Elevating Employee Experience

We hop across the pond in this episode to talk with Perry Timms! Perry is Founder and Chief Energy Officer of People & Transformational HR Ltd. He is very much dedicated to creating amazing workspaces that bring productivity and wellbeing to all employees. Perry makes some bold claims about the future of work and how to start acting on it now. Connect with Perry https://www.linkedin.com/in/perrytimms/ People & Transformational HR Ltd https://www.pthr.co.uk/ Book: The Energized Workplace https://www.pthr.co.uk/learn/the-energized-workplace/ 

I’m convinced Lars Schmidt and I are kindred spirits, just look at the skateboards hanging on our walls! Lars’ brand new book “Redefining HR” has made a HUGE splash in this industry and is getting rave reviews online. In fact, his book is #1 New Release on Amazon in Human Resources. It is jam packed with practical and real world experiences to help all HR practitioners and their organizations grow. In this episode we explore the deep need to redefine HR starting today in order to adapt to the current challenges that companies are facing. He reminds us that disruption is not just an event we can recover from and go back to normal, but a new path that will lead us to improved efficiency and wellness in the workplace…however painful it may be in this moment. If you aren’t following his LinkedIn yet, are you even in HR? Go follow, pick up his book, and change your employee’s lives forever. Follow Lars: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larsschmidt/ Buy the book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1789667046/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_1T4ZCMK2VE6EMHYQG9BP Amplify Talent: https://amplifytalent.com/

Kevin Grossman is the President of Talent Board HR, a non-profit organization focused on the elevation and promotion of a quality candidate experience. Kevin shares a story of how he got into the HR recruiting space by having a bad experience working with a potential employer and how it led to creating better experiences to recruit top talent. “It’s important to be wooed by the company. The experience starts even before day 1” Kevin sees the future of recruiting and is lengthening his stride towards it. Pre-COVID, we had the lowest unemployment in decades, we were only measuring talent in a growth market and talent resentment was on the rise. In the now of work, the numbers fell off a cliff and millions of people are out of work. Kevin views it as a chance to reset and rebuild a better employer brand and experience for candidates. Thanks for a great episode Kevin! Connect with Kevin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinwgrossman/ Talent Board https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-talent-board/

Today we get a sneak preview of Leapgen’s brand new change management services led by David Henschel and Emily Liddle in their presentation called a Digital Change Experience that Sticks.  David spent 7 years as a Lead Associate at Booz Allen, and ran his own consulting group before joining the Leapgen team, and Emily is a Digital Workforce Transformation Specialist who is a pioneer in the digital experience movement. In this episode we dig deep into why traditional change management has failed us during the pandemic and why it’s so important to evolve and thrive in 2021. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. There is no better way to kickstart the year than with LEAPGEN at our FUEL 2021 event. It’s a two-day digital conference that is action-packed with content-rich presentations, You’ll hear from Jim Holincheck on emerging HR Tech, Henry West on digital strategy for the CHRO, and of course Jason Averbook will kick start the event making massive predictions for the new year. Register today!  https://www.airmeet.com/e/8652c1d0-3a4f-11eb-babe-4130ba19b548?mc_cid=fab27cf209&mc_eid=b32edb2403 David Henschel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrhenschel/ Emily Liddle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyliddle/

“Now is the BEST time to be a human…ever.” This was my favorite quote from my podcast episode with Jill Katz, wow, we had synergy! Jill has such a shining personality that I had such a great time just listening to her, but she also brought the thunder when it comes to elevating #employeeexperience. She taught me about the 5 Cs of change and how to embrace the new world of #digitalworkexperience, we talked about our losses in 2020 and how to move forward, and reminded us all that it’s not where your feet of butt are that matter! It’s about what you bring and how you bring it everyday. As the final podcast episode of the year, I couldn’t have thought of a better person to bring such joy and hope to our listeners, Jill, thanks again for your brilliant spirit. Jill’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillbkatz/ Jill’s Consulting: https://hrassemble.com/

All the way from Dublin, Ireland, I was privileged to have on the show, Johnny Campbell, Co-founder and CEO of Socialtalent, THE hiring skills platform. Johnny challenged us to think differently about how to move forward in the new future of work and thrive in the digital landscape. His insights can help organizations reach new heights and to not be afraid of change. At one point I asked him about multi-tasking as we work from home and he said, “I don’t believe in multi-tasking.” It was a great reminder that it is important to slow down and focus on the task at hand. As challenging and heartbreaking as the pandemic has been, it has also offered today’s workforce a chance to evolve and become better than ever. History is being written and we get to be a part of it! Thanks again Johnny for delighting us with your presence and we’ll look forward to seeing you on future episodes. Johnny's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnycampbell/ SocialTalent: https://www.socialtalent.com/

