HR Works: The Podcast for Human Resources

Guest: Carina Cortez, Chief People Officer at Cornerstone What role do HR leaders play in promoting female representation and development opportunities within their organization, and how can they be more effective in doing so? In this latest episode of the HR Works Podcast, Cornerstone’s Chief People Officer, Carina Cortez, joins to help us take on this question and more! Listen as Carina offers steps to increasing the representation of women across every levels of an organization, and we use data from Cornerstone’s 2023 Talent Mobility Study to help examine some great ways that HR leaders can foster a culture of continuous development.

Karen Leal, Performance Specialist at Insperity, joins to discuss the key differences between leaders and managers, tips for training future leaders, and the importance of communication.

How much time and money is it costing your HR team to correct payroll errors? Our latest episode on the HR Works Showcase tackles that costly question and more, as we share a brand-new feature episode from Paycom's podcast series, HR Break Room. Listen as H3 HR Advisors co-founder, Steve Boese, joins host Morgan Beard, and the two to dig into a recent Ernst & Young (EY) study that reveals how payroll errors and traditional payroll systems can actually harm the employee experience.

Guest: Monica Eaton, co-founder and COO of Chargebacks911 and creator of the LIFT Mentorship Program Why are women leaders quitting their jobs and what can organizations, and specifically their HR teams, do to support and retain the talented women of their workforce? In this latest episode of the HR Works Podcast, we are joined by Monica Eaton, co-founder and COO of Chargebacks911 and creator of the LIFT Mentorship Program. Listen as Monica helps us examine the challenging workforce trend of “The Great Breakup” and provides advice to HR teams looking to not only support their women leaders, but cultivate the aspiring leaders of the future.

In this episode of A Seat at the Table, Odessa “OJ” Jenkins, President at workplace compliance/HR tech start-up Emtrain, joins us. Although Jenkins’s background might not seem like an ideal fit for the role of a Silicon Valley president, she’s proof that breaking the mold isn’t a bad thing. She’s a pioneer in women’s sports for founding and leading the nation’s biggest women’s tackle football league, but she also has enterprise software and HR/workplace chops through her past position as vice president of client success at YourCause, an enterprise software company that connects clients and employees to the global community through corporate social responsibility. Listen in as we discuss how knowing who you are as an organization benefits your employees, the importance of belonging, defining inclusion in order to change it, and so much more.

Andrea Ferrara, CHRO at PepsiCo Beverages NA, joins HR Work Break to discuss Women’s History Month, DEI, and the “She Is Pepsi” program.

Guest: Shimrit Paley Markette, Chief People Officer, Second Nature What is one thing HR leaders should START and STOP doing in 2023 to improve workplace wellness? Listen as we share the audio from our recent Now and Next Research Review webinar, presented as part of HR Daily Advisor’s HR Now: Wellness and Burnout virtual summit. Second Nature’s Chief People Officer, Shimrit Paley Markette, joined to help us review the results from a recent subscriber survey and discuss the latest trends of workplace wellness. Shimrit shared great insight and advice for HR professionals battling against employee burnout, and we only felt it right to share with our HR Works audience!

Guest: Scott Day, Chief People Officer at Alludo The 4-day workweek concept is dominating headlines and conversation in the HR space right now, and while it may help workers set better boundaries and balance, is it the best solution for pairing productivity and flexibility in the workplace? In this latest episode of the HR Works Podcast, we explore workplace flexibility and the recent 4-day workweek trend with Alludo’s Chief People Officer, Scott Day. Listen as Scott explains why workplace flexibility should be a major focus for HR teams in 2023, but why the attendance models can’t be looked at as one-size-fits-all for organizations.

John Godfrey, Director of Levelling Up at Legal & General, joins to discuss the impact of gig work on the labor market, the pros and cons of freelancing, and much more!

