of People at Handshake.

Highlights

[2:43] Handshake’s secret to better-than-average tech company retention [5:41] What Gen Z and Boomers have in common

[7:13] Key benefits for attracting young talent

[8:58] Student loan repayment assistance

[12:19] How Gen Z views financial health

[14:46] Financial literacy as part of your benefits portfolio

[20:24] The value of internships now

[24:16] Tips for onboarding recent college grads

[27:52] Being mindful that culture and values matter to Gen Z

[30:20] Aligning HR and marketing

Guest Bio

Paloma Thombley, VP of People, Handshake

Paloma Thombley oversees the HR function and talent acquisition team at Handshake, an online resource for preparing and connecting students and employers.  In the four years since she joined Handshake, the company has tripled the size of its workforce and expanded globally. Paloma has a background in rapidly growing startups, established tech and public sector employment. She is passionate about developing teams and managers, improving the employee experience, and building the right processes and structures for scale - to get ahead of the things that may break before they happen.

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HR pros in the manufacturing industry can attract and retain talent by measuring and delivering data that backs up HR’s effectiveness. Joanne Taylor, Vice President of Operations for Clear Employer Services, tells us that we need to hire not just for what we need today but for where we need to be in five or ten years. “Look at the data and the projections from a sales and marketing and business strategy and how does that shape the future of the skills that we're going to need in five years? That's where HR becomes the strategic partner that we really truly should be in an organization.” Highlights

[2:09] The aging of the manufacturing workforce

[4:41] Attracting and retaining Gen Z talent

[8:39] What makes Gen Z (and younger) talent different

[17:33] HR data and strategy

[21:50] Appealing to Gen Z’s strong social presence

[24:00] Talent development

[25:52] Leveraging data for where you need to be

[28:42] People who can upskill in areas other than leadership

[30:23] Thinking beyond the job boards

[32:44] Data, strategy, and preparing for the future

Guest Bio

Joanne Taylor, Vice President of Operations, Clear Employer Services

Joanne Taylor is a senior HR leader who drives value to businesses with her expertise in human capital management, project management, consulting and employee engagement. As Vice President of Operations for Clear Employer Services, she collaborates with her clients’ leadership teams to assess organizational readiness, influences and supports business development, and advises them on change management strategies for technology deployment and adoption.

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HR consultants and leadership coaches are resources that should be leveraged to help your team, reduce your workload and help you succeed. As Hema Crockett, the co-founder of Gig Talent, tells us, these skilled experts aren’t interested in taking your job and want you to tap into their knowledge.

Highlights

[3:42] What HR often needs help with

[5:44] Sourcing HR consultants and leadership coaches

[8:59] Fear of an HR consultant showing up the in-house HR talent

[11:40] How an outside expert can help companies with HR matters

[14:28] Does HR need outside help to persuade their executive teams?

[17:04] Breaking hire/layoff cycles of talent

[18:20] Checking consultant/organization compatibility

[25:36] When compensation equalization help is needed

[32:55] When an HR pro becomes a consultant

[35:24] HR needs for 2024

Guest Bio

Hema Crockett, Co-founder, Gig Talent

Hema Crockett is an entrepreneur and author who believes life is too short to not do what you love. After spending nearly 20 years as an HR executive working in both the public and private sectors, she launched Gig Talent, a modern talent collective helping organizations level up their culture, their leadership and their talent by connecting vetted high-caliber HR consultants and leadership coaches with forward-thinking organizations seeking a competitive advantage.

Hema has been published in numerous print and online publications, including Forbes and Thrive Global, and has co-authored two books, “Designing Exceptional Organizational Cultures” and “The Everyday Leader.”

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Federal laws are on the books that require physical safety and prohibit harassment and discrimination on the job. However, handling complaints that accuse managers, or even executives, of being disrespectful or abusive can be legal gray areas that leave HR caught in the middle. Dr. Gary Namie, Director of the Workplace Bullying Institute, and Suffolk University Law Professor, David Yamada, share practical ways to address these delicate situations.

According to Dr. Namie: “Bullying is all about a narcissistic individual of any rank fouling up the work process and productivity and team dynamics. So bullying actually prevents work from getting done. That's the hook that HR can use because if they can show the documentable harm on productivity, then the C-suite has to care … because bullies are very expensive to keep.”

Highlights

[2:32] The Healthy Workplace Bill

[7:23] What qualifies as bullying or abuse

[10:52] HR’s toxin handler role

[14:36] The business case for doing something about bullying

[26:57] Types of bullies and bullying traits

[32:57] When bullying is written off as personality conflict

[33:58] Alternative remedies to a zero-tolerance policy

[41:02] High-performing bullies

[45:48] Gen Z’s influence

[46:30] Helpful actions HR can take

Guest Bios

Gary Namie, Director, Workplace Bullying Institute

Gary Namie is a social psychologist who began consulting for organizations as “The Work Doctor” in 1985. He also taught graduate and undergraduate courses in management and psychology and co-founded the Workplace Bullying Institute with his wife, Ruth, to prevent and correct abusive conduct at work through education and training. The couple has also written the books “Bully-Proof Yourself at Work,” “The Bully at Work” and “The Bully-Free Workplace.”

David Yamada, Director, The New Workplace Institute at Suffolk University Law School

David Yamada is a globally recognized authority on workplace bullying and psychological abuse. He authored the Healthy Workplace Bill, which has become the template for enacted and proposed workplace anti-bullying state laws throughout the U.S. His blog, Minding the Workplace, has attracted more than 1 million page views since launching in 2008. 

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Consciously building a culture of kindness and empathy may be the key to attracting and retaining high-performing talent for the long haul.

Berta Aldrich: “So tell us about what these culture champions look like and who are they and what is their charge in your organization.”

Claude Silver: “I will say they are global. They are in all of our offices. They have their own jobs. They have day jobs. They have been, you know, anointed is not the right word, but they are culture champions. They call them that, meaning someone's having a bad day, someone needs to go for a walk … Want to have a coffee? How are you doing? Reaching out, making sure people have friends at the workplace, making sure that they're not the ones sitting alone at lunch, that type of thing. And so the way I found them was they were people just like me, that were doing this already, but having a day job. … we build the connective tissue because that's our strength. So there are people I can rely on in my heart of hearts who have great intuition and want this to be the greatest career choice that anyone makes.”

Highlights

[2:43] What’s a Chief Heart Officer?

[8:19] Transitioning from “getting by” to a culture of empathy and kindness

[10:58] Identifying the culture champions

[13:34] Building a hiring approach

[16:27] Skill set fit

[20:15] Quarterly growth plans and stay interviews

[23:00] “Kind candor”

[24:43] Company alumni program

[25:50] HR finding the fear or the cancer

[35:57] Skills for future great leaders and high performers

Guest Bio

Claude Silver, Chief Heart Officer, VaynerMedia

Claude Silver is VaynerMedia’s (and the world's) first-ever Global Chief Heart Officer, tasked with fusing empathy with agency to unlock employee potential and foster a culture of belonging across the 2000+ person organization. Between her deep education in psychology and spirituality and the two decades she has spent as an advertising strategist, Claude has been studying and influencing human behavior for over three decades.

