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Episodes
Wednesday May 17, 2023
Wednesday May 17, 2023
Description:
There has never been a more crucial time to focus your efforts on elevating the work experience of your employees. MRA's 2023 HR Conference Highlights episode will provide you with tangible ways to help you raise the bar throughout the entire employee life cycle, from recruitment to retention, while building and solidifying employee loyalty along the way. And it’s not just about the employees, but it’s also time to elevate you—the HR professional!
These conference highlights will provide you with a space to grow your skills and address the mental health load that HR teams continue to shoulder. Join us for an experience that will elevate YOU and your employees.
Resources:
Register for Minnesota HR Conference!
MRA Membership
About MRA
Let's Connect:
Guest Bio - Paula Davis (Stress & Resilience Institute)
Guest Bio - Josh Miller (Project50)
Guest Bio - Jamie Jackson (Humorous Resources)
Guest Bio - Tricia Shields (Naviant)
Guest Bio - Shawn Gulyas (humanworks8)
Host Bio - Sophie Boler
Host LinkedIn Profile - Sophie Boler
Transcript:
Transcripts are computer generated -- not 100% accurate word-for-word.
00:00:00:00 - 00:00:21:03UnknownHello everybody and welcome to 30 minute Thrive, your go to podcast for anything and everything HR, powered by MRA, the Management Association looking to stay on top of the ever changing world of HR? MRA has got you covered. We'll be the first to tell you what's hot and what's not. I'm your host, Sophie Boler, and we are so glad you're here.
00:00:21:04 - 00:00:40:21UnknownNow it's time to thrive. Hey, everybody. Thanks for tuning in to 30 minute Thrive today. This week we kind of have a special edition episode as Courtney Lamers is going to be our host today, highlighting our 2023 HR conference. So thanks for being the host for today, Courtney. Thanks for trusting me. You always do such a good job.
00:00:40:21 - 00:00:57:22UnknownSo this is a lot of pressure, but I'm really excited to talk with all of our speakers today. I know they have a lot of great information to share. Good morning, MRA friends and welcome to our annual HR conference. So excited to be here today and we're excited to kick off the day with my good friend Jamie.
00:00:58:00 - 00:01:19:02UnknownSo I've had the privilege of getting to know her over the last month or so, and we actually found her through TikTok. So she is hilarious and has so many funny HR stories. So Jamie, I want to give a little bit of background about how you got into TikTok and your HR, Horrendous HR, Horrible HR, everything like that and one so I've actually been in HR
00:01:19:02 - 00:01:43:12UnknownFor the long the 19 years. Oh. Okay. Go home at the end i in back in the early days of 2020, i was working for a nonprofit clinic and i was the sole h.r. Person over for clinics. And i just felt really alone. Things are constantly changing during the pandemic. And, you know, we were looking for guidance, and and so I thought, you know what?
00:01:43:14 - 00:02:08:03UnknownThis is funny, and and I started posting memes that I started he works right on our side of the unit and then I dabbled in tiktoc a little bit and then it's really spiraled from there. I've now created horrendous HR which is funny actually, and then horrendous h.r. Stories. And then i also love to call out terrible job postings, which i like to call that absolutely not.
00:02:08:05 - 00:02:29:06UnknownAnd i was on another page called millennial misery kit. I'm an elder millennial and I just love the nostalgia and the so that's that's kind of how I create it. I accidentally built an empire is what I said. She went viral. Everyone forgot to check her out on TikTok. And. Oh, so you have a horrendous H.R. story, the know crazy H.R. story is give us one of your best ones.
00:02:29:06 - 00:02:51:20UnknownI think I have a lot over the last 18 years, which I'm sure everyone does here. I figure I fable one of why not? I'm really stuck with me because it happened early in my career. I honestly didn't know how to handle it is I had an employee she instead of and making it to the restroom they decided to pull their pants down as they walked to the restroom.
00:02:51:22 - 00:03:11:06UnknownAnd number two, all the way to the restroom. And of course it was on video and he to bless them, and they weren't having stomach issues. Just FYI, it was a it was a, you know, the middle finger part of my logo. All the was they were the middle finger to us because that person had just recently gotten written up.
00:03:11:06 - 00:03:30:02UnknownBut that one sticks with me because I think I was like an assistant at the time and who'd been out there that would talk by near me. But now I'd be like, Oh, well, come on, give me some gloves I'll clean it up. And that couldn't be good. Well, I'm sure all of you have plenty of stories as well, but I'm excited for you to hear from Jamie throughout the day today and hear all the stories that you have.
00:03:30:02 - 00:03:54:16UnknownSo what are you most excited about for the rest of the day today? And honestly, this interacting with fellow folks. And oddly enough, I'm so glad y'all let me jump up on stage. spoiler scared on, but I'm really excited to interact and hopefully make you laugh. All right. Well, thanks for being here today. We are excited for her, everyone to hear the humor from you and we're excited to have all of you join us virtually today.
00:03:54:16 - 00:04:13:06UnknownAnd so have a great day. Everybody will see you in a little bit. Hi, everyone. Welcome back. And thank you, Paula, for joining us for a few extra minutes. I want to say thank you for your time today and thank you for sharing your story. Obviously, as they HR professionals, we all know how real burnout is right now.
00:04:13:06 - 00:04:30:02UnknownAnd I think you give everyone some real practical tools that they can take back. And I know the last slide about the small wins was something that really resonated to me, and it was something that our team was just talking about because there are so many things going on. So it's easy to start looking ahead to the next one.
00:04:30:14 - 00:04:46:06UnknownI just wanted to talk about how do you even start the conversation about burnout at the workplace? That is such a great question. And, you know, one of the things that I didn't mention my story, but that is certainly true is like we don't wear a sign when we walk around that says, Hey, I'm burned out.
00:04:46:10 - 00:05:07:03UnknownAnd in fact, like, one of the things that I did a lot is I tried to hide it. Like I really actively didn't want people to know that I was struggling. And so I think the first step, because a conversation almost always has to be had if you're feeling a sense of significant stress and burnout. So it's finding someone who you feel comfortable saying something to you, whether that's an h.r.
00:05:07:03 - 00:05:24:21UnknownProfessional, whether that is your direct report or a direct manager, I should say, or a leader, even if it's somebody outside the organization. But I'm going to frame this as a conversation. We can have at work. So find that person and you trust who you want to say something to and then think about a goal that you have for the conversation.
00:05:25:01 - 00:05:53:08UnknownSo what is it that you need or want and to be a couple of days off? And do you need something like a sabbatical? Is that even something that your company offers? And do you need to switch switch to a different team perhaps, or think about another area of work within the organization and be very clear to extend that You can because when we're feeling stressed and burned out, we have maybe not have a clear perspective in that regard, but try and figure out what it is that you're looking for or what you want from the conversation.
00:05:53:10 - 00:06:13:04UnknownAnd then it's just a matter of along with putting down some notes and being very intentional about how you go about having the conversation and then trying to make sure you crystallize next steps. So now if you're in the leader who is hearing this from someone, it's important to know you don't have to have all the answers. You don't have to fix the problem in that conversation.
00:06:13:06 - 00:06:36:20UnknownBut you do need to have a pretty keen awareness of what some of the resources are in your organization, particularly if there's a mental health issue going on. stay in your lane, you don't have to really actively address those pieces. You do have to know how to path people in the right way, and then it becomes and being very clear about next steps, what are we going to do to follow up?
00:06:36:20 - 00:06:51:21UnknownWhat is the next step going to be? I need to maybe have some conversation as a leader and figure out how I can help or what the next step might look like. But then we have to be very clear and come back together again, usually pretty quickly. And to figure out what that's going to or what that's really going to look like.
00:06:51:23 - 00:07:15:21UnknownBut recognizing too, that there are also resources, people who are out there who do coach in this area. And so sometimes that can be outsold resource as well in addition to potentially a mental health expert or taking some sort of, you know, short term or longer term or, you know, rearranging an internal team or one out. And it was so that's the framework that I set with folks.
00:07:15:23 - 00:07:35:12UnknownBut I always want to say it's really hard to suffer in silence with burnout. And so at some point your burnout will get to a point where you likely have to have a conversation with someone. So really paying attention to that and not being afraid to actively start those discussions. And it's one of the things I did wrong as I waited way too long.
00:07:35:12 - 00:07:57:09UnknownSo you seek that assistance in. So that's that's how I would start to have that conversation. I love the structure behind it because I think people can see how they would start that conversation. And so, question for you, so a lot of times meetings start with how's it going and the common response is “good”. So how do you balance the positivity with the reality?
00:07:57:09 - 00:08:18:03UnknownAnd especially as a leader, it's not hard to walk around, be like, Oh, I'm very tired, or I'm on stress or I'm I work till midnight last night. I like, How do you balance the positivity with the reality? That's such a great question. And I think it's really incumbent on leaders to model both sides of that equation. So I think it's important for leaders to actually say, you know what, I'm really stressed out right now.
00:08:18:03 - 00:08:32:15UnknownAnd here are some things that I'm doing and I left a little bit early last night. I want you all as a team to feel like you can take Saturday off or however you know, it plays out in your organization. But then I think we also have to start modeling to what are some of the good things that are happening.
00:08:32:15 - 00:08:54:09UnknownAnd so you can even, you know, be intentional if you want to send this question out ahead of time to folks so that they're prepared. But we're going to start we're going to take 5 minutes and our next meeting and I want to go around the room. We're have people who are patching in until kick us off and then who has a win, a success, a small something positive that has happened to you this week or within the past couple of weeks.
00:08:54:14 - 00:09:12:18UnknownSo that we're also hearing that side of the story as well, because it's really important. It's so easy for us to focus, especially in uncertain times and times of change about everything that's different through. But to really balance that was messages of we're doing some good stuff here. I'm like, there's really a lot of things that are going well.
00:09:12:20 - 00:09:31:15UnknownIt's very motivational for us to hear that side of that side of the equation. And sure, going back to this all, answer it, but you're all about the tablet alone and the both. Thank you so much for sharing all of your insight with us, Carla, your passion, your energy. Just we are practical tools as amazing at this, a perfect way to start our day and tell them.
00:09:31:16 - 00:09:59:16UnknownThank you so much, everyone. We'll see you back in a few minutes. And we're back with another interview. Josh, thanks for joining us here. You did a great job on your presentation and it's something I talked a lot with our members about. So one of the questions I get a lot and I'm curious on your take on this is and a lot of companies have gone to either a hybrid or a virtual workplace, but with the next generation coming in, a lot of you on that face are based communication, that in-person mentorship.
00:09:59:20 - 00:10:23:04UnknownWhat is your thought on that and how like from a company see a plan, like how did they work with that? The managers and mentors to get them back into the office for that in-person mentorship experience? The certainly, what if I were to be here with you? And that's a great frustration and it's something that we think a lot about how we know the return office and what for certain about workforce transition is a one of the most fruitful elements.
00:10:23:04 - 00:10:48:15UnknownSo it's early and really defining. And in the, you know, the current workforce reality as it was, we think about the fact that for example working from home has on young people is that there are a lot of elements of a great workforce workplace experience that simply cannot be replicated online and turning socialization and having mentors there. They are really having a sense of in-person learning on the job.
00:10:48:15 - 00:11:07:01UnknownOne of their osmosis really being able to pick up my subconscious things about how to really operate in the company's culture, how to get ahead without being said, though, you know, there is an element of flexibility and there is an element of, you know, having trust of the company, having trust. Another, to be able to get your work into the system and that happens remotely.
00:11:07:01 - 00:11:26:05UnknownAnd in a hybrid model cell with I think about the ideal right as we would love, you know, hybrid model where we need some sort of in-person interaction where, you know, if you and I are coworkers, we can do this right here, not over Zoom. I know you would. I really wouldn't be anything but you know in doubt conversation over oversell and so it's going to work in progress right.
00:11:26:05 - 00:12:01:01UnknownAnd a lot of it too is, you know, cost benefit analysis as to people thought, well, if I'm in traffic and, you know, I want more what that can do to somebody's time. But also we think about we have beautiful downtown Milwaukee, you know, where we're we're fairly speaking and the impact of people that coming into the office, you know, on vibrant cities is also a really important thing to think about, to solve so many complications and so many factors to consider when it comes from my rent to the to, you know, and work from home and calming quiet The people that kind of get for my having zero in-person experience are those in our
00:12:01:01 - 00:12:18:05Unknowngeneration because we just don't have the role models that in-person a real you think about you know how we want our careers to go. Absolutely. Well, you gave a lot of great things for employers to think about and a lot of takeaways, But if do you give with employers 1 to 1 thing that they can go do today or tomorrow?
00:12:18:05 - 00:12:37:21UnknownLike what's that one takeaway you want everyone to know? Do not look at my early career experiences as as a as an afterthought. And they matter. They matter. Today. We have to be proactive in building a bunch of leadership talent. We have to be proactive and making sure that young people are having a good experience and have a good view with outlook of the organization.
00:12:37:23 - 00:13:01:15UnknownBecause word spreads fast nowadays faster than it's ever been, there is going to be a significant divides and winners and losers have organizations that get decimals of the dollar in it in that they do. It's the right thing to do. Well, half the I believe that you know if we at my business project that they are successful in how their organization is designed more effective early career programs that everybody around out our age is going to have a better start to their career.
00:13:01:17 - 00:13:20:22UnknownAnd that that just has such positive reverberation as economically and socially it can have psychologically for everybody. So as I say, that for me is the biggest thing is let's just be natural. But yeah, I was just going to say I love the word intentional and experience. So to ending up so a more and well, it is super difficult I should add that.
00:13:21:00 - 00:13:40:20UnknownSo I am born right in between Millenial and Zillennials, socan I go by Zillenial?. Whatever you want. I feel that's the generation stuff. It's secondary to what we're talking about here right? Where did supposed things at all for And it's two people in the workforce experience are pretty common across generation.
00:13:40:20 - 00:14:12:00UnknownAnd I still hear high seas. Why everybody to think about what their life was like when they were 21 years old? Yeah. Then that is it has nothing to do with the generation of actually has to do with kind of lifecycle. Yeah. And it's really about thinking about what does somebody at this stage of our career need to get ahead and help it organizations you know provide that for us what I do what regardless of gen-z is a lot of your millennial everyone's everyone's got their got their he does tenure yeah as well thank you for joining us Jasmine thank you for those online we will see you in a little bit but we made
00:14:12:00 - 00:14:47:15Unknownit to lunch break. Welcome back, everyone. We are here with Patricia Shields from Naviant and her session was all about embracing technology and their digital transformation. So how did Naviant even get started in your digital transformation and technology journey? And yeah, good question and we talked about this as well. Does a lot of organizations or aware of here she did a survey with MRA members pretty adamantly not he did started to embrace their digital transformation journey so we always recommend by digitizing documents that's such an important kind of pivotal part about H.R. and being able to be innovative.
00:14:47:15 - 00:15:17:04UnknownWhat the technology is that you use. And so in going from there and then starting to look an opportunity to see utilize all their technology. So what's something cool that Naviant has done to some of their cool digital transformation Yeah pieces or what something cool that you guys have done well I always however for warriors and that is consistent is that they think that's such you've had a it's an informal experience for employees to feel like they're being offered they're having opportunities to interact with that company, which a lot of places is their manager.
00:15:17:04 - 00:15:43:12UnknownSo historically, when I served maybe 15 years ago all over using paper documents here are walking them around that company or email in a model were following up with people had a we were the name of the organization but now the ways in technology we made a SharePoint available or do poorly check in. So using technology and it's this we they have an interactive conversation and give it high information and managers are being kind of real time.
00:15:43:12 - 00:16:02:00UnknownSo that's the way that people that we're having most growth. That's awesome. So were you surprised summarize so backing up here, we did a survey before the event and as you know, why it was holding people back from embracing technology. Were you surprised that only 3% said that they were afraid of change or were you not surprised? I was surprised.
00:16:02:00 - 00:16:25:12UnknownI was also really proud and have been doing h.r. For 20 years now. And i love that h.r. Professionals. I don't know, maybe today, don and like, were a real team who don't want anything to be different than it's historically been. But 3% is not true. I think that really show that we are in a leader and we do want to find ways to use technology, but we need to overcome some of the other hesitations that we talked about.
00:16:25:12 - 00:16:42:23UnknownAnd so like so as h.r. Professionals and leaders, if we have some people on our team that might not be excited about and how can we lead by example and really demonstrate that change is a good thing? Yeah, I think one of the ways that we highlight verify since may around some use cases is really do it in planning.
00:16:42:23 - 00:17:01:15UnknownAnd so not just putting technology in just for the sake of holding it in while using planning to really sit down and let all the key users APIs and your faith and science and technology be at the table so they can understand the benefits of the technologies as well, I think. Awesome. Well, thank you so much for being here today, Tricia.
00:17:01:15 - 00:17:21:17UnknownWe appreciate all the examples and insights that you've shared with us today. Thank you. We have one more surprise guests here, and actually we have two of them, Caitlin and Laura from Husch Blackwell. So why don't you two introduce yourself a little short video. So my name is Moira Mallory, and this is Caitlin with me and we are both lawyers at Husch Blackwelll.
00:17:21:17 - 00:17:43:12UnknownAnd we practice exclusively in the labor and employment space. And so we are working with HR professionals like you guys all day and we love it. And we are a part of our firm, Schwab Old Milwaukee Office, although we have a really a national practice and we're just thrilled to be a part of this firm today. And that's a few minutes ago.
00:17:43:17 - 00:18:05:11UnknownAnd so unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend their session, but they were giving me a little bit of an overview and the ESG component and retention as well as DEI. So give us a little bit more on that. Yeah, this whole ESG, it's kind of been a key trader in the recent years. I'm coming over from the Eagle, actually, but a feed in popularity here in the United States.
00:18:05:11 - 00:18:27:14UnknownAnd it stands for environmental, social and governance. So how do your company interacts in those green spheres such as hire and student financial environment persons? How are and now versus and how you treat people in the social realm as well? A Your hungry net regulates itself of the policies internally and externally. All paths and this here of ESG.
00:18:27:16 - 00:18:49:17UnknownAnd that's what we're really here to talk about today, how you can be a better balance sheet on opportunities which you then increase into retention. And 30th have actually show a very positive and correlating relationship between high gas scores and attractiveness to talent, as well as retention of talent, which especially for the gen generations we know is kind of challenging right now.
00:18:49:17 - 00:19:11:10UnknownSo we're here to help connect use and tips and tricks on how to retain as individuals. Can you give me a one thing The companies can go back and implement tomorrow or maybe when they're back in the office, I'm doubt. Good idea. Do you want to tell you? I think I did. Right? Sure. Yeah. So he I talked a lot about during the session about DNI efforts and how that is one component of ESG.
00:19:11:10 - 00:19:32:13UnknownESG is a really big beast. There's a lot to it. But D&I is one component. And it is a very, very important about it. And we talk specifically about the “I” inclusion quite a bit in the session and how important it is to not just focus on data and statistics, but really focus on making sure that your employees feel valued and appreciated.
00:19:32:15 - 00:19:49:15UnknownAnd that can be done in so many different ways. But just by engaging with them and talking to them about their family and their kids and their dogs and, you know, all of the things that, you know, we think of as leaving outside of the workforce. If it is part of who we are that we bring to the workplace.
00:19:49:15 - 00:20:08:08UnknownAnd it is really, really important for our employees to be a valued and appreciate it. And just given some time, I know we are all spread so thin and we all have so much on our plate, but it's one of those things that is worth investing in your people because that is such a key component to your business being a success. Perfect.
00:20:08:08 - 00:20:23:14UnknownWell, thank you all so much for being here today and thank you for sharing this. It was a perfect way to wrap up our interview is and we will more session live. So we will wrap it up here shortly. And thanks, everybody. We've almost made it to the end of the day. Hang with us. We've got Sean here.
00:20:23:18 - 00:20:44:04UnknownShe's going to be closing out our day. And for those of you that were with us last year, you'll remember his awesome performance. So we're super excited to have him and the day to day core grateful for your kind words. And if he were here last time. Stay with that. Is there's a lot of fun moments that we're talking about in the next hour as to what is on your highlight of the day so far.
00:20:44:04 - 00:21:05:06UnknownWell, I'm talking about moments that matter. And then I've heard already from the other speakers so many moments that matter to our professionals. I've heard about moments of humor. I think what Jamie's been doing that an important h.r. In the culture and also for, you know, out moments around building a cultural and a system that really supports the employee better at in moments of caring.
00:21:05:06 - 00:21:18:09UnknownAnd i'll be talking about more about the self first some of my highlight. So to give us a little bit of a sneak peek of what you're going to talk about. I know you just say a little bit, but give me a little more and it'll me I'm not going to talk about any frameworks, give you all these diagrams, Nothing.
00:21:18:09 - 00:21:38:08UnknownAnd you can see I want to give this a real tangible things that have meaning. Really show that you care about the employees at your organization and things that you can actually take back and start using today, next week. Plus, you have to get your leaders doing this stuff to because H.R., hear all these this that small group, your leadership team should be part of your h.r.
00:21:38:08 - 00:21:56:11UnknownTeam. So how can you get those people also thinking about these mountains of water? Awesome. Well, thank you, sean, for being here. I'm super excited for his presentation. And like we said, if you haven't seen him, he was so great. We brought him back this year and he is closing out our day. And so hang with us, everyone, and thanks for joining us. woo-hoo!
00:21:56:15 - 00:22:14:10UnknownAnd that's a wrap. Thanks for tuning in to this week's podcast and thank you card here for hosting our conference highlights for this week and we're excited to see you next week. Thanks for having me. And thanks to all of our speakers for sharing all their great insights with us. And that wraps up our content for this episode.
00:22:14:11 - 00:22:32:18UnknownBe sure to reference the show notes where you can sign them to connect for more podcast updates, check out other MRA episodes on your favorite podcast platform. And as always, make sure to follow MRA’s 30 minute Thrive so you don't miss out. Thanks for tuning in and we'll see you next Wednesday to carry on the HR conversation.
Wednesday May 10, 2023
Wednesday May 10, 2023
Description:
Many employees face work-related stress and burnout in today's fast-paced and demanding work environment. In this podcast, we delve into the challenges of the modern workday and explore practical strategies for managing stress, avoiding burnout, and achieving work-life balance. We discuss common stressors in the workplace, such as heavy workloads, long hours, deadlines, and high expectations, and offer insights on how to cope with them effectively. We also share expert tips on time management, setting boundaries, practicing self-care, and building resilience to thrive in the 9 to 5 grind.
Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting your career, this podcast provides valuable guidance and support for surviving and thriving in the modern workplace. Don't let work stress take a toll on your health and well-being. Tune in to MRA's "30 minute THRIVE" and learn how to manage work-related stress and burnout like a pro.
Resources:
Time Management - MRA Course
Gallup 2020 Survey on Employee Wellbeing
Harvard Business Review Article-How to Tell Your Boss You’re Burned Out
Eisenhower Matrix
Forbes article on The Pomodoro Technique
MRA Membership
About MRA
Let's Connect:
Guest Bio - Michelle Hyde
Guest LinkedIn Profile - Michelle Hyde
Host Bio - Sophie Boler
Host LinkedIn Profile - Sophie Boler
Transcript:
Transcripts are computer generated -- not 100% accurate word-for-word.
00;00;00;02 - 00;00;21;05UnknownHello everybody and welcome to 30 minute Thrive, your go to podcast for anything and everything HR. Powered by MRA, the Management Association. Looking to stay on top of the ever changing world of HR? MRA has got you covered. We'll be the first to tell you what's hot and what's not. I'm your host, Sophie Boler, and we are so glad you're here.
00;00;21;06 - 00;00;46;07UnknownNow it's time to thrive. Hello, everybody, and welcome to this episode of 30 Minute Thrive. I'm excited to talk about this topic for today, and it's one that it's really never gonna lose its importance and a topic that people are always looking at for new tips and advice, and that is managing work related stress and burnout. So I'm also excited to introduce our guest for today.
00;00;46;14 - 00;01;14;16UnknownSo I'm here with Michelle Hyde and MRA learning in Development Instructor. So welcome to the podcast, Michelle. Thanks so much. So be so excited to be here with you today and to be talking about this really important topic. Absolutely. Well, Michelle, I know you hold a lot of expertise and diversity, inclusion, employee experience, coaching and event planning. So I know you have a lot of great tips on this topic, like timing and communication.
00;01;14;24 - 00;01;39;04UnknownSo this title for this episode is Surviving the 9 to 5: managing work related stress and Burnout. So let's start out by talking about how you can really identify that stress and burnout in the workplace. So Michelle, what are some common signs and symptoms of work related stress burnout that employees and employers really should be aware of? Great questions.
00;01;39;05 - 00;02;03;07UnknownI'll be So first off, we all have stress. Every one of us has stress, whether it's a deadline. Maybe it's a big project, an upcoming public speaking engagement. All of these things are stress. And I think a lot of times stress and burnout are used interchangeably. You know, it's kind of viewed as the same type of thing, but they actually are different stresses that work short term stress.
00;02;03;09 - 00;02;29;22UnknownIt's you know, we have a big event coming up. We have a big launch that's coming up. So there's going to be stress that's going to be involved in that. We're burnout is a more prolonged and heightened response to that stress. So in the nineties, Dr. Christina maxwell did developed that MBI, the Maslow burnout inventory three and it's still used today.
00;02;30;05 - 00;03;04;18UnknownAnd according to her research, there's actually three characteristics that distinguish burnout from everyday stress. And those characteristics are emotional exhaustion, depersonalization. Fancy word and then reduce personal and professional accomplishments. So basically what it means that in addition to this overwhelming exhaustion feel as a result of this burnout, there's usually decreased motivation lowered on the job performance and then negative attitudes towards both yourself and other people.
00;03;04;27 - 00;03;31;01UnknownSounds like a real party, right? But really not so much. No, but that's the stress is kind of that one time thing where that burnout is, is as a result of all those things kind of piling up. Okay. Well, that's good to know. I feel like like you said, a lot of people do use those terms interchangeably, but it means like you have to be experiencing the stress for a wild kind of experience, the burnout.
00;03;31;10 - 00;03;52;28UnknownYes. It's kind of compounded, perhaps. And it shows up, you know, if you live ever. We all get tired in the mornings, Right. And it's hard to get out of it. But if you ever really, truly struggle to get out of bed in the morning and then when you do, there's this disproportionate emotional response to what you're seeing maybe in your email inbox.
00;03;53;07 - 00;04;22;09UnknownYou get an email and everything just seems like the biggest deal ever. Could be anger or you could burst into tears or the situation doesn't really call for that. It's just completely disproportionate to the situation. We really looking at that point. Mm hmm. I kind of have another example about when you mentioned about kind of having a hard time getting out of bed, just kind of dealing exhausted right away in the morning.
00;04;22;18 - 00;04;47;23UnknownIt's also kind of like the feeling on Sunday nights where you're just dreading work and it's 8:00 on Sunday and you're like, oh, my gosh, I have to go to work tomorrow. And that just those thoughts consume you. I feel like back then they vary. Yeah, there. These are real. Absolutely. I need to find something on LinkedIn recently that said you're workplace culture is how your employees feel on Sunday night.
00;04;48;03 - 00;05;17;26UnknownAnd I thought that was a really eye opening for sure. And for sure we'll kind of moving on into the next question. How can employees really differentiate between normal work, stress and burnout and when they should be really seeking help or taking action? Yeah, so it's somewhat of a chicken and the egg mentality at that point. Know, the more burnout you are, the less able you are to bounce back from being sort of the less resilient you are.
00;05;18;09 - 00;05;42;24UnknownAnd so it kind of becomes the cycle that you get into. I think once these action becomes long lasting, once you start making sex at work or missing deadlines, your emotions are getting in the way of things happening at work, all of those things. It may be time to get some help, and help will come in many different forms too.
00;05;43;06 - 00;06;03;23UnknownSo everything from seeking out your support network of friends or family to reaching out to a counselor from your organization's employee assistance program, maybe even just having a heart to heart conversation with your leadership where you can say, This is what I'm dealing with is our end way. We can rebalance some of these priorities that I have on my plate right now.
00;06;03;24 - 00;06;28;24UnknownAll of those things can look like help. It doesn't have to be just one particular thing. Yeah, that's great advice, too. And you know that communication and I know I'm sure you have more advice to come on communication, but I feel like keeping your manager or your boss in the loop of how you're feeling in your emotions with how you're dealing with stress and burnout is also really essential, too.
00;06;29;11 - 00;06;51;20UnknownAbsolutely. If you have if you built that sort of basis of psychological aid where your employees feel like they can come and talk to you about things, then you're going to get the real responses as opposed to just this canned answer of, oh, I'm fine. And does it make employees push through? This burnout is that's one mistakes happen and that's when that's when we start to get into some real trouble.
00;06;51;20 - 00;07;20;06UnknownActually. Absolutely. So what are some effective strategies then, for managing heavy workloads and long hours to prevent this burnout? Well, what's interesting and I actually found this out just in doing some research for this podcast. Burnout doesn't only result from long hours. So there are some studies that say, you know, if you work over a certain number of hours per week, that's going to have detrimental impacts to your health.
00;07;20;26 - 00;07;45;00UnknownLook what found out about burnout is that it tends to be the types of work that we're doing, not necessarily the hours themselves that are causing the burnout. So there was a study done in 2020 by Gallup, and the results showed that working less didn't necessarily equate to happiness. It was more questions like, Are you able to shine within your home?
00;07;45;18 - 00;08;07;18UnknownAre you able to make a positive impact? Are you getting strong feedback on your work? It's when that work starts to feel like it's out of our control. That's when that burnout really sets in. And additionally, the study showed that the relationship with your manager sets the foundation for almost all other causes of burnout, which probably comes as no surprise to you.
00;08;08;22 - 00;08;36;03UnknownThat role with our readers is so important. So, you know, no pressures. Manager But oh my goodness, it's so important. Absolutely. Well, I feel like it's also just important. If you do have a really heavy workload, you're just working long hours. Something that helps me when I'm feeling a little overwhelmed is just setting small goals every single day, even if the goal is very small.
00;08;36;10 - 00;09;09;06UnknownSomething like cleaning out your filing cabinet, or maybe it's I want to make five people smile today. But when you when you accomplish that, you feel so good about yourself and the work you're doing. So it makes that big, heavy workload just seem more doable, honestly. And also finding motivators like what motivates you at work and what can help kind of build your resilience and know you'll get into that later.
00;09;09;06 - 00;09;41;26UnknownBut I think those are some kind of things that help me when I'm feeling a little overwhelmed too, is just setting those small goals and checking them off and and you kind of feel successful and it builds your confidence and motivation to absolutely. To find those wins through out there for sure. And I think when you're looking at a really heavy workload and you're trying to balance everything, the first thing I would recommend people do is make a list of absolutely everything that they have to do.
00;09;42;09 - 00;10;09;19UnknownNow, in the short term effort media huge list person. In the short term, this can stress you out more. I would tell you this as you're making the list and as you're looking at every single thing, you might start thinking, Oh my gosh, like I'm never going to get all of this done, but stick with me here, because from there you go through the list and you prioritize everything within A, B or C based upon importance.
00;10;10;03 - 00;10;26;26UnknownAnd if you're able to do that, you can kind of triage. Okay, what are the things I have to get done before I leave the office today? Those are your A's, your B's are what do I need to finish by the end of the week? And then C is what are those longer term projects that I don't want to lose sight of that those also need to be on energy.
00;10;26;27 - 00;10;47;26UnknownSo that that prioritization can be really helpful to you. And then what's been identified where you think the priorities are. We're not past your supervisor to make sure they're on the same page is an 80. You may be a senior so supervisor, how can you balance those different things And just having a second set of eyes on that can be helpful too.
00;10;48;10 - 00;11;14;23UnknownYeah, that's also great advice. So that would be kind of tricky. It's you made the list and you prioritize so many A's in your boss looked at it and said, No, all your B's should be A's. All right. I'm sure you're on the same page there. Back to that communication. So we talked about this a little bit, but what are some other effective time management techniques that can help employees balance their workload and prevent that burnout?
00;11;15;24 - 00;11;42;25UnknownWell, I'm so glad you brought this up, because MRA does happen to offer a whole time management thinking during that. But it's a class that I teach my supervisor cabin procedures. Many of our instructors teach the time management class, and we've gotten fantastic feedback on how it really is some of those tools that you just haven't thought about in a while, but it's a really good reminder.
00;11;42;25 - 00;12;08;04UnknownSo definitely would recommend taking that time management class. But some of the tools that we offer within the class, if you've ever heard of the Eisenhower method, it's a circle grade where you kind of identify what are the most important things that you need to do based upon some different ideas. So I would encourage folks to look at the Eisenhower method.
00;12;08;25 - 00;12;27;25UnknownCertainly the prioritization that we had talked about with the Abby and see with the list. There's also a tool that I used a lot in grad school that I love. It's called the Pomodoro Technique. Have you ever heard of the Pomodoro technique? I've heard of I've heard of that word, and I don't remember exactly what it means. So you should get refreshed?
00;12;28;11 - 00;12;50;12UnknownAbsolutely. It's you know, a lot of times it's associated with that tomato timer. I think just Pomodoro. And you know what it is? It's this idea. And there's all kinds of online resources where you can utilize the timer. And I've seen it done in a couple of different ways, whether it's 15 minutes or 20 minute increments, but it set a timer for 15 minutes.
00;12;50;12 - 00;13;15;21UnknownWe can do anything for 15 minutes, right? We found what I tell myself and I'm on the treadmill 15 minutes at a time. Right. And so if there's anything that you really need to focus on and it needs to be heads down work, turn off your email, turn off routines, it'll set a timer for 15 minutes and then you get a break and then another 15 minutes and you get a break and then another 15, 20 minutes, and then you get a longer break.
00;13;15;21 - 00;13;37;09UnknownSo it's basically just an idea of sort of breaking down time in order to focus on really specific pieces. And so for me, when I was in grad school, I was reading some really dense material and I would say, okay, if I can read this for 15 minutes, then I can take a 15 minute break. It was a great way to kind of break up the studying.
00;13;37;18 - 00;14;05;13UnknownSo for those really sort of cerebral tasks that you have or maybe even just things that you've been pushing off, I think the Politburo technique can be really helpful to you. And then yeah, and then finally, just making your calendar work for you, right? You know, there's all sorts of different things that you can do, whether it be blocking out time to do certain tasks, whether it be setting up office hours where your team can get a hold of you and they know that they can reach you during this time.
00;14;05;23 - 00;14;24;04UnknownWhat are the things that you can do to make technology work for you and in particular your calendar work for you too? Absolutely. Kind of going back to that technique that you were just talking about, like so many people feel like a high of 8 hours in a day. I need to be working at 8 hours a day, like no breaks.
00;14;24;14 - 00;14;54;16UnknownAnd that's also what can cause that stress and burnout, too. So that that technique where you're working hard for 15 minutes and then you're kind of taking that break, that also allows you to just breathe and cross off something on your lowest rates, right? Absolutely. And again, back to that motivation. I think so. The reason you and I like lists so much is being able to cross that they got that the best part of a list right doing something called or meeting.
00;14;55;04 - 00;15;26;14UnknownOh yes oh yeah or you're like list maker 2.0 I love it. So kind of moving in to setting boundaries, how important is that in setting boundaries in the workplace for managing work related stress? And do you have any tips or advice on how to establish maintaining healthy boundaries? Well, you know, I think this is boundaries is a word that has really come into play in the workplace much more frequently in the last few years than it has.
00;15;26;23 - 00;15;46;20UnknownI mean, I think if I asked my dad about, you know, what were your boundaries like in the workplace, he would laugh at me. You would say, are you kidding? Well, like, what's the boundary? Right? So I think that with boundaries, like much of this, it's so individual based upon what kind of a job you have, what kind of a a role you have, what are your responsibilities?
00;15;46;20 - 00;16;09;08UnknownSo boundaries might look different for different workplace cultures and then different roles, too. So I'm thinking about like a health care organization or, you know, if you're on call or if you're at the highest levels of leadership, you may not be able to turn your phone off or your notification bar. That may not just be not a reality to you.
00;16;09;18 - 00;16;34;09UnknownIt's a visual thing. So I think the question is what are healthy boundaries look like for you personally? I've heard of one of my colleagues doing this with a trusted colleague. A lot of times our colleagues can see when we become a little bit more short fuzed than even when we ourselves didn't see it. Sometimes it's easier for us to recognize it and other people needs to be created.
00;16;34;09 - 00;17;09;07UnknownThis honesty pact where they said, If I can tell that the emotions are coming pretty fast, maybe I'm sensing some burnout. I'm going to go to them and neither one of us can get offended by this. But I'm going to say, Hey, maybe it's time for you to take your day, maybe take it personally. And by having that honesty pact or knowing they could both go to each other and say that and recognizing some signs of burnout and you would it be helpful for you to take just a step back now, maybe that's not going to one day offer or even a couple of days vacation isn't going to clear every ounce of burnout that
00;17;09;07 - 00;17;38;00Unknownyou have. But lighten your load a little bit would help. And yeah, but it also shows that your managers supervisor does care about you, that they're off. Hey, take a day off. We know this. You're you're experiencing a lot of stress or burnout even right now whether you're sure the word or the term self care I feel I can say has been pretty explosive the past couple of years.
00;17;38;00 - 00;18;03;22UnknownSo what was it about that? Okay. So I'm curious what role self-care does have in managing work related stress and burnout, And do you have any self-care tips or practices that employees can kind of incorporate into their everyday routine? Well, I think self-care is one of those words that it means something different to a lot of different people.
00;18;03;22 - 00;18;27;27UnknownRight? And in the research that I've done around burnout, I found that a number of different experts say that self-care alone can't fix burnout. So what say your heart surgeon who has done 100 procedures this week? Or maybe you're a full time caregiver for a sick family member or something like that. And then I tell you, you know, go do a sheet mask, go get a pedicure.
00;18;28;08 - 00;18;54;12UnknownRight. That's going to be what if they got your to do list, but you just can't get to you and you set pieces. You can actually make you feel worse because it becomes something else. You're responsible for you. So that was the really interesting way to look at it. So instead of the you about what we normally consider self-care, I actually called a group of my friends and I said, What are the things that you do to manage work related stress?
00;18;54;12 - 00;19;19;09UnknownAnd I loved their answers. One friend in particular, I just thought that this was so valuable. So the first thing was delegation. And I don't think we normally think about self-care and delegation as going hand in hand, but our point was that both professionally and personally, are there things that you could afford to hire out around the house that would take stress off of you?
00;19;20;03 - 00;19;40;22UnknownSo the yard work, things like house cleaning, things like meal prep, all of these different things. What can you delegates in both your work life and your home life that would allow you more time and space to work on what you do best? Well done. Stayed out really simple. Yeah. I thought that was such a good way to look at self care.
00;19;41;03 - 00;20;08;22UnknownAnother thing is sharing tasks. So another one of my friends and her staff, they take turns doing the dishes and one deals with the dishes on even days of the month. And what deals with an odd date of the now this. These are very specific, right? But by doing this, nobody feels like it's unfair, nobody gets resentful and another thing that this couple does is they assign point people for tasks.
00;20;09;06 - 00;20;32;11UnknownSo maybe one person is in charge of all things scouting for their kid and other partner doesn't have to read emails, doesn't have to organize anything with scouting. That is the one person's job. They are totally owning that. The other manages basketball camps, same role we aren't worried about. The other person is going to read the emails. They're not going to bring the snacks.
00;20;32;25 - 00;20;53;21UnknownIt's all sort of shared by that one person. So that way they'd all kind of get in each other's lane with that, and then it lessens the amount of things that they personally have to worry about. Well, that's totally smart. I feel like a lot of people don't kind of use delegation in their personal lives. So more and that's great.
00;20;54;00 - 00;21;16;06UnknownAnd I feel like I like how you said that self care alone can't fix Bruno. And I almost feel like it's kind of like putting a Band-Aid on the burnout if you I mean, if you're feeling stress and or even feeling symptoms of burnout, you go take a hike that's not gonna fix your stress and burnout, maybe put a Band-Aid on it.
00;21;16;06 - 00;21;50;13UnknownBut if you consistently do it each week, it might be long run. I'll be right. Absolutely. So kind of talking about how employees can effectively communicate their needs, how can they communicate their needs with their employer and colleagues May comes to managing the stress well, this is a theory proposition for high performers. Bitcoin people, especially high performers, are fearful of being seen as weak.
00;21;50;27 - 00;22;15;13UnknownThey don't want to be seen as a whiner. And so if you're really stressed out, if you're really burnt out, some people feel like it looks like failure, going to your supervisor and asking for help and spoiler alert, your boss and your team probably already know it. We feel like, you know, we've put up this big wall and nobody can tell.
00;22;16;01 - 00;22;45;13UnknownGuess what? They probably are. Yeah. So by being vulnerable and being open to help, you can actually take some really positive steps towards resolving that burnout, which is also something that high performers are looking to do. We're fixing, right? We want to get in there and make sure that we're fixing whatever the problem is. So by taking these positive steps and reaching out and opening up these lines of communication, that actually is what we need to do to get to that fixing mindset.
00;22;46;11 - 00;23;11;02UnknownYou're fantastic article from Harvard Business Review from 2021, and it's called How to Tell Your Boss You're Burned Out. So I can talk about like perfect timing, right? It gives some really great tips, like start by telling a work friend if telling your boss in too overwhelming, can you go to a peer instead and have that conversation to kind of practice that a little bit.
00;23;12;11 - 00;23;45;06UnknownJust things like owning your feelings which can be tough breast You you know, the truth is you just try to push it down on your feelings and then thinking about what it would look like to make the situation better before going to your boss and asking for help. So one of the things that you have to take that whiny mentality off the table is if you think about what the possible solutions could look like and how you could get there before you start talking to your boss, that it's going to seem like you've thought this out, not like it's the hot potato that you're trying to pass to your boss that says, Hey, I'm burnt
00;23;45;06 - 00;24;06;24Unknownout. How are you going to fix it? Look more thought into it so you can go in there proactively and say, and here, here are my recommendations. What do you think? Yeah, absolutely. And you gave me this example earlier on, kind of having your manager recognize that you're burnt out and giving you the option of having a vacation day or a free day.
00;24;07;03 - 00;24;29;12UnknownSo this also may be very important when it comes to high performers that your manager supervisor can identify you as a high performer and as someone who may not as easily speak up about stress and burnout. And they may have to play a bigger role in kind of offering that help instead of the employee coming to the employer.
00;24;29;26 - 00;25;09;01UnknownAbsolutely. Yeah. So can you explain what resilience is and how building resilience can help employees cope with work related stress and how to prevent burnout? Are there any strategies or exercises so you can kind of offer up that can help improve resilience? Yeah. So in our change management training that we do, we talk about some visual representations of resilience and we like to use the examples of a willow tree and an old metal trashcan.
00;25;09;01 - 00;25;29;20UnknownSo think about the kind of trashcan that Oscar the Grouch was. Then we go when there are winds, there are high winds here in Iowa. We've been having a lot of those recently with the spring weather and all of that. Willow trees have a tendency to bend and in the wind and they bounce back to their original shape.
00;25;29;20 - 00;25;53;01UnknownNow, they may lose a few branches along the way, but ultimately the willow tree and palm tree actually to both of those trees were designed to be able to bounce back to their original form and not show all of the damage that's occurred to them on the outside. An old metal trash can we think about every time you, you know, hit it with your car or it's fallen over.