Guest: Mike Bollinger, Global Vice President of Strategic Initiatives for Cornerstone In today’s competitive workforce, companies are scrambling to retain, reskill and remobilize their employees to meet new demands for growth and transformation. At the same time, employees are eager to grow in their careers and are yearning for more development opportunities. So how can HR leaders meet in the middle, accomplish both the goals of their business and their workforce, and ultimately double down on their talent development in 2023? In this latest episode of the HR Works Podcast, Cornerstone’s Mike Bollinger (Global VP of Strategic Initiatives) returns to help us answer this million-dollar question by taking a closer look at findings from the 2023 Talent Mobility Study, released by the Cornerstone People Research Lab and Lighthouse Research & Advisory. Listen as Mike shares valuable insight from this latest survey and helps provide HR leaders with tools to help meet the pressing need for transparent growth opportunities in their workforce.

Faith Brinkley, HR Consultant at PerformancePoint LLC, joins to discuss the benefits and challenges of generational diversity, as well as Gen Z’s strengths and needs in the corporate world.

Guest: Jesse Meschuk, Senior Advisor at Exequity In this latest episode of the HR Works Podcast, Exequity’s Jesse Meschuk helps us unpack ChatGPT and better understand what generative AI tools could mean for the future of HR teams. Listen as Jesse explains what sets ChatGPT apart from other AI-powered HR tools, and find out what tasks HR teams should start automating immediately.

In the latest episode of "A Seat," we discuss how organizations can address racially-fueled workplace bullying. A survey by Gallup last year found that workplace bullying disproportionately affects Black and Hispanic Americans. I'm joined by Zenica Chatman. She helps women rediscover their inner strength and confidence after an encounter with a workplace bully. As a trained journalist and communications strategist, Zenica uses her unique background to help people identify what’s no longer working in their lives, discover their unique strengths, and design an action plan to create a life they love. Listen in as we discuss how workplace bullying manifests, what we can all do to stop letting managers bully employees, as well as the difference between harassment and leadership, the importance of prioritizing voices of women of color, and more.

Dr. Jo Webber, CEO & Founder of AtlasJobs, joins to discuss layoffs, how to cultivate talent, recruiting and retention strategies, pay transparency and more!

It’s Black History Month and it’s the perfect time for HR leaders to assess their company's DEI efforts. According to our guest today, it takes more to be an ally than adding a statement of inclusion to a website. DEI efforts must be embedded in the ground floor of an organization. I’m super excited to be joined by Dr. Nika White. She's an award-winning management and leadership consultant, keynote speaker, published author, and executive practitioner for DEI efforts in business, government, non-profit, and education. She's also president and CEO of Nika White Consulting. Listen in as we discuss her new book, Inclusion Uncomplicated: A Transformative Guide to Simplify DEI. If you'd like to learn how your organization can simplify DEI and make true change, this episode is for you.

Guest: Adam Probolsky, President and Chief Data Scientist of US Employee Survey Why is employee data a must-have asset for organizations and their HR teams in 2023? In this latest episode of the HR Works Podcast, US Employee Survey’s Adam Problosky joins to discuss the impact data can have on workforce engagement and why surveys can be an essential tool for HR teams looking to create a positive working environment.

Chantel Rowe, VP of Product at Topia, breaks down what global expansion means for HR teams and provides advice, best practices, and insights on how to remain compliant as you grow.

Guest: Erika Duncan and Aaron Olman, Human Capital Advisors and Co-founders at People on Point How early into the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) process should organizations be including their HR teams? In this week’s episode of the HR Works Podcast, we dig into the valuable role that people operations and HR leaders play in the M&A process with Erika Duncan and Aaron Olman, human capital advisors and co-founders of People on Point. Listen as this team of HR experts walk us through an effective due diligence approach and call out those overlooked elements of the M&A process that HR teams can help address early-on to avoid long-term headaches.

Sanja Licina, PhD, President at QuestionPro Workforce, joins to discuss the importance of diversity in the workplace and DEI best practices.

Guest: Abby Hamilton, Chief People Officer at LiveIntent Are your business leaders and managers at risk for burnout? While leaders are supposed to help prevent burnout in their employees, they could also be struggling to balance their own stress and workload. In this week’s episode of the HR Works Podcast, Abby Hamilton, Chief People Officer for LiveIntent, talks about why business leaders need to prioritize their own wellness in 2023 and show their employees what it means to truly have work-life balance. Recorded in front of a live virtual audience as part of our recent HR Now Virtual Summit, our conversation with Abby addresses the unique challenge of leadership burnout and offers advice to HR leaders who are looking to create a more positive, supportive wellness culture for all levels of their workforce.