Outside of her role at VaynerMedia, Claude speaks globally about the need for heart-led leadership in today’s workplace and the importance of treating “employees” like people, not numbers. Her success in guiding client relationships, global brand strategies, operations, management and culture is driven by her abiding passion for creating spaces in which people can show up as their true selves and thrive as a result.

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Susan LaMonica on brand and culture:

The most successful companies, over a sustained period of time, have alignment of all of their different elements. When you think about brand and culture and facing off to your various stakeholder groups, it's really important that those two be aligned. And so when we think about delivering value to our customers, we have a brand commitment, and our colleagues have to deliver against that brand commitment. 

Highlights

[1:50] The power of converging brand and culture

[3:46] Who decides when there’s comprehensive synergy of brand and culture

[6:22] Aligning culture and brand on a daily basis

[10:58] Top skills for new leaders

[12:34] Convincing leadership about a need to pivot

[16:27] Cultivating a culture of high performance

[18:44] “Multidimensional” workforces

[22:20] Leveraging business resource groups to inform change

[26:16] Connecting to your business’s community

[31:12] HR’s biggest challenge

Guest Bio

Susan LaMonica, Chief Human Resources Officer, Citizens Financial Group

As Chief Human Resources Officer and a member of the Executive Committee at Citizens, Susan LaMonica oversees a team that's responsible for organizational development and culture, talent acquisition, leadership and talent development, learning, DEI, compensation and benefits, and human resources service delivery. Susan plays a key role in the company's transformation, driving the adoption of an agile operating model and leading the development of programs and initiatives that focus on the acquisition of emerging skills and the reskilling and upskilling of the workforce to be ready for the future.

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Jason Lauritsen on Employee Performance:

What you’ve experienced is a production style of management that was born out of the Industrial Revolution in an era where we were taking people off the farm, putting them in factories to basically do jobs that were better suited for machines, but we didn’t have the technology to build those machines yet. So we had to get people to behave like those machines.

We’re still stuck where we think of people and treat people like machines to be optimized, to be tweaked.

The problem is, that doesn’t work for human performance.

Managers aren't managing machines. They are managing these growing, developing, imperfect human beings who have needs and are facing obstacles and really want to be successful. And if they’re not, then that means there’s something going on that you need to solve for them or help them with. And when you get that shift made, things start to change.

Highlights:

[2:03] Can annual reviews actually be harmful to an employer?

[6:27] Unintended consequences of tying annual reviews to compensation

[7:16] Annual review horror stories

[9:04] Changing your employee performance appraisal process

[16:15] Putting managers in a better position to help employees learn and grow

[21:52] Beginning of the year conversations

[25:38] Deficit conversations

[34:17] Feedback strategies to help employees succeed

[41:35] “The perfect end-of-year conversation” and merit/bonus conversations

[49:09] How much of an effect does hybrid work have on company culture?

Guest Bio

Jason Lauritsen is an author, a keynote speaker, and a leader trainer, and has been named a Top 100 HR Tech Influencer by HR Executive Magazine, a Top 100 HR Influencer by Engagedly, and a Top 100 Global Employee Engagement and Experience Influencer by Inspiring Workplaces. He is also the author of two books, “Unlocking High Performance: How to Use Performance Management to Engage and Empower Employees to Reach Their Full Potential” and “Social Gravity: Harnessing the Natural Laws of Relationships.” Both are available on Amazon. 

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Many businesses are tapping into the specialized knowledge and experience of freelancers, consultants, and independent contractors to complete key projects. While freelancers bring needed expertise and fresh perspectives, they're not employees of the company. And yet, it's up to HR to recruit, screen, and keep track of this valuable external talent. To help you navigate this trending workforce shift, we've called in Shai-Lee Spiegelman, General Manager of Fiverr Pro.

Highlights

[2:56] “Organic organizations”

[4:07] Chief Freelance Officers

[12:16] Vetting freelance talent

[17:20] Why the freelance marketplace is growing

[20:43] Legal considerations when working with freelancers

[23:03] Manager training on working with freelancers

[24:16] Industries that will depend heavily on freelance talent

[26:48] Freelance market outlook for the U.S.

[27:43] Shai-Lee’s career path, beginning with service in the Israeli Air Force

[33:58] Not becoming immobilized by fear

Guest Bio

Shai-Lee Spigelman, General Manager, Fiverr Pro

Prior to her management role overseeing Fiverr Pro’s platform for business that connects independent workers with businesses in need of talent, Shai-Lee worked for seven years in senior leadership positions in the Israeli government, focusing on leading digital, innovation and technology offices. Prior to her work in the public sector, she was VP of Marketing for Microsoft Israel Research and Development Center. 

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Maintaining an environment where your employees are confident about speaking up, taking risks, and adapting to change is just as critical in good times as it is during challenging times. The key is to create a culture built on psychological safety and resilience. For ideas on how to accomplish that, we've called in Anna Gullstrand, Chief People & Culture Officer at Mentimeter.

Highlights

[4:15] An HR leader as a successful CEO

[9:28] Trying out different people in roles across a business

[10:39] Preparation for occupying the CEO seat

[16:32] Psychological safety

[18:53] Levels of psychological safety

[22:14] Integrated Model of Group Development

[25:32] Team building budget

[28:52] Team building ideas

[30:14] How Mentimeter relocates to promote resiliency

[34:51] The ROI of relocating the workforce and controlling the expenses

Guest Bio

Anna Gullstrand, Chief People & Culture Officer, Mentimeter

Anna Gullstrand is the Chief People & Culture Officer at Mentimeter, the leading audience engagement platform, making the workplace more engaging, productive and inclusive. She also wrote the book “Facilitate,” which was named HR Book of the Year in Sweden.

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There’s a watershed talent shift going on in many workplaces, and companies that focus on executing the right employee retention strategies will be rewarded. But it’s probably going to require taking a different approach to what you’ve been doing. To provide you with a fresh perspective, we've called in Paaras Parker, Chief HR Officer at Paycor. 

Highlights

[2:13] Why the focus shouldn’t be on turnover

[4:58] Individual contributors to proactively retain

[8:05] Performance vs. potential

[14:26] Employee recognition

[14:54] Honest conversations about career development

[19:36] Characteristics of employees that could be groomed for a leadership role

[22:50] Saying “diversity, equity and inclusion” instead of “DEI”

[26:40] Culture of diversity, equity and inclusion

[31:29] Retention-minded onboarding strategies

[36:48] Employee resource groups

Guest Bio

Paaras Parker, Chief HR Officer, Paycor

Paaras Parker is a certified change management professional with expertise in talent management, talent development, employee engagement, coaching, and leadership development. Before joining the HR technology company, Paycor, she was head of HR for the Technology and Digital Division for Kroger, and before that, Director of Engagement Strategy and Analytics at Macy's.