00;25;53;01 - 00;26;17;20UnknownIt shows every single bump and bruise. And resilience is ultimately getting to that point where we're able to come back to center a little more easily and not show every single bump and bruise, because we've been able to find that center more quickly and more easily. Now, it's easier to bounce back when everything's going great about what happens when you're in the middle of burnout.
00;26;17;23 - 00;26;37;11UnknownYou know, we can definitely become more that old metal trash can in those cases. And so that's why it's so important to to think about what are the things that keep you resilient, what are the things that are going to help you find that center a little bit more easily in making sure that that picture is full in good times?
00;26;37;20 - 00;27;12;03UnknownSo when a bad time comes along, you have something to actually work from. In that piece. So how can we become willow trees? Yes, that is the question. Yeah. You asked if there are any sort of exercises that you could do. Yeah, there are some different assessments out there that you could take that just kind of see, you know, how comfortable are you with change in particular, What is resilience look like for you and where are your strengths, Where are your weaknesses as it relates to that?
00;27;12;03 - 00;27;36;15UnknownAnd then maybe doing a deeper dive, I'm looking at your team as well. It could be a team exercise that you do some sort of a resilience assessment to say, how does my team bounce back from adversity and what are what are the things that we could do to continue these positive thoughts? I think celebrating wins is and you had mentioned that earlier, too, you know, just with the to do list, but also with your team as well.
00;27;36;28 - 00;27;56;24UnknownIf you're celebrating wins along the way and it's not only what am I doing wrong, but what am I doing right as well, Those are the things that can really help us build that resilience bucket. Those are great ideas. Now I'm looking for some of your real life stories and examples. I know national money, but who doesn't at this point, right?
00;27;58;09 - 00;28;25;27UnknownCould you pick one story that kind of shows someone or a group of individuals who has effectively managed work related stress and burnout and any lessons that you can share from that experience? Absolutely. So again, this is individual right. This is not going to be a one size fits all answer. Are you kind of starting a theme here with all of this about burnout is really individual.
00;28;26;23 - 00;28;52;12UnknownI've heard several stories lately, especially post pandemic of people taking a look at their roles and determining either what they like or maybe don't like so much about their roles and assessing if that role is still the right fit for them. At this time in their life. A dear friend who went out on her own as an entrepreneur in 2020, the worst possible year to decide I'm going to be an entrepreneur.
00;28;52;25 - 00;29;16;01UnknownAnd she thought I'll pay for last three years. But burnout was definitely a factor in her choice to return to working for an organization. It's just not the right time in her life for that particular role, and she was excited about the security and the flexibility and organizational role would offer her, as opposed to being the one person who is responsible for everything.
00;29;16;25 - 00;29;46;14UnknownSo I'm not saying that you need to leave your role in order to overcome work related stress and burnout, not at all, but encourage folks who are burned out to kind of audit what is most important to them right now. That flexibility is the compensation. Is it making a difference in the world? It could be all of these different things, but then assess your current role and what could you be doing differently now You need your supervisor in this conversation.
00;29;46;14 - 00;30;10;12UnknownWhat does that balance look like for you? So I think it's asking the questions to find out what are the things that are going to be the most motivational for you, the most impactful for you? Because ultimately, even if you're working those hard hours, those long hours, if the work that you're doing is fulfilling and rewarding and it makes you want to get out of bed in the morning, then that burnout is going to be alleviated.
00;30;10;25 - 00;30;46;08UnknownAbsolutely. And I would also just encourage to do those reevaluations throughout your career, even if you have an experience that stress or burnout. Ed, I mean, it's important to always be evaluating, is this the best fit for me? What can I be doing better? What changes can I make? Some Yeah, that's great advice, Michelle But as we do wrap up here, do you have any ways or resources organizations to provide to help its employees work stress or burnout?
00;30;47;09 - 00;31;19;27UnknownAbsolutely. So open door policy, I think we talk a lot about open door policies, but really showing through action how important that is. Approach liability goes a really, really long way. As a manager, if I feel comfortable talking to you, then when there's an issue, I'm going to come to you much quicker than, you know, trying to hide it, trying to just go through the motions and then having mistakes down the line so that approachability is huge for managers.
00;31;19;27 - 00;31;40;00UnknownCheck in with your teams, ask them how they're doing. Evette really listen to the answer, not just sort of a perfunctory, you know, how's it going? Oh, yeah. Can you dive right now? Like, really listen to what they're saying and reading you sometimes, not only listening to the words coming out of their mouth, but their nonverbals in their tone too.
00;31;40;00 - 00;32;09;10UnknownWhat are the different things that are adding to that story to get to the bottom of what are they really doing okay? Or could be use a little bit of extra support in the same next step is flexibility. And we're hearing time and time again, especially post-COVID. Flexibility is so huge for so many employees right now, so that you as a manager organization could ask is we're planning to be more flexible, Is it in how the work gets done?
00;32;09;18 - 00;32;28;03UnknownThere's a lot of different ways that work can get done. Is that how is it when the work it start? Can you be flexible in that hours? Is it where the work gets done too? So we we've seen a lot about, you know, return to the office versus work from home where is the flexibility within all of that?
00;32;30;01 - 00;32;53;00UnknownManagers can be really helpful with prioritizing or rebalancing. So if an employee comes to you and says, I am really overwhelmed right now, these are all the things I'm working on, can you help me triage what's going to be the most important right now? Being open to having those conversations too, and not looking at them as failures, saying you're seeing this as a bonus that they.
00;32;53;00 - 00;33;16;01UnknownKendi This was really, really hard for this employee to come to you, probably. So to be able to have those conversations about how to rebalance things as a manager is is really key. And then finally, as you start to recognize the signs of burnout on your team, letting your team know about any sort of employee assistance program, resources that may be available to them.
00;33;16;13 - 00;33;39;09UnknownSo I think oftentimes we sort of default to, you know, the mental health counseling, which is certainly an aspect of this. But there's also things like financial wellness that people and that goes back to that self-care habit that we were talking about earlier. Right. A lot of these awful offer legal counseling as well. So, you know, is that a resource that could be households for them?
00;33;39;14 - 00;34;09;23UnknownWe never fully know what's going on in somebody's life. And so to be able to offer the resources that we can can really alleviate some of those burnout symptoms that they may be experiencing in their personal life, making it a little bit easier on their professional life as well. Those are all great resources. Michelle And I would just reiterate that MRA does have a time management class too, so free to go on the website and check that out and sign up and maybe we'll get Michelle as an instructor and as a time.
00;34;09;25 - 00;34;28;13UnknownI promise we have a good time with it. Okay, well, that is all the time we have today. So I want to thank you for being on 30 minute Thrive today, Michelle, and really share your knowledge and advice on managing stress and burnout in the workplace. It's definitely an important topic and it's something that it's never going to go away.
00;34;29;07 - 00;34;52;11UnknownSo Tara was yours. If you liked our chat and topic today, I would encourage you to share this episode. Leave a comment, share with your friend or coworker, leave a review and consider joining MRA if you aren't a member already. We have all the resources needed in the shownotes below. We've included Michelle's bio and LinkedIn profile if you want to get in touch with her.
00;34;53;11 - 00;35;14;27UnknownOtherwise, thank you so much for tuning in today and thanks again, Michelle. And we need to tell you this was a blast. Thank you. And we will see you all next week. And that wraps up our content for this episode. Be sure to reference the show notes where you can sign them to connect for more podcast updates, check out other MRA episodes on your favorite podcast platform.
00;35;14;27 - 00;35;24;14UnknownAnd as always, make sure to follow MRA’s 30 minutes Thrive so you don't miss out. Thanks for tuning in and we'll see you next Wednesday to carry on the HR conversation.
Wednesday May 03, 2023
Wednesday May 03, 2023
Description: In this episode, we explore how to break down the stigma surrounding mental health conversations in the workplace. Mental health is a critical aspect of overall well-being, but the topic can still be challenging to discuss. This episode provides actionable strategies for managers and employees to encourage open and honest conversations about mental health.
We speak with industry expert and thought leader, Cheryl Lucas-DeBerry who shares her experiences and insights on how to normalize mental health conversations. We discuss the importance of education and awareness, destigmatizing common mental health conditions, and how to build a culture of support and empathy in the workplace.
Join us as we explore the benefits of normalizing mental health conversations in the workplace, including increased productivity, employee satisfaction, and overall well-being. We hope this episode inspires you to start a conversation about mental health in your workplace and helps you to create a more supportive and compassionate environment.
Resources:
Mental Health Awareness
MRA Membership
About MRA
Let's Connect:
Guest Bio - Cheryl Lucas-DeBerry
Guest LinkedIn Profile - Cheryl Lucas-DeBerry
Host Bio - Sophie Boler
Host LinkedIn Profile - Sophie Boler
Transcript:
Transcripts are computer generated -- not 100% accurate word-for-word.
00:00:00:01 - 00:00:03:10Hello everybody and welcome to 30 minute Thrive,
00:00:03:10 - 00:00:06:20your go to podcast for anything and everything HR.
00:00:06:21 - 00:00:09:22powered by MRA, the Management Association.
00:00:09:23 - 00:00:12:23Looking to stay on top of the ever changing world of HR?
00:00:12:23 - 00:00:14:18MRA has got you covered.
00:00:14:18 - 00:00:17:15We'll be the first to tell you what's hot and what's not.
00:00:17:16 - 00:00:21:03I'm your host, Sophie Boler, and we are so glad you're here.
00:00:21:04 - 00:00:23:01Now it's time to thrive.
00:00:23:01 - 00:00:27:07Hello and welcome to episode number 36 of 30 minute Thrive.
00:00:27:16 - 00:00:31:07We're glad you're here, and I'm happy to introduce to you our guest for today.
00:00:31:07 - 00:00:33:23And that's Cheryl Lucas-DBerry, and very Cheryl
00:00:33:23 - 00:00:37:17is one of our learning and development instructors here at MRA and comes
00:00:37:17 - 00:00:42:15with a really strong background with over 30 years of professional experience.
00:00:42:22 - 00:00:46:21And currently, Cheryl, you are in the process of getting your degree and
00:00:47:13 - 00:00:50:21will be getting licensed and counseling, which is great.
00:00:50:22 - 00:00:52:05Yes, Congrats on that.
00:00:52:05 - 00:00:53:01Thank you.
00:00:53:01 - 00:00:56:06But May is Mental Health Awareness Month.
00:00:56:06 - 00:00:58:05So we're really kicking off the month
00:00:58:05 - 00:01:00:22with a mental health in the Workplace episode.
00:01:01:09 - 00:01:06:16So according to Mental Health America, 21% of adults are experiencing
00:01:06:16 - 00:01:11:00a mental illness, and that's equivalent to over 50 million Americans,
00:01:11:00 - 00:01:15:11which means a lot of these individuals are bringing that into the workplace, too.
00:01:15:21 - 00:01:18:18So what are some of the most common mental
00:01:18:18 - 00:01:21:09health conditions that employees may be dealing with?
00:01:21:20 - 00:01:24:14And how can we ensure that they feel supported?
00:01:25:05 - 00:01:27:01Yeah, Now that's a really good question.
00:01:27:01 - 00:01:30:21Mental health is really becoming very prevalent
00:01:30:21 - 00:01:34:20and much more known and talked about in the workplace.
00:01:35:02 - 00:01:39:13But according to the research, the main ones that people are dealing
00:01:39:13 - 00:01:45:15with are depression, anxiety and PTSD, post traumatic stress disorder.
00:01:45:20 - 00:01:49:12And that really comes from individuals having to deal
00:01:49:12 - 00:01:50:22with violence in the workplace.
00:01:50:22 - 00:01:52:12Oh, interesting.
00:01:52:12 - 00:01:53:07Hello.
00:01:53:09 - 00:01:58:07Well, we recently talked to Kristi Haase on employee engagement.
00:01:58:09 - 00:02:02:14So how can you identify whether an employer is disengaged
00:02:02:14 - 00:02:05:18or if it's mental health related? Hmm.
00:02:06:02 - 00:02:09:08Yeah, I think really, it's kind of paying attention
00:02:09:08 - 00:02:13:09to the individual, paying attention to their behavior
00:02:13:16 - 00:02:16:23and really looking at the kind of the baseline
00:02:17:05 - 00:02:20:11is this behavior something totally different
00:02:20:19 - 00:02:24:15than how they have been in the past or is it about the same?
00:02:24:15 - 00:02:29:14So when you look at that as a baseline, then you can start to determine
00:02:29:14 - 00:02:31:07if there is something else
00:02:31:07 - 00:02:34:12that may be going on with this individual, because it's not health,
00:02:34:18 - 00:02:37:11not the typical type of behavior that they would exhibit.
00:02:37:12 - 00:02:41:00Yeah, I feel like as a manager, that would be kind of difficult to determine.
00:02:41:00 - 00:02:44:21Like if your employee isn't as active in the workplace
00:02:44:21 - 00:02:48:22or if they are not as engaged like how you can tell if it's
00:02:48:22 - 00:02:53:01a personal thing or a mental health thing or they're just disengaged.
00:02:54:06 - 00:02:54:16But kind of
00:02:54:16 - 00:02:59:07going off of that, how can employers and managers create that culture
00:02:59:07 - 00:03:03:22of support and empathy when it comes to these mental health conversations?
00:03:05:00 - 00:03:08:01It really is about having those conversations,
00:03:08:08 - 00:03:11:19kind of paying attention, asking questions.
00:03:11:19 - 00:03:15:15Is this you know, is there something going on and how are you?
00:03:15:19 - 00:03:17:14How are you doing today?
00:03:17:14 - 00:03:18:13That's a good question.
00:03:18:13 - 00:03:20:18How are you doing today?
00:03:20:18 - 00:03:23:13And then kind of basing
00:03:23:13 - 00:03:26:20their response, basing your response on their response.
00:03:27:09 - 00:03:29:05So how do you deal with that?
00:03:29:05 - 00:03:33:03And then just being open and saying, I'm here.
00:03:33:03 - 00:03:37:09If you want to share something, if you want to talk to someone.
00:03:37:16 - 00:03:38:17That's fine, too.
00:03:38:17 - 00:03:42:10But just letting them know that that I'm here for you
00:03:43:09 - 00:03:46:12and showing that that empathy has the most attached.
00:03:46:12 - 00:03:48:20People just need to know. Know that someone care.
00:03:49:04 - 00:03:50:14Yeah. I like how you said.
00:03:50:14 - 00:03:52:18Then how are you doing today?
00:03:53:06 - 00:03:54:16Oh, yeah.
00:03:54:16 - 00:03:59:10So how does work life balance also play a role in immense
00:04:00:23 - 00:04:03:05stress and burnout?
00:04:03:05 - 00:04:07:06It are some things that cause our employees
00:04:07:06 - 00:04:10:12to have, you know, depression and anxiety.
00:04:10:17 - 00:04:14:02So really organizations just paying attention
00:04:14:08 - 00:04:19:06to what do we need to do to create some activities
00:04:19:06 - 00:04:21:20even for folks working remotely?
00:04:22:08 - 00:04:28:03What are some things that we can do to incorporate into the company culture
00:04:28:09 - 00:04:33:07of ensuring that people understand that it's okay to take your vacation time?
00:04:33:18 - 00:04:36:00You do need to get up and do stretch breaks.
00:04:36:05 - 00:04:40:19You do need to take time for yourself, even if you're working out of your home
00:04:41:07 - 00:04:47:00at some point making a determination that I am stopping at this time.
00:04:47:04 - 00:04:51:04And separating yourself from that because it's quite easy.
00:04:51:04 - 00:04:53:21If your office is down the hall,
00:04:54:09 - 00:04:57:00it's quite easy to continue to to work.
00:04:57:00 - 00:05:01:06But at some point you end up burning out and then that creates
00:05:02:05 - 00:05:04:09less productivity and all kinds of things.
00:05:04:09 - 00:05:07:15And then that ultimately affects the individual's
00:05:08:11 - 00:05:10:15home life, family life,
00:05:10:15 - 00:05:13:12personal lives, all those things, how they interact
00:05:13:12 - 00:05:17:05with their manager, how they interact with their coworkers in them.
00:05:17:09 - 00:05:19:07Yeah, no, that's great advice. I know
00:05:20:12 - 00:05:23:03some of my friends actually have an alarm set
00:05:23:03 - 00:05:27:10at like lunchtime where it's like I'm taking my 10 to 20 minute walk right now.
00:05:27:12 - 00:05:29:15I'll take a nap or something like that.
00:05:30:00 - 00:05:30:23That's great.
00:05:30:23 - 00:05:31:10Yeah.
00:05:31:10 - 00:05:34:04But you mentioned that mental health is
00:05:35:21 - 00:05:37:06being talked about a little bit
00:05:37:06 - 00:05:41:06more nowadays and more of an open topic.
00:05:41:06 - 00:05:42:19But why do you think mental health
00:05:42:19 - 00:05:47:00has been stigmatized in the workplace and what do you think we can do?
00:05:47:00 - 00:05:51:00The kind of change that, you know, I think it's been stigmatized
00:05:51:08 - 00:05:54:04for so long just because of lack of understanding.
00:05:55:01 - 00:05:57:06It was oftentimes
00:05:57:06 - 00:06:00:20thought of as, you know, hiding Uncle Joe in the closet or
00:06:01:01 - 00:06:04:15that's just, you know, and Agnes investors, how she is.
00:06:04:20 - 00:06:08:19But now it's becoming much, much more talked about.
00:06:09:00 - 00:06:12:02And often it's not the hush hush as it used to be.
00:06:12:06 - 00:06:15:14And so just having people understand
00:06:15:20 - 00:06:21:10that mental health is a real thing and organizations understanding
00:06:21:15 - 00:06:24:10that mental health is a real thing and what can we do
00:06:24:10 - 00:06:28:11to kind of incorporate that into the organizational culture,
00:06:28:16 - 00:06:31:19not just let it be a flavor of the day, if you will?
00:06:31:21 - 00:06:36:18One of the ways that organization can address the stigma
00:06:36:18 - 00:06:40:19around mental illness is really to have those open conversations.
00:06:41:00 - 00:06:45:12According to the one HR article I was reading, is that open conversations
00:06:45:12 - 00:06:49:01about mental health really help break that taboo
00:06:49:06 - 00:06:52:18that often kind of characterized as that particular topic.
00:06:52:18 - 00:06:56:19So a culture, instead of promoting a culture
00:06:56:19 - 00:07:00:03that is rather hush hush, it really is
00:07:00:03 - 00:07:02:12just kind of bringing it out in the open
00:07:03:07 - 00:07:05:16that employees feel comfortable talking about it,
00:07:06:15 - 00:07:09:02Senior leadership feels comfortable in talking about it,
00:07:09:07 - 00:07:12:23and just having people feel like it's okay.
00:07:13:09 - 00:07:15:07And using that term.
00:07:15:07 - 00:07:19:01Mental health issues is also important.
00:07:19:04 - 00:07:23:06And then the mental health can then be spun
00:07:23:06 - 00:07:27:03into really focusing on their emotional well-being.
00:07:27:15 - 00:07:31:02So organizations can help employees
00:07:32:13 - 00:07:34:14move into kind of this safe space
00:07:34:14 - 00:07:38:21by having those open discussions around the subject of mental health.
00:07:39:10 - 00:07:42:02You want to encourage employees and managers really
00:07:42:02 - 00:07:47:13to be open about using the term mental health, and it can be incorporated
00:07:47:13 - 00:07:52:19into the company's newsletters to their social media sites
00:07:53:19 - 00:07:56:07and then just meeting agendas
00:07:56:13 - 00:08:00:02that they can use within the organization, just incorporating
00:08:00:02 - 00:08:04:01really into the day to day conversations really help
00:08:04:14 - 00:08:07:15further reassure employees that the company
00:08:07:22 - 00:08:11:21is acknowledging the importance of mental health in the workplace.
00:08:11:21 - 00:08:12:21Yeah, that's great.
00:08:12:21 - 00:08:16:22So I think mental health is becoming less stigmatized now
00:08:17:22 - 00:08:20:10because of people's attitudes toward it.
00:08:20:16 - 00:08:25:07And also they have seen more famous people that have come out to talk
00:08:25:07 - 00:08:29:15about their own mental health illness or just talking about mental health
00:08:29:21 - 00:08:34:02and particularly so because it is kind of come
00:08:34:02 - 00:08:37:05from under the covers, if you will, and more famous
00:08:37:05 - 00:08:40:23people are talking about it, then it is becoming less taboo
00:08:41:05 - 00:08:44:19in the workplace and organizations are feeling more comfortable
00:08:45:00 - 00:08:48:10in having their employees talk about it as well and incorporate it
00:08:48:10 - 00:08:51:05into their entire organizational culture.
00:08:51:11 - 00:08:53:03Yeah, absolutely.
00:08:53:03 - 00:08:56:03And how could we promote mental health
00:08:56:03 - 00:08:58:19awareness and education in the workplace?
00:08:59:06 - 00:09:00:05You know, it's interesting.
00:09:00:05 - 00:09:03:04Something that I read it said, promote
00:09:03:15 - 00:09:07:22emotional well-being versus physical well-being.
00:09:08:03 - 00:09:11:06And so many organizations will have, you know,
00:09:11:21 - 00:09:16:09opportunities for employees to participate in some kind of physical wellbeing,
00:09:16:09 - 00:09:20:06which, you know, challenges water challenges, walking challenges,
00:09:20:11 - 00:09:24:12things like that, but also incorporating some emotional well-being.
00:09:24:12 - 00:09:25:14What does that mean?
00:09:25:14 - 00:09:30:14Is this being able to take a step back from work to do something or fine,
00:09:30:17 - 00:09:34:20It might be doing some fun activities with the coworkers or,
00:09:35:01 - 00:09:38:13you know, even working remotely, creating those scavenger hunts or
00:09:38:18 - 00:09:40:22just creating some fun in the workplace.
00:09:40:22 - 00:09:45:07So that helps with that emotional well-being and reducing stress.
00:09:45:13 - 00:09:49:06And when stress is reduced, then our mental health is not as prevalent.
00:09:49:10 - 00:09:50:06No, I love that.
00:09:50:06 - 00:09:53:23I think that's a great idea to promote both physical and emotional. Yes.
00:09:54:20 - 00:09:59:11So what role can employer resource groups or other affinity groups
00:10:00:05 - 00:10:03:10play in creating a more supportive environment as well?
00:10:03:23 - 00:10:09:00Yeah, with employee resource groups, they are usually a smaller group
00:10:09:00 - 00:10:13:10and so people may feel more comfortable in sharing with each other,
00:10:13:12 - 00:10:18:05but just creating that space where people will feel comfortable in sharing and
00:10:19:05 - 00:10:20:17peer listening groups
00:10:20:17 - 00:10:25:10is can be incorporated into the employee resource groups.
00:10:25:10 - 00:10:29:00Just that listening that I'm I'm here for you again.
00:10:29:06 - 00:10:31:14Most of the times people just want to know that somebody
00:10:32:03 - 00:10:34:14hears them and they can feel comfortable in share.
00:10:34:14 - 00:10:39:12And in the smaller network of friends, the employee research
00:10:39:12 - 00:10:43:04groups are usually individuals that share the same kind of,
00:10:44:00 - 00:10:47:13you know, affinity towards a particular topic.
00:10:47:17 - 00:10:51:21And so creating those peer listening groups related to mental health,
00:10:51:21 - 00:10:57:07because research shows that that vast majority of people have been impacted
00:10:57:18 - 00:11:02:03by mental health, whether personally or through a family member or friend.
00:11:02:08 - 00:11:03:04Oh, absolutely.
00:11:03:04 - 00:11:07:06I believe I think a lot of people might not talk about mental health, too,
00:11:07:06 - 00:11:10:19because they're embarrassed or they feel like they're alone.
00:11:10:19 - 00:11:12:09So those groups
00:11:13:10 - 00:11:15:15definitely are very helpful, like you said.
00:11:16:05 - 00:11:18:18But as we kind of close out here,
00:11:18:18 - 00:11:22:21your training or your learning development instructors, I have to ask what
00:11:23:04 - 00:11:28:02what resources or trainings you would recommend or that are available
00:11:28:02 - 00:11:31:19to employers who may be struggling with their mental health?
00:11:31:19 - 00:11:36:05And how can we kind of make sure that they're aware of these resources?
00:11:36:14 - 00:11:40:18Yeah, I think some training, which is utilizing
00:11:40:18 - 00:11:44:00certainly utilizing your employee assistance program,
00:11:44:13 - 00:11:47:06creating some stress reduction types
00:11:47:06 - 00:11:49:21of activities within the workplace.
00:11:50:13 - 00:11:53:01Also just having
00:11:53:04 - 00:11:56:13senior leadership talk about
00:11:56:13 - 00:12:00:00the mental health and how important that is
00:12:00:05 - 00:12:03:16and then that is incorporated into the overall culture
00:12:03:20 - 00:12:07:06because individuals want to feel like they can bring their whole selves
00:12:07:06 - 00:12:10:19to the workplace and if they can't, then they tend to leave.
00:12:11:00 - 00:12:14:18If they don't feel like the organization culture supports
00:12:15:15 - 00:12:17:19mental health and with mental well-being
00:12:17:19 - 00:12:21:16or emotional well-being, then they will find other opportunities.
00:12:21:23 - 00:12:25:09So a way to have organizations do
00:12:25:09 - 00:12:27:23that is to offer some training around
00:12:28:14 - 00:12:31:22mental health, mental wellbeing, and just
00:12:33:02 - 00:12:34:06ways that people
00:12:34:06 - 00:12:37:17can find a way to unplug, if you will.
00:12:38:07 - 00:12:41:00What are some things that we can do as an individual?
00:12:41:00 - 00:12:45:20What are some things we can do as a group and that organizations will provide
00:12:46:06 - 00:12:49:16for the employee at no cost to them or minimal cost to them?
00:12:49:19 - 00:12:50:09Mm hmm.
00:12:50:09 - 00:12:53:13Well, that's a great way to and and of themselves.
00:12:53:13 - 00:12:54:22And good advice to anyone.
00:12:54:22 - 00:12:58:22So thank you for being on 30 minute Thrive today, sharing all of that
00:12:59:07 - 00:13:03:05advice and knowledge and expertise on mental health in the workplace.
00:13:03:18 - 00:13:06:09Definitely a topic that's important and something
00:13:06:09 - 00:13:08:06that it's never going to go away.
00:13:08:06 - 00:13:09:15So no, it's not.
00:13:09:15 - 00:13:13:09And Mental Health Month is a good kickoff for that,
00:13:13:12 - 00:13:17:16but it should be incorporated throughout the entire organizational culture.
00:13:17:16 - 00:13:22:06So it doesn't come across as just being another flavor of the day
00:13:22:10 - 00:13:26:01that it is part of the overall culture of the organization.
00:13:26:01 - 00:13:27:15Absolutely.
00:13:27:15 - 00:13:30:21Well, to our listeners, if you liked our chat and topic today,
00:13:31:08 - 00:13:34:21I'd encourage you to share this episode and leave a good review.
00:13:34:22 - 00:13:39:12Leave a comment and consider joining MRA if you aren't a member already.
00:13:39:21 - 00:13:44:00We do have all the resources below in the show notes, including Cheryl's
00:13:44:08 - 00:13:47:21bio and LinkedIn, if you'd like to get in contact with her.
00:13:48:08 - 00:13:50:18Otherwise, thank you so much for tuning in today.
00:13:51:02 - 00:13:52:08Thank you again, Cheryl.
00:13:52:08 - 00:13:54:10Thank you. And we will see you next week.
00:13:54:17 - 00:13:57:11And that wraps up our content for this episode.
00:13:57:12 - 00:13:59:07Be sure to reference the show notes
00:13:59:07 - 00:14:02:07where you can sign up to connect for more podcast updates.
00:14:02:08 - 00:14:06:02Check out other MRA episodes on your favorite podcast platform.
00:14:06:02 - 00:14:11:01And as always, make sure to follow MRA’s 30 minutes Thrive so you don't miss out.
00:14:11:02 - 00:14:14:01Thanks for tuning in and we'll see you next Wednesday to carry
00:14:14:01 - 00:14:15:16on the HR conversation.
Wednesday Apr 26, 2023
Wednesday Apr 26, 2023
Description:
In this episode, we will be discussing the compliance requirements for job postings, a topic that is frequently requested by MRA’s HR Hotline callers.
Ensuring that job postings are compliant with current laws and regulations can be a daunting task, but it's essential to avoid costly legal issues and attract a diverse pool of qualified candidates. We'll cover the key compliance areas that you need to be aware of, including equal employment opportunity, labor laws, and necessary disclosures.
Our expert guest, Nicole Morehouse, Manager, HR Hotline will provide practical advice and insights based on the hotline team's experience helping employers create compliant job postings. She’ll share real-life examples of common compliance pitfalls and how to avoid them, as well as tips for creating inclusive and accessible job postings that attract a diverse talent pool.
Whether you're an HR professional, a hiring manager, or a business owner, this episode will provide you with the knowledge and tools you need to create job postings that comply with current laws and attract the best candidates for your organization.
So, tune in to the 30 minute THRIVE podcast and stay informed on the latest compliance requirements for job postings.
Resources:
MRA's 24/7 HR Hotline
MRA Membership
About MRA
Let's Connect:
Guest Bio - Nicole Morehouse
Guest LinkedIn Profile - Nicole Morehouse
Host Bio - Sophie Boler
Host LinkedIn Profile - Sophie Boler
Transcript:
Transcripts are computer generated -- not 100% accurate word-for-word.
00:00:00:01 - 00:00:03:10Hello everybody and welcome to 30 minute Thrive,
00:00:03:10 - 00:00:06:20your go to podcast for anything and everything HR.
00:00:06:21 - 00:00:09:22Powered by MRA, the Management Association.
00:00:09:23 - 00:00:12:23Looking to stay on top of the ever changing world of HR?
00:00:12:23 - 00:00:14:18MRA has got you covered.
00:00:14:18 - 00:00:17:16We'll be the first to tell you what's hot and what's not.
00:00:17:16 - 00:00:21:03I'm your host, Sophie Boler, and we are so glad you're here.
00:00:21:04 - 00:00:23:13Now it's time to thrive.
00:00:23:13 - 00:00:28:07Hello, everybody, and welcome to episode number 35 of 30 minute Thrive.
00:00:28:13 - 00:00:31:07I'm excited to talk about a topic that's called on
00:00:31:08 - 00:00:34:12quite frequently on our HR Hotline here at mra.
00:00:34:12 - 00:00:36:15And that is job postings.
00:00:36:15 - 00:00:38:08So i'm here with Nicole Morehouse.
00:00:38:08 - 00:00:41:05She's our hotline manager at MRA.
00:00:41:05 - 00:00:45:00And Nicole, you'll be answering a lot of the questions that you hear from
00:00:45:00 - 00:00:47:15our members on a daily basis. So.
00:00:47:17 - 00:00:48:23Excited to talk to you.
00:00:48:23 - 00:00:51:09Think you nice to be here again? Absolutely.
00:00:51:19 - 00:00:55:23Well, let's start through why we're talking about job postings,
00:00:55:23 - 00:00:59:15because we usually hear about this more from a recruiter side.
00:00:59:15 - 00:01:03:19And usually people think of recruiters when you talk about job postings.
00:01:04:06 - 00:01:07:19But how do they necessarily fit under the hotline category,
00:01:07:19 - 00:01:12:12which is more of a compliance and regulation based topic?
00:01:12:17 - 00:01:13:07Right.
00:01:13:07 - 00:01:14:04So you brought me here.
00:01:14:04 - 00:01:17:12No fun, Nicole, compliance perspective. So.
00:01:17:13 - 00:01:17:21All right.
00:01:19:01 - 00:01:19:17Sounds good.
00:01:19:17 - 00:01:23:13Yeah, we do get some questions on the hotline about job postings.
00:01:24:01 - 00:01:26:03A lot of times that stems from,
00:01:26:14 - 00:01:29:11you know, certain state requirements are a little more requirements.
00:01:30:11 - 00:01:33:15So more commonly is question is, you know, compliance guidance
00:01:33:15 - 00:01:38:08when it comes to AP transparency most recently got you a while
00:01:38:17 - 00:01:42:09like you just had a big question revolves around pay transparency.
00:01:42:17 - 00:01:45:22So do you or should you or can you
00:01:46:09 - 00:01:49:08post salary information in your job postings?
00:01:49:11 - 00:01:49:20Yeah.
00:01:49:20 - 00:01:52:21So back 2021, Colorado
00:01:52:21 - 00:01:55:18was first to hit the scene with, hey, employers,
00:01:56:23 - 00:02:00:05you know, you have to post if you're not at a job posting out
00:02:00:12 - 00:02:04:04and you might hire someone in Colorado, then you have to have the Pay range.
00:02:04:12 - 00:02:09:12So since then, several cities and states have joined in on that.
00:02:10:10 - 00:02:14:13So if you are posting a job where the candidate might be working
00:02:14:13 - 00:02:16:20in any of those locations, there's a good chance
00:02:16:20 - 00:02:21:20you either have to put the reach or that you have to have some sort of disclosure
00:02:22:01 - 00:02:24:16about the Pay range at some point in the recruitment process.
00:02:25:04 - 00:02:29:03Yeah, I feel like that's for a topic that's kind of changed recently
00:02:29:03 - 00:02:33:01because I feel like years ago you didn't see even pay ranges
00:02:33:01 - 00:02:37:04in job postings and now it's like pretty transparent for sure.
00:02:37:10 - 00:02:38:05Yeah, for sure.
00:02:38:05 - 00:02:40:01If you're a larger organization,
00:02:40:01 - 00:02:43:17you're probably doing that right, you know, because you're open
00:02:43:17 - 00:02:47:06to hybrid work and for regions, you're open to remote work every event
00:02:48:07 - 00:02:49:04and those sorts of things.
00:02:49:04 - 00:02:52:09So if you're a multi state employer, there's a good chance
00:02:52:09 - 00:02:55:21you're already used to putting some Pay range information in there already.
00:02:56:03 - 00:02:59:05If you're not, get ready for it because there's pending legislation
00:02:59:05 - 00:03:03:22to see how these 17 different locations that have that that's growing,
00:03:03:22 - 00:03:08:01I think it will be a big thing to be on the lookout for in 2023.
00:03:08:21 - 00:03:10:07It's a good catch up.
00:03:10:07 - 00:03:12:16So what other rules and regulations do
00:03:12:16 - 00:03:16:09employers really need to keep in mind when crafting a job posting?
00:03:16:14 - 00:03:18:07Yeah, so I think I mentioned earlier, right?
00:03:18:07 - 00:03:21:08If you're a federal contractor, your equal employment opportunity,
00:03:21:15 - 00:03:25:17perhaps you have to put some language about, you know, veterans or, you know,
00:03:26:18 - 00:03:30:08certainly disabilities and those sorts of things.
00:03:30:08 - 00:03:31:18So the Americans with Disabilities
00:03:31:18 - 00:03:35:06Act is something to think about when you do a job hosting.
00:03:36:05 - 00:03:41:14Other things that you might want to keep an eye out for is any language
00:03:41:16 - 00:03:45:06that really creates a barrier between a candidate and you as the employer,
00:03:45:22 - 00:03:49:03because using certain language could unintentionally
00:03:49:03 - 00:03:52:00create some sort of discriminatory hiring practice.
00:03:52:07 - 00:03:53:14I don't think employers go in
00:03:53:14 - 00:03:56:15with the intention that they're trying to discriminate against anybody
00:03:56:17 - 00:04:01:04for including certain words can unintentionally give the reader
00:04:02:01 - 00:04:04:18a perspective about what the employer is looking for.
00:04:05:06 - 00:04:06:00Absolutely.
00:04:06:00 - 00:04:07:10And this kind of break down
00:04:07:10 - 00:04:10:22what you said a little bit, you mentioned inadvertent discrimination.
00:04:11:08 - 00:04:14:23So let's kind of talk more about that and what that means.
00:04:14:23 - 00:04:19:01So can you kind of give an example of what it is or definition
00:04:19:01 - 00:04:23:14of what inadvertent discrimination means when we're talking about job postings?
00:04:23:23 - 00:04:24:13Sure. Yeah.
00:04:24:13 - 00:04:28:04I mean, it could be a very subtle thing, just a very subtle word choice
00:04:28:22 - 00:04:32:09using the word stronger or using the word firm,
00:04:33:09 - 00:04:34:00you know,
00:04:34:00 - 00:04:37:19those sorts of like words that maybe unintentionally,
00:04:37:19 - 00:04:42:12I think at LinkedIn, maybe in 2018 did some sort of survey and
00:04:43:16 - 00:04:45:21that could draw meal applicants
00:04:46:10 - 00:04:47:09and you unintentionally
00:04:47:09 - 00:04:51:00your entire candidate for meal, maybe because of the words that you used
00:04:51:00 - 00:04:54:02and the and the job posting and you don't really know that it's
00:04:54:02 - 00:04:57:14going to have that sort of impact and in the aftermath of doing that.
00:04:58:06 - 00:05:01:12But conversely, you could use the word like soft or compassionate
00:05:01:21 - 00:05:04:19and then, you know, is your candidate for female.
00:05:04:21 - 00:05:05:13Really?
00:05:05:13 - 00:05:10:04That's why I think, yeah, I wouldn't think about using those words
00:05:10:04 - 00:05:13:05or that that would cause discrimination bias.
00:05:13:06 - 00:05:14:09You're coming, right?
00:05:14:09 - 00:05:19:08The bigger ones are probably going to be more like recent college graduates
00:05:19:08 - 00:05:24:21or green or, you know, entry level sometimes can imply that you're looking
00:05:24:21 - 00:05:25:23for younger workers
00:05:25:23 - 00:05:29:03of the Equal Opportunity Commission specifically points out like,
00:05:29:08 - 00:05:30:02hey, employers
00:05:30:02 - 00:05:34:23don't use recent college graduates and there is some recent case law, Right.
00:05:34:23 - 00:05:38:00You know that candidates are saying that they were discriminated
00:05:38:00 - 00:05:39:09against because of their age.
00:05:39:09 - 00:05:42:10Well, the older. Yeah, Yeah. Well, for sure.
00:05:42:18 - 00:05:46:13Well, we're kind of talking before the podcast, but they always recommend
00:05:46:13 - 00:05:51:10putting some, like pizzazz or sizzle into your job description.
00:05:51:17 - 00:05:54:17So what are some suggestions so that the Post doesn't
00:05:54:17 - 00:05:58:22lead to that inadvertent discrimination with that pizzazz?
00:05:58:23 - 00:06:01:14Sure. Yeah, I've been on that and some things, right?
00:06:01:14 - 00:06:06:13I've been the recruiter putting a job posting out there and, you know, kind of,
00:06:07:01 - 00:06:09:10you know, trying to take the job description and then put it in
00:06:10:01 - 00:06:11:11kind of a marketing language. Right.
00:06:11:11 - 00:06:14:11Like trying to appeal to people and get people to read it
00:06:14:11 - 00:06:17:11and to then apply it and sell your company.
00:06:17:17 - 00:06:21:21I would just be very careful with word choice that has become a highly litigious
00:06:22:08 - 00:06:26:14sort of environment when it comes to these job postings and discrimination.
00:06:27:10 - 00:06:31:07And again, it's probably inadvertent, but be very, very careful about your
00:06:31:21 - 00:06:32:12word choice.
00:06:32:12 - 00:06:33:12Like I said before, you know,
00:06:33:12 - 00:06:37:09like saying things that are going to specifically appeal to a young person
00:06:37:21 - 00:06:41:18or to, you know, a person of any specific group,
00:06:41:18 - 00:06:44:21male, female or any individual group,
00:06:44:21 - 00:06:49:07you want it to be a posting that will appeal to most everyone.
00:06:49:07 - 00:06:51:14And I know that's challenging because
00:06:52:14 - 00:06:54:12it's in the eyes of the reader, right?
00:06:54:12 - 00:06:55:20You know, so how are how are you?
00:06:55:20 - 00:06:59:11You know, how you have to look at it from their lens if you're a candidate?
00:06:59:15 - 00:07:04:10Yeah, that kind of just like reminds me of putting emojis in like a job posting.
00:07:04:10 - 00:07:08:20Like, does that create some sort of inadvertent discrimination?
00:07:08:20 - 00:07:12:04Because usually younger folks use those emojis?
00:07:12:04 - 00:07:13:09I don't know.
00:07:13:09 - 00:07:16:21Like, it's a little complicated, I'm sure, because I think that there is, you know,
00:07:16:22 - 00:07:21:08some, you know, literature out there that disparages emojis
00:07:21:08 - 00:07:25:12and professional business writing right now, emails or letters
00:07:25:12 - 00:07:28:17and those sorts of things, because emojis
00:07:28:18 - 00:07:31:21have a picture, right?
00:07:32:03 - 00:07:35:21So that picture could be interpreted by one age group different
00:07:35:21 - 00:07:37:12than in another age group.
00:07:37:12 - 00:07:40:22So I have a, you know, 20 something year old son.
00:07:41:10 - 00:07:44:09If I share an emoji with him, it might mean a completely different thing.
00:07:44:09 - 00:07:45:02But I think it.
00:07:45:02 - 00:07:48:02And so yeah, so the thing with job posting. Yes.
00:07:48:16 - 00:07:49:22Oh, that's good.
00:07:49:22 - 00:07:53:04Well, do you have any advice for employers on staying up to date
00:07:53:04 - 00:07:57:15with all these rules, job postings and regulations?
00:07:57:15 - 00:07:58:17Right.
00:07:59:00 - 00:08:02:05So if you're not fortunate to have an employment attorney
00:08:02:05 - 00:08:07:06at your disposal, 24 seven you do want to rely on knowledgeable resources.
00:08:07:06 - 00:08:09:02I think the h.r. Advisor hotline
00:08:10:01 - 00:08:12:02certainly is a really, really good option.
00:08:12:10 - 00:08:17:06We really are going to be very quick to find the because there's local law.
00:08:17:06 - 00:08:20:01It's not just that it's cities within states.
00:08:20:01 - 00:08:23:03Some of my work, you know, there's like three cities
00:08:23:03 - 00:08:26:17within the state of new york that has some sort of transparency law.
00:08:26:17 - 00:08:30:10So we're going to be very quick to be able to find, you know, the location.
00:08:31:06 - 00:08:32:04You know,
00:08:33:07 - 00:08:35:17you're posting a job like where are you posting it?
00:08:35:17 - 00:08:38:00Are you intending attracting remote workers?
00:08:38:00 - 00:08:42:08And, you know, so there's a lot of factors to consider before you finalize
00:08:42:08 - 00:08:46:01whether or not you include pay information, for example.
00:08:47:18 - 00:08:51:23So I guess I'm curious to know some of the common mistakes
00:08:51:23 - 00:08:55:07that employers also make when creating these job postings,
00:08:55:07 - 00:08:59:11and that may put them at risk for noncompliance.
00:08:59:20 - 00:09:02:20So how can employers really avoid
00:09:03:13 - 00:09:07:07creating a job posting that doesn't comply with compliance?
00:09:08:06 - 00:09:09:16I'm not sure what that could be.
00:09:09:16 - 00:09:11:20A whole other kind of.
00:09:12:20 - 00:09:13:22Yeah, that's a great question.
00:09:13:22 - 00:09:16:19I don't know that I really could sum that up
00:09:16:19 - 00:09:17:21very easily.
00:09:17:21 - 00:09:19:15But, you know,
00:09:19:19 - 00:09:22:05anything that you run into in the employment
00:09:22:05 - 00:09:25:05arena can also apply to job postings.