Assad Lazarus, Chief Client & Development Officer at Purchasing Power, joins to discuss financial wellness education, tips to implement financial wellness programs, and the affect of financial stress on mental health, productivity, and retention.

Guest: Don Robertson, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Northwestern Mutual How has the role of CHRO and the C-suite HR executive changed over the past few years? In this latest episode of the HR Works Podcast, Don Robertson (Executive Vice President and CHRO at Northwestern Mutual) joins to discuss how the role of HR teams has evolved across organizations, and how aspiring HR leaders can best prepare for taking their next step into executive leadership roles.

New research has shown that during the pandemic our professional network shrank by 16 percent, which is about 200 people. Today, connection is more important than ever. So, how can we stay connected in a post-COVID workplace? It all starts with culture. In the latest episode of "A Seat at the Table," I'm joined by Elizabeth Weingarten, Head of Behavioral Science Insights at Torch, a leadership development company. Listen in as we discuss the importance of defining culture upfront, why it's important to center the needs of underrepresented groups to change culture, the value of providing employees access to professional development opportunities, cultivating an inclusive and humane culture, and more.

We celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day this past Monday. While it’s important to use that day to honor Dr. King’s groundbreaking work to address injustice and violence, HR leaders should embrace and teach these values throughout the year. Kike Ojo-Thompas, Founder & CEO of the KOJO Institute joins to discuss workplace DEI strategies, how to develop an anti-racist company culture, and what it takes to effect positive change.

Guest: Christina Erne, Vice President of People at Amplitude Can HR technology actually make the workplace a more human-centric environment? In this latest episode of the HR Works Podcast, we look at the impact that technology and the latest HR software tools are having on the workplace with Amplitude’s Vice President of People, Christina Erne. Listen as Christina shares her thoughts on the changing roles of HR within organizations and how taking a tech-forward approach can help create a more employee-focused corporate culture.

Brandon Weber (CEO of Nava Benefits) and Dawn Sharifan (Member of Nava Benefits’ Advisory Board) join HR Work Break to review the study, predict benefits trends for the coming year, and share best practices for HR professionals.

Welcome back for part two of my conversation with Michael Bach, author of Alphabet Soup: The Essential Guide to LGBTQ2+ Inclusion at Work. Listen in as we continue our discussion on what it means to create an LGBTQ2+ inclusive workplace, the value of a Code of Conduct in the workplace, and much more!

Guest: Carol Schultz, Founder and CEO of Vertical Elevation What does it take for an organization to become a "talent magnet" in 2023, and win the battle on attracting (and retaining) the top performers? In this latest episode of the HR Works Podcast, we explore the latest hiring challenges with recruiting expert and Founder/CEO of Vertical Elevation, Carol Schultz. Carol explains how becoming a talent-centric organization is essential for winning the war on talent in 2023, and also shares her thoughts on why job descriptions could be working against your hiring efforts. This is one not to miss!

HR leaders understand that initiatives, policies, and practices should center on the people who are affected by it. Do your 2023 plans keep your employees in mind? I’ve collected a series of quotes from past guests that answer one central question: What does the “human” part of human resources mean to you?

Guest: Vicki Salemi, Career Expert at Monster One of the latest trends buzzing throughout the HR community has been the realization that employees are increasingly becoming hesitant to use their PTO. Fittingly referred to by job board platform Monster as "PTO woes", there is a a growing stress among workers when returning to work after taking time off, leading to many avoiding use of their PTO altogether. In this latest episode of the HR Works Podcast, Monster's very own career expert, Vicki Salemi, gets us up to speed on this emerging workforce trend and identifies some of the major factors contributing to employees’ apprehension in using their paid time off.

Guest: Elizabeth Chrane, Chief People Officer at OneDigital In this latest episode of the HR Works Podcast, we explore the value of corporate culture with OneDigital's Chief People Officer, Elizabeth Chrane. Listen as Elizabeth offers her insight and look into assessing and developing corporate culture, ensuring that both leadership teams and their employees are aligned on the values, attitudes, and outcomes that matter most to an organization.