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Some companies work so hard at trying to get diversity hiring right that “analysis paralysis” sets in. And as a result, no meaningful action gets taken. For some ideas on how to move forward, we asked Anna Lenhardt, Chief People Officer at Tomorrow Health.

Highlights

[2:25] Establishing a diversity strategy as your company is growing

[4:16] Encouraging openness to a diverse talent pool

[6:44] Overcoming pushback to DEI

[8:37] Leveraging data and setting expectations to make a difference

[11:46] Removing “barriers of perception”

[14:11] What happens after benchmarks are met?

[16:20] Inclusion and belonging awareness

[27:46] HR leaders and conflict

[32:11] Framing DEI

[33:23] What if the CEO wants to abandon DEI?

Guest Bio Anna Lenhardt, Chief People Officer, Tomorrow Health

Anna Lenhardt is a transformational HR leader, business partner, operator, and strategist, with almost 20 years of experience. She’s passionate about building and scaling high-impact startup companies. Prior to her role with Tomorrow Health, she was VP of People at Hippo Insurance, where she expanded the company’s workforce from 100 to 600 employees nationwide, leading up to the company's 2021 debut on the New York Stock Exchange. As VP of People for Oscar Health, she helped grow the company's talent base from 250 to 1,000 employees over a period of two years.

And as Anna shares with us during this episode, before all that she was an opera singer!

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An employee upskilling strategy is imperative if you want to attract and retain top talent. Just ask the Fortune 1000 companies - they’re realizing that connecting their employees with opportunities to learn new skills and advance their careers should be part of their recruiting, retention and talent pipeline strategies. However, there are several challenges to consider. That's why we've called in Megan O'Connor, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Chegg Skills. Highlights [1:29] Skilling, reskilling and upskilling

[5:05] Education as a retention strategy

[8:14] Getting started with a skilling strategy

[10:36] Managers’ roles in skilling strategy

[18:12] DEI, skilling and upskilling

[20:02] Attracting diverse talent

[22:14] Certificate programs vs. college degrees

[27:34] Biggest challenges to learning and development today

[31:29] Initiating skilling and upskilling

[35:40] Things to be mindful of when rolling out a training program Guest Bio

Megan O’Connor, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, Chegg Skills

The head of strategic partnerships at Chegg Skills, Megan O'Connor is focused on expanding Chegg's footprint in the skills education and professional certification space. Prior to Chegg, Megan was an entrepreneur-in-residence at Kaplan Test Prep and the founder and CEO of Clark. Prior to its acquisition by Noodle, Clark was funded by leading venture investors, including Lightspeed Venture Partners. 

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Dr. Matt Poepsel, “The Godfather of Talent Optimization,” knows that today’s workplaces are changing rapidly. HR is on the hot seat to keep companies productive, and the employees aligned with company strategy. Finding the right people for the right roles, especially your next-gen leaders, is critical to your ongoing success, and he’ll show you how to do it confidently.

Highlights

[2:32] How Dr. Poepsel got the “Godfather of Talent Optimization” moniker

[8:35] Tests for optimizing teams

[17:20] Skill sets that optimized teams have

[20:04] Job hopping

[25:17] The evolution from Millennials to “Generation Alpha” in the workplace

[27:14] The upside and downside to Gen Z employees

[29:24] Skills HR is going to need for optimizing talent

[37:03] Dr. Poepsel’s take on remote work

[40:15] Personality data and work location

[43:00] What Dr. Poepsel’s book “Expand the Circle” has to say

Guest Bio

Dr. Matt Poepsel, VP, Enterprise Solutions, The Predictive Index

Matt Poepsel is the author of Expand the Circle: Enlightened Leadership for Our New World of Work and host of the Lead the People podcast. He serves as VP, Enterprise Solutions at The Predictive Index, which specializes in pre-employment testing that helps companies understand how their people think and work. He holds a Ph.D. in Psychology, an MBA, and a Harvard Business School Certificate of Management Excellence. Matt has more than 20 years of leadership experience as a software executive and consultant. He’s also a US Marine, an Ironman triathlon finisher, and a student of Buddhist philosophy.

Links

New data regarding who is leaving the workforce and who is taking their place reveals what could become major problems for many industries if they aren't paying attention. Jack Berkowitz, Chief Data Officer at ADP, has some surprising findings, as well as ideas on how you can proactively prepare. 

Highlights

[1:44] Top workforce data trends employers need to know about

[4:45] Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the current work environment

[8:40] Leveraging AI for HR strategic agility

[12:42] Data on DEI

[18:00] Are people of color who left the workforce during COVID returning? 

[21:52] Why companies may have to invest in skills transitions for their workforce

[22:47] What type of workers are rapidly leaving the workforce and who is filling their shoes?

[24:29] Roles where large skills gaps may start showing

[28:42] Data for making the case for diversity initiatives training

[31:09] ADP’s National Employment Report and a migration to medium and small businesses

Guest Bio

Jack Berkowitz, Chief Data Officer, ADP

With more than 13 years of experience developing human capital management technology products, Jack Berkowitz is responsible for ADP's data and analytics management. He partners closely with stakeholders to develop new data initiatives to improve client experience and ADP's competitive position. He also leads the ADP data cloud development team, building data products including people analytics, reporting, data licensing, and employment verification products. In addition, Jack is responsible for ADP's vision and approach to artificial intelligence and the development of cloud native machine learning solutions. 

Links

If the EEOC gets wind of a complaint involving sexual harassment or discrimination, the employer could end up paying in more ways than one to mitigate the damage. For example, the agency recently took a fast food franchise owner to court for allegedly failing to address harassment. The settlement was nearly $2 million. To help assess your risk, and explore ways to proactively manage it, we’ve called in employment law compliance expert, founder and CEO at Emtrain, Janine Yancey.

Highlights

[3:57] The persistence of “unwelcome behavior” in the workplace

[7:58] Trainable skills for preventing employee conflict

[17:46] Measuring data on your culture

[19:20] “Universal skills matrix”

[27:58]  Consequences if nothing is done about misuse of power

[29:26] The legal big picture on workplace sexual harassment claims

[31:12] What happens in the aftermath of litigation

[33:28] “Tug-of-war” bias

[35:20]  “48 Laws of Power”

[36:25] Resolution tools for HR leaders

Janine Yancey, Founder & CEO, Emtrain

Janine Yancey is a lawyer and the founder and CEO of Emtrain. She recruited a team of Silicon Valley experts in product, design, and learning to create a unique culture tech platform that provides information and advice to employees, and analytics to employers, to stop harassment, bias, and ethics problems. 

Janine’s vision of democratizing access to information and guidance and creating a global solution to these workplace problems have put her at the forefront of thought leadership on sexual harassment, bias, and ethics issues. She advised the California state senate in 2018 on a harassment training mandate and helped draft a regulation, which went into effect in 2019. 