Gethin Nadin is a bit of a US history buff, even though he is from Cardiff, Wales. In our latest podcast he shares some amazing ties to how #workculture is affected by the culture of a nation. We also explore the birth of the labor contract and the 8-hour workday with Henry Ford, how a recession impacts mental health and can drive a positive workplace change, and how employees get better at being financially fit during a pandemic. Gethin has a way of translating complex stats and data into easy to understand insights and action. His latest book, A World of Good, he does exactly that and shares lessons from around the world in improving #employeeexperience. Def pick a copy up today. Also, on a personal note, I had an amazing time learning about his mantra to #behumble. He is a perfect example of an expert who is seeking further light and knowledge on the subjects that inspire him the most. Every minute of this podcast is packed with gems, go ahead, give it a listen 🙌

Céline Schillinger is a force tranquille in the employee experience industry and offers some truly great steps to embed the culture recipe into everything an organization is and does. She reminds us that culture is not just a project that leadership undertakes to help improve work, but the foundation upon which all success is predicated. “We need to extend the number and range of instruments being played at our organization in order to deepen the meaning of our work.” Come learn how her organization, We Need Social, is providing custom solutions to the custom problems that companies are facing in this new age of digital work. Thanks again Céline, for your amazing insights. Connect with Céline: https://www.linkedin.com/in/celineschillinger/ Céline's website: https://weneedsocial.com/ Céline's blog: https://weneedsocial.com/blog 

HR Tech is behind us, but let’s not leave the lessons we’ve learned with it. Now is the time to act! Join me on this unique podcast episode with guest David Guazzarotto, host of the podcast Humans of HR and managing director of Leapgen’s Asia-Pacific expansion, where we break down the most vital moments of Jason Averbook’s keynote presentation and deepen our understanding. He had so many great one-liners that each deserves it’s own episode, but here are our top 8: If we’re not digital, we’re dying When you have a story, you can achieve anything We are designing HR for the empty chair Stop checking up and start checking in Processes generate data, but journeys create feelings Tech transition vs. digital transformation Doing right with less Experience is not user interface David has 25 years of experience in this industry and provided me with a major lightbulb moment during our chat. Come discover your own ah-ha moments and take your practice to the next level. Let’s keep growing! Connect with David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dguazzarotto/ Leapgen events: https://www.leapgen.com/events

Wow! Ben Eubanks on the show this week, he absolutely brings the heat with his knowledge and research on employee experience. First we get to hear some stories of Ben’s successful (and failed) attempts at becoming a fix-it-man, and how it relates to the current landscape of engaging employees during the pandemic. Did you know that according to a recent HBR article, “agreeableness” is the most important factor in determining work experience success in 2020? Ben and I flush out that concept and make the case for a kinder and more empathetic workplace. “If we have leaders who are not high on the “agreeableness" scale, how do we get them to be…and how do we model those behaviors? Give people a chance to support others and they will begin to prioritize how they act.” Ben presents research that caring about your people leads to higher engagement, lower turnover, and a happier workforce. I push back on that to make sure we aren’t just talking about a fluffy hypothetical construct, but also driving bottom line results for the numbers-driven leader. He defends the argument brilliantly! Ben also gets personal by telling us his driving motivation, “When I became an analyst I first committed not to do research for research’s sake, but to do research for practical impact. That’s what gets me excited.” If this is your first time hearing about Ben…you’re welcome! Check out his industry-changing work. Follow Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beneubanks/ Ben’s research: https://lhra.io/ Most recent blog article: https://lhra.io/blog/what-10-studies-say-about-the-covid-and-post-covid-workplace/

2020 has been everything but hilarious, yet Matt Kazam is on a mission to bring joy and comedy back to the workplace. "It's the medicine that we all need right now, to take a different perspective and try to move forward." Matt discusses several strategies to engage employees in this challenging time through humor and empathy. He currently runs workshops to train leaders how to change their mindset, reconnect the funny that's inside of them, and wordsmith conversations to include humor. "We write words to be read, not said, so let's change our tone and put humanity back into the workplace.  He also describes how he uses superiority vs. commonality in his jokes to bring diversity and inclusion to the forefront of his message, something that is a hot button issue in civil rights as well as in the workplace. This is how he blends comedy and humor to create an even better employee experience.  Connect with Matt on his LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-kazam-3a436686/  Or visit his website: theylaughyouwin.com/virtual Thanks Matt for a riveting and hilarious episode! 