Join us for the final installment of my conversation with John Register (Paralympic silver medalist, Board Member of the American Association of People With Disabilities, and Member of Kanarys’ Advisory Board). We’ll wrap up our discussion on disability inclusion, DEIB, veterans in the workforce, and much more!

How do you unlock the best there is in your employees? Our latest episode of the HR Works Showcase aims to answer that question and more, as we feature another great episode from the BambooHR podcast series, The Era. Listen as host and BambooHR CEO, Brad Rencher, shares a recent conversation with Sandy Gould, Chief People Officer at Callisto Media. Learn why Sandy advocates for empowering employees to find and use their very own superpowers, and understand why he thinks leaders should co-design their company's culture with their employees.

Welcome back for part two of my conversation with John Register (Paralympic silver medalist, Board Member of the American Association of People With Disabilities, and Member of Kanarys’ Advisory Board). We'll continue our discussion on disability inclusion, building a culture of belonging, and much more!

Today’s Pages of HR is presented as part of our sponsored Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Week. This episode is a special one as we’re talking and learning about what it means to create an LGBTQ2+ inclusive workplace. I’m joined by Michael Bach, author of Alphabet Soup: The Essential Guide to LGBTQ2+ Inclusion at Work. Alphabet Soup serves as a critical guide to creating a truly inclusive workplace for all, regardless of sexuality, gender identity, or gender expression. Whether you consider yourself an ally, or don’t know what it means to be one, you’ll come away armed with everything you need to know to create a safe, productive, and thriving organization. In part one of this two-part series, listen in as we discuss sexuality, gender identity, and gender expression (yes, they’re different things, and it matters), define what a Safe Space is, and how to turn your space into one, and more.

Guest: Kathryn Zaki, Head of Global Talent Acquisition at Cisco Meraki Should a dedicated employee resource group (ERG) program be considered a must-have for organizations who that looking to develop a diverse and talented workforce going into 2023? In this latest episode of the HR Works Podcast, we explore ERG programs with Cisco Meraki's Head of Global Talent, Kathryn Zaki, and learn how can these employee communities be a crucial resource to both employees and their leadership teams.

Today’s A Seat is presented as part of HR Daily Advisor‘s sponsored Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Week. I’m joined by Jessica Tuman, Head of Enterprise ESG at Voya Financial. She also leads the company’s Voya Cares program, which specializes in financial planning needs and advocacy for those with special needs and disabilities, as well as their caregivers. Listen is as we discuss the myths that need to be dispelled around disability employment, steps companies can take to create a culture to support disability inclusive hiring, what employers and HR professionals need to understand about the complex realities of people with disabilities – and their caregivers – and how to best support them, and more.

John Register (Paralympic silver medalist, Board Member of the American Association of People With Disabilities, and Member of Kanarys’ Advisory Board) joins HR Work Break to discuss disability inclusion in the workplace. Tune in as we discuss diversity, equity and inclusion, the true meaning of belonging, and the importance of representation.

Today we are featuring Episode 12 of BambooHR's The Era, and sharing a recent conversation between BambooHR CEO and host, Brad Rencher, and Lattice’s Vice President of Advisory Services, Dave Carhart. Listen as Dave discusses what he has learned in developing a new hybrid work model at Lattice and how to improve the benefits companies offer their workforce.

Guest: Abbie Buck, Chief People Officer at Collective Health Has the perception of employee wellness changed in 2022? And what is this concept of presenteeism that has become the new challenge in the workplace? In this latest episode of the HR Works Podcast, we catch up on the current state of employee wellness with Collective Health's Chief People Officer, Abbie Buck. Listen as Abbie explains the rising trend of presenteeism that is challenging workforces across the globe, and learn how a well-defined and dedicated health benefits and wellness plan can truly support the employee experience.