Janine is a sought-after expert and speaker. She’s been published and interviewed by The Washington Post, USA Today, ABC, MSN, CNET, Bloomberg Business, Tech Crunch and Startup Grind.

Links

Many organizations are still struggling to optimize their world at work. What’s an ideal number of days in the office for maintaining a healthy productivity and corporate culture? Is it even necessary to have any days in the office? To navigate the growing pains of balancing the best of face-to-face collaboration with the autonomy of working from home, we've called in Amy Cosgrove, VP People, North America, Sage.

Highlights

[4:05] The state of hybrid work

[8:58] Navigating COVID-19 national emergency challenges after just starting a new HR leadership job

[16:11] “Flexible Human Work,” “Together Tuesdays” and team agreements

[20:46] Full-time remote work may not be realistic, unless a legitimate accommodation is necessary

[22:58] “Work Away” policy 

[25:20] The value of input from employee surveys and listening apps

[28:58] Deciding what to do with engagement data

[30:18] From disconnected to overconnected 

[32:37] How remote/flexible work brought a deeper connection

[35:38] What productivity and culture KPIs looked like in remote/hybrid work

Guest Bio

Amy Cosgrove, VP People, North America, Sage

Amy Cosgrove has been in the human resources field for more than 25 years, primarily in the technology industry. Her strength lies in partnering with senior business leaders to drive the right talent strategies to achieve the desired business outcomes. She is passionate about leading high-performing teams for high-growth companies. Amy lives in Atlanta, the North American headquarters for Sage.

Links

Gen Z workers in their mid-20s and younger are not afraid to leave a job within six months if they feel the role isn't a good fit for them. Kathryn Minshew, CEO and founder of The Muse, has extensively researched what's happening and is here to break down what it means for you.

Highlights

[1:46] The reason why 75% of Gen Z workers quit

[3:09] What’s behind the disconnect between worker expectations and employee experience?

[10:00] Who’s responsible for a workplace being toxic?

[15:03]  HR’s duty to identify retention problem/toxicity blind spots

[25:14] Strategies for mitigating toxicity

[28:37] Why people actually prefer to stay

[31:40] Indicators that job seekers might be paying close attention to

[34:54] Pairing/twinning interview questions

[44:41] Quitting because of lack of inclusiveness

[47:32] Honesty in representing a position and what your company’s like

Workplaces are increasingly complex, and in high-performing organizations, employee relations is central to the HR function. But some managers follow protocols and some don't, and that can pose unnecessary risks to your company. To help you identify and remedy the risk, we've called in HR consultant Ryan Gaither, employee relations strategist for Capital Blue Cross.

Highlights

[6:23] What things are managers doing that could put their organizations at risk?

[9:15] The importance of documentation

[13:54] Assessing risk when you’re an HR department of one

[17:12] HR and DEI

[20:22] Uncovering illegal bias

[29:31] Tactics for nurturing good HR-employee relationships

[31:59] Stay interviews

[33:28] Women and networking

[35:22] Ryan’s problem-solving process and the importance of following up

[40:52] Legal tests for workplace retaliation complaints  

Guest Bio

Ryan Gaither, employee relations strategist, Capital Blue Cross

With over a decade of experience in people leadership roles, Ryan is a trusted advisor to executive level leaders, specializing in employee relations and employee engagement, including complex work investigations, performance management, conflict management, and policy development and enforcement. Ryan is a SHRM-CP certified professional, a certified trainer, mentor and executive coach. He is also president of the board of directors of New Visions Inc. 

Links

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rgaitherrsc/

https://www.capbluecross.com/

Workplace culture can be even more important than your benefits package when it comes to employee engagement and retention. But a cohesive and consistent culture is harder to pull off in today's hybrid work environments. For ideas on striking a balance between flexibility and the connectedness that employees so crave, we've called in Aimee Gindin, Chief Marketing Officer at LifeSpeak Inc.

Highlights [3:00] The gap between employer perception of how they’re supporting employee mental health vs. employee perceptions of how they’re being supported?

[11:34] How can you  tell if your culture is suffering?

[12:50] Handling C-suite skepticism to concerns

[14:26] The consequences of ignoring turnover driven by burnout

[15:54] Next steps for HR and managers trying to be better, more empathetic communicators

[19:01] Providing psychological safety/a safe, open culture in a way that’s reasonable for the company

[22:54] Tools and support for working families

[24:48] Hybrid work, Gen Z and Millennials

[30:09] Achieving connectedness in creative ways

[34:08] Connecting mental health, culture and DEI

Guest Bio

Aimee Gindin, Chief Marketing Officer, LifeSpeak Inc.

Aimee Gindin is the Chief Marketing Officer at LifeSpeak Inc., a whole-person well-being solution for employers, health plans, and other organizations. LifeSpeak provides a flexible portfolio of solutions across mental health, wellness, fitness, nutrition, substance use, and caregiving. Aimee is also a trained mental health professional with a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology from Chatham University. She has been featured in USA Today, STAT News, Employee Benefit News, HR Daily Advisor, and other business publications. Links

The Biden administration has taken a stance to protect employees, especially when it comes to hot topics like sexual harassment, nondisclosure agreements, pregnancy and women returning to work after the birth or adoption of a child. And there could be severe consequences for employers who don't follow the letter of the law. To get you up to speed on recent, impactful changes to employment law, we talked to employee advocate attorney Joyce Collier, Partner at Uebler Law, LLC.

Highlights

[3:07] Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

[9:00] Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PUMP) for Nursing Mothers Act

[12:24] Speak Out Act

[15:06] Sexual harassment training

[17:30] Federal ban on forced arbitration for complaints of sexual assault and harassment

[22:59] EEOC guidance on using AI to scan resumes

[27:15] FTC proposed rule banning non-compete agreements and the pending Groff v. DeJoy Supreme Court decision 

[33:23] Employee health info and the ADA

[37:11] Healthy workplace bills

[40:44] State pay transparency laws
Guest Bio

Joyce Collier, Partner, Uebler Law, LLC

Joyce has over 30 years of experience handling employment cases that involve discrimination in state and federal courts. She's advocated for victims of sexual harassment, retaliation, and wage theft.

She's also represented employers in helping them avoid litigation by helping them write policies and handbooks, as well as conducting audits and compliance seminars. 

She graduated with honors from Rutgers School of Law, receiving the Most Promising Civil Litigator award. She clerked for the Honorable Justice Robert Clifford of the New Jersey Supreme Court and has been named a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer 10 years running. She has also served as an adjunct law professor at Rutgers School of Law, Camden in the area of disability law.

In today's job market, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have become key tools for recruitment and retention. However, an organization's existing policies and procedures may be the biggest obstacles to implementing a meaningful program. To help you break through those barriers, we've called in workplace culture consultant, author, and executive advisor on diversity strategies, Stacey Gordon, the founder of Rework Work.