00:09:25:05 - 00:09:28:05So the things, things that you think about for your current employees,
00:09:28:15 - 00:09:31:06you also want to think about in your job postings.
00:09:31:06 - 00:09:33:11So a lot of it has to do with,
00:09:34:15 - 00:09:37:14you know, fair chance at
00:09:37:14 - 00:09:41:08employment, you know, and for your chance at a competitive rate.
00:09:42:03 - 00:09:43:23And those are things that employers are thinking about
00:09:43:23 - 00:09:45:05for their current employees.
00:09:45:05 - 00:09:48:20So just spin it from the perspective of a candidate, you know,
00:09:49:09 - 00:09:50:04But then there's,
00:09:50:04 - 00:09:53:18you know, things that maybe employers have been putting in job postings
00:09:53:18 - 00:09:57:08previously that they didn't really realized were prohibited,
00:09:57:20 - 00:10:01:14like the Department of Justice, for example, in 2022 when after
00:10:01:14 - 00:10:06:18several companies for putting language about immigration status
00:10:07:03 - 00:10:12:18in the job posting and the civil penalties that, you know, got close to $1,000,000.
00:10:12:18 - 00:10:13:04Yeah.
00:10:13:04 - 00:10:15:23You know, and so it's the things that you
00:10:17:00 - 00:10:18:05traditionally think about
00:10:18:05 - 00:10:20:14and in the employment sense,
00:10:21:07 - 00:10:23:19just apply that to your candidate
00:10:23:19 - 00:10:26:16when you gave some examples of this prior.
00:10:26:16 - 00:10:30:10But do you have any specific keywords that you want to mention
00:10:30:10 - 00:10:33:15to absolutely avoid in job postings?
00:10:34:11 - 00:10:35:06Not absolutely.
00:10:35:06 - 00:10:37:14But you might want to consider quite word.
00:10:40:14 - 00:10:41:02Where do I start?
00:10:41:02 - 00:10:44:16I mean, I think I'm just going to go back to the previous example about the easiest
00:10:44:16 - 00:10:46:19one is, you know, a younger worker.
00:10:48:04 - 00:10:51:11You know, you don't want to say anything about like that.
00:10:51:11 - 00:10:54:11You want like young recent college graduate, green.
00:10:54:11 - 00:10:56:23Those all imply that if you were not
00:10:58:00 - 00:11:00:10of a certain age or young age,
00:11:00:10 - 00:11:02:22that you're not going to be qualified for the position.
00:11:03:22 - 00:11:08:17Certainly job descriptions have to describe the duties
00:11:08:17 - 00:11:12:15and the requirements in it in a way that's defendable.
00:11:12:15 - 00:11:15:10Right. You know, so even college
00:11:16:13 - 00:11:18:02degrees,
00:11:18:02 - 00:11:21:04why is it required for the position?
00:11:21:14 - 00:11:23:19And you could be unintentionally discriminating
00:11:23:19 - 00:11:27:16against a group of individuals that largely don't have college degrees
00:11:27:16 - 00:11:29:16for make sure if you put a college degree in there
00:11:29:16 - 00:11:33:12that you have a defendable reason why that's a selective criteria.
00:11:33:13 - 00:11:34:06Yeah.
00:11:34:10 - 00:11:38:01So it would be really hard to just throw in a couple of things other than that,
00:11:38:02 - 00:11:39:19you'll have an easy example.
00:11:39:19 - 00:11:43:06But you know, those are some other right, you know, kind of examples,
00:11:43:06 - 00:11:45:23like all those are good examples to keep in mind.
00:11:46:11 - 00:11:51:02So as we wrap up here, just want to emphasize resources
00:11:51:02 - 00:11:55:19that employers have available to them on job posting compliance.
00:11:55:19 - 00:11:59:23So if you want to reiterate where they can find that resource.
00:12:00:05 - 00:12:01:00Yeah.
00:12:01:03 - 00:12:03:12I mean, if you don't want to call a hotline advisor,
00:12:03:12 - 00:12:06:15I don't know why you wouldn't want to, but if you don't want to call a hotline
00:12:06:15 - 00:12:11:07advisor, then you certainly, you know, going straight to the location
00:12:13:09 - 00:12:15:05covered like that gov website.
00:12:15:05 - 00:12:15:12Right.
00:12:15:12 - 00:12:19:01You know, so if you're hiring in San Francisco,
00:12:19:02 - 00:12:22:05go check out San Francisco's employment laws, right?
00:12:22:12 - 00:12:24:00Make sure you're very knowledgeable.
00:12:24:00 - 00:12:27:02Our members also have access to some online tools
00:12:27:02 - 00:12:30:01that are more robust or comprehensive.
00:12:31:02 - 00:12:34:12And so, yeah, so that's something that if you don't know how to use those tools
00:12:34:12 - 00:12:35:14and you remember,
00:12:35:14 - 00:12:36:12you can call the hotline
00:12:36:12 - 00:12:39:00and we'll walk you through and then you can use them forever more.
00:12:39:17 - 00:12:43:10So there are some tools at your disposal, but you know, hotline
00:12:43:18 - 00:12:46:05the tools that you have through your membership
00:12:46:05 - 00:12:49:02and then make sure you actually go wherever you're recruiting.
00:12:49:17 - 00:12:52:23So if you have a job hosting that, apply, you're going to you're open
00:12:52:23 - 00:12:55:04to remote work anywhere, right?
00:12:56:03 - 00:12:59:00That's pretty overwhelming because that means that you have to check
00:12:59:00 - 00:13:03:05every city and every state to make sure you're in compliance.
00:13:03:11 - 00:13:07:06So that's why I think if you don't have an attorney that's driving decisions
00:13:07:06 - 00:13:11:13for you, you know, contacting the hotline, using the resources
00:13:11:13 - 00:13:15:03that you have through your membership is probably the best deal around.
00:13:15:09 - 00:13:17:10Yeah, I second that, I'm calling the hotline.
00:13:17:10 - 00:13:19:06I hope it's great.
00:13:19:06 - 00:13:22:22Well, I want to thank you for being on 30 minute Thrive today and sharing
00:13:22:22 - 00:13:27:09all of that advice and good knowledge to our members and listeners today.
00:13:27:19 - 00:13:31:09So to our listeners, if you like this chat in this topic,
00:13:31:09 - 00:13:35:11I would just encourage you to like the episode, leave a comment,
00:13:35:11 - 00:13:39:18share it out with your friends and your coworkers, and consider
00:13:39:18 - 00:13:42:10joining MRA, If you aren't a member already,
00:13:42:22 - 00:13:45:10like Nicole said, We have all the resources you need
00:13:45:10 - 00:13:49:14and we have resources in the show notes below, so take a look at those.
00:13:50:13 - 00:13:54:03Otherwise, we have Nicole's bio and her LinkedIn profile
00:13:54:03 - 00:13:57:12on the show notes so you can get in touch with her easily there.
00:13:58:12 - 00:14:00:07But thank you for tuning in today.
00:14:00:07 - 00:14:01:22And thanks again, Nicole.
00:14:01:22 - 00:14:03:17And we will see you next week.
00:14:03:17 - 00:14:06:11And that wraps up our content for this episode.
00:14:06:12 - 00:14:09:16Be sure to reference the show notes where you can sign them to connect.
00:14:09:16 - 00:14:11:08For more podcast updates,
00:14:11:08 - 00:14:15:02check out other MRA episodes on your favorite podcast platform.
00:14:15:02 - 00:14:20:01And as always, make sure to follow MRA’s 30 minutes Thrive so you don't miss out.
00:14:20:02 - 00:14:23:01Thanks for tuning in and we'll see you next Wednesday to carry
00:14:23:01 - 00:14:24:15on the HR conversation.
Wednesday Apr 19, 2023
Wednesday Apr 19, 2023
Description: In this episode, we’ll explore the April edition of MRA's monthly Talent Report!
We’ll hear from Jim Morgan, Vice President of Workforce Strategies, on best practices regarding internships and cross-departmental training, uncover C-Suite priorities and top creative HR strategies, learn how to improve employee productivity, and more!
Resources:
Talent Report+ Webinar Series
MRA Membership
About MRA
Let's Connect:
Guest Bio - Jim Morgan
Guest LinkedIn Profile - Jim Morgan
Host Bio - Sophie Boler
Host LinkedIn Profile - Sophie Boler
Transcript:
Transcripts are computer generated -- not 100% accurate word-for-word.
00:00:00:01 - 00:00:03:10Hello everybody and welcome to 30 minute Thrive,
00:00:03:10 - 00:00:06:20your go to podcast for anything and everything HR.
00:00:06:21 - 00:00:09:22Powered by MRA, the Management Association.
00:00:09:23 - 00:00:14:06Looking to stay on top of the ever changing world of HR?MRA has got you
00:00:14:06 - 00:00:14:18covered.
00:00:14:18 - 00:00:17:15We'll be the first to tell you what's hot and what's not.
00:00:17:16 - 00:00:21:03I'm your host, Sophie Boler and we are so glad you're here.
00:00:21:04 - 00:00:23:03Now it's time to thrive.
00:00:23:03 - 00:00:27:01Hello, everybody, and welcome to this episode of 30 Minute Thrive.
00:00:27:07 - 00:00:31:06We're happy you're here, and I'm excited to introduce to our guests for today.
00:00:31:06 - 00:00:32:20And that's Jim Morgan.
00:00:32:20 - 00:00:36:02And we're going to be talking about the latest information on all things
00:00:36:02 - 00:00:41:06talent related for April's edition of MRA’s Talent Report.
00:00:41:19 - 00:00:44:20So if you aren't familiar with the monthly report,
00:00:45:03 - 00:00:48:07Jim Morgan, our vice president of Workforce Strategies,
00:00:49:00 - 00:00:52:15really gives an up to the minute review of what's going on in the world of business
00:00:52:15 - 00:00:57:19with an emphasis on talent, which is based on input from CEOs, CFOs
00:00:58:04 - 00:01:02:08and HR leaders from MRA's 3000 plus member companies.
00:01:02:13 - 00:01:06:14Thousand roundtable participants and subject matter experts.
00:01:07:04 - 00:01:10:00So thank you for joining us on the podcast today, Jim.
00:01:10:12 - 00:01:11:13Great to be back again.
00:01:12:19 - 00:01:14:00Well, let's really start off
00:01:14:00 - 00:01:17:13by talking about what's happening in the recruiting and retention world.
00:01:18:00 - 00:01:20:23So I know that you really emphasize retention
00:01:20:23 - 00:01:23:19and retention strategies in this month's report.
00:01:24:05 - 00:01:26:20So what are you really seeing here?
00:01:26:20 - 00:01:30:15I'd say one of the most interesting things that we're starting to see is,
00:01:30:21 - 00:01:35:07you know, historically companies have been pretty protective of their employees.
00:01:35:07 - 00:01:39:18And then even within a company, managers are pretty protective of their employees.
00:01:40:03 - 00:01:44:12So, you know, if I report to you and I say, Hey, Sophie,
00:01:44:13 - 00:01:46:14I'd like to go work in this other department,
00:01:46:23 - 00:01:49:07you're probably thinking, I don't want you to go work in the other department.
00:01:49:07 - 00:01:50:21It took me five years to train you,
00:01:50:21 - 00:01:54:01and all this time, you know, I don't want to have to go replace you.
00:01:54:16 - 00:01:57:00And companies are starting to take a little bit
00:01:58:06 - 00:01:59:00bigger picture
00:01:59:00 - 00:02:02:11view of that with their hiring managers and their supervisors.
00:02:02:20 - 00:02:08:08That if the goal is to keep me and I want to go try something else,
00:02:08:15 - 00:02:13:14let me go try something else, because at least I'm still working in the company
00:02:13:19 - 00:02:17:12and I'm still available to you as a talent, provided
00:02:17:12 - 00:02:20:14you think I'm worthwhile employee and you want to keep me.
00:02:20:22 - 00:02:24:18And so we're seeing more companies emphasize with their employees
00:02:24:18 - 00:02:28:12and do a little bit more of a sales job to say, here are the openings we have
00:02:28:12 - 00:02:29:13at the organization.
00:02:29:13 - 00:02:33:01And so you're starting to see people that maybe were on the facility
00:02:33:01 - 00:02:37:01floor saying, hey, I'd like to work in customer service or a machinist
00:02:37:01 - 00:02:40:11that now wants to go out on the road and fix things somewhere else.
00:02:40:23 - 00:02:43:13And as companies are telling these stories and as I hear them,
00:02:43:13 - 00:02:46:04you're sort of like, well, you know, does it always work?
00:02:46:06 - 00:02:49:23And for the most part, they're like, you know, if it works, it's fantastic.
00:02:49:23 - 00:02:50:18They're happy.
00:02:50:18 - 00:02:54:01And if it doesn't work, they go back to where they were before.
00:02:54:02 - 00:02:57:10They have a greater appreciation for wherever it is that they went,
00:02:57:20 - 00:03:00:06and they're still talking about it with the other people.
00:03:00:07 - 00:03:03:16So, for example, one company had the person on the facility floor.
00:03:03:23 - 00:03:08:00They wanted to do customer service and after about two weeks he was like,
00:03:08:00 - 00:03:10:04This is not for me. I want to be back there.
00:03:10:04 - 00:03:14:15I want to be fixing stuff, making stuff, doing things and not talking to people.
00:03:15:00 - 00:03:18:05So he went back and did they invest some time in his training?
00:03:18:05 - 00:03:21:15Yes, But he got to see a little bit more of the organization.
00:03:21:15 - 00:03:22:05He's happy.
00:03:22:05 - 00:03:25:09He likes what he's doing even more, having had to see something else.
00:03:26:00 - 00:03:28:14So I think one of the new things we're seeing is the goal
00:03:28:14 - 00:03:32:09is to keep them in the organization and we can keep them in the organization.
00:03:32:09 - 00:03:35:20We should be willing to let them have a variety
00:03:35:20 - 00:03:39:11of different types of experiences so that that's sort of a new one
00:03:40:03 - 00:03:42:23as companies really try to hang on to the best people that they've got.
00:03:43:13 - 00:03:44:12Yeah, absolutely.
00:03:44:12 - 00:03:48:10And just kind of going back to talking about internships.
00:03:49:14 - 00:03:50:15I interned at
00:03:50:15 - 00:03:54:10Emory a couple of years ago, and I would just emphasize a point
00:03:54:10 - 00:03:58:06on really just being introduced to each department.
00:03:59:04 - 00:04:03:11That was kind of a big aspect that made my internship so meaningful
00:04:03:11 - 00:04:07:06and successful was being introduced to each department and just getting
00:04:07:06 - 00:04:12:19a better idea of the company as a whole instead of just being kind of submerged
00:04:12:19 - 00:04:15:23in marketing team for the whole summer, I was able to see
00:04:16:16 - 00:04:19:19what other leaders were doing and what other kinds of businesses,
00:04:20:02 - 00:04:23:09how they work, and that just gave me a better picture
00:04:23:09 - 00:04:26:23of the company as a whole, which helped in my internship a lot.
00:04:26:23 - 00:04:30:07And then I would just add another aspect
00:04:30:07 - 00:04:33:07that I loved about the internship was just
00:04:33:07 - 00:04:35:18being involved with the senior team as well
00:04:35:18 - 00:04:39:08and being able to show them the work that I did throughout the summer
00:04:40:04 - 00:04:45:07and just kind of having the opportunity to have open camera session with them
00:04:47:01 - 00:04:50:09just made my work more meaningful, knowing that, Hey,
00:04:50:09 - 00:04:53:17the senior team is involved and cares about what I'm doing to.
00:04:54:15 - 00:04:55:20There's plenty of other things
00:04:55:20 - 00:04:58:22I can mention, but I would say those were very impactful
00:04:59:15 - 00:05:04:10for me on my end and making it enjoyable and successful at the same time.
00:05:04:23 - 00:05:07:20Yeah, and I would say, you know, if someone were to say, well,
00:05:07:20 - 00:05:08:11how do I build
00:05:08:11 - 00:05:12:04a successful internship program, I think you just, you know, good for us.
00:05:12:18 - 00:05:14:12But I think you just hit on some of the ones
00:05:14:12 - 00:05:17:17that it really it's access to people, you know, whether that's
00:05:18:03 - 00:05:22:06the vice president or the C-suite or whatever it is, It's variety,
00:05:22:06 - 00:05:25:18you know, like you just got done describing
00:05:25:18 - 00:05:28:01about having the opportunity to go to different departments.
00:05:28:18 - 00:05:33:23I saw the list of ideas for projects that we gave you before you started.
00:05:33:23 - 00:05:38:00I think not being bored is another big one where it's like,
00:05:38:00 - 00:05:39:18I can see where I'm digging into something.
00:05:39:18 - 00:05:41:13I actually get, you know,
00:05:41:13 - 00:05:45:04to work on projects to lead a team to do those different things.
00:05:45:15 - 00:05:48:09Those are really what makes those internship
00:05:48:09 - 00:05:51:00experiences even even better.
00:05:51:00 - 00:05:53:18And so, you know, we're really seeing now what you just described
00:05:53:18 - 00:05:58:04both in internships and in onboarding, where, you know, companies
00:05:58:04 - 00:06:02:13from a best practice point of view will rotate people through that.
00:06:02:13 - 00:06:04:06That's just like you might have come
00:06:04:06 - 00:06:07:19to our insurance company because you wanted to be in an actuary
00:06:08:03 - 00:06:12:01or we're going to spend the first six months or year with you spending a month
00:06:12:01 - 00:06:16:08in benefits, a month as an actuary, a month in customer service,
00:06:16:13 - 00:06:21:01a month in sales, and let you see the whole organization because
00:06:22:01 - 00:06:24:10maybe actuary isn't what you want to do for the rest of your life.
00:06:24:10 - 00:06:26:18And now we've exposed you to some different things.
00:06:26:18 - 00:06:31:06So making that experience, one that I think you just described, especially
00:06:31:06 - 00:06:34:15with a internship, apprenticeship co-op, whatever it might be,
00:06:35:20 - 00:06:38:13that is an incredible retention tool,
00:06:38:18 - 00:06:42:21whether it's trying to sell an intern like you to continue to work with us
00:06:43:05 - 00:06:45:02or even a new employee who's, you know,
00:06:45:02 - 00:06:48:07maybe trying to spread their wings a little bit and look around
00:06:49:08 - 00:06:51:20any other types of trends you're seeing here.
00:06:51:20 - 00:06:54:13And I know on your short report you had
00:06:55:19 - 00:06:58:01the idea that mentors play
00:06:58:07 - 00:07:02:21a big role in internships and emerging leaders and stuff like that.
00:07:03:05 - 00:07:06:07So I think that's also a good point to touch on.
00:07:06:07 - 00:07:10:01Just having that personal weigh in on When you first start at a company
00:07:10:01 - 00:07:13:19or maybe having a mentor in various different departments,
00:07:13:19 - 00:07:16:11like you said, is there anything else you want to touch on?
00:07:16:19 - 00:07:20:03Yeah, And I think we you know, we're seeing mentors that traditional
00:07:20:09 - 00:07:23:07this is the person I can get advice from and things like that.
00:07:23:13 - 00:07:25:23We're seeing companies also maybe add a buddy
00:07:26:06 - 00:07:32:00who may not have the experience and you know the long in the tooth person
00:07:32:00 - 00:07:34:02who's been there forever and knows everything,
00:07:34:11 - 00:07:37:20but they're the friend who can just say, be careful
00:07:37:20 - 00:07:38:23when you're going to this meeting,
00:07:38:23 - 00:07:41:23because here's what usually happens or here's the history on that.
00:07:42:05 - 00:07:45:07Just to give you a heads up, that becomes another
00:07:45:07 - 00:07:48:07really important person in that person's career.
00:07:48:22 - 00:07:52:08And you're seeing companies now look at you walked into the marketing
00:07:52:08 - 00:07:53:23department at Mirror
00:07:53:23 - 00:07:57:15that were saying, all right, six or seven other people in the marketing department.
00:07:57:15 - 00:08:01:12Part of your job is to make sure Sophie has a really good experience
00:08:01:12 - 00:08:03:04here for the next three months.
00:08:03:04 - 00:08:06:22So your job also is check in on her, ask her how she's doing,
00:08:06:22 - 00:08:09:23make sure she's got projects, make sure she's happy.
00:08:10:06 - 00:08:14:11And so all of those things really just, you know, surrounding Sophie, the intern
00:08:14:18 - 00:08:17:02with a buddy, a mentor and a team,
00:08:17:02 - 00:08:20:12that makes a huge difference in terms of what your experience is like.
00:08:20:12 - 00:08:22:19And, you know, in those three or four months that you spent here.
00:08:23:13 - 00:08:24:16Absolutely.
00:08:24:16 - 00:08:28:17Another topic I'd like to dive into is your talent thinking section.
00:08:28:17 - 00:08:32:11So this month you talked about being cared for at work
00:08:32:11 - 00:08:36:12and how that affects employee productivity, loyalty and retention.
00:08:36:21 - 00:08:39:17So can you expand on your findings there?
00:08:40:09 - 00:08:43:22Yeah, this one has been pretty interesting too, as you're talking to people.
00:08:44:06 - 00:08:46:12Part of it is pandemic.
00:08:46:12 - 00:08:49:09Part of it is the influx of younger workers.
00:08:49:19 - 00:08:51:22But companies are starting to really understand
00:08:51:22 - 00:08:55:16what they're missing out on that wanting the stealth
00:08:55:16 - 00:09:00:02of belonging in walking into a remote workplace,
00:09:00:06 - 00:09:03:14a hybrid workplace, and not, you know, not going to make an argument
00:09:03:14 - 00:09:05:21to say which one's right and which one's wrong.
00:09:05:21 - 00:09:09:09But if it's a first job for someone and they're walking in
00:09:09:09 - 00:09:13:13and the mentor isn't there all the time or the team isn't there all the time,
00:09:14:01 - 00:09:17:12there's a little bit of isolation, I think, that that's going on.
00:09:17:12 - 00:09:21:05And, you know, people who are onboarded without ever meeting people in person
00:09:21:05 - 00:09:24:07and have worked there for six months and still haven't met their boss in person.
00:09:24:19 - 00:09:28:03Those are really conscious efforts now by companies to say
00:09:28:04 - 00:09:30:21this is how we're going to operate because we have to be remote
00:09:31:03 - 00:09:33:04in order to attract talent.
00:09:33:04 - 00:09:36:03But we're also attracting talent for the first time.
00:09:36:09 - 00:09:39:02And do they feel like they've got a support network?
00:09:39:02 - 00:09:41:23Do they feel like they've got people to go to
00:09:42:05 - 00:09:44:05Because a buddy in person who can take you out
00:09:44:05 - 00:09:47:21for lunch is different than a buddy that you're setting up A Zoom call
00:09:47:21 - 00:09:50:16with and hoping you can talk to them for 15 or 20 minutes.
00:09:51:02 - 00:09:52:17You're not you're not
00:09:52:17 - 00:09:55:09having the opportunity to experience the same things at the same time,
00:09:55:09 - 00:09:59:03see the same things at the same time, and you know that.
00:09:59:03 - 00:10:00:13Do I have a friend at work?
00:10:00:13 - 00:10:05:11Do I have a buddy and a mentor and work to have the person that's my my real go to?
00:10:06:07 - 00:10:08:09That's really becoming the issue
00:10:08:16 - 00:10:11:12with remote workplaces,
00:10:12:00 - 00:10:16:04maybe people that are on some days off, others that how do we make that connection
00:10:16:04 - 00:10:19:03and we have to do it purposefully because it's not just going to happen
00:10:19:10 - 00:10:22:14because everybody's in the office and we bump into each other now.
00:10:23:01 - 00:10:25:14So again, that that becomes another human
00:10:25:14 - 00:10:29:00resources hiring manager team thing that says, all right,
00:10:30:00 - 00:10:30:07if is going
00:10:30:07 - 00:10:33:02to be here and she may not see everybody all the time.
00:10:33:09 - 00:10:34:14How do we make the connections?
00:10:34:14 - 00:10:36:03How do we consciously
00:10:36:03 - 00:10:40:04get everybody together or have an outing or build project teams
00:10:40:04 - 00:10:43:17that are cutting across so that people do have a chance to feel like?
00:10:43:22 - 00:10:46:06I know people now, they know me, they like me.
00:10:46:06 - 00:10:48:18We can do things. We share common interests.
00:10:49:04 - 00:10:50:16That all adds to the experience
00:10:50:16 - 00:10:54:02at work as well, for sure, and kind of going off of that.
00:10:54:11 - 00:10:57:09Talking about getting everybody together and talking.
00:10:57:18 - 00:11:02:18You also mentioned conversations, starting spaces in the town or so.
00:11:02:18 - 00:11:04:06Can you give some examples
00:11:04:06 - 00:11:07:16of what this means and what companies are doing with this?
00:11:08:08 - 00:11:12:18Yeah, you know, and I think this is a good follow up to the last one that
00:11:13:07 - 00:11:16:21if everybody's not here and you don't have as many bump into each others
00:11:16:21 - 00:11:18:15and you don't have as many in person,
00:11:18:15 - 00:11:18:20you know,
00:11:18:20 - 00:11:21:00when you think of all the in-person meetings,
00:11:21:00 - 00:11:23:11if you're one of the first people there and somebody else is there
00:11:23:11 - 00:11:26:17early, we'll strike up a conversation about something, you know,
00:11:26:17 - 00:11:29:17and you'll learn something or somebody will hang around afterwards.
00:11:29:17 - 00:11:32:18So we don't have those. So how do we
00:11:33:17 - 00:11:36:01create these places where people are going to sit there
00:11:36:01 - 00:11:38:09for a couple of minutes and have to have a conversation?
00:11:38:09 - 00:11:43:00And so is that over a ping pong table or a foosball table where.
00:11:43:07 - 00:11:45:17All right, let's both take 5 minutes. We'll have a little game.
00:11:45:17 - 00:11:48:02And while we're playing, we'll learn something about each other.
00:11:48:21 - 00:11:52:03A company's got a garden out back and they've got a gardening group
00:11:52:03 - 00:11:55:13now that gets together on their lunch hour before work.
00:11:55:13 - 00:11:58:12And so while they're gardening, they're learning from each other.
00:11:59:05 - 00:12:03:09A company that just sets up puzzles in some of their break rooms,
00:12:03:16 - 00:12:04:17they're just that way.
00:12:04:17 - 00:12:05:14You sit in an area, you're
00:12:05:14 - 00:12:09:02walking by to put a couple of pieces in and you're there for five or 6 minutes.
00:12:09:12 - 00:12:10:18You're going to strike up a
00:12:10:18 - 00:12:12:23you know, you're going to find out who the other puzzle lovers are.
00:12:12:23 - 00:12:15:10And so you're going to have that to talk about.
00:12:15:15 - 00:12:19:00So they're just they're trying to create places where
00:12:19:06 - 00:12:22:09there's a little bit of lingering to maybe replace some of the
00:12:22:21 - 00:12:27:08bumping into each other water cooler meeting type things that they want
00:12:27:08 - 00:12:31:10to encourage folks to know each other and get to know each other.
00:12:31:10 - 00:12:32:13And so that means you might have to
00:12:32:13 - 00:12:36:03consciously say, how do we get people to stop somewhere for a couple of minutes
00:12:36:09 - 00:12:37:15and actually talk to each other?
00:12:37:15 - 00:12:41:13And that it sounds kind of crazy, but you can also see how some of these things
00:12:41:13 - 00:12:45:08work where it's like, if I see a puzzle, I'm stopping to make a couple of pieces.
00:12:45:08 - 00:12:48:13And if you're there doing it too, I mean, hey, how was your weekend?
00:12:48:13 - 00:12:49:17What are you doing? What's up?
00:12:49:17 - 00:12:51:02Nice day to day. Where are you going to go?
00:12:51:02 - 00:12:55:09Do? And I hopefully that just creates a little more camaraderie in the office.
00:12:55:18 - 00:12:56:01Yeah.
00:12:56:01 - 00:13:00:13No, I was going to say, I love that idea and I love that concept of doing that.
00:13:01:17 - 00:13:02:10I know I have a
00:13:02:10 - 00:13:07:20friend at work that where they do kind of a game day Monday,
00:13:07:20 - 00:13:11:19where one of their rooms is kind of filled with the puzzles and card games,
00:13:11:19 - 00:13:15:22and each Monday they have like a 15 minute card game kind of competition.
00:13:16:04 - 00:13:18:05And so everybody in the room
00:13:19:06 - 00:13:21:11kind of starts off their week in a fun way.
00:13:21:11 - 00:13:24:12And I'm sure there's conversations going on, too.
00:13:24:12 - 00:13:28:12So, yeah, we we had another couple that just had a huge whiteboard in their
00:13:28:12 - 00:13:31:14in their staff cafeteria lounge lunch room
00:13:32:06 - 00:13:35:12and people just put a question up there each day that.
00:13:35:19 - 00:13:38:00Who's your favorite Disney character?
00:13:38:00 - 00:13:41:03And people start drawing pictures of people and they put theirs up there.
00:13:41:03 - 00:13:42:10What was your first car?
00:13:42:10 - 00:13:45:17And oh, my first car was a Ford Pinto and it's always a deal.
00:13:45:17 - 00:13:47:17Those cars used to explode. Yeah.
00:13:48:06 - 00:13:51:02And they just, you know, even if it's a conversation on a whiteboard
00:13:51:07 - 00:13:54:17where you start, who is a car person, who's a Disney person, who's a
00:13:54:18 - 00:13:55:14whatever person?
00:13:55:14 - 00:13:56:10And again,
00:13:56:10 - 00:13:59:08you've just created more opportunities for people to share common interests.
00:14:00:00 - 00:14:03:05I've seen that, too, and I think the whiteboards are fun idea.
00:14:05:00 - 00:14:07:16The kind of switching gears here and talking more about now
00:14:07:19 - 00:14:10:20C-suite level, what are leaders up to now?
00:14:12:02 - 00:14:16:10We've talked about this I know before, but the visibility of the C-suite people
00:14:16:10 - 00:14:20:10of being out on the floor, making the rounds through the office,
00:14:20:18 - 00:14:23:14knowing whose birthday it is, whose anniversary it is,
00:14:24:00 - 00:14:27:05it's really become a priority and part of a day that even if I,
00:14:27:05 - 00:14:31:05as the CEO, CFO, Arrow, whatever things I got
00:14:32:18 - 00:14:35:15to and then walk through the facility,
00:14:36:05 - 00:14:39:00they're really starting to see that I'm going to pick up
00:14:39:00 - 00:14:42:01at least two or three tidbits of information while I'm out there.
00:14:42:09 - 00:14:44:20I'm going to be seen as more approachable.
00:14:44:20 - 00:14:46:14I'm not behind, not down this hallway.
00:14:46:14 - 00:14:50:09And in my day, in my office with the door closed, I'm part of this.
00:14:50:15 - 00:14:52:08I can ask questions of people.
00:14:52:08 - 00:14:53:22I can stop it
00:14:53:22 - 00:14:56:16at one of the cells on the factory floor and say,
00:14:57:00 - 00:14:59:08What do you see and what's happening? What's going on?
00:14:59:14 - 00:15:02:18And I probably feel unvarnished truth from people.
00:15:03:02 - 00:15:05:20So the visibility of people knowing that they can talk to me
00:15:06:02 - 00:15:08:21and maybe learning some things along the way,
00:15:10:03 - 00:15:12:07that one has really gotten people's attention and,
00:15:12:15 - 00:15:15:07you know, to the point where they'll put it on their calendar at 10:00
00:15:15:07 - 00:15:17:14am, going for a ten minute walk through the place,
00:15:17:14 - 00:15:19:22and they're going to know they're going to see me.
00:15:19:22 - 00:15:20:22And we had this conversation
00:15:20:22 - 00:15:23:17with the fire department, too, which was interesting because
00:15:24:17 - 00:15:28:04so many people thought, oh, my gosh, if I was walking around, what's going on?
00:15:28:04 - 00:15:32:00And, you know, they're standing outside my desk, does that mean I'm being fired?
00:15:32:00 - 00:15:34:03What are they doing on the facility floor?
00:15:34:13 - 00:15:35:03And the H.R.
00:15:35:03 - 00:15:38:02departments are starting to realize that we have to be out there more often.
00:15:38:02 - 00:15:41:12So when we are out there, people aren't freaking out thinking,
00:15:41:16 - 00:15:45:03oh, my gosh, 50 people must be like, You let go because I was out here.
00:15:45:11 - 00:15:48:08No, they're out there because are just trying to see what's happening
00:15:48:08 - 00:15:52:09and so being conscious about let's make sure they know we're here.
00:15:52:09 - 00:15:52:15You know,
00:15:52:15 - 00:15:56:13we're not just back there doing forms or making decisions were part of the group.
00:15:56:13 - 00:16:00:21So a lot more visibility both from the C-suite and from the H.R.
00:16:00:22 - 00:16:01:10folks.
00:16:02:19 - 00:16:05:05Lots of discussions around chat
00:16:05:23 - 00:16:09:03and artificial intelligence and what do you do with that?
00:16:09:10 - 00:16:12:18And the range is everywhere from shut it down
00:16:13:04 - 00:16:15:18to, well, let's embrace it and see what's going to happen.
00:16:16:04 - 00:16:19:18And it's really interesting as companies are starting to experience it
00:16:21:04 - 00:16:23:08because it can do so much,
00:16:23:17 - 00:16:26:16but on its own it probably can also be dangerous.
00:16:26:16 - 00:16:28:08Like everything else.
00:16:28:08 - 00:16:30:09And so companies are trying to figure out
00:16:30:09 - 00:16:35:03how do we use that artificial intelligence to make what we write
00:16:35:03 - 00:16:39:01make our content better, but not just say, well,
00:16:39:01 - 00:16:46:02if I just push the button that says create a content piece on FMLA in Illinois,
00:16:46:10 - 00:16:47:13and I just expected to
00:16:47:13 - 00:16:51:00give me everything and say, All right, send that out to our 3000 members,
00:16:51:18 - 00:16:53:22That's, you know, you're getting a little risky there.
00:16:53:22 - 00:16:57:02And in some cases, there are people who get a little lazy there who just say,
00:16:57:08 - 00:16:59:15Oh, well, there it is. All I've got to do is turn around and send it out.
00:17:00:15 - 00:17:04:00But if you use it for, hey, I'm trying to write this marketing piece
00:17:04:00 - 00:17:09:03for whatever it is, and I can talk about these are that these are what it does.
00:17:09:03 - 00:17:10:14This is why it's good for us.
00:17:10:14 - 00:17:12:07And I can put in some questions.
00:17:12:07 - 00:17:15:02I might be able to get back some things that like, Hey, part of
00:17:15:02 - 00:17:18:07that is really good or how does that line up with what I wrote
00:17:18:07 - 00:17:22:01and are we on the same page and are people expecting the same things?
00:17:22:19 - 00:17:24:19So right now I think it's okay.
00:17:24:19 - 00:17:28:00And let's fill this out where, you know, where do we weigh in?
00:17:28:00 - 00:17:30:04What's the good, what's the bad?
00:17:30:04 - 00:17:32:16But I think like everything else with technology, it's
00:17:32:16 - 00:17:37:09not perfect on its own, but it's got some real pluses.
00:17:37:14 - 00:17:40:16And how do we as an organization try to figure some of that out so
00:17:41:04 - 00:17:43:16that one is on people's minds and they're trying to figure out where
00:17:43:16 - 00:17:46:07does that fit into everything that we do at our organization.
00:17:46:19 - 00:17:49:19Now, we just launched a LinkedIn poll on that.
00:17:49:19 - 00:17:51:06Actually, you
00:17:52:10 - 00:17:53:13it's so hard
00:17:54:19 - 00:17:57:00and it's just interesting to see,
00:17:57:00 - 00:18:00:12you know, like what companies are are using it as a tool.
00:18:00:12 - 00:18:03:04Some companies haven't even heard of it yet. And
00:18:04:04 - 00:18:06:16so, yeah, we're kind of digging around with that.
00:18:06:19 - 00:18:08:15Yeah, that's good.
00:18:08:16 - 00:18:10:14But how about anything else?
00:18:10:14 - 00:18:11:21Technology wise?
00:18:11:21 - 00:18:14:21I know you touched on cyber security plans.
00:18:15:03 - 00:18:18:01Yeah, we had a couple of roundtables and brought in some people
00:18:18:01 - 00:18:20:10to talk about cybersecurity.
00:18:21:08 - 00:18:24:07That's top of mind for everyone, you know, And everyone's going to,
00:18:24:08 - 00:18:24:16you know,
00:18:24:16 - 00:18:26:01multiple authorization
00:18:26:01 - 00:18:29:22to make sure that, you know, we we've got some checks and balances in place.
00:18:29:22 - 00:18:33:09But so much of it, as you you know, there's a lot that can be done,
00:18:33:15 - 00:18:37:06but so much of it is just the blocking and tackling and your
00:18:37:19 - 00:18:42:20your people being vigilant around, you know, update your computer.
00:18:42:21 - 00:18:46:22So everything is you know, we've got all the patches that are supposed to be there.
00:18:47:11 - 00:18:51:15We don't just use your last name or your birthday as your password.
00:18:51:15 - 00:18:54:02That's probably one of the first, you know, your dog's name.
00:18:54:07 - 00:18:57:22All those things that you commonly get asked those your security questions,
00:18:58:08 - 00:19:01:12you know, just be a little bit smarter than that, but smarter than that.
00:19:01:22 - 00:19:04:07Don't use the public life wi fi.
00:19:04:07 - 00:19:05:12Use your VPN.
00:19:05:12 - 00:19:09:00So you've got that secure connection at your workplace.
00:19:09:09 - 00:19:13:11Don't just open stuff, you know, look at it, see what that email address
00:19:13:11 - 00:19:15:13looks like. Are there Misspellings.
00:19:16:01 - 00:19:18:17So much of it is just an education of our folks
00:19:18:17 - 00:19:22:12to just say she's done, don't do dumb things, you know,
00:19:23:13 - 00:19:24:13And then some of it is, you
00:19:24:13 - 00:19:28:04know, as company wide where, okay, we've got to do some training.
00:19:28:09 - 00:19:31:08We've got to make sure our i.t Department is on top of things.
00:19:31:15 - 00:19:36:01We've got to make sure we've got a good cyber security insurance plan.
00:19:36:21 - 00:19:38:21We've got to test our incident report.
00:19:38:21 - 00:19:40:18Let's pretend something happens.
00:19:40:18 - 00:19:43:02What gets shut down? Where do we go?
00:19:43:02 - 00:19:44:11You know, how do we get our backup?
00:19:44:11 - 00:19:47:20Is our backup protected so that whoever the bad actors are, don't
00:19:48:05 - 00:19:50:18destroy our backup and our current data.
00:19:51:04 - 00:19:54:05So again, it's one of those where life is,
00:19:54:12 - 00:19:57:15you know, falling back on the CTO to say, what's the plan?
00:19:57:15 - 00:19:59:03What are we doing? What's happening?
00:19:59:03 - 00:20:03:12But so much of it is it's going to get in because somebody got lazy
00:20:03:12 - 00:20:06:18or somebody did something silly and said, Well, this looks okay.
00:20:06:18 - 00:20:08:09I think I'll click on it.
00:20:08:09 - 00:20:09:07And the next thing you know,
00:20:09:07 - 00:20:11:11there's something in your system and we're off and running.
00:20:11:11 - 00:20:14:17So training of employees to make sure that they're
00:20:15:12 - 00:20:19:09following the rules and yep, I hate having to log in every time I go
00:20:19:09 - 00:20:23:12someplace and I hate having to do this, you know, multi-factor authorization
00:20:23:12 - 00:20:24:08and all the rest of it.
00:20:24:08 - 00:20:26:17But there's a reason for it.
00:20:26:17 - 00:20:29:19And I think people are starting to realize that pretty good reasons.
00:20:30:07 - 00:20:32:18Well, and you can make some of it kind of fun.
00:20:32:18 - 00:20:36:13Like I know here at Emory, we do the phishing alerts
00:20:36:13 - 00:20:38:09where you have to kind of report
00:20:38:09 - 00:20:42:17if you think an email is a phishing, a spam email, and if you get it right,
00:20:42:17 - 00:20:47:13you have all this confetti that possible that exactly you can make it fun.
00:20:47:20 - 00:20:50:03And if you get it wrong, then you've got to go through a class.
00:20:50:07 - 00:20:52:17Exactly why you should have known better.
00:20:52:23 - 00:20:57:11Yeah, but how about some of the top creative h.r.
00:20:57:12 - 00:20:59:06Strategies that you've been seeing?
00:21:00:07 - 00:21:03:10Get a handful of these this month.
00:21:03:10 - 00:21:07:00You know, on the candidate experience, you know, people are getting
00:21:07:00 - 00:21:09:23they're feeling a little bit better about finding candidates.
00:21:09:23 - 00:21:11:03It's still not.
00:21:11:03 - 00:21:14:07Oh, we had 100 employees of 100 people are applying.
00:21:14:07 - 00:21:15:09We'll pick the best five.
00:21:15:09 - 00:21:17:21We're not anywhere near that,
00:21:17:21 - 00:21:21:12but we're getting some better candidates and companies and hiring managers, I think
00:21:21:12 - 00:21:26:10are starting to realize that we may not get the 72 credentials that we asked for.
00:21:26:16 - 00:21:30:05But if we've got somebody with a good attitude, that's got to work
00:21:30:05 - 00:21:32:09ethic, that's got a little bit of experience,
00:21:32:09 - 00:21:35:04that gets what it is that we're trying to do,
00:21:35:21 - 00:21:37:01we're going to go with them,
00:21:37:01 - 00:21:39:15you know, and we can train them up on some other things.
00:21:39:15 - 00:21:41:23And so i think h.r.
00:21:41:23 - 00:21:43:02Departments are really
00:21:43:02 - 00:21:46:17helping to educate their supervisors and their hiring managers.
00:21:46:23 - 00:21:49:06Look, you may not get everything, but if you get a good person
00:21:49:06 - 00:21:51:10who's going to work hard, we're going to get there.
00:21:51:15 - 00:21:52:19So i'm not going to worry so much
00:21:52:19 - 00:21:55:07that they may not have these six other things you asked for.
00:21:55:07 - 00:21:57:05We can, we can teach those.
00:21:57:05 - 00:22:03:02So people are really looking for for fit and then sort of teaching the rest of it.
00:22:04:01 - 00:22:06:10Onboarding we've been talking about forever.
00:22:07:09 - 00:22:10:08But really talks about getting team support,
00:22:10:12 - 00:22:13:20getting the body, getting the mentor and approaching
00:22:13:20 - 00:22:19:08onboarding from a fun point of view versus the let's cram all this stuff in there
00:22:19:08 - 00:22:23:18as fast as we possibly can and make them do all this stuff in a day or two.
00:22:24:04 - 00:22:26:16Let's, you know, they don't need it all in three days.
00:22:26:16 - 00:22:29:06Let's spread it out, make this a little bit more enjoyable
00:22:29:18 - 00:22:33:23and let's show them what the whole first 90 days maybe looks like.
00:22:34:11 - 00:22:37:17So you come in the first day and we say, Here's our finances
00:22:37:17 - 00:22:39:18and this is what we do and this is how we budget and whatever.
00:22:39:18 - 00:22:44:02And you leave there thinking, Holy Moses, I'm not sure I held on to any of that.
00:22:44:11 - 00:22:47:23But then you look at your 90 day onboarding, you use the are thank goodness
00:22:47:23 - 00:22:51:00in two weeks I sort of get a primer on our finances
00:22:51:05 - 00:22:54:02and I get another thing three weeks later on, whatever.