The HR Works Showcase is back with another feature episode from BambooHR’s The Era, a series aimed to better understand the impact of the employee experience on business outcomes. Today we are sharing Episode 11, Defining Employee Wellness and Pain Management, as BambooHR’s Brad Rencher discusses the impact that health and wellness have on the overall employee experience with Dr. Jim Feng, CEO at Phyxable. Listen as Brad and Jim converse about working with business leaders and HR teams to create effective organizational wellness programs that address pain management.

Guest: Doug Segers, Head of Original Content at Cornerstone In this latest episode of the HR Works Podcast, Cornerstone’s Head of Original Content, Doug Segers, joins to take a closer look at the recent advancements in corporate learning and upskilling in the workforce…not just WHAT learning content is being delivered to employees, but HOW content is being delivered to workers in the modern era. Doug also shares the latest update on a new product Cornerstone OnDemand introduced to the L&D market that is going to be a game changer in the employee experience. Listen to learn more!

Jenn Kischell, VP of Workforce Engagement at Metlife, joins to discuss benefits and compensation, how company culture affects retention, and the importance of a personal touch in leadership.

How do you know if your employees actually trust you? HR Works Showcase returns with another installment from BambooHR‘s podcast series, The Era. Listen as host and BambooHR CEO, Brad Rencher, shares a conversation with Oro Collective's Teresa Mitrovic and the two examine how promoting the shared values of a workforce can build a culture of trust and help overcome many workplace challenges.

Today, it’s more important than ever for CEOs and HR managers to show their emotions at work and be vulnerable with their employees. If you aren’t sure what to do or where to start, you’re in for a treat. I’m joined by Laura Putnam, workplace wellbeing expert, international public speaker, CEO and founder of Motion Infusion and creator of Managers on the Move, a leading well-being provider. She is also author of Workplace Wellness That Works and it’s all about why CEOs should show their emotions and be vulnerable with their employees. Listen in as we discuss why leaders need to lead by example if they want to create a workplace culture that is compassionate, caring, and vulnerable, why it's more important than ever to create a workplace culture where employees feel safe, secure, and heard, why employee-wellbeing is critical to a business’s bottom line, and more.

Guest: Neil Khaund, President and CEO of The National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) In this latest episode of the HR Works Podcast, Neil Khaund, the President and CEO of The National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS), checks in for a conversation regarding the value in building a culture of leadership development. Tune in as we discuss some of the practical ways that organizations can create a culture of leadership development and Neil shares why this current era is tailormade for building a mentorship program. And in case you missed it, check out Neil's first visit to the HR Works Podcast on episode 176 (Hiring the Gen Z Advantage).

For Veterans’ Day episode, Roxanne Petraeus, Co-Founder and CEO of Ethena, joins to discuss how her military service shaped her leadership style, the importance of being proactive, how to make mandatory training engaging and effective, and much more.

Guest: Jake Wood, Founder and CEO of Groundswell As Veterans Day approaches and the nation takes an opportunity to honor those who have bravely served in the military, we are presenting a very special mini-episode of the HR Works Podcast and picking up our recent conversation with Jake Wood, the founder and CEO of Groundswell and accomplished Marines veteran. Leading a scout sniper unit through deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, Jake brings immense experience and insight into the advantages, and even some challenges, that face veterans as they leave active duty and enter into the workforce. Listen as Jake shares some of the unique, intangible skills that veterans possess and can bring into a role, as well as some great ways for HR leaders and organizations to support their veteran colleagues.

In the latest episode of A Seat at the Table, I’m joined by Adam Probolsky, an opinion researcher and President of Probolsky Research. With DEI and workplace satisfaction being critical topics for HR leaders and organizations, Adam is also here to discuss recent data on how important diverse hiring is to employees and the public. Listen in as we discuss how HR leaders and organizations can use quantitative data to engage employees with an emphasis on DEI, how they can maximize internal opinion research to implement diversity, inclusion, or other company policies, as well as how fostering inclusion and belonging starts with listening and more.

A recent Bank of America survey found that 84% of employers now believe that offering financial wellness tools can help reduce employee attrition. Brandon Weber, CEO of Nava Benefits, joins to discuss the importance of financial wellness, how to develop a financial wellness program, and best practices to help employees manage financial stress.