Highlights

[3:32] Obstacles in HR’s way

[7:03] When a diversity commitment doesn’t get authentic follow-through 

[11:35] The “why” of your DEI initiative

[16:37] Analyzing survey data and taking action on it

[23:10] What’s your relationship with the CEO like?

[27:12] Ideas for other ways of gathering data on DEI attitudes 

[30:30] How one company took a step in the right direction after a negative first experience

[33:33] Unconscious bias 

[37:22] Problematic core values and culture words

[39:44] How can an organization truly come together when there are so many perspectives to consider?

[43:31] Organizational “processes” that need to have better DEI consideration

Guest Bio

Stacey Gordon, Founder, Rework Work

Stacey Gordon is a workplace culture consultant, keynote speaker, author, facilitator of learning, and executive advisor on diversity strategies. It is her goal to disrupt the way employers interact with employees. She expects leaders to lead and works to help employees belong. She has worked with people managers and executive leaders from companies such as American Express, ADP, Kia Motors, Hewlett Packard, GE, The Obama Foundation, and many others to deliver education, coaching, and consulting that supports organizational change and leadership development in furtherance of creating inclusive workplace cultures.

Stacey’s book, “UNBIAS: Addressing Unconscious Bias at Work” debuted at No. 1 on Amazon’s Hot New Release list while her unconscious bias course on the LinkedIn learning platform was the No. 1 most-watched course of 2021 and has been translated into several languages. Her audience is quickly approaching 2 million unique learners and Stacey has been recognized as a passionate supporter of DEI by Forbes, Pepperdine University, and LinkedIn. She earned her MBA from Pepperdine University Business School and her SHRM-SCP certification, as well as the SHRM Inclusive Workplace Culture Credential.

Links

Leadership changes, acquisitions, divestitures, and their downstream impact can jolt even the most stable companies and their employees. Growth and change can be both exciting and terrifying. For a CHRO, culture change management can feel like changing the tires on a moving car. For insights on how to navigate this very tricky process, we've called in Corey Berkey, Senior Vice President of People and Talent at Employ. Highlights

[1:38] Corey’s HR “career rocketship” moment

[9:00] Weaving a common thread of culture among different organizations that are now the same company

[13:01] Committee discussions for fine-tuning a new common culture 

[18:24] The biggest concerns among new team members who aren’t on board yet

[20:41] Does honesty need to be spelled out as a core value?

[23:28] Keeping everyone accountable for demonstrating core values

[25:09] Launching a values-based peer recognition program

[28:07] Incorporating values into your hiring process 

[32:40] Future-proofing values

[38:47] Values and succession planning

Guest Bio

Corey Berkey, Senior Vice President of People and Talent, Employ Inc.

With more than a decade of experience in the corporate human resources space, Corey Berkey oversees all people-focused initiatives and talent acquisition efforts to build a world-class team across all Employ brands, including JazzHR, Lever, Jobvite, and NXTThing RPO. Corey also manages engagement programs across the business to help keep employees connected and focused on driving business results.

He is a SHRM Senior Certified Professional with deep domain expertise that spans SMB to enterprise organizations. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and currently lives in Pittsburgh. Corey has been regularly quoted and published as a human resource expert in Forbes, SHRM, Bloomberg, CNBC, and more.

Links

Keeping workers engaged and purpose-driven is an important part of HR's job, but so is keeping your company out of court because of pitfalls related to the Equal Employment Opportunity Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and more. To give you that ever-important legal perspective on the hot topics of DEI, hybrid work, and cultural competency, we've called in Katherin Nukk-Freeman, attorney and co-founding partner of Nukk-Freeman & Cerra PC, and President of SHIFT HR Compliance Training.

Highlights: 

[4:44] Root causes for why companies aren’t moving forward with DEI

[8:26] How can DEI training become a  problem for employers?

[10:31] Executing effective DEI policies that avoid exposure to legal risk

[12:50] What HR needs to be mindful of while coming up with a DEI plan for the organization

[17:11] What to do if it looks like your DEI plan is going to get challenged in court

[19:32] What is cultural competency?

[27:32] Effective return to work strategies

[32:12] Employment law and hybrid work

[37:18] Resources for HR to track pending employment legislation

[2:17] DEI compliance risks in the workplace

Guest Bio

Katherin Nukk-Freeman, President, SHIFT HR Compliance Training

Katherin is the Co-Founder of SHIFT HR Compliance Training and the co-founding Partner of Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, P.C. - the largest woman-owned employment law firm on the east coast. She is a passionate advocate for building better workplaces, and has dedicated her career to working with clients to proactively address and effectively manage workplace issues. As a dynamic employment law advisor, training instructor and industry thought leader, Katherin is a highly sought-after speaker and for the past five years has also served on the Board of Directors for ConnectOne Bancorp Inc.

Links

https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherinnukkfreeman/

Sometimes HR software systems that are supposed to create efficiency can become pain points. Disruptive functionality and disparate systems can handcuff HR pros - making them unable to provide quick answers to the people they're trying to support. Technology expert Patrick Sayers, president of Newcastle Research, helps you decide if it's time for an HR system upgrade.

Highlights

[2:15] HRIS and human capital management software that’s the right fit

[5:37] Using spreadsheets to bridge disparate systems 

[10:13] Pinpointing software pain points

[13:35] Symptoms of underlying problems

[14:10] Top HR software trends related to unified systems and customer support

[18:11] Reading deeper into customer satisfaction and revenue retention metrics

[20:10] Presenting the business case for new/different HR tech to a CFO

[21:50] What to do when you’re getting to the short list of vendors

[23:25] The cost savings case for new/different HR tech

[26:30 What about compliance and assessing risk?

Guest Bio

Patrick Sayers, President, Newcastle Research

Patrick Sayers is the founder of Newcastle Research, a research and advisory company focused on the human capital management (HCM) market. He leads Newcastle Research’s advisory services, leveraging two decades of industry experience to assist clients with their HCM strategy so that HR teams can focus on what really matters.

Links

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sayerspatrick/

https://newcastleresearch.com/

A 2022 survey by Indeed found more than a third of working women have thought about quitting their jobs because of burnout and the demands of family life. To help you retain the women in your workforce, and attract more top female talent, we’ve turned to Kate Muzzatti, Chief People Officer at Maven Clinic.

Highlights

[2:21] The State of Employer Family Health Benefits

[4:40] Employer attitudes about reproductive health benefits

[6:40] Where are potential family support/reproductive health benefits gaps? 

[10:07] Benefits ripe for investment

[11:43] Tips for advancing a more equitable family support/reproductive health benefits package

[14:06] Gauging how employees feel about existing benefits

[19:00] Demographics-based benefits inclusivity

[20:56] Do family benefits trends impact men in the workplace?