00:22:54:10 - 00:22:57:12Now I'm not in a grandma panic about, oh my gosh,
00:22:57:12 - 00:22:59:07I hope I can remember all these people name
00:22:59:07 - 00:23:02:23I can look at and be like, Oh good, I get to be with them again later on.
00:23:02:23 - 00:23:04:22So people are taking a very strategic approach
00:23:04:22 - 00:23:08:02to their onboarding and saying, What does the whole process look like?
00:23:08:02 - 00:23:09:10So the candidate
00:23:09:10 - 00:23:12:18doesn't show up each day wondering, okay, what am I going to have to do today?
00:23:13:03 - 00:23:17:07They see what's going to happen and that makes them a little bit more at ease.
00:23:17:21 - 00:23:21:12And then the emerging leaders again,
00:23:22:13 - 00:23:23:11making sure that
00:23:23:11 - 00:23:26:22those people are being identified and good criteria
00:23:27:05 - 00:23:30:21with a game plan in place, that when I tell you, Sophie, congratulations,
00:23:30:21 - 00:23:33:15you're one of our emerging leaders, one of our high potentials,
00:23:33:22 - 00:23:37:17I can then follow that up and say, you've shown these characteristics.
00:23:37:21 - 00:23:39:10This is what we're going to do with you.
00:23:39:10 - 00:23:41:01Here's the training we're going to provide.
00:23:41:01 - 00:23:44:05Here's the career path that we're trying to put in place for you.
00:23:44:10 - 00:23:46:23Here are some opportunities that you're going to get now.
00:23:47:06 - 00:23:49:17And it's not just, hey, when you go, you're an emerging leader.
00:23:49:22 - 00:23:51:13Okay, great. What does that mean?
00:23:51:13 - 00:23:54:18But it's something that you're like, okay, I've been identified.
00:23:55:01 - 00:23:57:04People have recognized what I've done.
00:23:57:04 - 00:23:59:22It's been announced people now.
00:23:59:22 - 00:24:01:00So it's a big deal.
00:24:01:00 - 00:24:03:13And letting people know that it's a big deal and it means
00:24:03:13 - 00:24:07:00it's got some things behind it, whether that's advancement
00:24:07:08 - 00:24:10:22or increase in compensation or benefits
00:24:11:05 - 00:24:15:08or responsibility, it really it really means something.
00:24:17:18 - 00:24:18:10We hear all the
00:24:18:10 - 00:24:22:06time about how people don't quit their job or quit the company.
00:24:22:06 - 00:24:23:19They quit their manager.
00:24:23:19 - 00:24:26:13And one company said, you know, we're very aware of that.
00:24:26:13 - 00:24:29:21We think we've got really good managers, but not all managers are created equal.
00:24:30:08 - 00:24:34:04And what they've been trying to do is you come into our organization
00:24:34:04 - 00:24:38:03and rather than you just have one manager that you report to,
00:24:38:08 - 00:24:42:11we make sure you get a chance to meet three or four or five different managers.
00:24:42:18 - 00:24:47:11So if by opportunity or by faith or by whatever
00:24:47:21 - 00:24:51:09you might be a really good match with your boss, you might not be
00:24:51:09 - 00:24:54:01might be a personality thing, might be all kinds of different things.
00:24:54:20 - 00:24:57:20We want you to see a variety of different leadership styles.
00:24:58:02 - 00:25:00:01So if you're thinking about going,
00:25:01:07 - 00:25:02:11you looked around a little
00:25:02:11 - 00:25:06:00bit, you like, you know, I do like my job and I do like this place.
00:25:06:08 - 00:25:09:07I've got a little bit of an issue with my manager.
00:25:09:12 - 00:25:11:02We can begin to experience that.
00:25:11:02 - 00:25:13:21We can talk about that and either fix that relationship
00:25:14:06 - 00:25:15:14or at least you know
00:25:15:14 - 00:25:17:21well, there's other people around you who approach things different,
00:25:18:05 - 00:25:21:17and maybe you're a step by step person, and this person is kind of a big thinker
00:25:21:17 - 00:25:23:01or the opposite.
00:25:23:01 - 00:25:24:05It might just be,
00:25:24:05 - 00:25:28:05you know, there's a better place for you in the organization and you've seen it.
00:25:28:05 - 00:25:30:08So I'm not going to just quit this manager now.
00:25:30:16 - 00:25:33:00I'm going to see if there's something else I can do.
00:25:33:15 - 00:25:35:11So those are a few things in the h.r.
00:25:35:11 - 00:25:38:05Area that seen in the last month or so.
00:25:38:15 - 00:25:39:05Yeah.
00:25:39:09 - 00:25:43:07So as we begin to wrap up here, there were there was some research
00:25:43:07 - 00:25:47:21summarized from executive networks which found that a lot of workers so h.r.
00:25:47:21 - 00:25:51:16Leaders, business leaders, frontline leaders and workers
00:25:52:07 - 00:25:56:06are saying that coming to the office is not commute worthy.
00:25:56:06 - 00:26:00:03So any comments on this are no comment.
00:26:00:17 - 00:26:03:02Commute worthy. I like that.
00:26:03:02 - 00:26:06:02You know, i think what they were getting at was
00:26:07:06 - 00:26:09:16i'm not going to come in, especially if my
00:26:10:10 - 00:26:12:19if you can imagine your commute is a little bit of a pain,
00:26:13:00 - 00:26:17:21whether it's traffic or distance or or just screws up your whole day
00:26:17:21 - 00:26:20:15for getting kids to school or whatever it might be.
00:26:22:06 - 00:26:25:16You have had an opportunity now to not have to have that hassle.
00:26:26:03 - 00:26:28:17And there are, you know, legitimate reasons for going remote
00:26:28:17 - 00:26:30:20and there's legitimate reasons for being in the office.
00:26:31:07 - 00:26:35:08But from an employer's point of view, to make that commute worthy
00:26:35:13 - 00:26:39:02of your time, it's got to have a purpose to it.
00:26:39:03 - 00:26:42:21If I can do exactly what I need to do today at home
00:26:43:06 - 00:26:45:10or at work and work means
00:26:46:00 - 00:26:49:1745 minutes, an hour or 2 hours driving back and forth.
00:26:50:03 - 00:26:52:20Why would I do that if I if there isn't a reason?
00:26:53:03 - 00:26:54:22Now, is there an important meeting?
00:26:54:22 - 00:26:56:10Do I have to be a part of something?
00:26:56:10 - 00:26:58:11Other people coming to the company?
00:26:58:11 - 00:26:59:13That's a big part of it.
00:26:59:13 - 00:27:02:04And that might be part of the culture and that's tough.
00:27:02:04 - 00:27:05:08That's the organization and you have to be there, you know, for that.
00:27:05:21 - 00:27:08:18But organizations are looking at like, how do we become a magnet?
00:27:08:18 - 00:27:13:05How do we make this a place that you're willing to drive 30 minutes to come here?
00:27:13:09 - 00:27:15:01Because it's fun.
00:27:15:01 - 00:27:17:18It's interesting. I like the people I'm working with.
00:27:18:00 - 00:27:20:06I've got some team meetings set up.
00:27:20:06 - 00:27:24:05We do have some conversation spaces and I want to do a puzzle for 5 minutes today.
00:27:24:10 - 00:27:27:13I don't know what it is, but what makes what makes the office
00:27:27:13 - 00:27:30:22look is as attractive as going to the Starbucks down at the corner.
00:27:31:08 - 00:27:33:14And so I think the commute worthy is
00:27:34:01 - 00:27:36:21as an employer, I can say, look, this is the way we want to function.
00:27:36:21 - 00:27:38:04And you decided to work here.
00:27:38:04 - 00:27:41:21And as long as I was upfront with you, that commute is part of what you do,
00:27:42:10 - 00:27:44:01but it's your change, your attitude.
00:27:44:01 - 00:27:45:12If you're coming in knowing
00:27:45:12 - 00:27:48:15it's pizza day or it's jean day or it's something else day
00:27:48:15 - 00:27:51:16and it's going to be kind of fun and relaxed or the board's coming in
00:27:51:16 - 00:27:55:01and it's going to be really exciting because we're going to talk about new ideas.
00:27:56:03 - 00:27:57:10We just have to be the magnet
00:27:57:10 - 00:28:01:07for attract and we've just become a place that we want people to come to.
00:28:01:07 - 00:28:04:11And then it's it's a non-issue for sure.
00:28:05:01 - 00:28:07:18So you've got a chart on the talent report, too,
00:28:07:18 - 00:28:12:07that shows keys to organizational success in 2023.
00:28:12:07 - 00:28:14:14So can you share what's on that chart?
00:28:15:05 - 00:28:18:00Yeah, and this was the executive networks, too, and they were just looking
00:28:18:00 - 00:28:21:20at, you know, what's everybody focusing on for the next year?
00:28:22:00 - 00:28:24:23And it's sort of interesting because there's probably four
00:28:24:23 - 00:28:28:11or five things here that are all pretty close together now.
00:28:28:11 - 00:28:32:11I don’t think anything is going to shock anybody but upskilling the workforce,
00:28:32:16 - 00:28:35:11what are people doing and how can we make them even better
00:28:35:11 - 00:28:36:20at what they're doing,
00:28:36:20 - 00:28:41:11enabling that new ways of working, whether that's remote or hybrid or in-person?
00:28:41:18 - 00:28:45:11How do we create environments where whatever we're trying to set up
00:28:45:11 - 00:28:47:07is what people are looking for?
00:28:47:07 - 00:28:52:09And so that becomes a plus, not a not a minus in terms of how people
00:28:53:00 - 00:28:56:15go to work addressing employee wellbeing and mental health,
00:28:56:15 - 00:28:59:07how do we make this a place that's supportive,
00:29:00:01 - 00:29:02:20making sure that they're utilizing our EAP program, um,
00:29:03:12 - 00:29:05:20knowing that the department is there for them,
00:29:06:03 - 00:29:09:19you know, how do we make this a good place for them to go and work?
00:29:10:09 - 00:29:12:18Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging?
00:29:13:03 - 00:29:16:10Are we doing what we need to do to make sure we are welcoming
00:29:16:16 - 00:29:20:22everyone who wants to come work for us, whether that's our policies, our approach,
00:29:21:02 - 00:29:25:22whatever it might be, looking at that, and then talent, attraction, retention.
00:29:26:01 - 00:29:28:13You know, like I said earlier, I think it's gotten better.
00:29:28:13 - 00:29:31:16I don't think it's quite as big of a headache for people as it has been,
00:29:32:06 - 00:29:34:23but people have been through it now and they're like, okay, there's
00:29:34:23 - 00:29:38:05certainly not an abundance of people and I don't want to go through what
00:29:38:05 - 00:29:40:10we've had to go through the last couple of years.
00:29:40:10 - 00:29:42:15So let's keep the pipeline moving.
00:29:42:20 - 00:29:44:08Let's have people available
00:29:44:08 - 00:29:47:13and let's make sure we're doing everything we can to hang on to the folks that
00:29:48:06 - 00:29:51:13that we've got that we know are good and we don't want to lose.
00:29:52:06 - 00:29:53:03Absolutely.
00:29:53:03 - 00:29:55:10Last question here.
00:29:55:10 - 00:30:00:07Can you give us a sneak peek what May's Senate report will be on?
00:30:00:22 - 00:30:03:12I can tell you, but don't tell anybody else because it's topic.
00:30:04:14 - 00:30:07:09We're going to dive deep into emerging leaders
00:30:07:09 - 00:30:11:10and those high potentials, those people that you've identified.
00:30:11:10 - 00:30:15:13And we're going to kind of go through what is a really good emerging leader
00:30:15:13 - 00:30:21:02program look like, because what we're seeing is a lot of companies are saying,
00:30:21:02 - 00:30:24:10yep, we've got emerging leaders, we've got high potentials.
00:30:24:18 - 00:30:26:08What are you doing about it?
00:30:26:08 - 00:30:29:01Oh, we've identified them. Okay.
00:30:29:06 - 00:30:30:13Do they know that?
00:30:30:13 - 00:30:32:07What was the criteria?
00:30:32:07 - 00:30:33:23What are you doing with them?
00:30:33:23 - 00:30:36:00And we're just seeing a lot of people are at the.
00:30:36:04 - 00:30:37:13Yeah, that's a good idea.
00:30:37:13 - 00:30:40:08We should be doing something about that.
00:30:40:08 - 00:30:43:04We're going to go through sort of how do you start all that up?
00:30:43:04 - 00:30:44:17How do you make that happen?
00:30:44:17 - 00:30:46:14What are the steps to do that?
00:30:46:14 - 00:30:49:04And quite frankly, where are the ways that an organization like
00:30:49:09 - 00:30:52:07MRA can help support companies in that type of growth?
00:30:52:07 - 00:30:54:16Because they're going to be critical in the next
00:30:55:16 - 00:30:58:155 to 50 years?
00:30:58:15 - 00:31:00:18Great. Looking forward to it.
00:31:00:18 - 00:31:05:15So I know you kind of you gave a great overview today on the April report,
00:31:05:15 - 00:31:10:05but do you have any last thoughts or pieces of advice you want to end with?
00:31:11:05 - 00:31:15:07I think people are starting to, like I said, feel a little bit more relaxed.
00:31:15:11 - 00:31:18:14My advice for this month would be don't get too relax.
00:31:19:09 - 00:31:22:11We might have a good month or two or and like we've got everybody we need
00:31:22:11 - 00:31:23:10and whatever.
00:31:23:10 - 00:31:24:10I would still make sure
00:31:24:10 - 00:31:27:09there are people in the wings and you're still focusing every day on
00:31:27:15 - 00:31:30:00how do you keep the ones you've already got?
00:31:30:00 - 00:31:32:07Because we still have
00:31:32:17 - 00:31:35:07a numbers problem, especially in the upper Midwest.
00:31:35:07 - 00:31:40:04So don't get too complacent with your talent attraction and retention.
00:31:40:16 - 00:31:43:07All right. We want good advice.
00:31:44:08 - 00:31:45:23Well, thank you for being on
00:31:45:23 - 00:31:49:05the podcast today, Jim, and sharing this monster report.
00:31:50:05 - 00:31:52:19I encourage you all to share this episode.
00:31:52:20 - 00:31:56:08Leave a comment in review and consider joining MRA
00:31:56:08 - 00:31:58:07if you aren't a member already.
00:31:58:07 - 00:32:02:06We do have all the resources in the show notes, so make sure check those out.
00:32:03:05 - 00:32:06:19We also include a Jim's LinkedIn profile and his bio
00:32:06:19 - 00:32:09:18so you can get in touch with him easily there.
00:32:10:06 - 00:32:12:08Otherwise, thank you for tuning in today
00:32:12:08 - 00:32:15:00and thanks Jim, for all the great information.
00:32:15:14 - 00:32:16:07My pleasure.
00:32:16:07 - 00:32:20:13And I hope everybody joins us at our HR conference in Wisconsin.
00:32:21:01 - 00:32:23:21Virtually ah, and in person, which is on May 10th
00:32:23:22 - 00:32:26:06and then a month later in June were up in Minnesota.
00:32:26:06 - 00:32:28:09So I'll being join us for that as well.
00:32:28:19 - 00:32:30:20Absolutely Good part.
00:32:30:20 - 00:32:31:19Thank you.
00:32:32:06 - 00:32:34:07And we will see you next week.
00:32:34:07 - 00:32:37:02And that wraps up our content for this episode.
00:32:37:03 - 00:32:40:07Be sure to reference the show notes where you can sign up to connect.
00:32:40:07 - 00:32:41:23For more podcast updates,
00:32:41:23 - 00:32:45:18check out other MRA episodes on your favorite podcast platform.
00:32:45:18 - 00:32:50:16And as always, make sure to follow MRA’s 30 minutes Thrive so you don't miss out.
00:32:50:17 - 00:32:53:16Thanks for tuning in and we'll see you next Wednesday to carry
00:32:53:16 - 00:32:55:07on the HR conversation.
Wednesday Apr 05, 2023
Wednesday Apr 05, 2023
Description:
In this episode, we’ll explore the idea that workplace engagement is a two-way street and that employees and managers must play an active role in finding the right balance.
Engagement is crucial to productivity, motivation, and satisfaction in the workplace, which both employees and managers should strive for. But what does it take to create a workplace culture where engagement is a shared responsibility?
We’ll hear from MRA’s Employee Engagement Survey Director, Kristie Haase, who will share her insights on creating a workplace where employees and managers are equally engaged.
We’ll explore topics such as:
The importance of communication and collaboration between employees and managers
How to set goals and expectations that promote engagement and motivation for everyone involved
The role of feedback and recognition in maintaining engagement
By the end of this episode, you’ll better understand how workplace engagement is a shared responsibility between employees and managers and the strategies they can use to promote engagement and balance for everyone involved. Whether you’re an employee or a manager, this episode is for you.
Resources:
Employee Engagement Resources
MRA Membership
About MRA
Let's Connect:
Guest Bio - Kristie Haase
Guest LinkedIn Profile - Kristie Haase
Host Bio - Sophie Boler
Host LinkedIn Profile - Sophie Boler
Transcript:
Transcripts are computer generated -- not 100% accurate word-for-word.
00:00:00:01 - 00:00:03:10Hello everybody and welcome to 30 minute Thrive,
00:00:03:10 - 00:00:06:20your go to podcast for anything and everything HR.
00:00:06:21 - 00:00:09:22powered by MRA, the Management Association.
00:00:09:23 - 00:00:12:23Looking to stay on top of the ever changing world of HR?
00:00:12:23 - 00:00:14:18MRA has got you covered.
00:00:14:18 - 00:00:17:16We'll be the first to tell you what's hot, and what's not.
00:00:17:16 - 00:00:21:03I'm your host, Sophie Boler, and we are so glad you're here.
00:00:21:04 - 00:00:23:02Now it's time to thrive.
00:00:23:02 - 00:00:26:20Hello, everybody, and welcome to this episode of 30 Minute Thrive.
00:00:27:04 - 00:00:30:23I'm excited to introduce to you our guests for today, and that's Kristi
00:00:30:23 - 00:00:35:09Hasse our employee engagement survey director here at MRA.
00:00:35:21 - 00:00:39:15Kristi's passion is coaching leaders to really identify
00:00:39:15 - 00:00:43:17and align employee strengths to meet the business needs of the organizations.
00:00:44:04 - 00:00:48:00And she uses a combination of questions, humor
00:00:48:00 - 00:00:52:19in analogies to strengthen leaders ability to communicate with team members,
00:00:53:09 - 00:00:56:08applying that same combination to align employees
00:00:56:08 - 00:00:58:17to their current positions and career path.
00:00:58:17 - 00:01:02:18Her goal is really to increase engagement one employee at a time.
00:01:03:07 - 00:01:07:17So Kristi has served as an HR Generalist for 17 years
00:01:07:17 - 00:01:12:16in the manufacturing distrubution and health insurers, insurance industries
00:01:12:16 - 00:01:16:01across private public and nonprofit sectors
00:01:16:01 - 00:01:19:01and has worked at MRA for almost ten years now.
00:01:19:01 - 00:01:21:00So she comes with a lot of experience
00:01:21:00 - 00:01:23:04and knowledge today that i'm excited to talk about.
00:01:23:16 - 00:01:27:02And she'll really be highlighting employee engagement with her
00:01:27:02 - 00:01:29:01coaching and leadership backgrounds.
00:01:29:01 - 00:01:30:20So thanks for joining us.
00:01:30:20 - 00:01:33:00Thanks for having me. Absolutely.
00:01:33:07 - 00:01:35:11let's dive into the first question right away
00:01:35:23 - 00:01:37:19and I really want to talk about that.
00:01:37:19 - 00:01:43:01There's a lot of different words and terms that people like to use when talking
00:01:43:01 - 00:01:46:12about engagement, for example, engagement,
00:01:46:12 - 00:01:49:03satisfaction, retention and culture.
00:01:49:12 - 00:01:52:04So can you kind of talk about the difference
00:01:52:04 - 00:01:55:17in the differences between each of those terms now?
00:01:55:17 - 00:01:56:17Sure.
00:01:56:20 - 00:02:00:00So if we're thinking about engagement,
00:02:00:19 - 00:02:03:06engagement in the definition that we use,
00:02:03:06 - 00:02:06:12at MRA is really investment.
00:02:06:20 - 00:02:10:02How invested is an individual
00:02:10:09 - 00:02:13:14in the organization they are in and in the job that they're doing,
00:02:13:17 - 00:02:17:11whereas satisfaction really is
00:02:17:19 - 00:02:20:00how content are they.
00:02:20:19 - 00:02:23:16So I like to use the analogy for those two
00:02:24:12 - 00:02:27:20to be almost like being in this room with you right now.
00:02:27:20 - 00:02:30:23So this is a very comfortable room.
00:02:31:03 - 00:02:32:19It's nice and warm.
00:02:32:19 - 00:02:34:22You're nice and warm.
00:02:34:22 - 00:02:36:15You know, it's easy to be here.
00:02:36:15 - 00:02:39:16So I can say, Oh, you know, I'm content,
00:02:40:06 - 00:02:44:04but if you were not asking me questions
00:02:44:04 - 00:02:48:05in the moment, I could be satisfied content,
00:02:49:11 - 00:02:52:08but maybe thinking about something entirely different.
00:02:52:13 - 00:02:53:06What am I having for dinner?
00:02:53:06 - 00:02:57:20so I may not be invested in the discussion or I may not be present
00:02:57:23 - 00:02:58:18in the discussion.
00:02:58:18 - 00:03:03:17So in order to be both satisfied and engaged,
00:03:03:17 - 00:03:07:23a person has to say for satisfaction, Is this really a place for me?
00:03:07:23 - 00:03:13:12And then for engagement do I want to contribute to I want to be a part of.
00:03:13:19 - 00:03:18:05So they really they work together, but they are separate things.
00:03:18:17 - 00:03:21:11So how do they look on the other side now?
00:03:21:19 - 00:03:23:03How do they tie together?
00:03:23:03 - 00:03:28:04And should you be using these terms interchangeably?
00:03:28:04 - 00:03:30:19You should not be using the terms interchangeably.
00:03:31:04 - 00:03:32:16That's the easy part.
00:03:32:16 - 00:03:38:16How they tie together is almost as complicated as we are as humans.
00:03:38:19 - 00:03:41:00There's a lot of variables.
00:03:41:00 - 00:03:44:16And so in in business,
00:03:44:16 - 00:03:49:08we often talk about how important retaining talent is.
00:03:50:00 - 00:03:52:22We want our folks to stay with us as long as possible.
00:03:52:22 - 00:03:55:23So we we talk about that as retention
00:03:56:09 - 00:04:01:01and then when we start to talk about how to measure retention, a lot of times
00:04:01:12 - 00:04:07:04leaders or HR folks will say, oh, you know, i want to measure engagement.
00:04:07:04 - 00:04:09:23And when we start talking about, well, why do you want to measure that?
00:04:09:23 - 00:04:12:15A lot of times we're really talking about satisfaction.
00:04:13:00 - 00:04:15:02So when we think about
00:04:16:22 - 00:04:17:13what we're
00:04:17:13 - 00:04:20:14looking to do, retention is the end goal.
00:04:21:15 - 00:04:25:00Engagement is a part of that end goal.
00:04:25:07 - 00:04:29:11But engagement on its own won't necessarily ensure retention.
00:04:29:11 - 00:04:33:00Satisfaction on its own won't necessarily ensure retention,
00:04:34:10 - 00:04:37:04engagement, satisfaction in culture.
00:04:37:12 - 00:04:40:17What other employment alternatives are out there right now?
00:04:41:00 - 00:04:43:01All of those factors
00:04:43:17 - 00:04:48:07contribute to how long a person stays in the organization, not to mention
00:04:48:18 - 00:04:52:18the non-work-related components of our lives.
00:04:54:00 - 00:04:55:03Are we?
00:04:55:03 - 00:04:56:21Do we need to leave an organization
00:04:56:21 - 00:05:01:04because we have a change in our family, our spouse moving?
00:05:01:04 - 00:05:04:12So there's all the non-work-related factors that go in as well.
00:05:04:20 - 00:05:07:01So the when we think about
00:05:07:12 - 00:05:10:13using terms interchangeably, no, I would
00:05:10:15 - 00:05:15:01I want folks to really be clear about when they're looking
00:05:15:01 - 00:05:18:21to measure engagement or they want to change employee engagement.
00:05:18:21 - 00:05:22:14They're really looking at how to increase
00:05:23:13 - 00:05:27:10a sense of accountability and investment when they're looking to
00:05:28:12 - 00:05:30:04influence satisfaction.
00:05:30:04 - 00:05:35:06I want them to think about the experience, the employee experience,
00:05:35:06 - 00:05:37:06and then when they're thinking about retention,
00:05:37:06 - 00:05:40:11I want them to be thinking about, okay, the length of time
00:05:40:19 - 00:05:44:16people are in their organization or in the role in an organization
00:05:45:00 - 00:05:49:07you just mentioned about measuring employee engagement, And it's important
00:05:49:07 - 00:05:52:22for companies to really measure their success with employee engagement.
00:05:53:07 - 00:05:56:00So I guess that poses the question of
00:05:56:00 - 00:05:58:14can you actually measure engagement?
00:05:59:05 - 00:06:01:11The easy short answer is yes.
00:06:01:11 - 00:06:04:17The reality is it's hard to do
00:06:05:11 - 00:06:07:18because with any
00:06:09:23 - 00:06:12:03any human component that you're trying to measure,
00:06:12:03 - 00:06:15:07whether it's satisfaction, engagement
00:06:15:07 - 00:06:20:05and sense of culture in an organization, there are a lot of variables at play.
00:06:20:05 - 00:06:22:23So they they interact with each other, as I've already talked about.
00:06:23:18 - 00:06:26:19So the the best approach to
00:06:26:19 - 00:06:30:16measure engagement is to be knowledgeable about what
00:06:30:16 - 00:06:32:20your definition of engagement is going to be.
00:06:32:20 - 00:06:37:14So at MRA, we say that we're we're measuring engagement.
00:06:37:20 - 00:06:41:05We are looking to see how
00:06:41:14 - 00:06:45:06well the organization has identified their mission
00:06:45:22 - 00:06:49:04and how well they describe
00:06:49:04 - 00:06:52:10how employees jobs are tied to that mission.
00:06:53:06 - 00:06:59:02Then we're measuring the employees interest in the mission,
00:06:59:07 - 00:07:03:22the future of the organization and their perception of
00:07:04:05 - 00:07:07:19and and their willingness to contribute to the outcome of that.
00:07:07:19 - 00:07:12:05So we really define specifically what we're trying to measure.
00:07:12:05 - 00:07:14:19And then we design questions to align to that.
00:07:15:09 - 00:07:19:09And a lot of times, organization will say, I want to measure engagement
00:07:19:09 - 00:07:23:16and they may select a vendor to help them do that
00:07:24:09 - 00:07:26:20and their definitions don't align,
00:07:26:20 - 00:07:31:07or they might do their own survey and just ask questions
00:07:31:07 - 00:07:34:12that may or may not get at that construct of engagement.
00:07:34:12 - 00:07:37:04So it's hard to do, admittedly.
00:07:37:04 - 00:07:39:07But yes, you certainly can measure.
00:07:39:13 - 00:07:42:12And then kind of going off about what is your experience
00:07:42:12 - 00:07:47:22with using data metrics to really measure engagement?
00:07:48:20 - 00:07:51:17Well, you know, I do it all the time.
00:07:52:15 - 00:07:56:14So for the past nine years, I've been administering
00:07:56:14 - 00:07:59:16employee engagement surveys to members of MRA.
00:08:00:20 - 00:08:03:00And one of the
00:08:03:00 - 00:08:06:02things that I find interesting
00:08:06:02 - 00:08:10:09is that no matter that you organization, no matter the industry,
00:08:10:18 - 00:08:14:00no matter the size of the company, there are
00:08:14:03 - 00:08:17:16themes that continue to surface
00:08:18:05 - 00:08:22:06when it comes to employee engagement, and that is that in order for
00:08:23:07 - 00:08:25:13people to really feel a sense of engagement,
00:08:26:15 - 00:08:29:16they do need to know that mission.
00:08:29:16 - 00:08:32:06They need to know how their job aligns.
00:08:32:06 - 00:08:36:00They need to feel a part of the organization.
00:08:36:00 - 00:08:37:18They need to feel like they are in the know.
00:08:37:18 - 00:08:41:23So communication becomes a critical piece for them
00:08:43:02 - 00:08:47:22and then a sense of growth in the organization that they can grow
00:08:47:22 - 00:08:51:15their skillset, not necessarily moving up in the organization,
00:08:52:01 - 00:08:58:00but feeling like that they are learning as they are giving to the organization.
00:08:58:00 - 00:09:02:08And you can certainly you can measure all of that
00:09:02:08 - 00:09:06:00through surveys and surveys are important to do.
00:09:06:00 - 00:09:09:00But the other component of measuring engagement
00:09:09:12 - 00:09:13:00is the qualitative side,
00:09:13:08 - 00:09:17:18meaning engagement is visual, you can observe it.
00:09:18:04 - 00:09:21:14So organizations that are interested
00:09:21:14 - 00:09:24:19in engagement, I encourage them to collect
00:09:25:00 - 00:09:27:07the metrics, to run the surveys,
00:09:27:21 - 00:09:31:16but also to begin to know what it looks like.
00:09:31:16 - 00:09:34:11And sounds like that too, is measurement.
00:09:34:19 - 00:09:39:06And in a lot of ways it is a more valuable measure of engagement.
00:09:39:06 - 00:09:40:21Yeah, I really like that.
00:09:40:21 - 00:09:46:01That kind of brings us to our next point that engagement is not all one sided too.
00:09:46:09 - 00:09:50:18It's not all on the employer manager to keep employees engaged,
00:09:50:18 - 00:09:55:11and it's also not all on the employees to make sure that they stay engaged.
00:09:55:11 - 00:09:58:03You So can you talk about that for a little bit,
00:09:58:12 - 00:10:00:04oh, I could talk about that for a long time.
00:10:00:04 - 00:10:05:15Sophie because I think that is one of the most intriguing components of engagement.
00:10:05:15 - 00:10:08:08It really is a two way street.
00:10:09:05 - 00:10:11:10It is. It's an equation.
00:10:11:10 - 00:10:15:18So there are things that the organization must do
00:10:16:11 - 00:10:19:15in order to ensure that employees can engage.
00:10:20:00 - 00:10:23:11So they do need as I know I'm repeating myself here,
00:10:23:11 - 00:10:26:21but they do need to say, Hey, this is who we are as an organization.
00:10:26:21 - 00:10:28:15This is our purpose.
00:10:28:15 - 00:10:30:23And that needs to be a prevalent message
00:10:31:14 - 00:10:34:13for each position in the organization.
00:10:34:13 - 00:10:39:22It needs to be clear how that position contributes to the purpose.
00:10:40:14 - 00:10:44:18So the employer is responsible for those two things.
00:10:45:05 - 00:10:49:12Well, if if I am coming to work for your organization, Sophie,
00:10:49:12 - 00:10:51:00and you're that you're my,
00:10:51:00 - 00:10:53:07you're going to be my leader and you explain those things to me.
00:10:53:07 - 00:10:54:07Really well.
00:10:54:07 - 00:10:57:14You've done the first two pieces for my engagement,
00:10:57:21 - 00:11:00:00but the second two are mine.
00:11:00:10 - 00:11:05:16So I have to then say, Oh, yes, I like what this organization is about.
00:11:06:01 - 00:11:11:18I like with the role is about I want to stay here while I want to contribute.
00:11:12:07 - 00:11:14:08So I have to make that choice.
00:11:14:08 - 00:11:17:13And then the second piece for me as the employee is
00:11:17:13 - 00:11:21:12I now have to apply my knowledge, skills and abilities.
00:11:21:18 - 00:11:23:04So I have to apply myself.
00:11:23:04 - 00:11:25:07I have to really get involved.
00:11:25:07 - 00:11:27:22So that is the employee's
00:11:27:22 - 00:11:30:14responsibility for engagement.
00:11:30:14 - 00:11:35:08Then if I say yes, I want to be a part of this organization,
00:11:35:08 - 00:11:40:04I want to contribute, then it's back to you as my leader
00:11:40:17 - 00:11:45:16to ensure that I have what I need to do my job too.
00:11:45:16 - 00:11:47:22I have the tools and equipment.
00:11:47:22 - 00:11:53:01As the job changes, do I have the opportunity to gain new skills?
00:11:53:01 - 00:11:55:18So you've got to help me to continue to grow.
00:11:56:06 - 00:11:59:16And then also I have to feel visible in the organization.
00:11:59:23 - 00:12:03:06Now we talk about employee recognition a lot,
00:12:04:09 - 00:12:05:18but we often think about employee
00:12:05:18 - 00:12:09:05recognition as tokens or money.
00:12:09:15 - 00:12:14:15But when it comes to engagement, the recognition is primarily
00:12:14:23 - 00:12:17:05between the employee and their leader.
00:12:17:10 - 00:12:22:06So do you see me if I'm having to put in a lot of effort
00:12:22:20 - 00:12:25:01to complete a project
00:12:26:13 - 00:12:28:01and I'm working a lot of hours, let's
00:12:28:01 - 00:12:31:01say your simple acknowledgment of Kristi.
00:12:31:01 - 00:12:34:14Thank you. I know that this is a long haul.
00:12:34:14 - 00:12:36:14I know you're contributing a lot of hours.
00:12:36:14 - 00:12:38:10Thank you for doing so.
00:12:38:10 - 00:12:39:15I feel visible.
00:12:39:15 - 00:12:43:18But if I'm giving, giving, giving and my immediate leader isn’t
00:12:43:20 - 00:12:46:17recognizing that, then over time
00:12:47:17 - 00:12:50:18I tend to not just myself, I'm using myself
00:12:50:18 - 00:12:55:11in the examples, but over time people will give less.
00:12:55:11 - 00:12:57:05They'll sort of pull back.
00:12:57:05 - 00:13:02:06It's not necessarily disengaging, but for a lot of organizations that are
00:13:02:06 - 00:13:06:18measuring engagement, their populations by go from highly engaged to engaged.
00:13:07:02 - 00:13:11:08So feeling valued and visible for the contributions
00:13:11:10 - 00:13:15:17for the outcomes is important to sustain engagement.
00:13:15:23 - 00:13:17:11Yeah, those are great points.
00:13:17:11 - 00:13:19:04I love the recognition piece
00:13:19:04 - 00:13:22:09because I feel like that's very important for me to use to be like
00:13:23:19 - 00:13:26:01that kind of just motivates you to like keep going.
00:13:26:01 - 00:13:28:02Like, Hey, my work work's being recognized.
00:13:28:06 - 00:13:29:13They like what I'm doing.
00:13:29:13 - 00:13:32:11I keep going kind of, yeah. So I like that.
00:13:32:23 - 00:13:35:04Let's say that
00:13:35:04 - 00:13:37:12you're organization and start to notice
00:13:37:12 - 00:13:41:21that employee engagement is starting to decline.
00:13:41:21 - 00:13:44:13What would you say the first action step is?
00:13:45:06 - 00:13:47:16Oh, this is not our question.
00:13:48:00 - 00:13:50:22Yeah, this is probably not going to be a thing
00:13:50:22 - 00:13:53:11for an answer for for people to hear.
00:13:54:03 - 00:13:57:21But this goes back to the two ways to measure engagement.
00:13:57:23 - 00:14:02:11Yes, you can do surveys, but you can also observe engagement.
00:14:02:21 - 00:14:08:04And so my hope is that for organizations
00:14:08:04 - 00:14:11:21where someone is now concerned that engagement may have dropped,
00:14:12:23 - 00:14:15:20my preference and hope would be that they're noticing,
00:14:15:20 - 00:14:18:06they're hearing the difference. There's standing difference.
00:14:18:06 - 00:14:21:14And as soon as they hear or see it that individual leaders
00:14:21:14 - 00:14:26:05are talking with their folks, this is what's often less appealing
00:14:26:18 - 00:14:31:02because it's easy to get a survey and let there be anonymous responses.
00:14:31:14 - 00:14:34:20But Sophie, going back to the example, if you're my leader
00:14:35:18 - 00:14:38:06and you're working with me and you know
00:14:38:06 - 00:14:40:17that I've been a consistent performer
00:14:41:12 - 00:14:44:03and I have demonstrated interest
00:14:44:03 - 00:14:49:10and concern and now you see change, the quickest, best action
00:14:49:10 - 00:14:53:15is to have a one on one discussion to say, Hey, Kristi,
00:14:54:03 - 00:14:59:21I notice, that lately you're you're not as talkative in meetings or
00:15:00:20 - 00:15:01:12I notice
00:15:01:12 - 00:15:04:13that you're not volunteering for some of the extra projects.
00:15:04:13 - 00:15:07:12You know, you're just kind of only a late answer,
00:15:07:18 - 00:15:10:06whatever it is, and that the
00:15:10:19 - 00:15:14:00the discussion can open up at that point because that
00:15:14:00 - 00:15:18:06discussion enables a leader to learn
00:15:18:06 - 00:15:21:16what roadblock may now be underway
00:15:22:03 - 00:15:27:13or what has changed in that employee for their engagement to shift.
00:15:27:14 - 00:15:31:08And so that is the best thing to do in that moment.
00:15:31:08 - 00:15:37:00Now from employee engagement surveys, I can guess what
00:15:37:09 - 00:15:40:02changes have occurred,
00:15:40:02 - 00:15:42:07what we see and what we have seen
00:15:42:07 - 00:15:45:15not only during COVID but over the past decade.
00:15:45:23 - 00:15:49:12The biggest factors that
00:15:50:21 - 00:15:52:23influence engagement
00:15:52:23 - 00:15:57:01is the level of communication on the day to day.
00:15:57:10 - 00:16:01:09So if the job changes and that employee was not aware,
00:16:02:00 - 00:16:04:12then that's really going to alter their engagement.
00:16:05:00 - 00:16:07:14If they have expressed an interest
00:16:07:14 - 00:16:12:18or a need to learn something new and their leader leader
00:16:12:18 - 00:16:16:05is not arranging for that, that's going to drive engagement.
00:16:16:16 - 00:16:18:08It's going to change engagement.
00:16:18:08 - 00:16:22:12If they feel like they've been hired to do a certain job
00:16:22:12 - 00:16:26:10and they're not allowed to do it either because they are being micromanaged
00:16:26:10 - 00:16:30:09or because there's a disconnect between what they're doing
00:16:30:09 - 00:16:32:08and what their colleague is doing
00:16:32:08 - 00:16:34:20or what their department is doing in another department is doing.
00:16:34:20 - 00:16:36:13They're not working well together.
00:16:36:13 - 00:16:38:04That's going to hinder engagement.
00:16:38:04 - 00:16:43:05So having those conversations enables a leader and an employee
00:16:43:13 - 00:16:48:10to identify what has changed or what may be a factor,
00:16:48:11 - 00:16:52:12and then to work together to try to improve that.
00:16:52:22 - 00:16:55:23And even all those conversations and probably difficult
00:16:55:23 - 00:16:57:20or might be hard to bring up.
00:16:57:20 - 00:17:02:02It also shows that, hey, my leader cares about you and cares
00:17:02:07 - 00:17:07:11why I'm not performing my best and stuff like you and Sophie.
00:17:07:11 - 00:17:10:03On that point, I have to also say,
00:17:10:21 - 00:17:14:05you know, engagement, as we have mentioned, is two ways.
00:17:14:10 - 00:17:14:21Yeah.
00:17:14:21 - 00:17:20:08And I have to now also acknowledge that for leaders a lot of times
00:17:21:10 - 00:17:24:01engaged employees are
00:17:24:16 - 00:17:31:07challenging for leaders because if if an employee is really engaged,
00:17:31:12 - 00:17:37:04they care and they have high expectations to be in the know.
00:17:37:07 - 00:17:39:17Yeah. Or for things to be fixed.
00:17:39:17 - 00:17:43:08And so a lot of times to have these one on one discussions,
00:17:43:19 - 00:17:48:06the leader is a little bit vulnerable to what the employee's expressing.
00:17:48:12 - 00:17:52:02And depending upon that employee's personality,
00:17:52:02 - 00:17:53:10they can be really passionate.
00:17:53:10 - 00:17:57:12And so they have a lot of energy about what is happy about.
00:17:57:19 - 00:18:00:10The leader could just be like, Oh,
00:18:00:12 - 00:18:02:19that's a good point, what do I do?
00:18:03:21 - 00:18:06:22And so in all fairness, that's I think that's
00:18:06:22 - 00:18:12:03one of the biggest challenges for leaders when they are managing engaged employees.
00:18:12:18 - 00:18:14:17I mean, highly engaged employees.
00:18:14:17 - 00:18:17:11You can almost feel that momentum from them.
00:18:17:19 - 00:18:21:15So the leader needs to be prepared to handle that and be okay.
00:18:21:15 - 00:18:22:00Right.
00:18:22:00 - 00:18:25:09The kind of going off of that declining
00:18:25:09 - 00:18:28:20employee engagement, we're still hearing about quiet quitting.
00:18:29:06 - 00:18:31:13So how does that tie into engagement?
00:18:31:13 - 00:18:34:14And can you recommend anything to leaders out there
00:18:34:14 - 00:18:37:19or even just employees experiencing quiet quitting?
00:18:39:07 - 00:18:42:05I have I have some feelings about that term.
00:18:42:05 - 00:18:46:04I struggle with quiet quitting a little bit because I know it's
00:18:46:04 - 00:18:49:22been a term of interest in the past year or so.
00:18:50:21 - 00:18:54:00And I think that it really depends
00:18:54:12 - 00:18:57:19on how you define defining quiet quitting.
00:18:58:12 - 00:19:02:03Some folks have defined quiet quitting to be
00:19:02:03 - 00:19:06:15oh, a person is no longer going above and beyond for if that's your definition,
00:19:07:06 - 00:19:10:20then then there's no problem in that sense.
00:19:10:20 - 00:19:14:18Because if you think about a person no longer going above and beyond,
00:19:15:14 - 00:19:20:13if you think about how we rate performance in organizations, we give ratings.
00:19:20:13 - 00:19:25:06If we're still doing ratings will go to the ratings of exceeds
00:19:25:06 - 00:19:28:08expectations meets expectations
00:19:28:12 - 00:19:32:00is not meeting, it's below expectations.
00:19:32:00 - 00:19:36:09So when a person goes above and beyond, then theoretically they should be rated
00:19:36:09 - 00:19:37:23exceeds expectations.
00:19:37:23 - 00:19:40:12If they're no longer doing that, but they're still getting their work done.
00:19:40:13 - 00:19:43:12They're meeting expectations and quiet. Quitting is not a problem
00:19:44:15 - 00:19:45:22if you define quiet.
00:19:45:22 - 00:19:50:14Quitting though, as a person who is not
00:19:51:03 - 00:19:53:12meeting expectations of the role,
00:19:54:01 - 00:19:58:19then I would say in terms of measuring engagement,
00:19:59:00 - 00:20:01:19that person's performance is now subpar
00:20:02:03 - 00:20:05:19and they may be moving into the less engaged category.
00:20:06:05 - 00:20:09:12And when you think about engagement and satisfaction,
00:20:09:12 - 00:20:13:18it might mean that their satisfaction is still good.