Dan Pontefract is a founder, 4x author, leadership strategist, 4x Ted speaker, and big time hugger on hiatus. In this episode he shares gems from his recently launched book, Lead, Care, Win. “If we’re not caring about ourselves and the people we are fortunate to come in contact with, then what are we looking back on in self-reflection? I do believe that the 4-letter word we need to hone in on is C.A.R.E” Dan is a champion of leaders who view success as building others up. Yes, there are leaders out there who seem to be winning without caring about their employees, but he challenges our definition of success by looking deeper into the human experience. He gives practical advice on how to collectively collaborate with one another, how to recognize one another, and how to interact with the community at large. Employee experience for Dan is the manner in which we operationalize how work gets done. A fresh take on how to build your culture and your people. Get his book! www.leadcarewin.com LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/danpontefract/ Website https://www.danpontefract.com/

Josh Levine believes in great Mondays. Every employee can feel energized and ready to go to work each week by clearly defining their purpose. Purpose is more than earning a paycheck, it’s being interested in the work you are doing, understanding why you are doing it, and bringing energy to the big idea you are serving. When you understand your purpose, the tedious work you do has a reason…even on Mondays. In this episode, Josh asks us all a relevant question: with all of this disruption in the workplace, is your purpose still relevant? This is employee engagement in the digital workplace. If your purpose is still clearly defined and relevant, it doesn’t matter if you are in the office or not. Employees can work from anywhere and be aligned on the reason why they are there. It’s a powerful tool for driving performance and productivity. Thank you Josh for your timely insights as we built the future of work. Josh’s Book! Great Mondays: How to Design Company Culture Employees Love https://www.amazon.com/Great-Mondays-Company-Culture-Employees/dp/126013234X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=great+mondays&qid=1601996311&sr=8-1 Josh’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akajoshlevine/ Website: https://www.greatmondays.com/

Today we have the wonderful Jay Polaki on the show. We are now besties and If I could travel to Texas without having to quarantine, we’d start a garden together. In this episode we cover all things HR tech from Onboarding, to the future of work.  You'll learn what it means to truly be focused on consumer-grade employee experience and how to implement a custom and practical action plan without being overwhelmed. Jay shares some powerful content that brings hope to any discouraged practitioners during the pandemic.  I’ve included her most recent Forbes article which is so good it’s what sparked this conversation, so buckle up and enjoy. Forbes: The Now Of Work: HR's Digital Revolution https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2020/08/26/the-now-of-work-hrs-digital-revolution/#71af77d33062 Forbes: 13 Tips For Employers Looking To Hire Fresh Talent https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2020/06/11/13-tips-for-employers-looking-to-hire-fresh-talent/#3f5f99391551 Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jpolaki/ HR Geckos: http://hrgeckos.com/

From Roadhouse Grill to Hard Rock Café, Chester Elton takes us on a journey behind the scenes of companies who were able to successfully pivot during the COVID-19 crisis. Because of their core focus on an excellent company culture, they have been able not only to stay above water, but become profitable during the worst crisis of this century.  Join our host Josh Drean in a fun and engaging discussion on how to build a culture of trust and open communication that can bend, but not break when times get hard. You'll learn strategies on how to best engage your people, diminish turnover, and build a high performance organization that sets new heights.  Chester Elton has spent two decades helping clients engage their employees in organizational strategy, vision and values. In his inspiring and always entertaining talks, Elton provides real solutions for leaders looking to build culture, manage change and drive innovation. His work is supported by research with more than a million working adults across the globe, revealing the proven secrets behind high performance cultures and teams. Elton is co-founder of The Culture Works, a global training company, and author of multiple award winning, #1 New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestsellers, All In, The Carrot Principle and The Best Team Wins. His books have been translated into 30 languages and have sold more than 1.5 million copies. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chesterelton/ Website: https://www.chesterelton.com/ Leading with Gratitude: https://www.amazon.com/Leading-Gratitude-Leadership-Practices-Extraordinary/dp/0062965786

William Tincup is a LEGEND! In this episode he helps to answer HR’s most relevant questions about the future of work. In this episode, we cover: Personalizing the human work experience How to build an effective digital work culture How to evolve with the times…and like it. William is the President & Editor-at-Large of RecruitingDaily. At the intersection of HR and technology, he’s a writer, speaker, advisor, consultant, investor, storyteller & teacher. He’s written over 250 HR articles, spoken at over 350 HR & recruiting conferences and he’s conducted over 1300 HR podcasts & webinars. Stay tuned for more high energy and relevant content on how to design the optimal employee experience.  Connect with William: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/ Instagram: @williamtincup Twitter: @williamtincup Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tincup