[22:01] Success tip for new CHROs

[24:31] Tying people strategy to business strategy

Guest Bio

Kate Muzzatti, Chief People Officer, Maven Clinic

Prior to joining Maven Clinic, the world’s largest virtual clinic for women’s and family health, Kate Muzzatti served as Chief People Officer at Babylist and has held people and human resources leadership positions at M.M.LaFleur, Blue Apron, and Gilt Groupe. Kate received her B.S. in Psychology from Santa Clara University. She lives in New York City with her husband and two children.

Thanks to Gen Z, workplaces must view employee life, work and health through a different, more meaningful lens. Radina Walsh, founder, trainer and talent manager of Vox Advisory shares some insights and strategies for recruiting and retaining the best this generation has to offer.

Highlights [2:17] HR’s link to psychology

[4:34] Why is Gen Z exciting?

[7:08] What do Gen Z workers expect from their employer?

[11:38] What kinds of bosses will Gen Z workers thrive under?

[15:30] Advice for leaders of Gen Z talent

[16:07] Gen Z’s workplace mental health

[24:25] The evolution of employer attitudes about employee mental health

[25:58] What Gen Z valuing work-life integration looks like

[31:26] A global look at cultural attitudes toward DEI

[38:42] What can employers do to be more diversity-minded?

Guest Bio

Radina Walsh, Founder, Trainer, and Talent Manager, Vox Advisory

Originally from Bulgaria, Radina Walsh is a remote talent advisor, virtual lecturer, LinkedIn trainer and psychologist based in Ireland.

After 10 years in the corporate world, working in executive search and in the global recruitment teams of LinkedIn and Airbnb, she set up her own remote consultancy, Vox Advisory, in 2019.

Radina is on the advisory board of several rising startups and collaborates with international organizations in setting up their talent strategy, as well as training the hiring teams and supporting the human capital function.

Links

https://www.linkedin.com/in/radinawalsh/?trk=pulse-article_social-details_comment_actor-image&originalSubdomain=ie

https://adamgrant.net/podcasts/

A traditional health plan is outdated for a workforce that may include up to five generations. It could result in you having an expensive, disjointed program with dozens of underutilized services and dissatisfied employees.

Jason Parrott, Senior Vice President of Enterprise Growth and Partnerships at Vida Health, says the key to improving your benefits strategy, communication and employee health outcomes is a tech-enabled, yet human-centric approach.

Highlights 

[4:00] Benefits engagement and utilization amid multiple health apps

[8:45] What do employees want from their employer health benefits?

[13:16] Why should employers re-assess their health and wellbeing benefits?

[17:07] What should HR leaders do after the listening process about benefits?

[21:28] Desirable proactive health tools 

[26:36] Changes you might consider for your pharmacy benefits program 

[29:40] Health benefit trends to watch over the next 12-18 months

[33:33] Healthy perks, care benefits and company culture

[38:06] The health benefits package as an employee retention and recruiting tool

[40:18] Patient experience

Guest Bio

Jason Parrott is SVP Enterprise Growth & Partnerships at Vida Health, a San Francisco-based health technology company.

Previously, Jason led the Healthcare & Well Being Strategy of The Boeing Company, the world’s largest aerospace company and top U.S. exporter.

Before that, Jason led the benefits strategy for AT&T, the world’s largest telecom company. He was Chairman of the Board for Midwest Business Group on Health, and a board member of Employer Health Innovation Roundtable, Integrated Benefits Institute, and Pharmacy Benefit Management Institute. Jason earned an M.B.A. and M.S. in Organizational Behavior from Benedictine University, and Bachelor of Science degree from Illinois State University.

Links https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-parrott-57a47a2/

Creating an environment where employees can deliver your company strategy and goals - and feel good about it - is crucial. It requires data, listening and some expert analysis. Lisa Sterling, the Chief People Officer at Perceptyx, has a few pointers on what to look for, what to listen for, and who to listen to, to create a healthy work ecosystem.

Highlights

[4:00] Employee experience as everybody’s responsibility 

[5:35] Customer experience vs. employee experience

[10:05] Where to start with employee experience

[13:10] Listening strategy

[15:30] “Listening” with data

[20:10] Other ways to “listen”

[22:58] Is it necessary to have an employee experience framework?

[31:54] Working with all the key leadership stakeholders

[37:26] State of Employee Listening Study

[1:41] Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable

Guest Bio

Lisa Sterling, Chief People Officer, Perceptyx

Lisa Sterling has been disrupting the business and HR landscape to create cultural and organizational performance excellence for the past 20 years. Lisa led one of the most radical cultural transformations for a fast-growing, high-tech company. She has now joined Perceptyx and is leading the growth and transformation of their culture, as well as serving as a thought leader to HR and tech professionals and global organizations as their Chief People Officer. She has navigated people and organizations through successful IPOs and served as an advisor, mentor, and coach to CHROs and up-and-coming HR leaders across the globe. She is also an angel investor, public speaker, and an ordained minister.

Lisa’s efforts and contributions have been recognized by top industry awards such as:

• TA Tech 100 Most Influential Thought Leaders

• Top 100 HR Influencer

• Top 100 HR Tech Influencer

• HRO HR Superstar

• Top Corporate Leader (over 35), and

• 300 Women in Tech Worth Watching.

Links

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisamsterling/

www.perceptyx.com

https://go.perceptyx.com/research-the-state-of-employee-listening-2023

Today, companies need to be adept at developing their current and next-gen leaders. HR's ability to identify these individuals with progressive skill sets and talents, and set them up for success is key to ensuring that your organization remains competitive and sustainable. To help you take the strategic reins in cultivating your company’s high-performers, we've called in Dr. Renee Booth, President of Leadership Solutions.

Highlights

[4:04] Becoming a trusted advisor

[9:02] What HR needs to keep in mind for 12-18 months into the future

[11:13] Tests to identify high-performing talent

[14:26] Convincing the C-suite that talent development is necessary

[16:33] The need for new senior-level talent to have coaching

[20:51] Adjusting to the mindset of being a senior leader

[26:11] Women leaders wanting to “have it all”

[29:35] CHRO to CEO transferable skills

[32:00] Top characteristics HR should be tracking in new talent

[36:12] Courage to handle the tough stuff 

Guest Bio

Dr. Renee Booth, President, Leadership Solutions Inc.

The founder of boutique leadership consulting firm Leadership Solutions, Dr. Renee Booth has dedicated her career to helping executives and organizations find their potential to change their lives, their companies, and the world.

She is an organizational psychologist and a trusted advisor to Fortune 500 companies, educational institutions, and leading not-for-profit organizations.

Renee was the Eastern Regional Practice Leader for the HumanCapital Group of Watson Wyatt Worldwide. She also served as Senior Vice-President of Corporate Human Resources of financial services company ADVANTA Corporation, and spent more than a decade in senior positions with Hay Management Consultants.

Renee serves on the Board of Directors at Vishay Intertechnology Inc., one of the world's largest manufacturers of discrete semiconductors and passive electronic components, and is also a member of the Compensation Committee. Renee is a Board of Trustee member at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, where she serves on the Executive Committee. She serves on the Board of Trustees of Vanguard Charitable Trust and Thomas Skelton Harrison Foundation. 