00:20:13:18 - 00:20:16:20They're still content to stay with the organization,
00:20:17:08 - 00:20:21:07but they're not contributing as much if they're not meeting your expectations,
00:20:21:07 - 00:20:25:11you have to address that from the objective perspective of the role.
00:20:26:00 - 00:20:31:07But is they are not giving the extra and you want that back,
00:20:31:17 - 00:20:34:01then it's back to what we talked about before
00:20:34:01 - 00:20:37:12and you've got to be able to sit down and say, Kristi, I noticed
00:20:37:23 - 00:20:41:08that you're no longer doing X, Y and Z.
00:20:41:08 - 00:20:43:22So those conversations are critical,
00:20:44:23 - 00:20:45:12but I
00:20:45:12 - 00:20:48:01am just not that concerned with quiet quitting.
00:20:48:12 - 00:20:51:20I think I think for a lot of organizations
00:20:51:20 - 00:20:54:20and for a lot of employees
00:20:54:22 - 00:20:58:07that there has been a shift, you know, since Covid,
00:20:58:12 - 00:21:03:00where people really are evaluating, Yeah, how if I want to spend my time
00:21:03:10 - 00:21:06:07and quite honestly for us as employers,
00:21:07:01 - 00:21:10:04the flip side of that is, you know,
00:21:10:04 - 00:21:14:18if we have not been acknowledging the contributions,
00:21:15:02 - 00:21:20:03then the employees are that are creating that balance for themselves.
00:21:20:14 - 00:21:21:21And that makes sense.
00:21:21:21 - 00:21:25:04So kind of tying together all of this.
00:21:25:04 - 00:21:28:21The title for the episode is the engagement equation
00:21:29:04 - 00:21:31:01Finding the Right Balance.
00:21:31:01 - 00:21:34:14So to close out for today, what is one piece of advice
00:21:34:14 - 00:21:39:23that you would give employers on finding that right balance?
00:21:39:23 - 00:21:41:20If you are
00:21:43:01 - 00:21:43:22an organization that
00:21:43:22 - 00:21:46:22really is interested in employee engagement?
00:21:47:18 - 00:21:50:18I the one piece of advice I want to give
00:21:50:22 - 00:21:53:12is to start at the beginning of the process.
00:21:54:05 - 00:22:01:14The beginning of the process is for leaders to truly understand
00:22:01:14 - 00:22:08:04the positions that report to them, not the people, but the positions.
00:22:08:04 - 00:22:09:20What are you asking?
00:22:09:20 - 00:22:13:14And in that position, where are the expectations?
00:22:13:17 - 00:22:16:18What are the goals
00:22:16:18 - 00:22:19:12and how are you measuring those things?
00:22:20:02 - 00:22:23:01Because it's only when leaders truly
00:22:23:01 - 00:22:27:23know what the purpose of that role is, when it's really defined for them,
00:22:28:11 - 00:22:30:14that's when they can begin to
00:22:32:08 - 00:22:35:20assess what meeting expectations really means,
00:22:36:03 - 00:22:40:00what exceeding it really means, what it means to go above and beyond.
00:22:40:11 - 00:22:43:06And they can coach effectively
00:22:43:22 - 00:22:47:06and they can also, when they're having people enter into a role,
00:22:47:19 - 00:22:51:22they can get those people to invest quicker.
00:22:52:05 - 00:22:56:03So being really certain about the positions
00:22:56:03 - 00:22:59:19that newly it is the first step for engagement.
00:22:59:23 - 00:23:00:17Absolutely.
00:23:00:17 - 00:23:05:10That's great advice to anyone who thinks, Do you have any last piece of advice
00:23:05:10 - 00:23:09:02or any lasting comments to before we wrap up today.
00:23:11:06 - 00:23:14:05So all of you, I know we've talked a lot about this for your side, but
00:23:14:05 - 00:23:18:18Sophie, you did touch on the fact earlier that engagement is a two way street.
00:23:18:18 - 00:23:24:13And so for the employee perspective is where most of us are employees Somewhere.
00:23:24:14 - 00:23:25:05Yeah,
00:23:26:05 - 00:23:30:23for, for us as individuals, engagement is important
00:23:31:05 - 00:23:35:01because it gives us a sense of value and purpose.
00:23:35:21 - 00:23:38:08If we're working, this is important
00:23:38:08 - 00:23:41:04for us to say what I'm doing is really meaningful.
00:23:41:13 - 00:23:47:14And so, you know, if you don't really feel engaged in what you're doing
00:23:47:23 - 00:23:53:13and you're thinking about maybe making a change to something that you think
00:23:53:13 - 00:23:57:00would be a better fit for you,
00:23:57:00 - 00:24:01:17I would encourage you to really do that because in order for you
00:24:01:17 - 00:24:06:05to find work valuable, engagement is this key for you.
00:24:06:05 - 00:24:08:08It's not just being satisfied.
00:24:08:08 - 00:24:13:06Engagement is a sense of fulfillment and it's just a healthier way to work.
00:24:13:20 - 00:24:14:15Absolutely.
00:24:14:15 - 00:24:19:03Well, I want to thank you for all you do at MRA, because you’re amazing
00:24:19:04 - 00:24:21:22and I want to thank you for being on 30 minutes Thrive today
00:24:21:22 - 00:24:25:14and really sharing your knowledge and expertise on employee engagement.
00:24:26:02 - 00:24:30:00So to our listeners, if you liked our chat and topic today,
00:24:30:12 - 00:24:33:03make sure you share this episode and leave a comment.
00:24:33:03 - 00:24:37:22Leave a review and consider joining MRA if you aren't a member already
00:24:37:23 - 00:24:41:23because we have all the show notes or all the resources in the show notes below.
00:24:42:07 - 00:24:44:03So make sure you take a look at those.
00:24:44:03 - 00:24:47:18We've also included Kristi's bio and LinkedIn profile,
00:24:47:18 - 00:24:50:18so if you want to connect with her, get in touch with her.
00:24:51:09 - 00:24:53:19We have all those resources available for you.
00:24:54:07 - 00:24:58:04Otherwise, thanks so much for tuning in and we will see you next week.
00:24:59:05 - 00:25:01:23And that wraps up our content for this episode.
00:25:02:00 - 00:25:05:04Be sure to reference the show notes where you can sign up to connect.
00:25:05:04 - 00:25:06:20For more podcast updates,
00:25:06:20 - 00:25:10:14check out other MRA episodes on your favorite podcast platform.
00:25:10:14 - 00:25:15:13And as always, make sure to follow MRA’s 30 minutes Thrive, so you don't miss out.
00:25:15:14 - 00:25:16:10Thanks for tuning
00:25:16:10 - 00:25:20:04in, and we'll see you next Wednesday to carry on the HR conversation.
Wednesday Mar 29, 2023
Wednesday Mar 29, 2023
Description: In this podcast, we'll explore the changing landscape of talent acquisition and how recruiters can stay ahead of the game.
We interviewed industry expert and thought leader, Jennifer Trucks, Recruiting Business Partner at MRA, who shares her insights and perspectives on the current state of the recruitment landscape and offers practical advice for recruiters looking to stay competitive in today's fast-paced job market.
Whether you're a seasoned HR professional or just starting out in the world of recruitment, "Talent Takeover" will provide you with the knowledge and inspiration you need to succeed in your career. So tune in and join the conversation!
Key Takeaways:
What does Jerry Maguire have to do with recruiting? The specific line of, "Help me help you" is a great recruiting takeaway.
If you don't hear from a candidate in a day or two - follow up with them! Communication is so important during the interviewing/recruiting process!
Candidates and recruiters - stop ghosting!
Resources:
Recruiting Services
Effective Interviewing and Hiring Training
MRA Membership
About MRA
Let's Connect:
Guest Bio - Jennifer Trucks
Guest LinkedIn Profile - Jennifer Trucks
Host Bio - Sophie Boler
Host LinkedIn Profile - Sophie Boler
Transcript:
Transcripts are computer generated -- not 100% accurate word-for-word.
00:00:00:01 - 00:00:03:10Hello everybody and welcome to 30 minute Thrive,
00:00:03:10 - 00:00:06:20your go to podcast for anything and everything HR.
00:00:06:21 - 00:00:09:22powered by MRA, the Management Association.
00:00:09:23 - 00:00:12:23Looking to stay on top of the ever changing world of HR.
00:00:12:23 - 00:00:14:18MRA has got you covered.
00:00:14:18 - 00:00:17:16We'll be the first to tell you what's hot and what's not.
00:00:17:16 - 00:00:21:03I'm your host, Sophie Boler, and we are so glad you're here.
00:00:21:04 - 00:00:23:08Now it's time to thrive.
00:00:23:08 - 00:00:26:06Hello and welcome to this episode of 30 Minute
00:00:26:06 - 00:00:29:09Thrive I'm excited to talk about our topic for today
00:00:29:09 - 00:00:32:21and that is Talent Takeover, What Recruiters Need to know.
00:00:33:05 - 00:00:36:00And thankfully, I'm joined by an expert
00:00:36:00 - 00:00:39:05on all things recruiting, and that is Jennifer Trucks.
00:00:39:07 - 00:00:42:05She's a recruiting business partner here at MRA.
00:00:42:17 - 00:00:47:03Jennifer really started her career as a coordinator at a small staffing firm
00:00:47:03 - 00:00:52:01and continued to work in staffing until moving into corporate recruitment.
00:00:52:12 - 00:00:55:05From there, she transitioned into management
00:00:55:05 - 00:00:59:13consulting, working with various companies and full cycle recruitment
00:00:59:13 - 00:01:03:16through technical professional and administrative positions.
00:01:04:03 - 00:01:07:00So you've really been involved in recruiting all of your life.
00:01:07:00 - 00:01:10:15It sounds like pretty much, yeah, for over ten years.
00:01:11:15 - 00:01:12:17Well, I appreciate you
00:01:12:17 - 00:01:16:14coming on the podcast and sharing your expertise on recruiting.
00:01:16:16 - 00:01:18:14Yes, thanks for having me.
00:01:18:14 - 00:01:23:21So let's first get really a better idea of what you do on a day to day basis.
00:01:23:23 - 00:01:27:17So could you describe a day in the life of a recruiter?
00:01:27:23 - 00:01:28:23Absolutely.
00:01:28:23 - 00:01:32:09Well, of course, it depends on the environment you're in right now.
00:01:32:09 - 00:01:33:07As a recruiter.
00:01:33:07 - 00:01:37:15You can be, you know, for example, here at MRA recruiting with for our members.
00:01:37:22 - 00:01:39:20But there's also corporate recruiters.
00:01:39:20 - 00:01:41:01There are recruiters
00:01:41:01 - 00:01:44:20that work in staffing agencies and then also in like an RPO model.
00:01:44:20 - 00:01:47:00So that's also like recruitment, outsourcing.
00:01:47:11 - 00:01:50:22But I once worked for a woman who told me that
00:01:51:00 - 00:01:55:02a really good skilled recruiter is like a master juggler,
00:01:55:03 - 00:01:56:01because without a lot of things
00:01:56:01 - 00:02:00:02going at the same time or the core going through applicants
00:02:00:02 - 00:02:03:11who are scheduling interviews from there or conducting those interviews,
00:02:03:17 - 00:02:06:07and if after those middles they want to move forward,
00:02:06:07 - 00:02:09:04then we're scheduling on site, we're having to do virtual.
00:02:09:04 - 00:02:13:19So coordinating with multiple calendars, editing any interview notes, maybe we're
00:02:13:19 - 00:02:18:04writing additional emails, doing job descriptions, postings, interview guides.
00:02:18:11 - 00:02:21:15A lot of times recruiters are also responsible for employer branding.
00:02:21:15 - 00:02:26:00So really putting their employer out there on social media, posting on LinkedIn.
00:02:26:08 - 00:02:29:02We also use LinkedIn as a sourcing platform,
00:02:29:02 - 00:02:31:11including indeed, and other job sites.
00:02:31:23 - 00:02:35:19We're also sending out additional messaging and hoping to get some responses
00:02:35:19 - 00:02:40:07too. So we're also polling data that we're getting from that outreach.
00:02:40:07 - 00:02:42:11We're looking at those incoming applicants too,
00:02:42:11 - 00:02:45:07and looking at different trends and trying to evaluate,
00:02:45:14 - 00:02:49:05you know, what this all means, that we could provide feedback to our clients
00:02:49:05 - 00:02:53:16who are members in this search and even to look for areas of improvement.
00:02:53:16 - 00:02:58:18So, you know, it's like we are an admin, we're an analyst.
00:02:58:19 - 00:03:03:12Sometimes we work as a project manager, we represent HR in the process.
00:03:03:12 - 00:03:06:05And then there's also that sales and marketing piece too, too.
00:03:06:05 - 00:03:07:16So, oh, that's really neat.
00:03:07:16 - 00:03:12:12I feel like some people don't know the full realm of why recruiters do.
00:03:12:15 - 00:03:14:16It’s cool to know what you do.
00:03:14:16 - 00:03:18:11And yes, they're going to be very busy.
00:03:18:11 - 00:03:21:18So now that the talent has really taken over
00:03:21:18 - 00:03:25:15and so the title for this podcast, can you share any examples
00:03:25:15 - 00:03:29:08or stories of changes that you've seen in the interview process?
00:03:29:16 - 00:03:30:12Well, absolutely.
00:03:30:12 - 00:03:34:14I feel like we are really looking to shorten the interview process, right,
00:03:34:15 - 00:03:38:23knowing that, you know, talent is kind of coming across
00:03:38:23 - 00:03:42:23as being more hard to find and with the competition
00:03:42:23 - 00:03:46:01with other companies to, you know, really is making sure
00:03:46:01 - 00:03:49:12that we can streamline it so that way it's quick, efficient,
00:03:49:17 - 00:03:52:07but also that we're able to get these people in the front door.
00:03:52:14 - 00:03:54:13You know, it also depends on the type of role
00:03:54:13 - 00:03:58:08and the level of skill that, you know, an example is I'm also right now
00:03:58:08 - 00:04:02:11working for a manufacturer and I'm working on machine operator positions.
00:04:02:19 - 00:04:04:03If they find someone they like
00:04:04:03 - 00:04:08:12and they're going to interview them within a week, offer them on site, right.
00:04:08:12 - 00:04:11:16And get that background check going so they can get them on board
00:04:11:21 - 00:04:14:19within it to expand and try to incentivize them
00:04:15:01 - 00:04:18:14so that way they actually start, you know, because that's always the struggle.
00:04:19:02 - 00:04:23:13But beyond that, right, if you're working on like a director level position, right.
00:04:23:13 - 00:04:27:04Especially, you know, those higher level roles, you're dealing with multiple
00:04:27:04 - 00:04:31:22interview steps that can involve multiple calendars, that involve multiple people.
00:04:32:04 - 00:04:34:00You know, they may also have to do a project
00:04:34:00 - 00:04:37:09or a presentation during the interview, which can also extend it out,
00:04:37:16 - 00:04:41:16you know, So sometimes that can very much depend on what's going on.
00:04:41:16 - 00:04:45:10But as a recruiter, we need to be continuing to persuade
00:04:45:12 - 00:04:47:17not only hiring managers but also our,
00:04:47:17 - 00:04:51:12you know, clients to move the process forward, have them understand
00:04:51:12 - 00:04:54:20the competition, especially, you know, with these candidates
00:04:54:20 - 00:04:58:12to see where else they're interviewing and make sure that they're still engaged.
00:04:58:17 - 00:05:01:15So that way they are going to be, of course, finishing the process
00:05:01:15 - 00:05:03:13and getting them in front of the front door of.
00:05:03:13 - 00:05:04:19Yeah, absolutely.
00:05:04:19 - 00:05:05:04Yeah.
00:05:05:04 - 00:05:09:04And just kind of continuing the conversation on candidates and talent
00:05:09:06 - 00:05:11:16and what are they really looking for these days.
00:05:11:18 - 00:05:15:18And yes, I think, you know, candidates are really working for
00:05:15:18 - 00:05:19:12nowadays is not only, of course, better compensation and pay rights.
00:05:19:12 - 00:05:22:01You know, people want to be seen more.
00:05:22:01 - 00:05:26:00Inflation doesn't help, but it's beyond that, too.
00:05:26:00 - 00:05:28:09It's also those benefits, too, Right.
00:05:28:09 - 00:05:30:11What is the PTO package?
00:05:30:22 - 00:05:35:00Is the insurance going to be less than what they're paying for now?
00:05:35:12 - 00:05:37:14What is also offered to them, too? Right.
00:05:37:14 - 00:05:39:05When they look at, you know, leave,
00:05:39:05 - 00:05:43:01when they look at paid holidays and other additional incentives, too?
00:05:43:01 - 00:05:44:21Are they getting bonuses at the end of the year?
00:05:44:21 - 00:05:47:11Are they getting equity beyond that, too?
00:05:47:11 - 00:05:48:12It's flexibility.
00:05:48:12 - 00:05:48:23Right.
00:05:48:23 - 00:05:51:10And now a lot of companies are starting to transition
00:05:51:10 - 00:05:53:03and having people come on site more.
00:05:53:03 - 00:05:57:15But is there flexibility around that if they needed to work from home that day?
00:05:57:20 - 00:06:01:19Or is there a policy where maybe there can be more of a hybrid capacity?
00:06:02:03 - 00:06:04:19And then from there, really what's that growth and development?
00:06:04:19 - 00:06:07:23And, you know, a lot of people want to know, well, where can I see
00:06:07:23 - 00:06:11:19myself in the next two, three, five years within this company?
00:06:12:01 - 00:06:15:16Can I move up or am I going to be stuck in the same role?
00:06:15:16 - 00:06:19:04So what do those plans look like and how can they get them there?
00:06:19:06 - 00:06:19:16Yeah.
00:06:19:16 - 00:06:22:05So you've been like we mentioned, you've been recruiting
00:06:22:12 - 00:06:26:07seems like your whole life or your whole professional life. Yes.
00:06:27:02 - 00:06:30:15You've kind of seen how that interview time in length
00:06:30:15 - 00:06:34:04has changed and shortened throughout the years. Yes.
00:06:34:05 - 00:06:36:04So what else has kind of changed
00:06:36:04 - 00:06:38:08throughout the years that you've seen with recruiting?
00:06:38:16 - 00:06:41:14Well, I definitely would say was interview process, right.
00:06:41:15 - 00:06:43:12We're really looking at shortening that.
00:06:43:12 - 00:06:44:16And I know I talked about it
00:06:44:16 - 00:06:47:11depends on the role and the skill set and everything else.
00:06:47:17 - 00:06:51:09But I feel like from when that candidate has the initial conversation
00:06:51:09 - 00:06:53:08to when they get that offer in hand,
00:06:53:08 - 00:06:56:14it should be within 2 to 3 weeks, which some people think is crazy.
00:06:57:00 - 00:07:00:22But when I was in the corporate world and we had our average time
00:07:00:22 - 00:07:05:04to fill to be around like 40 to 60 days, which is like a month and a half to two,
00:07:05:09 - 00:07:08:08and sometimes that is the case for a certain roles as well.
00:07:08:08 - 00:07:13:00But being able to reduce that time, as I said, really helps with trying to
00:07:13:00 - 00:07:16:11not only get talent in the door, but to help with any additional,
00:07:16:11 - 00:07:18:18I would say, to kind of competition as well.
00:07:19:06 - 00:07:21:10And I also feel as though candidates
00:07:21:12 - 00:07:25:15have more of the say in the process and also more what they want.
00:07:25:21 - 00:07:30:11And I think employers are now even to really catering to those needs.
00:07:30:11 - 00:07:31:00Right.
00:07:31:00 - 00:07:32:21We talk about, I think a lot of times
00:07:32:21 - 00:07:37:04to pay transparency, and now companies are putting their salaries
00:07:37:04 - 00:07:40:14on their job descriptions and postings, which is amazing.
00:07:40:14 - 00:07:43:01They didn't do that ten years ago.
00:07:43:01 - 00:07:45:08Seem to benefit offerings. Right? They didn't.
00:07:45:08 - 00:07:47:13They just say we have great benefits.
00:07:47:13 - 00:07:51:11But now they get to say like we offer like different
00:07:51:11 - 00:07:55:09types of benefits around leaves that you can take or even to.
00:07:55:09 - 00:07:58:14We have so many days of PTO, so many paid holidays like,
00:07:58:22 - 00:08:02:04you know, this is also to a different insurance plans we offer.
00:08:02:04 - 00:08:05:08So they're putting that out there more so people can be like,
00:08:05:08 - 00:08:08:03you know what, This would be a really good fit for me as well.
00:08:08:03 - 00:08:11:13And I think that's what's really changed, I like that they're being more
00:08:11:13 - 00:08:14:06transparent and specific and what they offer.
00:08:14:14 - 00:08:19:01Oh, I remember when I was hired as an intern here,
00:08:19:09 - 00:08:24:06I think the whole process took maybe a week and a half.
00:08:24:06 - 00:08:25:16It was so fast.
00:08:25:16 - 00:08:28:09And that was one thing where I was like, Wow, this is impressive.
00:08:28:09 - 00:08:31:19Like, Yeah, and really stepping up their game, right?
00:08:32:00 - 00:08:36:03I was I remember just like being contacted every day
00:08:36:03 - 00:08:38:20and just like having an answer by the end of the day.
00:08:38:20 - 00:08:39:22And that was really nice.
00:08:39:22 - 00:08:42:00So no call. Exactly.
00:08:42:00 - 00:08:44:04And that's how you get people that are real.
00:08:44:04 - 00:08:45:03That's why you're here now.
00:08:46:11 - 00:08:47:03So we
00:08:47:03 - 00:08:50:22all know that there are standard interview questions that you have to ask
00:08:50:22 - 00:08:54:23a candidate for interviews, but are there any questions outside
00:08:54:23 - 00:08:59:03of those standard ones that are related to the position
00:08:59:03 - 00:09:02:15or company that recruiters should be asking candidates?
00:09:02:15 - 00:09:06:12Yes, I do really feel like recruiters should really dig into like, well,
00:09:06:12 - 00:09:09:23what kind of culture environment does that individual and be a part of?
00:09:09:23 - 00:09:10:10Right.
00:09:10:10 - 00:09:11:20You know, when you're interviewing someone,
00:09:11:20 - 00:09:14:02if they're like, yeah, I want to be part of a fast paced,
00:09:14:08 - 00:09:18:02cutting edge, innovative, you know, company or role.
00:09:18:02 - 00:09:21:02And they're interviewing maybe for a place where that is.
00:09:21:04 - 00:09:24:04It's a case, right, though, like while you're working
00:09:24:04 - 00:09:28:11for a regulatory company and there's more compliance based, it's not as quick.
00:09:28:20 - 00:09:29:01You know,
00:09:29:01 - 00:09:32:01you have to be honest about those things because even as an outsider
00:09:32:01 - 00:09:36:00looking in though, you may not be that actual internal recruiter
00:09:36:00 - 00:09:39:12or even if you are, you need to be able to be transparent and saying,
00:09:39:13 - 00:09:42:18Hey, this is what the culture's like in this is what the environment would be.
00:09:42:18 - 00:09:45:06Is this something that you would actually be interested?
00:09:45:17 - 00:09:48:12Another great example is maybe someone wants to work
00:09:48:12 - 00:09:51:20for more of an established company and you're representing the startup
00:09:51:20 - 00:09:55:09or a younger company where there's not a lot of things put into place.
00:09:55:09 - 00:09:58:12So it's having to work in that ambiguity as well.
00:09:58:23 - 00:10:00:00I always like to ask
00:10:00:00 - 00:10:03:12about what type of management style you want to work under too, right?
00:10:03:22 - 00:10:08:03I mean, no one's, you know, micromanager People don't want to be that.
00:10:08:03 - 00:10:10:05Yeah, look, that that'd be so. Yeah.
00:10:10:05 - 00:10:11:15Checked it every couple of minutes.
00:10:11:15 - 00:10:13:14But do you want someone who will be more
00:10:13:14 - 00:10:16:10hands on you want so they'll be a little bit more hands off.
00:10:16:10 - 00:10:17:11Like what kind of,
00:10:17:11 - 00:10:21:12you know, communication style do you, you know, welcome or look into?
00:10:21:12 - 00:10:25:01And then being able to share more about the manager for the role itself,
00:10:25:12 - 00:10:27:18also looking at what's going to be most important to them.
00:10:27:18 - 00:10:31:18A lot of know people, especially in this most recent years, talk about DNI
00:10:31:18 - 00:10:34:19and how important that is and seen that representation in the company.
00:10:35:07 - 00:10:37:22Well, if you're also working for an organization
00:10:37:22 - 00:10:39:06where it's like, well, we're trying,
00:10:39:06 - 00:10:41:11but we haven't established that yet or you know what?
00:10:41:11 - 00:10:42:00That's something
00:10:42:00 - 00:10:45:18that we need to look into internally, being honest about that, too.
00:10:46:00 - 00:10:48:08Or when it comes to that development as well. Right.
00:10:48:08 - 00:10:49:09Are they looking to move up
00:10:49:09 - 00:10:53:04that corporate ladder to make, hey, I want to be a VP the next five years?
00:10:53:04 - 00:10:55:20Well, I don't think that will happen for you. Right.
00:10:55:23 - 00:10:58:06You know, there may be already people in those roles.
00:10:58:06 - 00:11:01:14So being able to also talk more about the position, saying, listen,
00:11:01:14 - 00:11:02:21maybe you're going to be growing
00:11:02:21 - 00:11:05:18deep versus wide is another analogy I like to use.
00:11:05:18 - 00:11:06:03Right.
00:11:06:03 - 00:11:09:04If you're going to grow in your skill set, maybe learn something different.
00:11:09:06 - 00:11:11:20Some projects, you know, you're going to grow a little bit deeper,
00:11:11:20 - 00:11:14:12but you're not necessarily going to then get that title that you want.
00:11:15:00 - 00:11:17:14And then really where they also are in their search.
00:11:17:14 - 00:11:19:08And I really like to dig into that.
00:11:19:08 - 00:11:22:09I won't get too aggressive and trying to be like,
00:11:22:18 - 00:11:25:05Well, where are you interviewing and who are those companies?
00:11:25:05 - 00:11:27:03But I want to know too, like,
00:11:27:03 - 00:11:30:14you know, where does this position lie in that process?
00:11:30:14 - 00:11:32:12Like, are you far along in other interviews?
00:11:32:12 - 00:11:34:06How does this role compare?
00:11:34:06 - 00:11:35:22How does the company compare?
00:11:35:22 - 00:11:38:06And being able to have those conversations, too?
00:11:38:06 - 00:11:41:11Because if they're like, you know what, I am pretty far along the process.
00:11:41:11 - 00:11:43:13I got this one company that I'm really excited about.
00:11:43:13 - 00:11:47:14Well, then why would I want to waste managers time where my client's
00:11:47:14 - 00:11:48:18trying to say,
00:11:48:18 - 00:11:50:13Hey, if you should still talk to this person
00:11:50:13 - 00:11:52:13like they may be out of the market soon enough.
00:11:52:13 - 00:11:55:15So being able to really dig into all of that and then
00:11:56:08 - 00:11:59:13going into more of the member companies side,
00:11:59:15 - 00:12:03:17how do you motivate members Stern and your group process, right?
00:12:03:18 - 00:12:05:11Companies. Yes.
00:12:05:11 - 00:12:07:11I mean, hiring people can be tough, right?
00:12:07:11 - 00:12:08:14And I know a lot of times
00:12:08:14 - 00:12:12:10company is especially our members maybe are a little uncertain or hesitant.
00:12:12:10 - 00:12:15:06They don't want to make a bad hire, which I completely understand.
00:12:15:06 - 00:12:15:11Right.
00:12:15:11 - 00:12:18:01There's cost that comes with that and memory clean else.
00:12:18:14 - 00:12:20:11But they definitely need to be aware of the market.
00:12:20:11 - 00:12:22:20They need to know what the compensation looks like
00:12:22:20 - 00:12:25:18and the traction that candidates are getting with other interviews.
00:12:26:00 - 00:12:28:20So I always like to share that and be transparent.
00:12:28:20 - 00:12:30:23You know, there are tools that you can use
00:12:31:11 - 00:12:34:19that can really provide reports of romance, of being able to say, hey,
00:12:34:19 - 00:12:36:18look at how many job postings are open
00:12:36:18 - 00:12:39:05with the same title that you're looking for, right?
00:12:39:05 - 00:12:40:05Like if they're looking
00:12:40:05 - 00:12:43:12for a senior accountant to be like, look at how many senior accountant positions
00:12:43:12 - 00:12:44:06are out there.
00:12:44:06 - 00:12:47:09Look at what their pay look and what they're looking at too.
00:12:47:21 - 00:12:51:03But from there, also taking to their next step and saying, you know,
00:12:51:03 - 00:12:55:04how can we at least motivate the process as well and reflect on the position,
00:12:55:12 - 00:12:58:15you know, can this person do the actual duties that you're looking for?
00:12:58:16 - 00:13:00:15Will they be a good fit for that team?
00:13:00:15 - 00:13:03:23You know, how they influence the organization or does that align?
00:13:03:23 - 00:13:06:18You know, sometimes people, I think, you know, get a little hesitant
00:13:06:18 - 00:13:07:11because they're like, well,
00:13:07:11 - 00:13:10:17I like that they did this, but I wasn't sure about this answer.
00:13:10:17 - 00:13:12:02But it's looking at, well,
00:13:12:02 - 00:13:14:23can they do the job and will they be a good fit for their.
00:13:15:03 - 00:13:16:03Yes, they will then.
00:13:16:03 - 00:13:19:08Okay, let's see, though, take that feedback and move forward.
00:13:19:17 - 00:13:22:20You know, I always think of the movie, you know, Jerry Maguire, which I know
00:13:22:20 - 00:13:23:12if you've seen
00:13:24:17 - 00:13:25:08the guy.
00:13:25:11 - 00:13:25:22Yeah.
00:13:25:22 - 00:13:29:18I mean, I guess it was May and it was back in the nineties
00:13:29:18 - 00:13:32:14has, you know, Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr.
00:13:33:02 - 00:13:35:19Renee Zellweger before she you know, had all this stuff done.
00:13:36:05 - 00:13:39:23But there's a famous quote of like, help me help you, which I feel like
00:13:39:23 - 00:13:43:17is so much of what we do, because it's like, you know, help me
00:13:43:20 - 00:13:45:09help you make this decision.
00:13:45:09 - 00:13:48:12You know, let's make sure that we're not only losing
00:13:48:12 - 00:13:51:08someone in the process because you're taking too long to decide,
00:13:51:16 - 00:13:55:18but you're also to be able to provide feedback to people that are in process
00:13:55:18 - 00:13:59:14and are just looking to hear back because you are be able to close the loop
00:13:59:14 - 00:14:03:00on those people, too, and give them a good experience overall.
00:14:03:00 - 00:14:06:23So maybe they will reapply in the future or even to tell people like, Hey,
00:14:06:23 - 00:14:08:17I had a good experience with this company.
00:14:08:17 - 00:14:10:06Yeah, I love that quote.
00:14:10:06 - 00:14:12:05Oh, good example. That's a good one.
00:14:13:07 - 00:14:13:16Great.
00:14:13:22 - 00:14:15:18You should definitely see the movie.
00:14:15:18 - 00:14:16:15Well, now flipping
00:14:16:15 - 00:14:21:00kind of back over to the candidate side, how do you work on the candidate's behalf
00:14:21:00 - 00:14:25:06or how do you or what do you do to endorse the candidate? Yes.
00:14:25:08 - 00:14:28:11Yes. Well, after the thorough phone interview and I'm
00:14:28:11 - 00:14:31:23putting all my submittal notes together, I really do highlight.
00:14:31:23 - 00:14:35:11Okay, why is this person good fit for the position right outside of
00:14:35:11 - 00:14:39:03just like those expectations of like they have this many years of experience.
00:14:39:03 - 00:14:42:09You know, they have the skill set, you know, talking about their strengths
00:14:42:09 - 00:14:44:22and weaknesses and being able to highlight that.
00:14:45:05 - 00:14:49:01I think even to highlight why they're even interested in the company and position.
00:14:49:07 - 00:14:52:19If a candidate comes to me and has done research on the member,
00:14:52:19 - 00:14:55:14you know, can talk to me about certain things about what they've done,
00:14:55:19 - 00:14:59:07I'm like, Well, this means that you actually took that extra offer.
00:14:59:07 - 00:15:03:02You are really interested, and I'm going to highlight that and say,
00:15:03:02 - 00:15:03:23Hey, this is why
00:15:03:23 - 00:15:06:23not only the person's interested, but this is how they could be a good fit
00:15:06:23 - 00:15:10:05for your team, for your culture, and for your company as well,
00:15:10:13 - 00:15:14:07and being able to get you to, I would say, advocate for them
00:15:14:07 - 00:15:18:22in the process too, by reminding the hiring manager of those skills as well
00:15:18:22 - 00:15:22:07and being able to help them as they're determining that his,
00:15:22:21 - 00:15:24:14you know, hiring decision.
00:15:24:14 - 00:15:29:15But I think to also just alerting them and even to sometimes alerting each other
00:15:29:15 - 00:15:34:00or even to just the member themselves around that timeline and making sure
00:15:34:00 - 00:15:38:06that they are being aware of the candidate's time as well, because
00:15:38:14 - 00:15:42:06sometimes that can be a little stressful, especially if they're working full time.
00:15:42:06 - 00:15:45:15And then you're asking them like, Oh, we'll do this presentation again
00:15:45:15 - 00:15:49:11and let's try to do right away, or, you know, taking more time away from them.
00:15:49:13 - 00:15:51:11Yeah, you want to be cognizant of.
00:15:52:14 - 00:15:55:02So we talk a lot about
00:15:55:10 - 00:15:59:00what about generational differences here on the podcast.
00:15:59:13 - 00:16:02:06And we know that you are interviewing
00:16:02:06 - 00:16:06:00four different generations at once on a day to day basis.
00:16:06:03 - 00:16:11:21So what are you seeing there and how do you maybe gear different
00:16:11:21 - 00:16:16:01questions to different generations or what are you seeing?
00:16:16:02 - 00:16:20:16Yeah, I mean, it's something that as a recruiter we shouldn't have any biases.
00:16:20:16 - 00:16:25:01So we need to go into every conversation, not really thinking about it.
00:16:25:01 - 00:16:27:05But I guess after he's saying that, I was like, Whoa,
00:16:27:05 - 00:16:29:08I should actually reevaluate this a little bit.
00:16:29:20 - 00:16:32:18And I think the biggest difference that I've seen
00:16:32:18 - 00:16:36:05is me around like the level of patience and understanding, right?
00:16:36:07 - 00:16:39:18When you talk to people that are maybe a little bit of the younger generation
00:16:40:02 - 00:16:43:04who are used to getting the answers right away for gratification,
00:16:43:04 - 00:16:46:14you know, thanks to the Internet, we want an early answer right away.
00:16:46:19 - 00:16:47:03You know,
00:16:47:03 - 00:16:51:12we want to be able to just, you know, kind of get that feedback and move on.
00:16:51:20 - 00:16:54:03But sometimes things do take time, right?
00:16:54:03 - 00:16:56:04And if you're waiting to hear back from people,
00:16:56:10 - 00:16:58:22you know, sometimes it is kind of mad, like, you know,
00:16:59:06 - 00:17:02:03the answer to saying, hey, when are we going to hear back?
00:17:02:03 - 00:17:04:23Like, how how should I perceive this individual?
00:17:05:06 - 00:17:09:02And we may not know right away, but those from a different
00:17:09:02 - 00:17:12:08generation seem to or I should say the older generation
00:17:13:09 - 00:17:15:15heavily have more of that understanding.
00:17:15:15 - 00:17:19:06And they know and they have the patience to say, listen, you're right, like I'm
00:17:19:10 - 00:17:23:04okay waiting until the end of this week, but anything changes, I'll let you know.
00:17:23:04 - 00:17:25:20And being able to have those conversations, too.
00:17:25:20 - 00:17:29:17But I think that would be the biggest question is do you see
00:17:30:12 - 00:17:34:20you responding differently with different generations
00:17:34:20 - 00:17:39:05or even like someone who's from a younger generation?
00:17:39:05 - 00:17:43:12Would you text would you communicate with that differently
00:17:43:22 - 00:17:46:02or are you seeing more of.
00:17:46:02 - 00:17:49:18It's a good question to I like to text sometimes regardless
00:17:49:18 - 00:17:53:12because it's also like a quick way to getting in touch with them.
00:17:53:16 - 00:17:57:01Of course, I always ask, you know, do you want to talk to them like,
00:17:57:15 - 00:18:01:01Hey, I have your email address, I'll definitely follow up in the email.
00:18:01:01 - 00:18:03:10Are you comfortable with me also showing you a text? Yeah.
00:18:03:13 - 00:18:07:17And if said absolutely them perfect because it's still quick regards.
00:18:07:21 - 00:18:09:13Yeah. So I know the double word.
00:18:09:13 - 00:18:13:04So yeah, but I would say that
00:18:13:05 - 00:18:17:03if they mention their age because some people do,
00:18:17:18 - 00:18:22:17I do advise them not to do that just because I don't want them then to
00:18:23:02 - 00:18:26:01maybe then go through that where all of a sudden they mention it
00:18:26:01 - 00:18:29:18and then people are like, Oh, you're old on the right side.
00:18:29:22 - 00:18:30:08Yeah.
00:18:30:08 - 00:18:34:03So I try to get them to maybe rephrase that a little bit
00:18:34:17 - 00:18:37:21and I try to not to also highlight that, like I may say,
00:18:37:21 - 00:18:42:05this person has amazing ten year Grammy experience.
00:18:42:05 - 00:18:44:23You know, about trying not to boast too much.
00:18:45:01 - 00:18:47:10Yeah, well, that makes sense. I mean, good.
00:18:47:21 - 00:18:51:11So what is your take on really getting feedback from candidates
00:18:51:11 - 00:18:55:01and members throughout the recruiting and onboarding process?
00:18:55:09 - 00:18:58:15Yes, this is always to, I think, a really interesting topic
00:18:58:15 - 00:19:00:19because we live in a world where people talk
00:19:00:19 - 00:19:02:09about being ghosted all the time, right?
00:19:02:09 - 00:19:04:19So how do we try to avoid that?
00:19:04:20 - 00:19:07:15Yeah, and for me it's constant communication.
00:19:07:21 - 00:19:12:05You really have to be on top of not only communicating with your member.
00:19:12:05 - 00:19:16:05I mean, I have meetings with my members weekly where we're talking
00:19:16:05 - 00:19:19:18about the roles and sales, where we're at, where we need to be.
00:19:20:02 - 00:19:22:06You know, I will have no problem this.
00:19:22:06 - 00:19:26:03Yes, I do an email when I was in corporate, I would instant message
00:19:26:09 - 00:19:29:01if I was also in the same building back when I was in corporate,
00:19:29:01 - 00:19:31:07I would go to their office like I did not care.
00:19:31:07 - 00:19:33:05I'll be like, I see you're free right now.
00:19:33:05 - 00:19:35:23I'm knocking on your door and then asking what is going on?
00:19:36:05 - 00:19:39:16Because I need to know so that I can amid no's,
00:19:40:02 - 00:19:43:11but also to I also have no problem picking up a phone, especially now.
00:19:43:12 - 00:19:45:20And I work with, you know, members all throughout the Midwest.
00:19:45:20 - 00:19:48:22Here I'm going to pick up the phone and call and say, Hey, what's going on?
00:19:48:22 - 00:19:50:08Where do we need to be?
00:19:50:08 - 00:19:52:16Because that is a great way to not only get feedback
00:19:52:16 - 00:19:55:09and I do the same with my candidates to write.
00:19:55:09 - 00:19:57:07And, you know, I'm sending those text messages, I'm
00:19:57:07 - 00:20:00:15doing those calls and emails so that way I can get feedback.
00:20:00:15 - 00:20:02:16And also to see where they're at as well.
00:20:03:00 - 00:20:06:14And throughout the onboarding part process, which is so important
00:20:06:14 - 00:20:10:11when it comes to retention, which I know we've talked about on this podcast too,
00:20:10:19 - 00:20:12:03you know, it's important to have the person
00:20:12:03 - 00:20:14:10be immersed in the organization and culture.
00:20:14:10 - 00:20:18:05So I want to make sure that they feel, you know, not only comfortable, engaged,
00:20:18:05 - 00:20:21:11but excited, so to say, hey, how is your first, you know,
00:20:22:02 - 00:20:27:1720 days, how are your first, you know, week, how is your first 60 or 90 days
00:20:27:21 - 00:20:31:09really making sure that they still feel excited about the position itself?
00:20:31:14 - 00:20:33:04Yeah, I definitely agree with that.
00:20:33:04 - 00:20:37:10I feel like the check in is so important
00:20:37:10 - 00:20:40:18in the recruiting and onboarding, the interviewing process.
00:20:40:18 - 00:20:43:17Like if you don't hear from a candidate in a couple of days,
00:20:43:17 - 00:20:47:01it is so important to be like, Hey, like what's going through your mind?
00:20:47:02 - 00:20:47:08You know?
00:20:47:08 - 00:20:51:17And it's, you know, like trying to pull stuff out of them,
00:20:51:17 - 00:20:56:20but just letting them know that, Hey, I'm here for you during this process.
00:20:56:22 - 00:20:57:12Oh, exactly.
00:20:57:12 - 00:20:58:05I want everyone
00:20:58:05 - 00:21:02:08to feel like I'm a resource and that's how I going to go into it, too, Right?
00:21:02:08 - 00:21:03:01And that's
00:21:03:01 - 00:21:06:15why even in their onboarding, I'm like, let me know if things are not going well.
00:21:06:15 - 00:21:11:01Do you feel like this is a way for me to kind of even to know what is going on
00:21:11:01 - 00:21:15:01internally there and then how I need to make sure that you be successful too?
00:21:15:01 - 00:21:17:07Sure. So it's looking at it from both sides. Yeah.
00:21:17:23 - 00:21:20:07So like we mentioned in the title of this
00:21:20:07 - 00:21:23:19episode is Talent Take over what recruiters Need to know.
00:21:24:04 - 00:21:30:02So can you close out this episode with one key piece of advice for recruiters?
00:21:30:02 - 00:21:34:08Yes, I would say my biggest advice is that I want us to be able
00:21:34:08 - 00:21:36:20to change the narrative a little bit, right?
00:21:36:20 - 00:21:41:02I think sometimes that, you know, recruiters can get a bad reputation.
00:21:41:22 - 00:21:44:00You know, we talked about ghosting a little bit.
00:21:44:00 - 00:21:45:03That is such a huge thing.
00:21:45:03 - 00:21:48:02If you go on LinkedIn, how many people are posting about it?
00:21:48:02 - 00:21:49:23And it's always the recruiter, right?
00:21:49:23 - 00:21:52:01We don't hear. Babb What's going on?
00:21:52:12 - 00:21:53:18So I get it.
00:21:53:18 - 00:21:56:14I talked about how being successful or being a recruiter,
00:21:56:14 - 00:21:58:13you have to be a little bit of a master juggler
00:21:58:13 - 00:22:01:16and a lot of things, you know, can sometimes fall between the cracks.
00:22:01:16 - 00:22:05:21We're busy people, we're doing a lot, but being able to, just, as I said,
00:22:05:21 - 00:22:09:17closely with that candidate, letting them know, hey, at this time
00:22:09:17 - 00:22:13:14we just had decided to move forward with someone else, you know, or saying,
00:22:13:14 - 00:22:13:20you know,
00:22:13:20 - 00:22:17:20thank you for your time and interest those who were unable to proceed at this time.