Links

Almost three out of every four companies are implementing permanent hybrid work models this year. What kind of impact will that have on company culture, productivity, and employee mental health and well-being? Amy Freshman, Senior Director of Global HR for ADP - who has worked remotely long before the pandemic - shares her ideas on what HR can do to drive positive outcomes in these areas.

Highlights: 

[3:23] Strategic approach to going hybrid

[6:21] Addressing the downside risks of a post-pandemic hybrid environment

[10:44] The risks of mandating daily commuting to the office again 

[13:11] What about employees who thought pandemic remote work changes were permanent?

[20:15] ADP’s “Month of Wellness”

[25:25] Preparing managers to have conversations about mental health

[27:26] HR’s support for managers

[32:08] Check-in conversations

[36:12] The future of hybrid work

[40:13] Measuring whether hybrid work/flexible work is a good thing

Guest Bio

Amy Freshman, Senior Director of Global HR, ADP

After 17 years in various sales roles, Amy joined the HR organization at ADP to head the company’s flexible work arrangements program in 2012. Her duties have since expanded to include HR lead on all merger and acquisition activities within the company, in partnership with ADP’s strategy organization. She leads critical programs and events, including an HR summit focused on learning and connection among ADP’s global HR team members, and an annual companywide Month of Wellness that provides sessions and engagement activities related to wellbeing. She earned her SHRM-SCP certification in 2021.

Links

Diversity hiring and DEI initiatives are challenging to implement and leverage in a lot of organizations. In some cases, it can take decades to get right. Michael Watson, Head of Global Customer Evangelism at Eightfold, offers innovative ways to use Artificial Intelligence to better understand what could be holding your company back from becoming the kind of diverse, high-performing organization needed to remain competitive in today’s marketplace.

Highlights

[2:27] Getting started with, or advancing, diversity initiatives

[7:15] Support for DEI change management

[10:30] Do jobs really need an education requirement?

[13:03] Takeaways Michael picked up from spending time at “best places to work”

[22:13] What are your diversity objectives?

[24:51] HR advocating for DEI buy-in

[29:10] What can HR do to protect diverse individuals from targeting and bullying?

[31:07] How hiring process consistency and AI can help move the diversity “needle”

[34:48] Hiring manager bias toward workers already in a role

[35:46] Warm/cold passive talent

Guest Bio

Michael Watson, Head of Global Customer Evangelism, Eightfold

Michael is a talent acquisition expert and artificial intelligence enthusiast who is dedicated to using cutting-edge technologies to revolutionize the world of work. 

Michael believes that AI has the potential to help individuals find fulfilling and meaningful work, and he is dedicated to ensuring that everyone has access to the right career opportunities. He is passionate about helping individuals find work that aligns with their unique skills and interests, and he believes that AI can be a powerful tool to help people achieve their career goals.

He is the author of two books: “Career AI: Navigating the Job Market in the Age of Artificial Intelligence” and “The AI-Powered HR Professional.” He is a frequent speaker and writer on topics related to AI, talent acquisition and career development, and he is always looking for new and innovative ways to use technology to improve people's lives.

Links

Former Nutrisystem CEO Dawn Zier shares her insights on how to lead a company through transformation, and how HR leaders can play a critical role in its success by developing the strategic acumen needed to drive business results and business value.

Highlights: [1:37] Trends CHROs and CEOs need to pay attention to over the next one to three years

[4:06] “FRAME” the strategic process

[6:23] Essentials for anyone with C-suite aspirations

[8:53] Transforming to a high-performance culture

[11:40] Hiring “culture enhancers”

[14:30] Handling “damaging leaders” and “cultural detractors”

[18:59] “Successfully managing life in a career”

[22:50] Taking advice from younger generation

[25:11] Getting in touch with purpose, talents and skill sets for career development

[27:49] Mentoring and sponsorship opportunities for women

Guest Bio

Dawn Zier,  independent board director, C-suite mentor and speaker

Dawn is an accomplished CEO best known for engineering a  turnaround of Nutrisystem. During her six years as CEO, she created a multi-brand strategy focused on digital transformation and innovation that doubled revenues and resulted in a seven-fold increase in operating income. Dawn has served on multiple public company and private company boards throughout her career and enjoys connecting the dots across industries. She currently is Chair of the Board for The Hain Celestial Group and also serves on the Board of Directors for Spirit Airlines.

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Although some companies may be enjoying lower turnover rates, employees and leaders are still leaving companies at a rapid rate - often because of a lack of recognition for their contributions. Jason Lindstrom, CEO at Bucketlist Rewards, says when people are deeply aligned around meaningful purpose and vision, and are acknowledged for living your culture and values, you can lower your turnover rate by  20%, 30% or 40%.

Highlights:

[3:12] Where do companies tend to go wrong with their culture?

[6:04] Introducing prospective employees to your culture

[6:58] Bringing values alive with a peer-to-peer recognition program

[8:53] Culture and brand

[11:08] Keeping everyone in sync with your culture, even if a staffer isn’t living your values

[15:38] Wrong and right ways to do employee recognition

[23:07] Identifying the need for a new or augmented recognition program 

[27:18] How do your people want to be rewarded?

[30:37] Could culture and peer-to-peer recognition be used as measuring sticks for leadership succession planning?

[33:10] Working around executive pushback responses to rewards and recognition programs

Guest Bio:

Jason Lindstrom, CEO, Bucketlist Rewards

Jason Lindstrom is the founder and CEO of Bucketlist Rewards, a leading employee recognition platform. Jason believes in the importance of employee appreciation that helps companies create success by motivating people to grow and thrive. He has worked with hundreds of organizations, helping them roll out effective recognition programs. He’s worked with companies like the NBA’s Orlando Magic, Royal Bank of Canada, University of Texas Arlington, and Stamford Hospital.

Finding, recruiting and retaining the right high-performing candidates is key to company success. When companies are hunting for an elite, needle-in-the-haystack kind of executive, they’ll hire an expert. That's when they call in executive recruiter Vivian Kessler of Search Innovations. She talked with us about a variety of strategies related to C-suite recruiting and succession, and why HR leaders are good CEO candidates.