00:22:17:20 - 00:22:21:05And when internally, whatever the case may be, just let them.
00:22:21:05 - 00:22:26:07Now that way people still get that, you know, satisfaction of saying,
00:22:26:07 - 00:22:31:01you know what, after spending my time and my effort and getting excited
00:22:31:01 - 00:22:35:19about this, I'm able to at least say, Hey, this is why I didn't get the role.
00:22:36:02 - 00:22:39:05And it leads to you get that reassurance from the recruiter.
00:22:39:05 - 00:22:40:02And I'm like, you know,
00:22:40:02 - 00:22:43:19I can continue to work with you and let's, you know, keep conversation going.
00:22:44:11 - 00:22:45:23But it's just nice timing.
00:22:45:23 - 00:22:47:02Is that appropriate at this time?
00:22:47:02 - 00:22:49:14So, yes, let's change the narrative.
00:22:49:14 - 00:22:54:09Let's get back to people and we'll sub go stay in general.
00:22:54:23 - 00:22:56:02Good advice time.
00:22:56:02 - 00:23:00:19I beg you guys, I want to thank you for being our guest
00:23:01:01 - 00:23:04:23on 30 minute drive and sharing your knowledge and expertise on recruiting
00:23:04:23 - 00:23:10:03and how companies really should be adapting recruiting habits and techniques.
00:23:10:03 - 00:23:14:13So if you liked our chat today, make sure to share this episode.
00:23:14:14 - 00:23:18:15Leave a comment, review, and a rating and consider joining MRA,
00:23:18:15 - 00:23:20:18If you aren't a member already.
00:23:20:18 - 00:23:23:13We have all the resources you need in the show notes below,
00:23:23:21 - 00:23:26:18including Jennifer's bio and LinkedIn profile.
00:23:26:18 - 00:23:30:23So make sure to follow her, connect with her or get in touch with her.
00:23:31:07 - 00:23:32:02Otherwise.
00:23:32:02 - 00:23:35:18Thank you so much for tuning in today and we will see you next week.
00:23:36:00 - 00:23:38:18And that wraps up our content for this episode.
00:23:38:18 - 00:23:40:14Be sure to reference the show notes
00:23:40:14 - 00:23:43:14where you can sign up to connect for more podcast updates.
00:23:43:14 - 00:23:47:09Check out other MRA episodes on your favorite podcast platform.
00:23:47:09 - 00:23:52:09And as always, make sure to follow MRA's 30 minutes Thrive, so you don't miss out.
00:23:52:09 - 00:23:53:11Thanks for tuning in
00:23:53:11 - 00:23:56:23and we'll see you next Wednesday to carry on the HR conversation.
Wednesday Mar 22, 2023
Wednesday Mar 22, 2023
Description:
It's time to win with training! Mike Connell, MRA Learning & Development Instructor, is here to ensure you are engaging in the current top-of-the-line training practices. We'll go over training opportunities for companies, how to keep people engaged during training sessions, and how the evolution of training affects you and your success.
Key Takeaways:
"If you want to have success, figure out what things you need to do every day that will lead to that success."
Keep generations in mind when training - think about background, experience, and motivators.
Training is a two-way street! Participants have as much as an active role as the instructor.
Resources:
Learning & Development
MRA Membership
About MRA
Let's Connect:
Guest Bio - Mike Connell
Guest LinkedIn Profile - Mike Connell
Host Bio - Sophie Boler
Host LinkedIn Profile - Sophie Boler
Transcript:
Transcripts are computer generated -- not 100% accurate word-for-word.
00:00:00:01 - 00:00:03:10Hello everybody and welcome to 30 minute Thrive,
00:00:03:10 - 00:00:06:20your go to podcast for anything and everything HR.
00:00:06:21 - 00:00:09:22Powered by MRA, the Management Association
00:00:09:23 - 00:00:12:23looking to stay on top of the ever changing world of HR?
00:00:12:23 - 00:00:14:18MRA has got you covered.
00:00:14:18 - 00:00:17:15We'll be the first to tell you what's hot and what's not.
00:00:17:16 - 00:00:21:03I'm your host, Sophie Boler and we are so glad you're here.
00:00:21:04 - 00:00:23:01Now it's time to thrive.
00:00:23:01 - 00:00:25:17Welcome to this episode of 30 Minute Thrive.
00:00:25:17 - 00:00:29:18We're happy you're here, and I'm excited to talk about training to win today
00:00:29:18 - 00:00:31:00with Mike Connell.
00:00:31:00 - 00:00:33:20He's our learning and development instructor here at MRA.
00:00:34:04 - 00:00:37:15And if you aren't familiar with Mike, he has over 30 years
00:00:37:15 - 00:00:41:14of professional experience and has been an entrepreneur and manager
00:00:41:14 - 00:00:45:19in manufacturing, banking and asset management, real estate,
00:00:46:03 - 00:00:49:22franchise restaurants and powersports dealerships.
00:00:49:22 - 00:00:53:23And in addition to being a learning and development instructor at MRA,
00:00:54:07 - 00:00:58:06Mike has also coached high school and college football for over 20 years.
00:00:58:15 - 00:01:01:06So he comes with a lot of experience and today
00:01:01:06 - 00:01:04:06he'll really be highlighting his coaching and training background.
00:01:04:15 - 00:01:06:21So thanks for being on the podcast today, Mike.
00:01:06:21 - 00:01:07:22Excited to talk with you.
00:01:07:22 - 00:01:10:06I am as well. Cool.
00:01:10:06 - 00:01:11:05Well, I want to start off
00:01:11:05 - 00:01:15:07by asking how you really incorporate your coaching background to your training.
00:01:15:13 - 00:01:19:03I think the thing that's probably closest between them is I'm
00:01:19:03 - 00:01:22:06a proponent of individualization, so
00:01:23:22 - 00:01:25:01even though, you know,
00:01:25:01 - 00:01:27:20I might have 60 football players
00:01:29:00 - 00:01:31:16and you know, generally as a football coach
00:01:32:05 - 00:01:36:02between high school and college 15 to 22 year old young men.
00:01:36:15 - 00:01:39:07So a lot of similarities in that regard.
00:01:39:07 - 00:01:40:12But still,
00:01:40:12 - 00:01:44:16you know, kind of individualizing what they're teaching, what we're doing.
00:01:45:09 - 00:01:46:18Same thing in the classroom.
00:01:46:18 - 00:01:51:22You know, I obviously I've got 20 people in their managers or leads.
00:01:52:17 - 00:01:55:17They all in different backgrounds, experiences, things like that.
00:01:55:17 - 00:01:59:01So I try to incorporate a lot of things that will
00:01:59:17 - 00:02:03:15potentially provide the learning for everyone there.
00:02:03:15 - 00:02:08:21So flexing the different communication styles,
00:02:08:21 - 00:02:11:10you know, just different folks, how they communicate,
00:02:11:23 - 00:02:15:12motivation, you know, why they're there and what they're trying to get out of it.
00:02:15:12 - 00:02:18:12And so I'm trying to figure out, you know, what that is
00:02:18:14 - 00:02:21:13and give it to them whenever possible.
00:02:21:13 - 00:02:22:20Yeah, absolutely.
00:02:22:20 - 00:02:25:14So we'll be talking about coaching and training today.
00:02:25:14 - 00:02:29:13So can you kind of give a little overview on the difference between
00:02:29:13 - 00:02:32:13coaching and training coaching?
00:02:32:13 - 00:02:34:19It’s funny because probably in the last ten years
00:02:34:19 - 00:02:38:03I see all these books on leadership and management.
00:02:38:03 - 00:02:40:22It's coaching coaching coach at your own term.
00:02:40:22 - 00:02:45:05And I think a lot of ways it becomes the catch all, you know, where it's like
00:02:45:11 - 00:02:49:04that's sort of everything we say, Well, that's conflict management or that's
00:02:49:07 - 00:02:50:16where everything's kind of coaching.
00:02:51:15 - 00:02:52:15I would say
00:02:52:15 - 00:02:57:07probably the biggest commonality in the way I view them is,
00:02:57:07 - 00:03:01:17you know, whether it's coaching or training, it's making someone better.
00:03:01:22 - 00:03:06:00Number one is whether it's football or management training, it's
00:03:06:00 - 00:03:07:11participation sports.
00:03:07:11 - 00:03:12:08So I always tell all the classes before we begin, I have two rules.
00:03:12:18 - 00:03:17:08So and the first one is this is participation, right?
00:03:17:08 - 00:03:18:21This is not a spectator sport.
00:03:18:21 - 00:03:20:12So we're going to participate.
00:03:20:12 - 00:03:24:08So obviously football, that's the key to their spectators,
00:03:24:08 - 00:03:26:11but they're just not on the team. Right.
00:03:26:11 - 00:03:28:11Very similar in that regard.
00:03:28:20 - 00:03:32:23When people are trained, they need to have responsibility
00:03:32:23 - 00:03:34:09for their role in it as well.
00:03:34:09 - 00:03:37:09I'm no different than a player, You know, in executing, so
00:03:38:07 - 00:03:40:18I think that's similar in those regards.
00:03:40:19 - 00:03:42:02Yeah, for sure.
00:03:42:02 - 00:03:45:19When we're talking about training, it's really evolved over the years.
00:03:45:19 - 00:03:51:18We're now we have remote training options and in-person and hybrid options even.
00:03:51:18 - 00:03:55:11So how do you think it's really evolved over the years
00:03:55:11 - 00:03:58:17and has it become more of a necessity now, would you say?
00:03:58:17 - 00:04:00:13Or what are your thoughts on that?
00:04:00:13 - 00:04:04:09Well, so before I was a trainer, when I was a manager,
00:04:04:09 - 00:04:07:09especially a young manager, somebody thought it was a really good idea
00:04:07:09 - 00:04:10:21to make me a manager in my early twenties, I don’t know what they were thinking.
00:04:10:21 - 00:04:13:02That's a great idea. To tell you the truth.
00:04:13:04 - 00:04:18:06So, I mean, what it was is it's very similar to a lot of people.
00:04:18:06 - 00:04:22:00I, I had success in a role.
00:04:22:02 - 00:04:25:22So you know, typical is okay well you're good at doing the job,
00:04:25:22 - 00:04:29:22so why don't you lead Some people do without necessarily
00:04:29:22 - 00:04:34:05recognizing totally different skill set, leading people versus
00:04:34:10 - 00:04:38:21you know, I was good at selling who's good at some of the things I did there.
00:04:38:21 - 00:04:39:12And so
00:04:40:14 - 00:04:41:02I think as
00:04:41:02 - 00:04:45:19far as training and evolving in that, you know, I've been the trainer here
00:04:45:19 - 00:04:48:22for five years and so, I mean, we just went through code.
00:04:49:03 - 00:04:51:23So obviously there is some evolution there.
00:04:52:02 - 00:04:57:03We were essentially a 99.9% in person training operation
00:04:57:11 - 00:04:59:21to going 100% virtual.
00:05:00:04 - 00:05:03:15And we like to joke in our department that we have a five year plan
00:05:03:22 - 00:05:08:21to get to maybe 25 to 30% virtual.
00:05:09:05 - 00:05:14:09And the five year plan became a five week plan and it went 100%.
00:05:14:09 - 00:05:16:22So I would say that was obviously a big thing.
00:05:16:22 - 00:05:21:07But I think even prior to that and over the years, I was always,
00:05:21:18 - 00:05:25:09I would say, like a learning junkie, something I learned from my dad
00:05:25:20 - 00:05:30:16if he was the most unbelievable, self-taught person I've ever.
00:05:30:22 - 00:05:33:18I mean, he was always just learning and open to that.
00:05:33:18 - 00:05:36:20And he was he was a self-taught engineer, which is not very typical.
00:05:37:09 - 00:05:39:04And so and he was an entrepreneur.
00:05:39:04 - 00:05:40:22And, you know, his
00:05:40:22 - 00:05:44:08dad wasn't a business owner or anything, so he had to learn a lot of that.
00:05:44:18 - 00:05:49:01So I think probably the biggest difference and I even hear it
00:05:49:01 - 00:05:53:12now, some of the older participants will come in, our class will offer about
00:05:54:18 - 00:05:56:22they'll they'll refer to the classes like a seminar.
00:05:57:04 - 00:05:59:16They'll use certain weird lingo. Yeah.
00:05:59:17 - 00:06:04:14And also that well, like this seminar, I'm like Jay or, you know, it's
00:06:04:14 - 00:06:08:01sort of like the webinar saying people will call our Zoom training webinar.
00:06:08:01 - 00:06:09:01I'm like, This is not a webinar.
00:06:09:01 - 00:06:11:03And so for everything.
00:06:11:03 - 00:06:13:17So I think a lot of it is people are used to more
00:06:13:20 - 00:06:16:22in the past, maybe a little bit more of the seminar thing
00:06:16:22 - 00:06:21:19where there was a spectator element and we just that's not our brand.
00:06:21:19 - 00:06:25:13We don't, you know, adult learning methodology, right?
00:06:25:13 - 00:06:26:20You involve the learner.
00:06:26:20 - 00:06:29:15So I think
00:06:29:15 - 00:06:31:17I would have loved a lot more of that.
00:06:31:17 - 00:06:33:21I got value training.
00:06:33:21 - 00:06:35:00I did that.
00:06:35:00 - 00:06:38:19Several things that I actually teach now that we share at MRA
00:06:38:21 - 00:06:42:05are things that I learned, you know, from folks long time ago.
00:06:42:10 - 00:06:44:08But I think it's a little different how we.
00:06:44:08 - 00:06:45:12Yeah, talking about.
00:06:45:12 - 00:06:48:16And you just mentioned your older participants
00:06:49:00 - 00:06:52:15and we've actually had a lot of conversation on the podcast.
00:06:52:20 - 00:06:54:06Generational differences.
00:06:54:06 - 00:06:57:08And so how does that really play a role in training?
00:06:57:08 - 00:07:01:01Like how how do you train for different generations?
00:07:01:09 - 00:07:04:22I like to say with generations, if you actually lay out
00:07:04:22 - 00:07:09:05everything that we think is generational and I used to do this
00:07:09:05 - 00:07:13:00activity in the classroom, we had a class where we can teach
00:07:13:00 - 00:07:16:06and specifically on generation and people would go around
00:07:16:06 - 00:07:17:11and they would write things
00:07:17:11 - 00:07:20:19they think of with different generations on flip charts.
00:07:21:03 - 00:07:24:00And then I would have them go back around and I would say,
00:07:24:00 - 00:07:28:06I want you to mark next to each one what's actually
00:07:29:01 - 00:07:31:19what you think is a true generational difference
00:07:32:04 - 00:07:35:14versus mature and not maturity
00:07:35:14 - 00:07:38:21and immature versus mature, but just like time on the earth.
00:07:38:23 - 00:07:41:11Yeah, mature and experience and all that.
00:07:41:20 - 00:07:46:06And it was crazy because we would have 75% of the chart would be mature
00:07:46:20 - 00:07:50:12where yeah that's not really right You know, you take my baby boomers,
00:07:50:14 - 00:07:53:16you know, we think of certain things that we would say younger all, well,
00:07:53:19 - 00:07:56:15you know rebellious teen will listen to authority and all that Well,
00:07:56:21 - 00:07:58:22anybody paying attention to the 1960s,
00:08:00:02 - 00:08:02:21it's a lot of stuff of rebellion and that going on.
00:08:02:21 - 00:08:06:17So I think a lot of the stuff we think is
00:08:06:17 - 00:08:10:01generational has more to do with just how much experience.
00:08:10:08 - 00:08:15:07So when people come in the classroom with some of those differences,
00:08:15:07 - 00:08:17:12I think a lot of it is
00:08:19:04 - 00:08:22:16a lot of it is sort of their expectations and experience.
00:08:22:23 - 00:08:27:19And so what I try to do is, number one, just understand.
00:08:27:19 - 00:08:30:09And now it's a little easier for me because I do have a little bit of that
00:08:30:09 - 00:08:33:22shared experience with, you know, folks who've been around for a while.
00:08:33:22 - 00:08:37:14And so I remember the command and control bosses,
00:08:38:00 - 00:08:41:16the ones that come in and I say that because I said so.
00:08:42:15 - 00:08:45:20And whereas younger people, that's maybe a little more foreign,
00:08:46:02 - 00:08:48:16you know, it's a little bit more collaborative environments.
00:08:48:16 - 00:08:52:03And then and so just sort of working to
00:08:53:14 - 00:08:55:10some might say, to
00:08:55:10 - 00:08:58:19try to bridge that gap is
00:08:58:19 - 00:09:02:21I don't really necessarily buy into the old school, new school.
00:09:02:21 - 00:09:03:22You know, we hear that a lot.
00:09:03:22 - 00:09:06:03Like, yeah, old school, new school.
00:09:06:03 - 00:09:09:16What I say is there's things we've gotten away with in the past, right?
00:09:09:16 - 00:09:14:08So when unemployment is double digits, people move jobs.
00:09:14:08 - 00:09:15:09It's a little different, right?
00:09:15:09 - 00:09:17:09We haven't had that for the last few years.
00:09:17:17 - 00:09:21:10Definitely an employee market in terms of their services.
00:09:21:12 - 00:09:24:05And so we do things different because of that.
00:09:24:07 - 00:09:27:10I think good leadership has always been good leadership right
00:09:27:12 - 00:09:28:06through throughout time.
00:09:28:06 - 00:09:31:02And so I try to bring, no matter what the generation or try
00:09:31:02 - 00:09:34:09to bring the training back to what's what's just the right thing we should do.
00:09:34:09 - 00:09:36:00Yeah, that's a good point.
00:09:36:00 - 00:09:40:12So this next question is probably a hard one to answer because there's probably
00:09:40:12 - 00:09:45:09so many things, but what is really your favorite part about training
00:09:47:06 - 00:09:47:21or coaching?
00:09:47:21 - 00:09:49:11Others. sure.
00:09:49:11 - 00:09:51:18I like the people
00:09:52:20 - 00:09:54:12I would love to say.
00:09:54:12 - 00:09:56:16So I've been in a lot of different industries.
00:09:56:16 - 00:09:58:14It's when you read my bio.
00:09:58:14 - 00:10:01:12Yeah. Wow, insane.
00:10:01:12 - 00:10:04:06Who would ever have a career like that, right?
00:10:05:06 - 00:10:09:07And part of it is so looking back, I'm not a, you know, the widget.
00:10:09:07 - 00:10:12:06And is that still a term? Yeah, right.
00:10:12:14 - 00:10:13:14I'm not a widget.
00:10:13:14 - 00:10:15:18I can get excited about anything.
00:10:15:20 - 00:10:19:16I got an economics professor gave us this, you know, thing.
00:10:19:16 - 00:10:22:22It's how a pencils made and and a particular reason
00:10:22:22 - 00:10:25:01why you had to read that book. It's like two pages.
00:10:25:01 - 00:10:26:07It's. It's amazing.
00:10:26:07 - 00:10:28:23I mean, there's 17 different products and all this.
00:10:29:06 - 00:10:31:04I'm get excited about anything.
00:10:31:04 - 00:10:36:05I've always considered myself on the people side, on the relational side.
00:10:36:12 - 00:10:38:07And so obviously that's
00:10:38:07 - 00:10:42:12why I moved into management, you know, business ownership and that,
00:10:43:01 - 00:10:46:08but not because I'm I can get passionate about any product.
00:10:46:08 - 00:10:48:12For me, the thing that's constant is people.
00:10:48:12 - 00:10:51:08And so with training, it's the same thing.
00:10:51:08 - 00:10:54:09I get as much sometimes
00:10:54:09 - 00:10:56:22more from them than than vice versa.
00:10:57:15 - 00:11:00:04I love that it's different.
00:11:00:04 - 00:11:03:00Every year is different. People in the classroom.
00:11:03:00 - 00:11:07:10I go out and do on sites at companies and get to meet people and just,
00:11:07:21 - 00:11:12:00you know, and so many similarities at same time running, conflict,
00:11:12:04 - 00:11:15:05all things, miscommunication, all that.
00:11:15:12 - 00:11:17:13But just the people element is so different.
00:11:17:13 - 00:11:19:12So I yeah, I love that part.
00:11:19:12 - 00:11:24:05And kind of going off of this question do you have any fun stories you can share
00:11:24:05 - 00:11:29:17like success stories from people you've helped or coached or trained?
00:11:29:17 - 00:11:33:06My favorite thing to have is when people contact me
00:11:33:12 - 00:11:35:22like linkedIn to enter through email and they're like,
00:11:36:17 - 00:11:40:19not even like, Hey, it was a great class, but I have this problem.
00:11:41:00 - 00:11:41:17Can you help me?
00:11:41:17 - 00:11:43:15You know, just interested what you think.
00:11:43:15 - 00:11:46:09And I eat that stuff up. I love it.
00:11:47:14 - 00:11:49:22And I
00:11:50:05 - 00:11:54:05probably the one that to this day, the class I taught that had
00:11:54:05 - 00:11:58:19the most universal is not what you would necessarily think
00:11:58:19 - 00:12:01:21because you think conflict management or coaching, you know, this kind of stuff.
00:12:02:03 - 00:12:05:22So I had a company i did training for and their HR Manager
00:12:05:22 - 00:12:10:15actually was in a class we teach here and half day class called business email.
00:12:10:19 - 00:12:11:08Okay.
00:12:11:08 - 00:12:14:11And he was in there and he comes up to me at the end of class, he goes,
00:12:14:11 - 00:12:19:03we have to do this in our company cuz we got lots issues, right?
00:12:19:04 - 00:12:19:14Yeah.
00:12:19:14 - 00:12:23:21And I would say you get offenders, just people who do like this stuff,
00:12:23:22 - 00:12:25:18like the reply all yeah, right.
00:12:25:18 - 00:12:29:20From everything or CC everybody in the company is we got lot.
00:12:30:06 - 00:12:33:01So it's just you know can you come out and he said, but here's the challenge.
00:12:33:01 - 00:12:35:20We have 75 people I want to put through this training
00:12:36:07 - 00:12:38:14and our room fits 25
00:12:39:01 - 00:12:43:12and I don't have the budget to do three half days.
00:12:43:12 - 00:12:45:14Can you do a one hour version?
00:12:45:14 - 00:12:47:19I was like, that's that's a lift.
00:12:47:19 - 00:12:48:12No, that's.
00:12:48:12 - 00:12:50:13A little bit sorry, Let me see.
00:12:50:13 - 00:12:51:13I'll work it out.
00:12:51:13 - 00:12:54:20It's a little more presentation, but there's still some interaction stuff.
00:12:54:23 - 00:12:56:16But I'm like, okay, let's hit the highlights.
00:12:56:16 - 00:13:00:15And we went through I got done with that class
00:13:00:15 - 00:13:04:07and I imagine there was four, six months after another company
00:13:04:07 - 00:13:07:02also sent some of their other managers to other training.
00:13:07:02 - 00:13:11:12I heard more positive feedback about a business email class.
00:13:11:14 - 00:13:15:23Yeah, Mike It's changed the culture, how people aren’t doing the stuff
00:13:15:23 - 00:13:18:04that drives me crazy. Yeah. Anymore. Right?
00:13:18:08 - 00:13:19:07It's all these things.
00:13:19:07 - 00:13:21:18And I thought, well, it's communication, right?
00:13:21:18 - 00:13:22:14I mean, even though we call it
00:13:22:14 - 00:13:25:09business email, it's really like communication issue.
00:13:25:14 - 00:13:29:10And so I would say I get a lot of great feedback, but that class to this day
00:13:29:10 - 00:13:33:07just stands out as the one probably like you changed their company culture.
00:13:33:10 - 00:13:34:12Well, that's got to be a great feeling though.
00:13:34:12 - 00:13:36:18You'll all be like, What was it?
00:13:36:18 - 00:13:37:09It does.
00:13:37:09 - 00:13:39:22just of all the classes. Business email.
00:13:39:22 - 00:13:42:15One hour presentation, right?
00:13:43:01 - 00:13:46:04Yeah, well, it has a great effect on people. So.
00:13:46:23 - 00:13:50:16So how do you really keep people engaged in your trainings?
00:13:50:16 - 00:13:52:15How do you keep them interesting?
00:13:52:15 - 00:13:56:08Like you said, some of them are half days, some of them are full days.
00:13:56:08 - 00:14:00:16How do you keep people energetic to learn throughout the day?
00:14:01:21 - 00:14:04:06Well, one thing and you can probably if you talk
00:14:04:06 - 00:14:08:02to any of the instructors around here, we would all say the same thing.
00:14:08:02 - 00:14:11:18We're tired at the end of the day, so you have to bring your energy.
00:14:11:18 - 00:14:13:10Yeah, that's a big part.
00:14:13:10 - 00:14:16:03And one of the things for me and this is just something
00:14:16:03 - 00:14:20:06I bring from management, I'm not necessarily that, you know,
00:14:21:07 - 00:14:24:10hi, you're bouncing off the walls and I'm not.
00:14:24:15 - 00:14:26:00Eeyore either, right?
00:14:26:00 - 00:14:28:01I try to be pretty consistent.
00:14:28:22 - 00:14:33:15I think the biggest thing is, is I'm having conversations with people.
00:14:34:01 - 00:14:38:01So probably the biggest thing I would say in in the sessions
00:14:38:01 - 00:14:41:11I do is we're just we're working through material.
00:14:41:18 - 00:14:42:06Right.
00:14:42:06 - 00:14:48:00But I told the classes, you know, I want all the questions.
00:14:48:23 - 00:14:51:20I don't want everybody leaving here with something that didn't get asked.
00:14:52:06 - 00:14:54:09And I tell them this, trust me, I'm good enough.
00:14:54:09 - 00:14:55:13I'll get us back on track.
00:14:55:13 - 00:14:55:18Yeah.
00:14:55:18 - 00:14:58:03And hopefully, you know, we'll get there.
00:14:58:17 - 00:15:01:23But the biggest thing is, you know, it's interactive.
00:15:02:03 - 00:15:07:18So we are I'm asking questions, looking for those interactions,
00:15:07:18 - 00:15:12:23those answers we do a lot of obviously with adult learning, we do activities.
00:15:13:01 - 00:15:13:08Right.
00:15:13:08 - 00:15:16:04Well, I just start a class this week on conflict management.
00:15:16:04 - 00:15:20:10I literally hand them scenarios and sit down in groups
00:15:20:10 - 00:15:25:14and they role play out conflict and so we do
00:15:25:14 - 00:15:28:22a lot of things that keep it interactive and then we debrief those things.
00:15:28:22 - 00:15:31:01But I think the big thing is just,
00:15:31:06 - 00:15:34:17you know, don't to me, it's not a stage anymore.
00:15:34:17 - 00:15:35:13It's not an event.
00:15:35:13 - 00:15:37:13It's just it's training.
00:15:37:13 - 00:15:38:11It's coaching.
00:15:38:11 - 00:15:41:06It's no different than I would do one on one with somebody.
00:15:41:13 - 00:15:43:04It's just with a. Group of people.
00:15:43:04 - 00:15:43:21Yeah.
00:15:43:21 - 00:15:45:21I like the point that you brought up on.
00:15:46:19 - 00:15:49:19The participants have to bring their energy to like it's
00:15:49:19 - 00:15:54:02a two way thing, you know, like if you want to attend a training,
00:15:54:02 - 00:15:57:17you got to be ready for it and do your homework and prepare for it.
00:15:57:17 - 00:16:00:10And if you want to get a good outcome from it.
00:16:00:10 - 00:16:01:17So that's a good point.
00:16:01:17 - 00:16:06:18Well, they're managing people, so you're not going to sit down and coach
00:16:07:04 - 00:16:11:01one of your employees just, hey, come on in here.
00:16:11:01 - 00:16:13:10Let's just have a random conversation.
00:16:13:10 - 00:16:14:21You have a plan.
00:16:14:21 - 00:16:16:20So I have a plan when I walk in the class.
00:16:16:20 - 00:16:20:15But at the same time, my plan includes a lot of flexibility
00:16:20:15 - 00:16:24:20because every class is different and I think people can tell
00:16:24:20 - 00:16:28:02when you have that, people can tell the difference between can training.
00:16:28:02 - 00:16:30:22And I think that's really MRA’s this is what we do.
00:16:30:22 - 00:16:33:17Our instructor staff is unbelievable.
00:16:33:23 - 00:16:39:09We, we, we might teach the same material, but I don't know that
00:16:39:09 - 00:16:44:03we ever teach it exactly the same way, because every class is different.
00:16:44:03 - 00:16:46:22As we close out our episode for today,
00:16:47:12 - 00:16:49:22the title of this episode is Spring Training.
00:16:49:22 - 00:16:51:08It's time to Win.
00:16:51:08 - 00:16:54:23So how would you say that you train to win?
00:16:56:03 - 00:16:58:06That is an interesting question. Yes.
00:16:58:20 - 00:17:02:05So I've never had winning as a goal.
00:17:02:05 - 00:17:04:00I actually think it’s terrible.
00:17:04:00 - 00:17:06:21Winning as a result, training to win,
00:17:07:11 - 00:17:10:04managing to win, whatever you are.
00:17:10:04 - 00:17:11:23PARTICIPANT Anybody in it.
00:17:11:23 - 00:17:15:07What I tell them is do the things that lead to winning.
00:17:16:04 - 00:17:17:05In football.
00:17:17:05 - 00:17:19:09There are situations where
00:17:20:21 - 00:17:24:00at the end of the game we lost a game
00:17:24:07 - 00:17:27:10and I will tell the team you played a tremendous game
00:17:28:06 - 00:17:32:21and there are other games where we won by 38 points and I'm not happy
00:17:33:10 - 00:17:37:13because we should have won by 50 because just level and the talent there.
00:17:38:00 - 00:17:43:06I don't ever gauge it on anything but for my people, right?
00:17:43:06 - 00:17:46:17So because I know if I'm a good manager or if I'm a good coach,
00:17:46:17 - 00:17:50:21I know what the levels and abilities of my people are.
00:17:51:03 - 00:17:54:20So sometimes the scoreboard is your worst enemy
00:17:55:02 - 00:17:57:05when it comes to coaching or teaching
00:17:57:08 - 00:17:59:07because you look up and you're like, Hey, we won the game.
00:17:59:07 - 00:18:03:17It's great and it's like, But does that mean you actually did your best, right?
00:18:03:17 - 00:18:06:00There are some situations where in football
00:18:06:00 - 00:18:08:01you just weren’t talented, right?
00:18:08:06 - 00:18:12:22There's some cases where I've coached employees that are so easy to coach.
00:18:13:04 - 00:18:16:12You know, I've coached those rock stars where it's literally
00:18:16:17 - 00:18:21:18I could be a semi terrible manager and they're still gonna have success.
00:18:21:20 - 00:18:22:17And then I've had people
00:18:22:17 - 00:18:27:00that took every ounce of every technique and everything that I knew.
00:18:27:06 - 00:18:31:03So for me, if you want to win, if you want to have success,
00:18:31:10 - 00:18:36:19figure out what things you need to do every day that lead to that.
00:18:37:01 - 00:18:39:15And then what happens, happens.
00:18:39:15 - 00:18:42:14And yeah, do I believe in KPIs and measurements?
00:18:42:14 - 00:18:44:04Yeah, I was in manufacturing.
00:18:44:04 - 00:18:46:19Clearly, we have to have those,
00:18:46:19 - 00:18:50:03but those measurements should be based off of the things you're doing
00:18:50:03 - 00:18:53:18on a regular basis, not just that thing at the end of the year, the month.
00:18:54:01 - 00:18:57:02So it's just, you know, coach your folks,
00:18:57:12 - 00:19:00:00you know, lead by example,
00:19:00:02 - 00:19:03:20do those things all day, every day lead to success.
00:19:04:01 - 00:19:06:06And then scoreboard is what the scoreboard is.
00:19:07:06 - 00:19:09:14Oh, well, that's great advice to anyone.
00:19:09:14 - 00:19:10:22So thank you for that
00:19:10:22 - 00:19:14:19and thank you for being on 30 minute Thrive today and sharing your knowledge,
00:19:14:19 - 00:19:18:23your background, your expertise on coaching and training.
00:19:18:23 - 00:19:23:03So if you liked our chat today, make sure to share this episode.
00:19:23:03 - 00:19:27:05Leave a comment review or rating in Consider joining MRA.
00:19:27:05 - 00:19:29:10If you aren't a member already.
00:19:29:10 - 00:19:30:14We have all the resources
00:19:30:14 - 00:19:33:08you need in the show notes below, so take a look at those.
00:19:33:18 - 00:19:38:01And we've also included Mike's bio email and LinkedIn profile.
00:19:38:01 - 00:19:41:16So if you want to get in touch with him, sure, he'd be happy to connect
00:19:42:17 - 00:19:44:00all of them that.
00:19:44:00 - 00:19:46:15Thanks for tuning in and we will see you next week.
00:19:46:22 - 00:19:49:16And that wraps up our content for this episode.
00:19:49:17 - 00:19:52:21Be sure to reference the show notes where you can sign them to connect.
00:19:52:21 - 00:19:54:12For more podcast updates,
00:19:54:12 - 00:19:58:07check out other MRA episodes on your favorite podcast platform.
00:19:58:07 - 00:20:03:06And as always, make sure to follow MRA’s 30 minutes Thrive so you don't miss out.
00:20:03:07 - 00:20:06:06Thanks for tuning in and we'll see you next Wednesday to carry
00:20:06:06 - 00:20:07:21on the HR conversation.
Wednesday Mar 15, 2023
Wednesday Mar 15, 2023
Description:
This episode delves into the importance of training and retaining your greatest assets - your employees. We discuss how investing in employee training and development can enhance their skills and knowledge and increase their job satisfaction and loyalty to the organization.
Our guest for this episode is Jim Morgan, Vice President, Business Development & Workforce Strategies. He shares insights into MRA's March Talent Report, which includes trends from recruiting & retention, top creative HR strategies, c-suite level happenings, and more.
Whether you are an HR professional, a manager, or an employee looking to enhance your skills and advance your career, this episode offers valuable insights and practical tips for training and retaining your greatest assets. Join us as we explore the importance of investing in your employees and building a culture of continuous learning.
Key Takeaways:
Companies are teaching about the challenges that come with change—letting go of control, getting teams to buy in, communication, not understanding the “why” of the change, thus preparing their staff to handle the disruption.
Generational diversity training is showing up more and more in corporate learning and development.
Some companies have included developing the preferred organizational chart during their strategic planning,and using it as a guide when making key hires.
Resources:
Talent Report + Webinar Series
March Talent Report +
MRA Membership
About MRA
Let's Connect:
Guest Bio - Jim Morgan
Guest LinkedIn Profile - Jim Morgan
Host Bio - Sophie Boler
Host LinkedIn Profile - Sophie Boler
Transcript:
Transcripts are computer generated -- not 100% accurate word-for-word.
00:00:00:01 - 00:00:03:10Hello everybody and welcome to 30 minute Thrive,
00:00:03:10 - 00:00:06:20your go to podcast for anything and everything HR.
00:00:06:21 - 00:00:09:21powered by MRA, the Management Association
00:00:09:23 - 00:00:12:23looking to stay on top of the ever changing world of HR?
00:00:12:23 - 00:00:14:18MRA has got you covered.
00:00:14:18 - 00:00:17:16We'll be the first, to tell you what's hot and what's not.
00:00:17:16 - 00:00:21:03I'm your host, Sophie Boler, and we are so glad you're here.
00:00:21:04 - 00:00:22:23Now it's time to thrive.
00:00:22:23 - 00:00:25:11Welcome to this episode of 30 Minute Thrive.
00:00:25:17 - 00:00:29:08We're happy you're here, and I'm excited to give you the latest information on
00:00:29:08 - 00:00:34:03all things Talent related is our guest, Jim Morgan, vice president of Workforce
00:00:34:03 - 00:00:38:19Strategies here at MRA, covers the March edition of MRA’s Talent Report.
00:00:39:07 - 00:00:42:18So if you aren't familiar with the monthly talent report, Jim
00:00:42:18 - 00:00:46:17Morgan gives an up to the minute review of what's going on in the world of business
00:00:46:17 - 00:00:51:13with an emphasis on talent, which is based on input from CEOs, CFOs
00:00:51:13 - 00:00:55:19and HR leaders from MRA's 3000 plus member companies,
00:00:56:01 - 00:00:59:221000 roundtable participants and subject matter experts.
00:01:00:10 - 00:01:02:09So thanks for coming on the podcast, Jim.
00:01:02:09 - 00:01:02:23My pleasure.
00:01:02:23 - 00:01:03:18Good to be back.
00:01:03:18 - 00:01:05:16So so let's really kick off
00:01:05:16 - 00:01:09:04the conversation with what's happening in the recruiting retention world.
00:01:09:12 - 00:01:13:18And I know that staying on top of mental health needs is always been a priority
00:01:13:18 - 00:01:14:18for HR.
00:01:14:18 - 00:01:18:18and employers, but it's really a tricky thing to be proactive on.
00:01:19:06 - 00:01:22:06So do you want to really start us off with what you're seeing here?
00:01:22:15 - 00:01:23:05Sure.
00:01:23:05 - 00:01:25:20You know, the mental health, everybody mentions it.
00:01:25:20 - 00:01:28:23But when you're trying to figure out, okay, exactly what is it
00:01:28:23 - 00:01:31:23that we do about that, that's where it gets a little bit more difficult.
00:01:32:09 - 00:01:38:12We're starting to see companies now use wellness and fitness things as incentives
00:01:38:18 - 00:01:43:03for more time off or for additional pay that maybe if you walk
00:01:43:10 - 00:01:47:1310,000 steps a day for ten days in a row, you get a half day off
00:01:47:13 - 00:01:51:10or if you eat right or if you lose weight or you quit smoking,
00:01:51:10 - 00:01:54:16they're trying to figure out how to not necessarily monetize it,
00:01:54:23 - 00:01:58:21but develop it in such a way that now there's real motivation
00:01:58:21 - 00:01:59:18for employee to say,
00:01:59:18 - 00:02:02:19you know what, that's it's worth it for me now to go and do that
00:02:03:01 - 00:02:08:06because the rewards are not just I feel better and maybe I'll be healthier,
00:02:08:06 - 00:02:11:10but it's also like there's a short term to it that, you know,
00:02:11:10 - 00:02:14:20maybe just kind of keeps people motivated for a while to stick with it.
00:02:15:15 - 00:02:19:15That reminds me of those treadmills that you can get for under your desk
00:02:19:15 - 00:02:20:10when you're working.
00:02:20:10 - 00:02:22:05Exactly. Walk your steps.
00:02:22:05 - 00:02:24:20Yeah, well, incentive. Those those are the types of things.
00:02:25:01 - 00:02:29:16So we're seeing companies doing mindfulness breaks and telling people
00:02:29:16 - 00:02:30:15during the course of the day,
00:02:30:15 - 00:02:34:10you know, take a couple of minutes to yourself, take a walk outside.
00:02:34:10 - 00:02:37:18Companies are bringing massage chairs into the office.
00:02:37:18 - 00:02:39:23We do that here.
00:02:39:23 - 00:02:40:22They're, you know,
00:02:40:22 - 00:02:45:15providing now experiences where a lot of people have been giving gym memberships.
00:02:45:15 - 00:02:46:19And that's directly related.
00:02:46:19 - 00:02:50:10But it might be also a Netflix subscription with sort of a note
00:02:50:10 - 00:02:55:12that says, hey, once a week, take 2 hours and just sit back and watch a movie.
00:02:55:22 - 00:02:57:16So I think they're trying to just find things
00:02:57:16 - 00:03:00:18in everyone's lifestyle that those are moments where you
00:03:00:23 - 00:03:03:09you feel good about it and you know, it's good for you.
00:03:03:09 - 00:03:04:23It's what you should do.
00:03:04:23 - 00:03:08:16And then if we can give people a little extra nudge to go do it, you know,
00:03:08:21 - 00:03:10:18hopefully they're happier, they're healthier,
00:03:10:18 - 00:03:12:22and that means they're more productive at work.
00:03:12:22 - 00:03:16:07I know you just listed a few, but do you have any other
00:03:16:07 - 00:03:19:16wellness trends that you are seeing from employers?
00:03:20:07 - 00:03:24:06I think some of it now is around almost training
00:03:24:10 - 00:03:27:20people to understand the wellness and how to take care of them.
00:03:27:20 - 00:03:28:04So, I mean,
00:03:28:04 - 00:03:30:08I can give you a gym membership,
00:03:30:08 - 00:03:33:06but if you never go, it doesn't have a whole lot of value to it.
00:03:33:20 - 00:03:37:12But if we can explain to you what are the good things that happen
00:03:37:12 - 00:03:40:22if you exercise three times a day or if you get out and walk and you do things.
00:03:40:22 - 00:03:45:21So I think the education part of it is becoming a bigger a bigger deal.
00:03:45:21 - 00:03:46:20And a lot of companies
00:03:46:20 - 00:03:50:05have employee assistance programs and they've always had an EAP,
00:03:50:14 - 00:03:53:03but they didn't necessarily tell anybody they had it.
00:03:53:03 - 00:03:56:21It was probably buried in your benefit somewhere that says, Oh, we have an EAP,
00:03:57:07 - 00:04:01:12and some of those cover everything from, you know, doing your will
00:04:01:18 - 00:04:05:08to, you know, how do you identify your beneficiaries
00:04:05:09 - 00:04:08:14and leave money behind to financial planning.
00:04:08:23 - 00:04:12:03And those are all things that are additional stressors in people's lives.
00:04:12:03 - 00:04:15:10And so again, if we can figure out how to help them with some of those
00:04:15:10 - 00:04:18:16things, then, you know, that's helpful to the employee as well.
00:04:18:17 - 00:04:19:01Yeah.
00:04:19:01 - 00:04:24:22And I know you've mentioned before, like for workplace cafes or cafeterias
00:04:24:22 - 00:04:29:11now, employers are replacing some of that food with a healthier option.
00:04:29:17 - 00:04:31:02May not be. Yep.
00:04:31:02 - 00:04:33:11No more late summer apples. Exactly.
00:04:33:23 - 00:04:38:06Or another topic that I'd like to dive into is your talent thinking section,
00:04:38:13 - 00:04:42:00which I know the importance of training and developing employees
00:04:42:00 - 00:04:44:02is really emphasize this month.
00:04:44:02 - 00:04:46:03So can you expand on that a little bit?
00:04:46:20 - 00:04:50:15Yeah, the learning and development, a couple of things have happened there
00:04:50:15 - 00:04:52:05and we'll talk a little bit
00:04:52:05 - 00:04:54:01about emerging leaders, I think, in a minute
00:04:54:01 - 00:04:56:06because that's been another big part of it.
00:04:56:06 - 00:04:59:13But the shift that's taking place in the workforce right now
00:05:00:02 - 00:05:02:05generationally has been a big one.
00:05:02:14 - 00:05:03:01And the
00:05:03:01 - 00:05:06:18expectations of people in the workplace, especially managers and supervisors,
00:05:07:00 - 00:05:08:08have changed.
00:05:08:08 - 00:05:12:05So now you're watching all of the baby boomers begin to exit.
00:05:12:20 - 00:05:16:09Finally, and they're being replaced by smaller,
00:05:16:12 - 00:05:19:22a smaller generation, which means we're dipping into the next one,
00:05:20:18 - 00:05:22:04which are the millennials.
00:05:22:04 - 00:05:26:00And a lot of them are now being pushed into a leadership position
00:05:26:00 - 00:05:28:07earlier than perhaps I would have been.
00:05:28:13 - 00:05:32:09I might have had 20 years on the job to watch other people, as I say,
00:05:32:09 - 00:05:33:16watch other people make mistakes.
00:05:33:16 - 00:05:35:06So I didn't have to make my own
00:05:35:06 - 00:05:37:19and then hopefully be smarter as a leader when I got there.
00:05:38:05 - 00:05:42:19And some of the younger folks are not getting that same amount of time to do it.
00:05:42:19 - 00:05:46:08So there's a training issue around that that we can talk about.
00:05:47:00 - 00:05:50:03And the second part is, I think for a lot of hiring managers
00:05:50:03 - 00:05:54:01and supervisors, especially those that have been at it for a long time,
00:05:54:01 - 00:05:56:16their job has changed dramatically.
00:05:57:01 - 00:05:59:17It's changed because of the shortage of people we have.
00:05:59:17 - 00:06:01:04So they have to be much more involved
00:06:01:04 - 00:06:04:14now in recruiting and retention and making sure their people
00:06:04:19 - 00:06:07:18feel satisfied in their job and that they want to stick around.
00:06:08:10 - 00:06:13:04And they've also had to take on more of a role in the entire employee.
00:06:13:04 - 00:06:15:04It's not that I'm just going to evaluate
00:06:15:04 - 00:06:19:04you on your ability to get your work done and your innovation at work.
00:06:19:09 - 00:06:21:15Now it's you. What's your mental health?
00:06:22:04 - 00:06:23:11Is there any stress in your life?
00:06:23:11 - 00:06:24:10Is something happening
00:06:24:10 - 00:06:27:23that we need to know about that maybe we can help accommodate it?
00:06:28:06 - 00:06:30:23And so their life has changed quite a bit, too, and trying to help
00:06:30:23 - 00:06:35:06them understand that they need to understand the younger employees.
00:06:35:06 - 00:06:37:14They're not better, they're not worse, they're different.
00:06:37:14 - 00:06:39:23And what they want is very different.
00:06:39:23 - 00:06:43:09And you can complain about it, but you're also the people that are saying,
00:06:43:09 - 00:06:47:03I need more people to come work for me because I'm working too much.
00:06:47:03 - 00:06:47:16All right.
00:06:47:16 - 00:06:49:19But if you want us to help you find new people,
00:06:50:03 - 00:06:53:13then you've got to understand how do talk to those people,
00:06:53:13 - 00:06:55:16communicate with those people and keep those people happy.
00:06:55:16 - 00:06:58:11Because if they leave your back to having too much work again.
00:06:59:02 - 00:07:02:08So all of that falls into that learning and development
00:07:02:16 - 00:07:06:23sort of bucket that says, what do people have to deal with now?
00:07:06:23 - 00:07:07:22And how is we as
00:07:07:22 - 00:07:11:03how are we as an employer going to figure out how to train them in that?
00:07:11:13 - 00:07:14:13And can you give some examples of what companies
00:07:14:13 - 00:07:17:08are actually doing with that information?
00:07:17:19 - 00:07:18:07Yeah, you know,
00:07:18:07 - 00:07:22:09I think what they're trying to do is, one, they're trying to identify the skills.
00:07:22:09 - 00:07:28:10We did that in our in our last talent report webinar that it's communications.
00:07:28:10 - 00:07:30:08It's decision making.
00:07:30:08 - 00:07:31:21It's accountability.
00:07:31:21 - 00:07:35:09It's things that, you know, have been there probably for a long time.
00:07:35:09 - 00:07:36:06But they
00:07:37:05 - 00:07:39:00they are much more prevalent right now.
00:07:39:00 - 00:07:42:04And so they've got to figure out how to do some of those things.
00:07:42:04 - 00:07:44:21We are trying to begin to mix people a little bit
00:07:44:21 - 00:07:48:03more by age as well as by a variety of other things.
00:07:49:01 - 00:07:52:12If you and I are in the same meeting and somebody says, here's
00:07:52:12 - 00:07:55:00the direction that we're going in, this is what we're going to do,
00:07:55:07 - 00:07:57:20your take on it's probably going to be very different than mine.
00:07:58:03 - 00:08:03:07And so it's a good thing to have a 25 year old, a 45 year
00:08:03:07 - 00:08:06:12old and a 65 year old in the same meeting, because they're going to see things
00:08:06:12 - 00:08:07:17very differently.
00:08:07:17 - 00:08:11:00So you're starting to see the way people do meetings differently, the way they do.
00:08:11:00 - 00:08:12:15The strategic planning is changing
00:08:12:15 - 00:08:15:23dramatically to have different voices in the room.
00:08:16:12 - 00:08:19:03Mentoring and reverse mentoring.
00:08:19:03 - 00:08:21:21I think there's a couple of things I could probably teach you.
00:08:22:14 - 00:08:27:14I know there are things that you can teach me, so how do we set up those meetings
00:08:27:14 - 00:08:31:19and those relationships in a way that people can take advantage of that?
00:08:32:03 - 00:08:34:05So trying to take that, this is what we need
00:08:34:05 - 00:08:37:11and now how do we work it into the to the daily work?
00:08:37:11 - 00:08:40:13Because if we just say Jim, Sophie, you two should talk to each other
00:08:40:13 - 00:08:43:04once in a while, that might happen and it might not.
00:08:43:11 - 00:08:47:11And so we have to sort of be intentional in how we're doing it.
00:08:47:16 - 00:08:50:12Absolutely. Kind of going along with that.
00:08:50:12 - 00:08:53:21You recently spoke at a generational differences conference
00:08:54:05 - 00:08:55:01where you really talked
00:08:55:01 - 00:08:59:04about emerging leaders and how how they can use their skills
00:08:59:04 - 00:09:02:07and how to develop them, communicate with them and more.
00:09:02:07 - 00:09:06:14So can you kind of highlight some of the key points that you discussed there?
00:09:06:18 - 00:09:08:21Yeah, we actually tag teamed it.
00:09:08:21 - 00:09:12:06So we had a millennial and then a baby boomer,
00:09:12:14 - 00:09:16:03you know, and started it just by, you know, sort of saying, okay,
00:09:16:10 - 00:09:18:18let's just ask you a couple of questions
00:09:19:12 - 00:09:22:03if you needed technical assistance,
00:09:22:07 - 00:09:26:11who would you go to the the 27 year old or the 62 year old?
00:09:26:20 - 00:09:29:23If you wanted help with strategic planning, which one would you go to
00:09:30:02 - 00:09:33:13if you had a financial question, if you needed a project manager,
00:09:33:20 - 00:09:36:04if you wanted to understand what TicTok was
00:09:36:14 - 00:09:40:02and went through a series of questions where some of them are pretty obvious
00:09:40:02 - 00:09:44:03and they're correct and some of them you might, you know, be wrong
00:09:44:03 - 00:09:50:01that you're just assuming that, well, he's never been on TicTok as he's this age,
00:09:50:01 - 00:09:53:07but she's been on Tic TAC as she did Tic TAC.
00:09:53:21 - 00:09:55:17One of the biggest generational differences.
00:09:55:17 - 00:09:59:06It's a Tic TAC to me. Is the TicTok to you?
00:09:59:06 - 00:10:00:14It's a hard to say. It is.
00:10:00:14 - 00:10:04:04And you know, I've been saying tic tac longer than it's saying TicTok. So.
00:10:04:05 - 00:10:05:13All right. Showing my age,
00:10:07:02 - 00:10:07:19you're one of those
00:10:07:19 - 00:10:10:21more likely to have that type of experiences as well.
00:10:10:21 - 00:10:12:20So, yeah, we started with that.
00:10:12:20 - 00:10:14:06Just trying to get people to say,
00:10:14:06 - 00:10:18:07you know, what sort of opinions, what biases do we have already?
00:10:18:07 - 00:10:22:01I just assume a 25 year old can tech can do technology.
00:10:22:01 - 00:10:24:10Yeah, there's probably a 90% chance. You're right.
00:10:24:15 - 00:10:29:00But there's some 25 year olds who never bothered. So
00:10:29:11 - 00:10:34:01and there are 60 year olds who got into it as soon as it came and they love it.
00:10:34:14 - 00:10:38:09So just trying to get people to think just because they look like this age,
00:10:38:16 - 00:10:41:18you know, doesn't necessarily mean that that's that's what's right.
00:10:42:10 - 00:10:44:16And then, you know, we introduced ourselves
00:10:44:16 - 00:10:47:10kind of in a joking way saying, okay, what's
00:10:48:04 - 00:10:50:08what's your impression, you know, of this person?
00:10:50:08 - 00:10:54:01And I can, you know, say, well, they're on Tik tok too much.
00:10:54:01 - 00:10:55:15Okay, that's just my opinion.
00:10:55:15 - 00:10:58:02And then I get to hear the rebuttal on that that says you are
00:10:58:02 - 00:11:02:05you can learn on Tik tok and now you know that that that's legit,
00:11:02:15 - 00:11:04:14you know, and saying, okay, you got to speak up more
00:11:04:14 - 00:11:06:00because you have really good opinions
00:11:06:00 - 00:11:09:07and you know, you're not necessarily sharing them with people.
00:11:09:07 - 00:11:12:16And so some of it is constructive and some of it is, you know,
00:11:12:17 - 00:11:14:11just in good humor.
00:11:14:11 - 00:11:15:10And, you know,
00:11:15:10 - 00:11:18:15the young person can look at me and say, God, your memos are way too long.
00:11:18:23 - 00:11:22:04You have these long paragraphs just like get to the bullet points
00:11:22:04 - 00:11:23:10and let's be done.
00:11:23:10 - 00:11:26:13That or joking when I say, Hey, did you see the commercial
00:11:26:13 - 00:11:27:10or what you look like?
00:11:27:10 - 00:11:29:12Why in the world are you watching commercials?
00:11:29:16 - 00:11:31:06How dumb can you be?
00:11:31:06 - 00:11:33:23So some of those are just sort of like, understand?
00:11:33:23 - 00:11:38:10Yeah, most definitely where they're at, how they consume things, technology,
00:11:38:16 - 00:11:43:07television, radio, music, you know, just very different things.
00:11:43:07 - 00:11:47:03So just, you know, try to open up their minds a little bit to saying, yeah,
00:11:47:03 - 00:11:50:09let's think about some of these things before we just run
00:11:50:09 - 00:11:53:12and make, you know, assumptions of of what's happening.
00:11:53:13 - 00:11:54:13Absolutely.
00:11:54:13 - 00:11:58:21And in terms of communicating with emerging leaders or developing them,
00:11:59:06 - 00:12:02:04what do you really think members ought to be thinking about?
00:12:02:17 - 00:12:06:00I think we've lived in a world for so long that, you know,
00:12:06:00 - 00:12:11:04usually there was a primary form of communication.
00:12:11:13 - 00:12:14:22You know, at one point it might have been actually having
00:12:14:22 - 00:12:19:11to make copies of something and stick it in everybody's actual mailbox.
00:12:19:17 - 00:12:23:03And then we knew all the staff got it, and then we sent out
00:12:23:03 - 00:12:26:07all emails emailed to all staff saying, okay, here it is.
00:12:26:16 - 00:12:32:00We assumed everybody got it, we faxed it to people and we assumed everybody got it.
00:12:32:09 - 00:12:35:11And we're in a world now, especially with these four generations
00:12:35:11 - 00:12:38:17that, you know, if I said to you, what's what's your
00:12:39:10 - 00:12:42:07primary way that you would like me to communicate with you?
00:12:42:07 - 00:12:46:05So if I said, I want to get a hold of you and I want a quick answer,
00:12:46:05 - 00:12:48:00how would you want me to communicate with you?
00:12:48:00 - 00:12:49:19Text. Text to me.
00:12:49:19 - 00:12:52:22And that's that's spot on, you know,
00:12:52:22 - 00:12:56:11and I might say I'm actually I would probably say, text me at this point, too.
00:12:56:19 - 00:12:58:23Mostly, though, because I'm adapting to other people.
00:12:59:05 - 00:13:03:06I would have said normally I was at email me because that would be the fastest way
00:13:03:15 - 00:13:04:21to get a hold of me.
00:13:04:21 - 00:13:08:10But what companies now are having to deal with is if your primary way of
00:13:08:10 - 00:13:14:15communicating is texting and mine, is email in others might be on our system.
00:13:14:15 - 00:13:17:18And so they wanted in chatter and others say, you know,
00:13:17:18 - 00:13:21:07if you could just do a video and I could watch it, that's easier.
00:13:21:10 - 00:13:22:01And quite frankly,
00:13:22:01 - 00:13:25:19if you recorded it, I can listen to it while I'm driving or something like that.
00:13:26:10 - 00:13:28:23So that's five different ways of communicating
00:13:28:23 - 00:13:32:06the same message, trying to make sure that it gets to everybody right.
00:13:32:16 - 00:13:35:17And I think we have to understand that if there's a primary way
00:13:35:17 - 00:13:39:05of communicating with people, that's the way that they're going to consume it.
00:13:39:10 - 00:13:43:23And I can not like it, but I can't be mad either when they say, Well, I don't know.
00:13:43:23 - 00:13:44:21Did you ever text me?
00:13:44:21 - 00:13:46:19What's that? No, I never texted you.
00:13:46:19 - 00:13:47:19Come on.
00:13:48:00 - 00:13:48:12Right.
00:13:48:12 - 00:13:51:01And, you know, you went through our entire leadership program.
00:13:51:01 - 00:13:53:06And that was one of the questions we asked people was,
00:13:53:06 - 00:13:55:23what do you want most when you you know, you start your employment
00:13:56:06 - 00:14:00:20and after the box of swag was I want my supervisor cell phone number.
00:14:00:20 - 00:14:01:04Yeah.
00:14:01:09 - 00:14:04:14And that's a huge you know, you might have a 55 year old
00:14:04:14 - 00:14:07:06like I'm not giving my cell phone number to a 25 year old there.
00:14:07:10 - 00:14:09:21Call me from the bar on Saturday night.
00:14:09:21 - 00:14:11:16You know, that's not the point of it.
00:14:11:16 - 00:14:14:08You know what the probably you're looking for is
00:14:14:12 - 00:14:17:01And in answer to a question and I want it quick.
00:14:17:03 - 00:14:17:19Absolutely.
00:14:17:19 - 00:14:20:00And if I text you, I better get a response from.
00:14:20:13 - 00:14:21:20I can attest to that.
00:14:21:20 - 00:14:23:04So, you know, there you have it.
00:14:23:04 - 00:14:26:03So I think you are having to try to begin to figure out
00:14:27:00 - 00:14:31:09how do we communicate with everybody in a way that they will actually consume
00:14:31:09 - 00:14:34:11what it is that that we want them to consume For sure.
00:14:34:11 - 00:14:36:15Because like I said, I can throw out a thousand messages,
00:14:36:15 - 00:14:40:04but if I'm putting my messages on commercial TV,
00:14:40:17 - 00:14:42:16you're not ever going to see it right?
00:14:42:16 - 00:14:46:17And if you're putting everything on Spotify, I might never hear it.
00:14:47:03 - 00:14:50:13And so where do we go and how do we communicate?
00:14:51:15 - 00:14:54:14So kind of moving in a new direction here.
00:14:54:20 - 00:14:56:12There were two recent surveys
00:14:56:12 - 00:15:00:07that MRA just published in there and this month's talent report,
00:15:00:07 - 00:15:05:00but it's the Business and Economic Outlook for 2023 in the Turnover survey.
00:15:05:08 - 00:15:07:12So what was found in these surveys?
00:15:09:10 - 00:15:12:01I'll go with the second one first because it's easier.
00:15:12:13 - 00:15:14:13Turnover was up
00:15:14:13 - 00:15:16:19and it was up in almost every type of job.
00:15:16:19 - 00:15:22:06It was about 25% this past year, which is what it was last year,
00:15:22:13 - 00:15:26:09but historically had been more in that 15, 16, 17% range.
00:15:26:09 - 00:15:29:14So it's still there and it's still going on.
00:15:29:18 - 00:15:35:18It's much higher at the lower level jobs than it is at the executive jobs.
00:15:36:01 - 00:15:38:16Executives as low as eight or 9%.
00:15:39:10 - 00:15:42:23But the people that maybe are in a manufacturing job
00:15:42:23 - 00:15:46:02that are just starting, it might be as high as 35%.
00:15:46:16 - 00:15:50:18So the turnover is still there and companies are really trying
00:15:50:18 - 00:15:55:01to focus on keeping them for that first week and month.
00:15:55:06 - 00:15:57:00And if they can keep them for that
00:15:57:00 - 00:15:59:00first week in month, they've got a much better chance.
00:15:59:00 - 00:16:00:15And so you're seeing a lot of
00:16:00:15 - 00:16:04:12how do we surround this person with buddies or friends or mentors?
00:16:04:17 - 00:16:06:02How do we keep in touch with them?
00:16:06:02 - 00:16:07:14How do we contact them?
00:16:07:14 - 00:16:09:00And spending a lot of time on that.
00:16:09:00 - 00:16:12:06But the the turnover is up, I think right now
00:16:12:17 - 00:16:15:17the employers are a little bit more optimistic that maybe we're going to
00:16:15:17 - 00:16:19:11stabilize here, that those who are jumping just for money
00:16:19:17 - 00:16:21:06have perhaps jumped
00:16:21:06 - 00:16:22:06and others are starting
00:16:22:06 - 00:16:25:14to look around and say, okay, I've got the wage that I'm looking for.
00:16:25:14 - 00:16:27:18We always want more, but I'm pretty comfortable.
00:16:28:06 - 00:16:31:22Now. What I'm looking for is maybe a little more longevity,
00:16:31:22 - 00:16:33:00a little bit more about
00:16:33:00 - 00:16:36:03what do you have to offer, a little bit more about my work life balance.
00:16:36:03 - 00:16:38:21So maybe it's going to start the evening out.
00:16:38:21 - 00:16:39:23We'll see.
00:16:39:23 - 00:16:43:09We're still at 2% unemployed moment here in Wisconsin.
00:16:44:01 - 00:16:46:01We're around under three.
00:16:46:01 - 00:16:50:01In Minnesota, we're around three in Iowa, a little bit higher in Illinois.
00:16:50:09 - 00:16:52:06So there's still going to be opportunities for people.
00:16:52:06 - 00:16:55:03If there's opportunities for people, they're a little bit more likely to move
00:16:55:04 - 00:16:55:18right in.
00:16:55:18 - 00:16:58:06How about the business and economic?
00:16:58:12 - 00:17:01:02The business, an economic one is really fascinating
00:17:01:02 - 00:17:04:01because I think individually it was in people's companies.
00:17:04:08 - 00:17:07:13They remained pretty optimistic that if I'm a manager,
00:17:07:13 - 00:17:11:07I'm a manufacturer, I might have six months backlog.
00:17:11:07 - 00:17:14:21So I know I've got work that's coming in and people can see that
00:17:15:10 - 00:17:18:13most of their customers and clients are still doing well.
00:17:18:13 - 00:17:21:19So they're feeling pretty good about that.
00:17:21:19 - 00:17:24:11But then you ask them about, well, do you see a recession coming?
00:17:24:12 - 00:17:25:20You think that's going to happen?
00:17:25:20 - 00:17:30:23And, you know, over two thirds are saying, yeah, I think we're going to see that.
00:17:30:23 - 00:17:34:09And then you ask another question, it says, well, then how optimistic are you?
00:17:34:14 - 00:17:39:16And almost 90% are either very or somewhat optimistic
00:17:39:16 - 00:17:42:15that their company is going to remain profitable and do all right.
00:17:42:23 - 00:17:46:15So it's almost like my company's okay, but the rest of the world
00:17:46:15 - 00:17:48:01is in a lot of trouble.
00:17:48:01 - 00:17:50:12But there's a lot of people saying, my company is okay.
00:17:50:12 - 00:17:53:14So if there's enough companies that are saying, I think mine's all right,
00:17:54:01 - 00:17:56:14maybe we're in better shape than we think.
00:17:57:02 - 00:18:00:17Now, the Midwest, I think, is very unique because as we've talked
00:18:00:17 - 00:18:04:12demographics in the past, we were going to have a labor shortage
00:18:04:19 - 00:18:08:18and we could have some people doing layoffs and still have other companies
00:18:09:03 - 00:18:10:03who can pick them up.
00:18:10:03 - 00:18:13:19So to the extent that we're going to keep people employed
00:18:14:05 - 00:18:18:00in northern Illinois and Iowa and Minnesota and Wisconsin,
00:18:18:08 - 00:18:20:05that's going to make a difference for us, I think.
00:18:20:05 - 00:18:23:09And I think it'll make us a little bit more resilient
00:18:23:09 - 00:18:27:23because those companies optimism means, okay, they're going to be hiring people.
00:18:28:04 - 00:18:30:12And most are still saying they are looking.
00:18:30:21 - 00:18:35:13So that that gives us kind of a leg up on maybe we're going to be okay here.
00:18:35:15 - 00:18:36:08Yeah.
00:18:36:14 - 00:18:41:06And in terms of C-suite level, what are the leaders really doing now?
00:18:42:07 - 00:18:42:21They are
00:18:42:21 - 00:18:47:03you know, they continue to be concerned a little bit about the uncertainty.
00:18:47:03 - 00:18:50:21And that is one of the things that, you know, if you're a CEO
00:18:50:21 - 00:18:53:02and you're looking at things, the one thing you want to do
00:18:53:02 - 00:18:55:22is really be able to control the narrative.
00:18:55:22 - 00:19:00:02You want to be able to say, look, I, I can control these types of things,
00:19:00:02 - 00:19:03:15but if you're going to have price increases every two weeks,
00:19:03:23 - 00:19:07:23yes, the government is going to pass some new compliance law
00:19:07:23 - 00:19:12:21or they're going to change the way in which they might say we can
00:19:12:22 - 00:19:16:18We can't have non-compete that changes the way we do things.
00:19:17:03 - 00:19:20:22There is all kinds of political activity out there.
00:19:20:22 - 00:19:23:13There is world affairs going on.
00:19:23:19 - 00:19:27:00So all of those things combined, you start adding five
00:19:27:00 - 00:19:29:11or six or seven or eight of these together and it's kind of like,
00:19:30:04 - 00:19:32:04you know, let me control what I can control.
00:19:32:04 - 00:19:34:22I can hire people, I can improve my processes.
00:19:35:03 - 00:19:38:09But you're throwing all these other things at me and that's caused me
00:19:38:17 - 00:19:39:18quite a bit of strife.
00:19:39:18 - 00:19:43:01So I think that that's that's an issue for them.
00:19:43:12 - 00:19:47:05They understand the talent issue for sure, and they continue to be concerned
00:19:47:05 - 00:19:47:17about that.
00:19:47:17 - 00:19:50:15And I think they're spending a little bit more time with their HR.
00:19:50:15 - 00:19:53:01Department saying, you know, what do we do about this?
00:19:54:00 - 00:19:57:01And in my presentations, i often say, well,
00:19:57:01 - 00:20:00:03you know, the problem looks an awful lot like me, that there's a lot of people
00:20:00:03 - 00:20:04:01that are, you know, 60 some years old, have been doing this for a long time.
00:20:04:01 - 00:20:07:17And they're saying all these young people, you know what's coming in here,
00:20:07:22 - 00:20:09:18How do we get them to be more motivated?
00:20:09:18 - 00:20:13:14And I would argue that I think they're motivated as I've ever been.
00:20:13:14 - 00:20:17:08It's just we're looking at digging into the the 2%,
00:20:17:08 - 00:20:21:05which I think unemployment was 7% when I was looking for my first job.
00:20:21:12 - 00:20:23:15So there's 200 people applying for every job.
00:20:23:15 - 00:20:24:23I pick the best one.
00:20:24:23 - 00:20:28:07You're walking around saying, I got five people who want me to come work for them.
00:20:28:15 - 00:20:30:03I can pick whichever one I want.
00:20:30:03 - 00:20:33:19So that's a that's just a very different world.
00:20:33:23 - 00:20:34:15Absolutely.
00:20:34:15 - 00:20:37:19And I think they're pushing their HR.
00:20:37:19 - 00:20:42:13Departments very hard on especially going back to this emerging leader thing.
00:20:42:20 - 00:20:44:01What should we be doing?
00:20:44:01 - 00:20:48:10The mentoring, the reverse mentoring, the helping them with assessments
00:20:48:10 - 00:20:52:06of personalities and assessments of communication styles,
00:20:52:18 - 00:20:56:00getting them into team building and cross-functional teams,
00:20:56:00 - 00:21:02:01putting the high potentials on our Strat planning group, giving them opportunities
00:21:02:01 - 00:21:06:02to see this is where I can be a bigger part of this organization.
00:21:06:02 - 00:21:08:17If I know I'm a part of it, I'm going to stay in.
00:21:08:17 - 00:21:11:18If I see opportunities, then we'll be much better off.
00:21:12:07 - 00:21:14:13So I think at this point everybody's figured out who we can hang on to,
00:21:14:14 - 00:21:16:19people we don't have to be looking for as many people.
00:21:16:19 - 00:21:18:07So that's
00:21:19:06 - 00:21:21:10that's sort of where folks are at and saying, yeah,
00:21:21:15 - 00:21:25:01let's let's keep the ones we get because we spent a lot of money time
00:21:25:01 - 00:21:26:09trying to get them. Yeah.
00:21:26:09 - 00:21:29:00And how about for HR. Strategies?
00:21:29:00 - 00:21:32:15What are you seeing for creative strategies wise?
00:21:32:20 - 00:21:35:10You know, i think the most creative one that I got
00:21:36:03 - 00:21:38:15this time around from one of my roundtables.
00:21:38:15 - 00:21:42:13It was a smaller rural town, but it was a company that had changed
00:21:42:13 - 00:21:45:18their name, wasn't necessarily
00:21:45:18 - 00:21:49:16delivering a product direct to consumer where you'd say,
00:21:49:16 - 00:21:52:08Oh, I recognize that it's Coca-Cola, you know, I get it.
00:21:52:23 - 00:21:55:17And they were they've been recruiting and are trying to find people
00:21:55:17 - 00:21:57:00and there's just not that many people.
00:21:57:00 - 00:21:59:07And a lot of folks are, you know, stealing from each other.
00:22:00:01 - 00:22:02:03And they decided it
00:22:02:16 - 00:22:05:06really as an effort to try to get their name back out there
00:22:05:06 - 00:22:09:00and remind people that they were in town, basically held a community event.
00:22:09:10 - 00:22:11:23And it was just sort of like a community fair.
00:22:12:05 - 00:22:14:18They had games for the kids.
00:22:14:18 - 00:22:18:12They had, you know, drink tickets, they had a tent.
00:22:18:20 - 00:22:22:17They had all kinds of fun activities for people to do and just said, come on in.
00:22:22:17 - 00:22:26:03We want to celebrate the community and we'll see what happens now.
00:22:27:00 - 00:22:29:10And then near the where the drink tickets were,
00:22:29:11 - 00:22:30:14they had set up a booth
00:22:30:14 - 00:22:33:02that just explained who their company was and what they did.
00:22:33:02 - 00:22:35:19And you know, they had job applications there as well.
00:22:36:11 - 00:22:40:12And what they found was, one, people didn't know they were there and they were
00:22:40:12 - 00:22:43:11picking up brochures and saying, Wow, this is really interesting.
00:22:43:11 - 00:22:48:02But they also got 25 employees out of the deal from the applications
00:22:48:02 - 00:22:49:09that were picked up here.
00:22:49:09 - 00:22:52:23And these weren't even necessarily people that were looking, but they saw it.
00:22:52:23 - 00:22:55:01They came to a place that was fun.
00:22:55:01 - 00:22:58:17They saw the employees that were there and they were having fun and looked like
00:22:58:17 - 00:23:00:07they were committed to the company.
00:23:00:07 - 00:23:03:11And if you ask them about it, I would say you know, good thing.
00:23:03:11 - 00:23:04:00Yeah.
00:23:04:01 - 00:23:06:22And this is a company that puts out activities like this.
00:23:06:22 - 00:23:08:18This all sounds pretty good to me.
00:23:08:18 - 00:23:13:18And just based on their experience there that day and talking to their employees,
00:23:14:06 - 00:23:17:03they got 25 new employees out of it
00:23:17:11 - 00:23:20:17at a time when they'd been spending thousands on advertising
00:23:20:17 - 00:23:23:23and using recruiters and maybe getting two or three.
00:23:24:15 - 00:23:28:21So almost by accident, but outside the box time.
00:23:29:10 - 00:23:32:06So so I would say that that was probably
00:23:32:06 - 00:23:35:06the most creative one on Newcastle on in the last month.
00:23:35:11 - 00:23:37:17That sounds creative. Ended up
00:23:38:20 - 00:23:39:16well for that one.
00:23:39:16 - 00:23:39:21Yeah.
00:23:39:21 - 00:23:42:12All worked out well and I might have another one.
00:23:43:14 - 00:23:46:16Or as we kind of wrap up here, there's a lot of changes
00:23:46:16 - 00:23:51:02happening in the workforce and a lot of those hard population.
00:23:51:02 - 00:23:55:09So can you talk about the change in population over the last ten years
00:23:55:09 - 00:23:57:16and how that's really affected the workforce?
00:23:57:22 - 00:24:01:01Yeah, you know, if you look around and I've mentioned this
00:24:01:01 - 00:24:04:06before, the the Northeast and the upper Midwest
00:24:04:19 - 00:24:09:04are sort of the places where that is now where people are moving to.
00:24:09:05 - 00:24:13:11And so without that migration that's been that's a problem.
00:24:13:11 - 00:24:16:09And so good news over the last ten years.
00:24:16:18 - 00:24:21:13We saw growth in Wisconsin and Minnesota and Illinois
00:24:21:20 - 00:24:27:09between three and 5%, which isn't great, but at least it's growth.
00:24:28:05 - 00:24:30:07Illinois is is struggling.
00:24:30:07 - 00:24:32:19It's one of the biggest migration out states.
00:24:32:19 - 00:24:35:13So they they have their own set of issues.
00:24:36:00 - 00:24:38:15But before everybody gets too excited about plus three or four
00:24:38:15 - 00:24:42:23or 5%, the digging into the numbers is really the key.
00:24:42:23 - 00:24:47:23And that grows in three, four, 5% are all working age people.
00:24:47:23 - 00:24:51:19In fact, very few of them are in the working age population.
00:24:52:12 - 00:24:56:13More of them are going to be near the retirement age side of things.
00:24:56:13 - 00:24:57:02And so
00:24:59:05 - 00:25:01:03it could be worse.
00:25:01:08 - 00:25:03:18But most of the states, especially when you go south
00:25:03:18 - 00:25:06:03and when you go west, are having more growth.
00:25:06:03 - 00:25:08:23And that most of it is around hotspots.
00:25:08:23 - 00:25:12:05So when you see the Portland's in the Denver's in the Carolinas
00:25:12:05 - 00:25:15:18and Austin, Texas, that's where people are going
00:25:16:12 - 00:25:20:06and we don't necessarily have one of those in several states.
00:25:20:14 - 00:25:21:13Minneapolis St.
00:25:21:13 - 00:25:23:16Paul is a draw, it's a hub,
00:25:25:06 - 00:25:27:17but that's really about the only one for Minnesota.
00:25:27:22 - 00:25:29:05Milwaukee's trying hard.
00:25:29:05 - 00:25:31:02Madison's doing a good job,
00:25:31:02 - 00:25:34:21but they still don't compete with that sort of national buzz
00:25:35:04 - 00:25:38:21about some of those other places where you might just say,
00:25:38:21 - 00:25:41:05That looks like a cool place and that's where I'm going.
00:25:41:05 - 00:25:43:07I'll find a job, I'll figure it out when I get there,
00:25:43:18 - 00:25:46:23because you can do that because you know that there will be a job there right now.
00:25:47:10 - 00:25:49:18Well, looking to the future a little bit,
00:25:49:18 - 00:25:53:07can you give us a sneak peek on April's talent report?
00:25:53:13 - 00:25:55:23Yeah, we're going to be looking at employee engagement,
00:25:56:09 - 00:25:58:19and that's I know others have talked about here.
00:25:58:19 - 00:26:02:20Last year was a really big let's go recruit, recruit recruiting fruit.
00:26:03:05 - 00:26:05:03And I think people are going to keep doing that.
00:26:05:03 - 00:26:08:08But in the process of doing that, you started realizing, well,
00:26:08:08 - 00:26:13:03if I've got to recruit 20 and ten others leave, I'm only up ten.
00:26:13:03 - 00:26:14:21And so I got to keep recruiting, recruiting.
00:26:14:21 - 00:26:19:01So I think people are looking more at retention and we'll have Lisa Poulin,
00:26:19:09 - 00:26:20:09who does a lot
00:26:20:09 - 00:26:24:18of our organizational development work, talking about some of the assessments
00:26:24:18 - 00:26:27:09you can use and trying to make sure that people are happy.
00:26:27:09 - 00:26:28:10Employee engagement
00:26:28:10 - 00:26:32:20surveys, finding out what's on their mind, and then trying to figure out, you know,
00:26:32:20 - 00:26:34:10what are the benefits and what's the culture
00:26:34:10 - 00:26:36:16and what's the structure we've got of the organization
00:26:37:01 - 00:26:39:11that's going to have those people stay with us for the long term?
00:26:39:11 - 00:26:43:08Because the longer that they're, the more they know and the more we need a great.
00:26:43:08 - 00:26:45:15While looking forward to it. Yeah, I do.
00:26:45:15 - 00:26:50:05Any other last pieces of advice or lasting comments on.
00:26:50:05 - 00:26:50:22Sure.
00:26:51:00 - 00:26:54:08I think people do that and just, you know, dig in and keep fighting.
00:26:55:06 - 00:26:57:05I think the creativity is going to be key.
00:26:57:05 - 00:26:59:11It's just, you know, it's the party.
00:26:59:11 - 00:27:03:07It's figuring out what's the niche group that we want to go after.
00:27:03:07 - 00:27:05:23It's finding a new place to go look for people.
00:27:06:20 - 00:27:07:22It's not going to end.
00:27:07:22 - 00:27:10:01And so people are going to have to just keep working at it.
00:27:10:01 - 00:27:11:11And that's exhausting.
00:27:11:11 - 00:27:12:18I'm sorry about that.
00:27:12:18 - 00:27:16:10But the creative ones are winning and they're successful.
00:27:16:10 - 00:27:19:23Yeah, well, I want to thank you for being on 30 minute Thrive today
00:27:19:23 - 00:27:22:22and really sharing this month's talent report with us.
00:27:23:06 - 00:27:27:09So if you liked our chat and topic today, make sure you share it with episode.
00:27:27:09 - 00:27:28:06Leave a comment,
00:27:28:06 - 00:27:32:07leave a review, Consider joining MRA if you aren't a member already.
00:27:32:12 - 00:27:35:04We have all the resources you need in the show Notes below,
00:27:35:13 - 00:27:38:18including Jim's bio, his LinkedIn profile.
00:27:38:18 - 00:27:43:03So if you want to get in touch with him, I'm sure he'll be happy to chat with you.
00:27:43:15 - 00:27:44:06Otherwise.
00:27:44:06 - 00:27:47:18Thank you for tuning in today and we will see you next week.
00:27:47:18 - 00:27:50:13And that wraps up our content for this episode.
00:27:50:14 - 00:27:53:18Be sure to reference the show notes where you can sign them to connect.
00:27:53:18 - 00:27:55:09For more podcast updates,
00:27:55:09 - 00:27:59:05check out other MRA episodes on your favorite podcast platform.
00:27:59:05 - 00:28:04:04And as always, make sure to follow MRA’s 30 minutes Thrive so you don't miss out.
00:28:04:04 - 00:28:05:06Thanks for tuning in
00:28:05:06 - 00:28:08:18and we'll see you next Wednesday to carry on the HR conversation.
Wednesday Mar 08, 2023
Wednesday Mar 08, 2023
Description: In today's episode, we're tackling the intricate field of leaves of absence. We'll dive into the different types of leaves, common misconceptions, frequently asked questions, and helpful resources you can use to stay on top of best practices, rules and regulations regarding leaves of absence.
Key Takeaways:
When it comes to leaves of absence, work with empathy, communicate well, have expectations laid out, have an agreement, and understand return dates.
There's a misconception that you can't fire, terminate, discipline, or manage people's expectations when they're on leave. That is simply untrue. Those things can all be done if they're done fairly and objectively.
MRA has many leaves of absence resources, including the hotline, toolkits, guides, trainings, and more!
Resources:
24/7 HR Hotline
Leave of Absence Request Form
JAN - Job Accommodation Network
ADA Toolkit
Supervisor and the Law Training
MRA Membership
About MRA
Let's Connect:
Guest Bio - Amy Whittenberger
Guest LinkedIn Profile - Amy Whittenberger
Host Bio - Sophie Boler
Host LinkedIn Profile - Sophie Boler
Transcript:
Transcripts are computer generated -- not 100% accurate word-for-word.
00:00:00:01 - 00:00:03:10Hello everybody and welcome to 30 minute Thrive,
00:00:03:10 - 00:00:06:20your go-to podcast for anything and everything HR.
00:00:06:21 - 00:00:09:22Powered by MRA, the Management Association.
00:00:09:23 - 00:00:12:23Looking to stay on top of the ever-changing world of HR?
00:00:12:23 - 00:00:14:18MRA has got you covered.
00:00:14:18 - 00:00:17:15We'll be the first to tell you what's hot and what's not.
00:00:17:16 - 00:00:21:03I'm your host, Sophie Boler, and we are so glad you're here.
00:00:21:04 - 00:00:22:22Now it's time to thrive.
00:00:22:22 - 00:00:26:22Hello, everybody, and welcome to this episode of 30 Minute Thrive.
00:00:27:05 - 00:00:30:18We're happy you're here, and I'm excited to talk about what's hot on the hotline
00:00:30:22 - 00:00:32:13with Amy Whittenberger.
00:00:32:13 - 00:00:35:06She's our HR Business Advisor here at MRA.
00:00:35:07 - 00:00:38:17So she's the one to answer all of your HR Questions,
00:00:38:17 - 00:00:42:04and provide some good advice when you call on our HR hotline.
00:00:42:05 - 00:00:46:14Prior to joining MRA, Amy held multiple positions in HR
00:00:46:14 - 00:00:50:01and operations roles, and worked in the manufacturing
00:00:50:01 - 00:00:53:07and service industries, all small and large companies,
00:00:53:16 - 00:00:57:05as well as for-profit and not-for-profit companies.
00:00:57:17 - 00:01:01:19She's actually owned her own HR consulting business and taught
00:01:01:19 - 00:01:05:05HR courses at Cardinal Stritch University as well.
00:01:05:16 - 00:01:08:18So, I know you come with a lot of experience and knowledge
00:01:08:18 - 00:01:12:08today, so I'm excited that you're sharing it with us on the podcast today.
00:01:13:14 - 00:01:14:15I'm glad to be here.
00:01:14:15 - 00:01:15:05This is fun.
00:01:15:05 - 00:01:16:15Yeah, absolutely.
00:01:16:15 - 00:01:20:04Well, a recent episode was dedicated to MRA's most
00:01:20:04 - 00:01:24:01called upon topic on the hotline, which was FMLA.
00:01:24:10 - 00:01:28:21So let's kind of talk about the other side to that, and that's leaves of absence.
00:01:28:21 - 00:01:31:14So what other forms of leaves are there?
00:01:32:03 - 00:01:35:16So there are a couple more that we do need to talk about with our members
00:01:35:16 - 00:01:36:19when they do call in.
00:01:36:19 - 00:01:39:21You know, we have over 4000 members, a million employees,
00:01:39:21 - 00:01:42:19so we're bound to get calls regarding leaves that are needed.
00:01:43:15 - 00:01:47:20Some of those leaves look like our medical and personal leaves are policies
00:01:47:20 - 00:01:51:18a company might have in place of not having FMLA available.
00:01:52:03 - 00:01:56:08And there's the big one, which is ADA, where there is an accommodation
00:01:56:08 - 00:01:57:15in the form of leave.
00:01:57:15 - 00:02:01:12There are military leaves and leaves due to worker's compensation.
00:02:01:12 - 00:02:05:15And we also need to talk about any state-mandated paid leaves
00:02:05:15 - 00:02:06:13that are out there as well.
00:02:06:13 - 00:02:08:13And there are 11 states that have that right now.
00:02:08:18 - 00:02:10:19So a lot of different types going on.
00:02:10:19 - 00:02:12:09So, if a member were to call
00:02:12:09 - 00:02:15:03and say that they have an employee that needs to be out
00:02:15:10 - 00:02:21:12but they are not eligible for for FMLA; what really are their options?
00:02:21:12 - 00:02:23:02like where do they start?
00:02:23:02 - 00:02:25:02I think the first question I would ask them is,
00:02:25:03 - 00:02:29:00is if they do have a medical or personal leave policy on hand,
00:02:29:00 - 00:02:31:20if they do, obviously that's a great foundation to work with.
00:02:32:06 - 00:02:35:09You know, if I look at the policies, they tend to mirror FMLA.
00:02:35:09 - 00:02:39:19So the conversation can be almost the same as an FMLA, in terms of, you know,
00:02:39:19 - 00:02:42:19the eligibility requirements they might have for employees' forms
00:02:42:19 - 00:02:47:12to use, medical certifications to get, as well as, how do you handle
00:02:47:12 - 00:02:50:18benefits, pay in paying for benefits of all that employees out
00:02:51:15 - 00:02:53:11and then documenting everything.
00:02:53:11 - 00:02:57:23If they don't have a leave policy then we suggest that they use our sample.
00:02:57:23 - 00:03:01:00We have a great sample to use, and then to work from.
00:03:01:23 - 00:03:04:13And then, if they don't have that policy in place,
00:03:04:13 - 00:03:06:07really is talking about, you know,
00:03:06:07 - 00:03:08:03if this is the first time they might be doing it,
00:03:08:03 - 00:03:12:02what precedent might they be setting with this employee, for future decisions,
00:03:12:10 - 00:03:15:19or certainly look back, if they can, in different files
00:03:16:06 - 00:03:19:12where they might have had past practices so that they can be consistent
00:03:19:12 - 00:03:20:03in the future.
00:03:20:03 - 00:03:24:05So what else do companies really need to consider on this?
00:03:25:04 - 00:03:28:07And particularly to their policies in terms of leave?
00:03:28:08 - 00:03:31:11You know, I certainly bring into the conversation regarding PTO,
00:03:32:18 - 00:03:34:23you know, how is their PTO administered?
00:03:34:23 - 00:03:39:09How does it apply to leaves, required or not, in terms of taking time off,
00:03:40:01 - 00:03:43:01and then again looking at paid leave in terms of states?
00:03:43:14 - 00:03:46:10So the good news is that if you have a policy,
00:03:47:08 - 00:03:50:16where you provide equal amounts of leave in more than the state
00:03:50:16 - 00:03:54:13requires you to have to provide additional leave on top of that.
00:03:54:19 - 00:03:56:03So that you'd just be good to go.
00:03:56:03 - 00:03:58:01So at least get that out of the way.
00:03:58:01 - 00:03:59:15Okay. That makes sense.
00:03:59:15 - 00:04:04:04So you mentioned earlier that ADA was one of the big ones.
00:04:04:09 - 00:04:07:01So can we talk about that a little bit? Yes.
00:04:07:07 - 00:04:10:21So on that same call with any member that's calling in, we certainly would
00:04:10:21 - 00:04:14:16move them into accommodation in terms of a disability.