Highlights: 

[1:48] Transitioning from the legal field to recruiting

[6:08] What job candidates and employers are looking for right now 

[8:00] Interview questions that tell you how a candidate gets things done

[10:54] Appropriately matching candidates with organizations

[12:44] In-demand executive skills post-pandemic

[16:23] CHROs as trusted advisers to senior leadership

[18:05] CHROs as CEO candidates

[20:09] Diverse executive job candidates

[28:13] Talking to the C-suite about diversity

[31:31] Identifying “fake leaders” before they get entrenched in your organization

Guest Bio:

Vivian Kessler, President, Search Innovations

Vivian Kessler founded Search Innovations in 1995. She leads the overall execution of the firm’s searches, from inception to close. Her expertise in executive searches was first cultivated during her tenure as a vice-president at a retained boutique search firm, The Beam Group, in Philadelphia. Prior to joining Beam, Vivian was an attorney representing corporations in mergers and acquisitions. She is active in local politics and is an amateur watercolorist.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivian-kessler-a95316/

www.searchinnnovations.com

One of the toughest things employers have to define and redefine is benefits strategy - especially with employee retention being so challenging right now. ArmadaCare CEO Ed Walker has learned from experience that the right benefits strategy isn’t one-size-fits-all for all companies, especially with five different generations in the workforce. So it’s up to HR to take the pulse of the organization with quantitative and qualitative data.

Highlights

[9:56] The impact of workplace DEI

[10:41] Age diversity in the workplace

[14:51] What DEI and the ACA have in common

[16:05] How excepted benefits can help different employee populations

[21:35] Top things for retaining employees

[22:50] Mental healthcare benefits

[26:18] Gathering metrics and pivoting your employee retention strategy

[32:19] The link between employee and client Net Promoter Scores

[36:06] Using benefits as a “levelizer”

[40:56] Personalization of benefits

Guest Bio:

Ed Walker, CEO, ArmadaCare

With over 30 years of executive experience, Ed Walker genuinely understands the value of his employees and has established a culture where everyone feels inspired to use their innovative spirits. Because of this, he’s watched his company grow from only serving the C-Suite to focusing on the entire wellbeing of each and every employee. He’s an avid world traveler, outdoorsman and endurance athlete, most recently finishing the IronMan Kona.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ehwalker3/

Links

www.armadacare.com

https://officevibe.com/guides/employee-net-promoter-score

The Great Resignation is still subsiding very slowly. Millions of workers leaving their jobs every month creates a daily challenge for HR pros to keep their organizations fully staffed. Consultant Rob Dubin, who works with companies to turn burned out employees into engaged employees, shares his ideas for helping your people better connect with the things that lead to true happiness.

Highlights

[5:51] Where feelings of unfulfillment driving the Great Resignation are coming from

[9:38] Happiness vs. “mis-wanting”

[13:48] Re-thinking good benefits and compensation as the key to happiness

[16:02] Can happiness be taught?

[19:15] Happiness, relationships with others and remote work

[21:21] Would four-day workweeks make people happier?

[23:05] Getting the C-suite to care about improving employee engagement

[26:14] What HR can do to promote more happiness within the company

[28:58] Happiness, productivity and profits

[30:54]  Some things scientific research has found about happiness

Guest Bio:

Rob Dubin was an award-winning filmmaker who traveled the world making  commercials and TV programs for Fortune 500 companies. At the age of 42 Rob and his wife sold their home, moved onto a 40-foot sailboat, and spent 17 years sailing around the world studying human happiness and fulfillment. Today Rob gives back by teaching courses in employee happiness which increase engagement, reduce resignations and combat quiet quitting. Rob combines lessons learned while sailing around the world with the science of human happiness to deliver strategies for building team engagement. 

The once-a-year rate and rank review system of the past no longer serves employees, managers, HR, or the organization. John Smith, Director of SMB Solutions, Global Business Applications from Quisitive, joins the podcast to make a case for implementing iterative approaches to employee performance management that the modern workforce will appreciate.

Highlights:

[1:45] Where companies are going wrong with talent identification, valuation, and retention, and how performance appraisal is changing

[6:14] Performance management changing with generational shifts in the workforce

[8:50] One of two camps HR will be in when it’s time to modernize performance management

[10:25] Why performance management process change is particularly tricky for an HR department of one

[11:44] One of four kinds of companies when it comes to performance management: Which one are you?

[17:53] A real-life example of re-tooling the performance management process

[22:51] Should you separate discussions with employees about performance and compensation?

[25:21] Quarterly conversations to keep employees motivated

[29:11] Where organizational objectives fit in

[30:17] Channeling a high-performing or high-potential  employee’s ambition and purpose to retain them

Guest Bio:

John Smith,  Director of SMB solutions in Global Business Applications, Quisitive

John works with senior management to ensure their talent management solutions fit both their short- and long-term needs. His career spans both strategic human resources and finance, including two decades of consulting experience - both domestic and international. 

Even if employees aren’t feeling connected to their company’s values, employee experience specialist Tanya Fish, Manager of Employee Experience at ITA Group, says it’s possible to make those workers feel like they truly belong. But you have to ask the right questions and take action.

Highlights:

[5:09] When there’s a disconnect between the perception of company culture and the actual culture

[9:49] When HR needs buy-in from leadership that the pulse of the culture needs to be taken

[13:07] Utilizing surveys to gain insights into employee experience and feelings

[14:29] Using the authentic words of employees when defining brand and values

[15:22] Questions you need to be asking your people now

[16:58] Segmented employee engagement strategy

[18:14] Potential speed bumps in demonstrating values across the organization 

[21:13] Marketing and HR working together to optimize brand and employee satisfaction

[25:43] Emulating PetSmart for relatability and sustainability of values  

[33:15] The impact of employee and customer net promoter scores

Guest Bio:

Tanya Fish is the Leader of Employee Experience Solutions for ITA Group. She drives the insights, strategy and evolution around employee experience for the organization while offering advice for client engagement and employee programs. Tanya loves inspiring passion in people, something she believes impacts the individual, the organization and the community. Tanya’s past work and studies on organizational leadership in business, employee health and well-being, culture and health insurance guide her unique perspective on organizational health and success. Tanya is energized by achievement, learning and empowerment and balanced by time with family and friends and being outdoors. Bonus points if it’s by a body of water. 

With approximately 10 million job vacancies and maybe 5 million people available to fill them, the onboarding experience needs to start much earlier in the recruitment process. Senior HR consultant Chrisanne Bowden explains how onboarding these days starts with the job post, and is also continuous - especially among women and other diverse candidates.

Highlights:

[01:26] How to get great candidates to consider your company and engage in the hiring process

[03:26] Why recruiting outside of your industry is a huge opportunity right now

[09:01] The strategic value of conducting a “stay” interview with a really good new hire

[10:15] Tips for reviewing job ads and resumes, personalizing recruiting efforts, and engaging with top applicants

[14:27] Strategies for retaining diverse employees

[16:00]  Why we should stop saying, and focusing on, culture fit - and what to do instead

[21:20] “Broken rung” syndrome

[34:41] HR analytics vs. culture 

[35:43] Companies with great company-culture HR practices

[37:25] Getting HR a seat at the senior leadership table

Guest Bio:

Chrisanne Bowden, Senior HR Consultant, iHire

Chrisanne has nearly three decades of experience in a wide variety of human resources and management roles. She has worked in an HR leadership capacity in multiple industries, where she has been a catalyst for growth, positive change, and continual improvement. Chrisanne currently supports small businesses without in-house HR and larger employers working on special projects.