00:04:14:16 - 00:04:19:00ADA is required of any companies of more than 15 employees,
00:04:19:20 - 00:04:23:00and we would first suggest that they look in their toolkit,
00:04:23:00 - 00:04:26:20so we have a disability toolkit, that's exclusive to our members,
00:04:26:20 - 00:04:30:17very comprehensive in terms of information, state laws, DOL
00:04:30:17 - 00:04:34:11information, forms, letters to use,
00:04:34:18 - 00:04:37:13and an introduction to Jan, so everyone should know Jan.
00:04:38:00 - 00:04:40:11Jan is a resource through the DOL.
00:04:40:11 - 00:04:45:05stands for Job Accommodation Network and so it's a great use resource as well.
00:04:45:05 - 00:04:48:20Working through a leave when it comes to accommodation is similar
00:04:48:20 - 00:04:51:07to accommodations for any other disabilities.
00:04:52:01 - 00:04:54:21It's just having those questions regarding the leave,
00:04:54:21 - 00:04:57:13and the amount of leave that would be necessary.
00:04:58:09 - 00:05:01:00So diving a little bit deeper into ADA,
00:05:01:09 - 00:05:03:18what does a leave really look like under this?
00:05:03:19 - 00:05:06:04Yeah, so it could be a lot of different things,
00:05:06:04 - 00:05:09:11that the can really vary, you know so a couple of samples could be, you know,
00:05:09:11 - 00:05:13:04employee calls in on a Monday and said, hey, I broke my leg over the weekend,
00:05:13:12 - 00:05:15:19playing soccer, I don't have worker's comp.
00:05:15:19 - 00:05:17:07It's not a FMLA.
00:05:17:07 - 00:05:19:17I know I can't come to work because I'm in a cast,
00:05:20:06 - 00:05:22:17I won’t have my cast off for two weeks.
00:05:23:03 - 00:05:24:19What does that look like for them?
00:05:24:19 - 00:05:28:09It could be other issues such as, you know, a mental health issue.
00:05:28:09 - 00:05:30:15We know mental health issues are on the rise.
00:05:31:15 - 00:05:32:17So it could be that they need
00:05:32:17 - 00:05:35:21a modified schedule in order to attend therapy appointments.
00:05:36:17 - 00:05:39:04On that same vein, it could be people that have like
00:05:39:04 - 00:05:41:21a chronic diabetes situation and need treatments,
00:05:42:10 - 00:05:44:13or unfortunately people are dealing with cancer.
00:05:44:13 - 00:05:46:23They have chemotherapy that they have to attend.
00:05:48:04 - 00:05:50:15It could also be people that have a drug addiction,
00:05:50:15 - 00:05:54:21and they want to check themselves into like a 30 day stay treatment center.
00:05:55:11 - 00:06:00:05And could be of a newer disability, are going to be working with the service dog.
00:06:00:05 - 00:06:01:04So I need to go
00:06:01:04 - 00:06:04:19look at training with my dog to learn how to work through those issues.
00:06:04:19 - 00:06:08:03I didn’t know that was a part of it, it is, yes.
00:06:09:05 - 00:06:11:08And it can be things like you know
00:06:11:21 - 00:06:15:10I had a FMLA available to me for migraines.
00:06:15:10 - 00:06:19:01Migraines tend not to go away, so I'm still dealing with migraines,
00:06:19:09 - 00:06:21:05you know, how can we work through leave for that?
00:06:22:07 - 00:06:24:10And then, even, you know, a fairly common
00:06:24:10 - 00:06:28:01one is someone who's pregnant and not eligible for FMLA.
00:06:28:09 - 00:06:29:20And working through those issues, like,
00:06:29:20 - 00:06:33:06they might need time off for morning sickness, or things like that.
00:06:33:18 - 00:06:34:06Mm hmm.
00:06:34:06 - 00:06:37:10So a very big array. Yes.
00:06:37:17 - 00:06:38:12It is.
00:06:38:12 - 00:06:42:11ADA is far reaching and very complex.
00:06:42:11 - 00:06:46:15So, do employers have to accommodate employees
00:06:46:15 - 00:06:49:12for every single one of those situations, per se.
00:06:50:00 - 00:06:51:18So, no, each case is different.
00:06:51:18 - 00:06:55:16So essentially what a company does need to do, is
00:06:56:01 - 00:06:59:02they are required to engage in what's called an interactive process.
00:06:59:13 - 00:07:03:13That process is how and the employer and the employee works
00:07:03:13 - 00:07:07:09together to find out, you know, what is a reasonable accommodation.
00:07:07:21 - 00:07:11:08So this should be a conversation, it should not be a confrontation.
00:07:11:18 - 00:07:16:00You know, it really is about the employer and the employee come together
00:07:16:00 - 00:07:19:23with ideas, bring them to the table, come into agreement about what might work.
00:07:20:00 - 00:07:23:15You know, there could be situations where through those conversations, the employer
00:07:23:15 - 00:07:27:20finds out or determines that they can't accommodate with the employee is asking.
00:07:28:06 - 00:07:31:12And that's what we call an undue hardship.
00:07:31:12 - 00:07:35:07And there's very, you know, pretty specific reasons why you would choose.
00:07:35:07 - 00:07:35:16That,
00:07:36:16 - 00:07:38:06is a lengthy conversation.
00:07:38:06 - 00:07:40:15It shouldn't be made lightly.
00:07:40:15 - 00:07:43:08And if you're coming to that conclusion, certainly, you know,
00:07:43:08 - 00:07:47:06we suggest that you have a complete set of documentation
00:07:47:13 - 00:07:49:06regarding those conversations and why you made that decision.
00:07:49:06 - 00:07:52:22Kind of going off of that, and you just spoke a little bit about it.
00:07:53:07 - 00:07:56:14But what really are the factors used to determine
00:07:56:14 - 00:07:58:17whether an undue hardship exists?
00:07:59:08 - 00:08:00:00Mm hmm.
00:08:00:00 - 00:08:01:09So when it comes to leaves,
00:08:01:09 - 00:08:04:17it really is about what the employees are requesting in terms of, you know,
00:08:04:17 - 00:08:07:19how long they might need off, the frequency,
00:08:07:19 - 00:08:11:13they might need off, the length of time that they're requesting.
00:08:11:13 - 00:08:13:03A big piece of that is
00:08:13:03 - 00:08:16:12if the time they're requesting, is predictable or unpredictable.
00:08:16:22 - 00:08:19:19You know, we know in the workplace, that when people are calling sick,
00:08:20:01 - 00:08:23:08those unplanned times, get really hard to manage sometimes
00:08:23:08 - 00:08:27:05before the other staff to pick up the pieces and then cover that.
00:08:27:18 - 00:08:31:17So that really plays into making that decision in terms of undue hardship.
00:08:32:03 - 00:08:32:08Okay.
00:08:32:19 - 00:08:35:11So how does this really align with employers
00:08:36:01 - 00:08:39:00who ask for doctors notes when an employee's out
00:08:39:00 - 00:08:42:15for several days or calls than when they're injured outside of work?
00:08:42:15 - 00:08:43:03Yeah.
00:08:43:03 - 00:08:48:20So a lot of attendance policies out there will have a requirement
00:08:48:20 - 00:08:52:14for employers, when the employee is out for let's say three or more days,
00:08:53:00 - 00:08:57:02that they do bring back a doctor's note, clearing them to come back to work.
00:08:58:04 - 00:08:59:00The cautionary
00:08:59:00 - 00:09:02:06point here is that employers have to make sure
00:09:02:06 - 00:09:05:21that they're not requiring that the employees are 100% healed,
00:09:06:23 - 00:09:12:07because that is in direct conflict with ADA, asking us to make accommodations
00:09:12:07 - 00:09:15:08for people that need to meet the essential functions of the job.
00:09:16:09 - 00:09:19:06So in the beginning, we talked a little bit
00:09:19:06 - 00:09:23:22about the different types of leaves, So we should go back to that.
00:09:23:22 - 00:09:26:12And can you talk a little bit more about those other types
00:09:26:12 - 00:09:29:02that you kind of listed out in the first question.
00:09:29:05 - 00:09:29:16Yeah.
00:09:29:16 - 00:09:34:06So besides ADA, another common one I did mention is pregnancy leave.
00:09:34:19 - 00:09:40:09And so people that have a pregnancy but are qualified under a FMLA,
00:09:40:14 - 00:09:43:22they certainly have protections under Title seven and EEOC,
00:09:44:07 - 00:09:46:08and with the Pregnancy Discrimination Act,
00:09:47:15 - 00:09:50:23that prevents people from being discriminated against
00:09:50:23 - 00:09:52:23because of pregnancy issues.
00:09:52:23 - 00:09:56:21But then the ADA does come back into play, and that there is accommodations
00:09:56:21 - 00:09:59:08that should be made for people that are pregnant.
00:09:59:08 - 00:10:03:03Those things can be like additional breaks, longer breaks,
00:10:03:03 - 00:10:07:07maybe a change in schedule, or a change in shift, to deal with,
00:10:07:07 - 00:10:10:19you know, anything you know, including things like morning sickness.
00:10:11:07 - 00:10:12:23We've listed so many already,
00:10:12:23 - 00:10:16:06but are there any other ones that you want to cover too?
00:10:16:21 - 00:10:20:06Yeah, there's definitely one more part and one and I think we saved the best
00:10:20:06 - 00:10:22:10for last. I think that's military leaves.
00:10:22:22 - 00:10:26:11And so there is an act called the USERRA Act, which is the Uniformed
00:10:26:11 - 00:10:29:16Services, Employment and Reemployment Rights Act.
00:10:30:05 - 00:10:33:06And this ACT employee covers all employers.
00:10:33:06 - 00:10:36:07So it's available to anyone that's in a military situation.
00:10:37:04 - 00:10:41:13It's semi similar to a family in that it is providing
00:10:42:00 - 00:10:45:02leave away from the job with protection to come back
00:10:45:02 - 00:10:47:16and get your job, an equal job for equal pay
00:10:48:05 - 00:10:51:19and the military act is different though, in that you you're returning
00:10:51:19 - 00:10:55:05someone who is back to a positions called an escalated position.
00:10:55:19 - 00:10:59:12So that means you're returning the back to a position where they
00:11:00:01 - 00:11:02:21if they attained anything like increases
00:11:02:21 - 00:11:05:18promotions and increase in security,
00:11:06:00 - 00:11:10:01increase in benefits, etc., you turn them into that
00:11:10:22 - 00:11:13:16that role with those benefits, they would have a attained.
00:11:14:00 - 00:11:14:18Interesting.
00:11:14:18 - 00:11:16:04So it's a really nice feature.
00:11:16:04 - 00:11:18:10They shouldn't have to suffer because they served our country.
00:11:18:17 - 00:11:19:06Absolutely.
00:11:20:13 - 00:11:21:11So as we
00:11:21:11 - 00:11:25:01wrap up the episode today, I just kind of want to end with what
00:11:25:05 - 00:11:28:02other concerns or issues you hear that members
00:11:28:02 - 00:11:30:18bring up to you regarding leaves on the hotline?
00:11:31:04 - 00:11:31:14Yeah.
00:11:31:14 - 00:11:34:22So I think, you know, in the most part I think the leaves go quite well.
00:11:35:04 - 00:11:40:13You know, like anything else, if we work with empathy, communicate well, have
00:11:40:13 - 00:11:44:16expectations laid out, have an agreement, understand return dates.
00:11:44:16 - 00:11:48:21I think those can work well between employee, manager, and HR.
00:11:48:21 - 00:11:51:04But we know not all things work out well.
00:11:51:14 - 00:11:55:19And that's the kind of the calls we get to at the hotline is helping people
00:11:55:19 - 00:11:58:23when they're a little bit frustrated because things are going as expected.
00:11:59:09 - 00:12:01:11And when they said they would accommodate a leave.
00:12:01:11 - 00:12:05:17What we try to do in those situations, for example, there's a misconception
00:12:06:11 - 00:12:07:06out there that
00:12:08:09 - 00:12:09:02you can't
00:12:09:02 - 00:12:11:21fire, can't terminate, can't discipline,
00:12:12:04 - 00:12:14:12can't manage people's expectations when they're on leave.
00:12:15:09 - 00:12:17:06And that is simply untrue.
00:12:17:06 - 00:12:21:05And those things can be done if they're done fairly,
00:12:21:10 - 00:12:24:00objectively, you know, for business reasons,
00:12:25:03 - 00:12:28:12in that for any discriminatory reason, things can go wrong.
00:12:29:06 - 00:12:32:02If we're not communicating well, a good example of
00:12:32:02 - 00:12:34:10when you can terminate someone when they're on leave
00:12:35:04 - 00:12:37:12is if someone's on leave and unfortunately,
00:12:37:12 - 00:12:40:14a company has make a decision to do a restructuring
00:12:41:15 - 00:12:44:01and they're looking at limiting positions.
00:12:44:01 - 00:12:47:16If they have a role that's on the list,
00:12:47:16 - 00:12:52:05that role in that employee who's on leave that is in the role can be terminated.
00:12:52:19 - 00:12:55:09And no means would you have to bump someone
00:12:56:01 - 00:12:58:09as from losing their job because someone's on leave.
00:12:59:08 - 00:13:00:06Interesting.
00:13:00:06 - 00:13:00:20Yeah.
00:13:00:20 - 00:13:04:14Another situation that we think about is that when it comes
00:13:04:14 - 00:13:09:04to disciplining people, you know, all of our employees are expected to,
00:13:09:05 - 00:13:12:05you know, contribute to the company, have good attitudes,
00:13:13:03 - 00:13:16:20be professional, follow policies, follow you, call on procedures
00:13:17:16 - 00:13:21:07and whether or not that's when we need to step in and discipline
00:13:22:10 - 00:13:24:14in is performance
00:13:24:14 - 00:13:27:00a person who's on leave is not immune to that.
00:13:27:00 - 00:13:29:01They still need to do their job and perform well.
00:13:29:08 - 00:13:32:20And if a person's on leave and those discussions were happening
00:13:32:20 - 00:13:36:05before they left, the manager should be resuming
00:13:36:05 - 00:13:38:08those conversations as soon as the person leaves.
00:13:39:05 - 00:13:41:11Well, there's some good real life examples
00:13:41:11 - 00:13:44:02that a lot of employers can resonate with those.
00:13:44:10 - 00:13:48:06So are there any other resources that you would recommend to employers?
00:13:48:23 - 00:13:49:09I would.
00:13:49:09 - 00:13:52:04So I did mention earlier our disability toolkit.
00:13:52:12 - 00:13:54:03Those begin really comprehensive.
00:13:54:03 - 00:13:56:06I think very helpful to use.
00:13:56:06 - 00:13:59:05Obviously calling the hotline I think is a really important tool
00:13:59:05 - 00:14:02:13because these are, you know, complex things that should be talked through.
00:14:02:21 - 00:14:04:12Even if you think you understand.
00:14:04:12 - 00:14:07:05And what you could be handling is always good to talk through it.
00:14:07:05 - 00:14:11:16Make sure your hitting all the points, And then we do have a really great
00:14:11:16 - 00:14:15:10training class that we offer that's called supervisor and the law.
00:14:16:09 - 00:14:19:20It's in-person or virtual and it includes leaves.
00:14:20:05 - 00:14:22:02It's available for our supervisors. Good.
00:14:22:02 - 00:14:25:14We'll link from the show notes to for for our viewers.
00:14:26:09 - 00:14:28:14Yeah. And I learned a lot. Sure.
00:14:28:19 - 00:14:30:12You helped a lot of people out today.
00:14:30:12 - 00:14:32:08So thank you for being our guest today.
00:14:32:08 - 00:14:35:04In 30 minutes Thrive and really sharing your knowledge
00:14:35:04 - 00:14:38:15and what you hear on this hot topic on the hotline.
00:14:39:05 - 00:14:43:13So if you liked our chat and topic today, I encourage you to share this episode,
00:14:43:13 - 00:14:46:08like give it a review, share it with your friends,
00:14:46:17 - 00:14:50:00and consider joining MRA if you aren't a member already.
00:14:50:06 - 00:14:53:12We have linked all resources in the show notes below for you,
00:14:53:21 - 00:14:56:02so you should be all prepared for that.
00:14:56:02 - 00:15:00:03And we've also linked Amy's LinkedIn profile in the show notes,
00:15:00:13 - 00:15:03:04as well as MRA's hotline information.
00:15:03:04 - 00:15:07:08So if you want to get in touch with her or get connected with the hotline,
00:15:07:19 - 00:15:11:18we have that available for you in the show notes to thank you for tuning in today.
00:15:11:18 - 00:15:15:07And thank you, Amy, for being a great guest and we will.
00:15:15:07 - 00:15:17:13See you next week. That was fun. Thanks.
Wednesday Mar 01, 2023
Wednesday Mar 01, 2023
Description: This week, we've got an encouraging conversation with Courtney Lamers, Senior Manager of Member Engagement at MRA, as she shares her expertise on interns and gives you 5 core tools to lead your internship program!
Key Takeaways:
Don't let your interns be bored! Give them meaningful work. Interns want to learn and grow.
Help your interns explore your business. Have them sit in on meetings, meet other leaders, have lunch with the CEO, etc.
Give them opportunities to network! Take them to networking events, get them to interact with other interns, etc.
Resources:
MRA's Intern Leadership Program
Interns as a Valuable Resource Guide
MRA Membership
About MRA
Let's Connect:
Guest Bio - Courtney Lamers
Guest LinkedIn Profile - Courtney Lamers
Host Bio - Sophie Boler
Host LinkedIn Profile - Sophie Boler
Transcript:
Transcripts are computer generated -- not 100% accurate word-for-word.
00:00:00:01 - 00:00:03:10Hello everybody and welcome to 30 minute Thrive,
00:00:03:10 - 00:00:06:20your go to podcast for anything and everything HR.
00:00:06:21 - 00:00:09:22Powered by MRA, the Management Association.
00:00:09:23 - 00:00:14:06Looking to stay on top of the ever changing world of HR, MRA has got you
00:00:14:06 - 00:00:14:18covered.
00:00:14:18 - 00:00:17:15We'll be the first, to tell you what's hot, and what's not.
00:00:17:16 - 00:00:21:03I'm your host, Sophie Boler and we are so glad you're here.
00:00:21:04 - 00:00:22:21Now it's time to thrive.
00:00:22:21 - 00:00:23:15Welcome, everyone.
00:00:23:15 - 00:00:24:16We're glad you're here today
00:00:24:16 - 00:00:28:11and spending some time with us to learn more about intern programs.
00:00:28:19 - 00:00:32:09I'm excited to introduce to you our guest, Courtney Lamers.
00:00:32:17 - 00:00:36:03She's our senior manager of member engagement here at MRA.
00:00:36:03 - 00:00:39:16A little fun fact about Courtney is she actually started out
00:00:39:16 - 00:00:45:00as an intern here at MRA, as did I, and worked her way up to project manager
00:00:45:00 - 00:00:49:14and to where she is now, as senior manager of member engagement.
00:00:49:14 - 00:00:52:04And she did that all in just over five years.
00:00:52:16 - 00:00:57:16So I want to start out with a little fun question here today, and do a little blast
00:00:57:16 - 00:01:01:17from the past, and that is, what is your favorite memory as an intern?
00:01:02:06 - 00:01:04:10Oh, that's such a good question.
00:01:04:10 - 00:01:06:00Thanks for having me here too, today.
00:01:06:00 - 00:01:07:09I'm excited to be back.
00:01:07:09 - 00:01:10:12I know it's a fun topic and especially a hot topic right now.
00:01:11:07 - 00:01:15:06Okay, Favorite memory as an intern, I am super fortunate
00:01:15:06 - 00:01:19:06because I've had a couple of different internship experiences, so I've
00:01:19:19 - 00:01:23:03I have quite a few memories, but I think one of my favorites, was
00:01:23:03 - 00:01:27:23when I worked for a company and they had 80 interns on their entire program.
00:01:27:23 - 00:01:29:14So I had the chance to work
00:01:29:14 - 00:01:33:12with a couple of them on a project, and we worked on it.
00:01:33:12 - 00:01:35:01We went and volunteered for the day,
00:01:35:01 - 00:01:39:00and then we put a business case together for our company to volunteer
00:01:39:00 - 00:01:43:06to reimburse that company and donate some of that money to the nonprofit.
00:01:43:12 - 00:01:48:00So we presented in front of the entire company, which it was a huge company
00:01:48:16 - 00:01:52:03that we actually ran into the CEO when we were practicing, and he was like,
00:01:52:03 - 00:01:53:15What time are you guys on?
00:01:53:15 - 00:01:57:09And he ended up coming and watching our presentation, and we
00:01:57:09 - 00:02:02:04ended up winning the whole entire--share tank is what they called it. And
00:02:03:10 - 00:02:05:00so it was just a very real experience.
00:02:05:00 - 00:02:05:16And I'm still friends
00:02:05:16 - 00:02:08:21with both of the interns today, so I think the connections you make
00:02:08:21 - 00:02:11:10and just the opportunities you have to grow is so important.
00:02:11:10 - 00:02:15:05But I would say that was probably one of that really stands out to me.
00:02:15:05 - 00:02:17:22Like I still remember it to this day, but how about you?
00:02:17:22 - 00:02:20:06I mean, you have had some internship experiences to.
00:02:20:18 - 00:02:22:14Thowing it back at me.
00:02:22:14 - 00:02:25:11Yeah, this is a two-way here.--making you participate.
00:02:26:02 - 00:02:29:16Well, like you said, I feel like I have a lot of memories as an intern.
00:02:29:16 - 00:02:33:18Not that it was that long ago, but I did experience
00:02:33:18 - 00:02:38:03my first true business trip as an intern, and that was super fun.
00:02:38:03 - 00:02:40:10We got to. I actually went with you.
00:02:40:10 - 00:02:45:00It was a good time and we got to meet some of our member companies
00:02:45:00 - 00:02:49:23and some of the interns participating in MRA's intern program, which was super fun.
00:02:50:10 - 00:02:54:23And then another one was just planning a tailgate event
00:02:54:23 - 00:02:58:12that we hosted here in Wisconsin office
00:02:59:08 - 00:03:01:22at MRA It was kind of an open house
00:03:01:22 - 00:03:05:13where members came and looked at our new facility
00:03:05:13 - 00:03:10:17and that was just a fun event to plan and see it all kind of lay out.
00:03:11:02 - 00:03:14:00So we're both a part of your internship itself,
00:03:14:00 - 00:03:17:06or do you think those are extra things that you got to work on
00:03:17:06 - 00:03:21:05just to make it a fun experience or like what made it so special, I guess?
00:03:21:07 - 00:03:22:20Well, I would say it's a little bit of both.
00:03:22:20 - 00:03:24:12They were part of my intern duties,
00:03:24:12 - 00:03:28:08but it was also a little extra kind of fun stuff too.
00:03:28:20 - 00:03:33:00But I think it helped to just kind of get away from my normal
00:03:33:00 - 00:03:37:01like I was a marketing intern, you know, like event planning goes
00:03:37:01 - 00:03:41:13along with that, but business trips don't necessarily go along with that.
00:03:41:13 - 00:03:46:06So I think it was fun to just get involved in as many things as I could
00:03:46:06 - 00:03:50:05and as many projects with as many people as I could do and so on.
00:03:50:06 - 00:03:52:17So I think it's all about that experience.
00:03:52:17 - 00:03:53:08Totally.
00:03:53:08 - 00:03:57:20Yeah, Well, it is a season to begin hiring interns
00:03:57:20 - 00:04:01:00and it's something that's really circling employers minds right now.
00:04:01:07 - 00:04:04:05And you actually created MRA's
00:04:04:05 - 00:04:06:23Intern Leadership Program that we were just talking about.
00:04:07:06 - 00:04:10:06So can you tell us a little bit more about that for the people
00:04:10:06 - 00:04:12:02who may not be familiar with it?
00:04:12:02 - 00:04:13:06Yeah, absolutely.
00:04:13:06 - 00:04:19:02So this program was created really to help interns have an exceptional experience.
00:04:19:10 - 00:04:24:01So from an employer standpoint, we use it to help attract and retain interns.
00:04:24:10 - 00:04:27:10So some of the companies would put this on their website as a Hey,
00:04:27:10 - 00:04:29:05apply for our organization.
00:04:29:05 - 00:04:31:11We invest in your professional development.
00:04:31:11 - 00:04:34:19We really want you to have a great experience and grow yourself as a leader.
00:04:35:12 - 00:04:37:22So from an attraction standpoint, I think it really helped,
00:04:38:04 - 00:04:39:10and same with retention.
00:04:39:10 - 00:04:42:22So they go through this program with almost 100 other interns,
00:04:43:06 - 00:04:45:18and they have the opportunity to network.
00:04:45:18 - 00:04:47:13So from an intern standpoint,
00:04:47:13 - 00:04:51:10you really get that professional development experience, plus,
00:04:51:18 - 00:04:56:05that whole network of 100 other interns, plus, all of the business leaders
00:04:56:05 - 00:04:57:06in our community.
00:04:57:06 - 00:04:58:19So it's about a ten week program.
00:04:58:19 - 00:05:01:12We get together with the interns every week,
00:05:01:12 - 00:05:04:12really just giving them that real life experience,
00:05:04:22 - 00:05:08:14and giving them a chance to get together and learn from each other as well.
00:05:09:00 - 00:05:12:12So from a company standpoint, it's the attraction and retention,
00:05:12:17 - 00:05:15:20and then providing that exceptional experience for the interns.
00:05:16:12 - 00:05:18:11And just kind of taking a step back out here.
00:05:19:12 - 00:05:20:21So companies are
00:05:20:21 - 00:05:23:15starting to look to hire interns right now.
00:05:23:21 - 00:05:29:03So where should they be looking and how should they start hiring interns?
00:05:29:03 - 00:05:31:05Yeah, I mean, definitely start early.
00:05:31:05 - 00:05:35:03I think time goes so quickly and it's so easy to be like, Oh my gosh,
00:05:35:03 - 00:05:36:01summer is around the corner.
00:05:36:01 - 00:05:39:21I really want an internship or an intern to help with some work.
00:05:40:04 - 00:05:44:09But I think it's important to kind of have that plan of what does that look like?
00:05:45:12 - 00:05:47:09I definitely think it's important
00:05:47:09 - 00:05:51:10to get involved in schools, whether it's a university or tech school.
00:05:51:10 - 00:05:54:00Both have great opportunities to connect with students
00:05:55:01 - 00:05:58:09and it's also good to reach out to those departments or student groups.
00:05:58:17 - 00:06:01:19I know obviously where at HR Professional organization.
00:06:02:00 - 00:06:06:01So we had our recruiting team just went to UW-Whitewater SHRM group the other day.
00:06:06:18 - 00:06:09:11So i think it's important to connect with those professors
00:06:09:11 - 00:06:11:21or student groups and just the schools and general
00:06:12:19 - 00:06:15:17handshake is also a popular tool for internships
00:06:16:12 - 00:06:19:19and then networking, I think asking your employees
00:06:19:19 - 00:06:23:00if they have any referrals or, you know, asking your
00:06:23:05 - 00:06:26:00your kid's friends if they're looking for an internship.
00:06:26:00 - 00:06:30:05I think it really is about that network of the people that can
00:06:30:09 - 00:06:33:02you know, you always get a good referral from somebody that you know.
00:06:33:12 - 00:06:35:11And then lastly, I would just plug our MRA.
00:06:35:11 - 00:06:38:16I know our recruiting team Halter record interns last summer as well.
00:06:38:21 - 00:06:41:21So everything from the poll, seeing the sourcing and the screening,
00:06:41:21 - 00:06:43:18we can definitely help with that too. Totally.
00:06:43:18 - 00:06:48:15And you just mentioned being active and available on college campuses,
00:06:48:15 - 00:06:52:00but I'm also right and just seeing that employers
00:06:52:00 - 00:06:55:13are working as early as high schoolers, too, which is crazy.
00:06:55:13 - 00:06:56:08But it's true.
00:06:56:08 - 00:06:58:16It's like the earlier you can get in front of people,
00:06:58:17 - 00:07:00:10honestly, the better at this point.
00:07:00:10 - 00:07:02:18Yeah, well, I think I mean, every employer has talked
00:07:02:18 - 00:07:05:18about the war for talent and how hard it is to find talent.
00:07:06:00 - 00:07:09:10So the earlier you get in front of them and share what your business does,
00:07:09:10 - 00:07:12:13what different opportunities there are, that's who those students are going
00:07:12:13 - 00:07:15:15to remember and two, five, ten years from now.
00:07:15:15 - 00:07:18:01So it's a long term gamble. Sure.
00:07:18:01 - 00:07:21:10So let's say you're a company that's never really invested
00:07:21:10 - 00:07:24:14in interns, never had the opportunity.
00:07:24:23 - 00:07:27:06What is your advice on a company like that?
00:07:27:06 - 00:07:30:13Should they be looking into that or interns for everybody?
00:07:30:13 - 00:07:33:15And what if it's like a super small company?
00:07:33:20 - 00:07:36:00Yeah, it was a lot of questions, you know, it's that.
00:07:36:05 - 00:07:39:09Well, I think honestly, I don't think size really matters.
00:07:39:15 - 00:07:43:06I think you have to take a step back and say, Why do I want an intern?
00:07:43:12 - 00:07:43:20Is that
00:07:43:20 - 00:07:48:12because we have so much work to do that we can't possibly do it by ourselves?
00:07:48:12 - 00:07:51:15Is that because you're truly looking to build that talent supply chain?
00:07:51:23 - 00:07:56:06So understanding that why first helps you build out your program,
00:07:56:17 - 00:08:00:06I think you also have to take a look at do you have enough meaningful work
00:08:00:06 - 00:08:04:10for the interns because they're trying to get a good experience too.
00:08:04:10 - 00:08:06:03And I'm not saying you can't file paperwork.
00:08:06:03 - 00:08:09:09It's all part of the day to day work, but I think they need
00:08:09:09 - 00:08:12:17to have a capstone project or something that can help them build their resume.
00:08:12:22 - 00:08:15:18And I think from an employer standpoint, you'll be really surprised
00:08:15:18 - 00:08:19:09and happy with the quality of work that interns can do.
00:08:20:10 - 00:08:21:19And then lastly, I would say,
00:08:21:19 - 00:08:24:20do you have a manager or someone on your team
00:08:24:20 - 00:08:28:00that can take the time to help mentor and coach those interns
00:08:28:00 - 00:08:30:05just because a lot of them get is their first job.
00:08:30:05 - 00:08:33:05So they're going to have questions and they want to do a good job,
00:08:33:05 - 00:08:35:16so they just have to have the resources to be successful.
00:08:36:02 - 00:08:40:11Honestly, I interned at a fairly small company and I got to go on a workshop too.
00:08:40:12 - 00:08:43:04So again, another memory I actually went down to New Orleans
00:08:43:04 - 00:08:45:12for the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.
00:08:45:22 - 00:08:49:12But I think because it was a smaller group that I was working with,
00:08:49:12 - 00:08:52:15I had the opportunity to do a lot of different, cool projects
00:08:52:15 - 00:08:55:16that sometimes when you were at the bigger companies, it's so specialized,
00:08:55:16 - 00:08:58:04so I don't think size of the company really matters.
00:08:58:04 - 00:09:02:03But overall, I'd say it's important to understand like what your goals are.
00:09:02:04 - 00:09:06:07Yeah, I was the only intern here too, and I have no complaints.
00:09:06:07 - 00:09:10:13Honestly, I feel like it was the best internship I could have had.
00:09:11:13 - 00:09:12:03This is
00:09:12:03 - 00:09:14:19because I got special treatment because I was the only one.
00:09:15:06 - 00:09:18:07And but no, I think definitely having a capstone
00:09:18:14 - 00:09:22:02project helped and even having a couple of them, it's
00:09:22:02 - 00:09:25:10like you can always have them in your back pocket if you if you don't
00:09:25:10 - 00:09:28:14want to do a project that you're currently working on, pull out your capstone.
00:09:28:14 - 00:09:32:11Like it's just nice to always have in your back pocket.
00:09:32:19 - 00:09:34:01Well, and companies have gotten
00:09:34:01 - 00:09:37:14really creative with different projects interns can work on.
00:09:37:20 - 00:09:39:05Like I know there was one company
00:09:39:05 - 00:09:42:18that had their interns go through all their standard operating procedures
00:09:42:23 - 00:09:46:05and document it, and it was a huge project to take on
00:09:46:05 - 00:09:50:02because they had nothing documented, but it really gave the Intern
00:09:50:02 - 00:09:51:23a chance to be like, Well, why do you do it like this?
00:09:51:23 - 00:09:54:18And just ask and then, I mean, like, you know, I don't know.
00:09:54:18 - 00:09:56:00I would do it like that.
00:09:56:00 - 00:09:59:17And so to be able for that student to then go say, Yeah, my last company,
00:09:59:17 - 00:10:03:17I help document our processes and, you know, make recommendations for change.
00:10:03:17 - 00:10:06:17And I think he actually presented it to their senior leadership team,
00:10:06:17 - 00:10:08:18which was awesome. It's awesome. Yeah.
00:10:08:18 - 00:10:12:08Well, kind of going off of that, let's say a company
00:10:12:08 - 00:10:16:01has a group of interns, but they never have really created
00:10:16:01 - 00:10:19:09an intern program to go with the intern group.
00:10:19:21 - 00:10:22:19So what is your advice around that?
00:10:22:19 - 00:10:27:15Should there be a intern program that the interns follow?
00:10:28:04 - 00:10:32:00I think structure definitely helps when you take a step back.
00:10:32:00 - 00:10:36:13It really is all about the experience, but when you have somebody in one building
00:10:36:13 - 00:10:40:14and somebody in the other, you want them to have similar experiences.
00:10:40:14 - 00:10:43:18And I know we've talked to interns in the past where maybe one
00:10:43:18 - 00:10:48:03manager is really engaged and they buy the intern lunch
00:10:48:03 - 00:10:50:13and they buy their intern swag, and then the other one's like,
00:10:50:18 - 00:10:52:11I don't even know who my manager is.
00:10:52:11 - 00:10:53:22My manager doesn't talk to me.
00:10:53:22 - 00:10:56:05So I think it really is about putting that structure in place.
00:10:56:05 - 00:11:01:04So no matter what your manager is like or what projects you're working
00:11:01:04 - 00:11:03:10on, you have a similar experience
00:11:03:10 - 00:11:06:18and I guess I would say that with all internships, the interns talk,
00:11:06:18 - 00:11:09:01especially with social media and that type of thing.
00:11:09:01 - 00:11:11:11Your brand is out there with your experience.
00:11:11:11 - 00:11:13:21So really think, take a look at what do you want
00:11:14:03 - 00:11:17:12your interns to be saying to other interns and to their families
00:11:17:12 - 00:11:20:13that night and their roommates and whoever they're talking to.
00:11:20:13 - 00:11:23:18It really puts your brand out there.
00:11:24:12 - 00:11:28:09The other thing I would say is, if you can onboard all of the interns together,
00:11:28:14 - 00:11:32:06I think that would be very beneficial, because you kind of build a bond when you
00:11:32:06 - 00:11:35:21start working on the same day as someone, even if you're in a different department.
00:11:35:21 - 00:11:39:16So it gives them an opportunity to, you know, be together
00:11:39:16 - 00:11:43:19and really start fresh and have that same experience.
00:11:43:19 - 00:11:46:22I would also say if you can have a you know, if you have multiple interns,
00:11:46:22 - 00:11:50:16if you can give them an opportunity to work on a project together, maybe
00:11:50:16 - 00:11:54:00that's not specific to their department, but could help the business as a whole.
00:11:54:06 - 00:11:56:16I think that could be a really fun way to get them together to.
00:11:56:20 - 00:11:57:13Oh, totally.
00:11:57:13 - 00:12:00:15I feel like interns want to meet each other and want to be
00:12:00:15 - 00:12:04:14like friends outside of work too, So that's a good idea.
00:12:05:08 - 00:12:10:13So I guess I'm curious to know your five core tools
00:12:10:13 - 00:12:14:19that you would kind of put together that all intern programs should have,
00:12:14:19 - 00:12:17:18and you start with the first one, but what would you say that is?
00:12:17:21 - 00:12:19:09I would say first and foremost,
00:12:20:08 - 00:12:21:06the manager is the
00:12:21:06 - 00:12:25:01most important piece of this So, you know, from an HR standpoint,
00:12:25:01 - 00:12:28:14you probably have managers coming to you saying, I need an intern.
00:12:28:14 - 00:12:30:00And I think that's great.
00:12:30:00 - 00:12:32:07And maybe they do, and maybe they have a plan,
00:12:32:07 - 00:12:34:05and they had a great internship experience.
00:12:34:05 - 00:12:38:16But I mean, we talked about this earlier today is people don't quit their job.
00:12:38:16 - 00:12:39:20They quit their manager.
00:12:39:20 - 00:12:43:12So and especially at that intern level, they want an opportunity to learn
00:12:43:21 - 00:12:47:01to get coaching, to have that mentorship experience.
00:12:47:01 - 00:12:48:13So you really have to have that
00:12:48:13 - 00:12:52:18right person in place to help manage and coach those interns.
00:12:52:18 - 00:12:57:02The feedback part of an internship is also very important,
00:12:57:09 - 00:13:00:21and I know we talked about this, I mean, I think it's so easy,
00:13:01:01 - 00:13:04:03and like you started ,and you did a great job from day one,
00:13:04:10 - 00:13:07:13and it's so easy to just like have that expectation
00:13:07:13 - 00:13:09:12that everything you do is going to be great.
00:13:09:12 - 00:13:13:01And I got I got into the habit of saying like, Great, thanks, I appreciate it.
00:13:13:01 - 00:13:15:05Like, everything's perfect, like, looks good.
00:13:15:10 - 00:13:19:12And you're like, like, I know, but can you give me something more specific?
00:13:19:12 - 00:13:22:10And I'm like, Oh my gosh, you're right. And like, I think about myself, too.
00:13:22:10 - 00:13:26:10Like, I would want specific feedback of what am I doing right
00:13:26:10 - 00:13:28:01and what is so great about it.
00:13:28:01 - 00:13:31:14And I think it helped you kind of build on top of what you were doing, right?
00:13:31:14 - 00:13:33:10I don't know. Totally. And you want to say on that?
00:13:33:10 - 00:13:37:08I don't what I was just going to go off that like, especially at the intern level,
00:13:37:08 - 00:13:40:23you're trying to learn as much as you can and you want to know
00:13:41:08 - 00:13:44:01what can I get better at and what am I doing?
00:13:44:01 - 00:13:45:07That's okay.
00:13:45:07 - 00:13:48:14So it's like that feedback is so important at an intern level,
00:13:48:14 - 00:13:51:06so it's like you can fix
00:13:51:23 - 00:13:54:23whatever you're doing wrong or not wrong, I should say.
00:13:54:23 - 00:13:57:00What you can improve on. Yeah.
00:13:57:05 - 00:13:58:08At the intern level.
00:13:58:08 - 00:14:00:15So that just as you continue to grow, you don't
00:14:00:15 - 00:14:02:16have to worry about those anymore.
00:14:02:16 - 00:14:04:12Yeah, and I know we were talking to one company
00:14:04:12 - 00:14:07:19and they were all they were raving in.
00:14:07:19 - 00:14:08:08You were with me.
00:14:08:08 - 00:14:10:13They were raving about how great their interns were.
00:14:10:13 - 00:14:14:02And like and their CEO said something about, like, I was really impressed
00:14:14:02 - 00:14:17:21with the interns this summer, and I was like, Oh, what did you do?
00:14:17:21 - 00:14:18:12Did they know that?
00:14:18:12 - 00:14:21:06Like, did you tell the interns how great they were?
00:14:21:06 - 00:14:21:22Like.
00:14:22:03 - 00:14:23:21I don't know if we ever did.
00:14:23:21 - 00:14:26:02I'd like to think about I was like, I think you should tell them.
00:14:26:02 - 00:14:29:18I think they would really like that feedback and, and especially the CEO.
00:14:29:20 - 00:14:34:01Is that how impressed that she was with them, it's such a cool experience.
00:14:34:01 - 00:14:36:20And for the intern to really carry that confidence with them
00:14:37:06 - 00:14:40:13on something that everybody else knows, but maybe they don't know.
00:14:40:13 - 00:14:43:19Absolutely. So what about the second tool?
00:14:43:19 - 00:14:47:08Yeah, I think meaningful work is a huge piece of it.
00:14:47:15 - 00:14:51:12I know company is sometimes we'll be like, I'll just get an intern and help me file
00:14:51:12 - 00:14:52:22paperwork and that's great.
00:14:52:22 - 00:14:57:07And like we said, it's part of the job sometimes, but the meaningful work really
00:14:57:20 - 00:15:00:10helps the interns learn and grow.
00:15:00:10 - 00:15:04:13And I would also say they're capable of doing more than just filing paperwork,
00:15:04:13 - 00:15:06:00so don't let them
00:15:07:11 - 00:15:09:20hold that back.
00:15:09:20 - 00:15:12:20I would also give them a meaningful project to work on all summer.
00:15:12:20 - 00:15:16:16We talked about that capstone project and also,
00:15:16:16 - 00:15:19:21I mean, what we did with you as we we created,
00:15:19:21 - 00:15:23:03I think, three and a half pages of things that I never got to.
00:15:23:04 - 00:15:24:23Some of the other people on our team never got to do.
00:15:24:23 - 00:15:28:11And I was like, It'd be awesome if this could get done.
00:15:28:17 - 00:15:29:14We'd be like, Here you go.
00:15:29:14 - 00:15:32:05And just kind of let you run because of those.
00:15:32:05 - 00:15:35:11Yeah, we weren't getting to it, so it would be an extra benefit for you
00:15:35:11 - 00:15:36:09to be part of it.
00:15:36:09 - 00:15:39:06When they accept an internship, they have three different opportunities
00:15:39:07 - 00:15:41:21to have an internship, so they get to be picky.
00:15:41:21 - 00:15:43:17They're really in the driver's seat.
00:15:43:17 - 00:15:44:15And so,
00:15:44:16 - 00:15:48:11I mean, I'm just saying, like I saw interns that were at a company
00:15:48:11 - 00:15:50:00for like a week, two weeks,
00:15:50:00 - 00:15:51:23and they were like, I got a different internship experience.
00:15:51:23 - 00:15:52:16I'm leaving.
00:15:52:16 - 00:15:55:17So even before the program, and during the program,
00:15:55:17 - 00:15:57:00and then even after the program.
00:15:57:00 - 00:16:01:00And so you want to retain them, it’s so important to make sure
00:16:01:00 - 00:16:04:00that you're providing the best experience no matter what.
00:16:04:08 - 00:16:06:13So I think that meaningful work is huge.
00:16:06:22 - 00:16:10:02And I you know, we've also talked to like people have said,
00:16:11:03 - 00:16:12:18I'm bored of my managers in a meeting.
00:16:12:18 - 00:16:14:19I can't I don't know nothing to do.
00:16:14:19 - 00:16:17:20And they go talk to other people and some people don't take the initiative
00:16:17:20 - 00:16:18:23to do that either.
00:16:18:23 - 00:16:22:14But don't let your interns be bored like your paying them to help with stuff.
00:16:22:14 - 00:16:24:15And I think they are capable of so much.
00:16:24:20 - 00:16:25:06Oh yeah.
00:16:25:06 - 00:16:28:07You just talked about the three pages,
00:16:28:07 - 00:16:31:13so I've got notes that you gave me, your projects that you gave me.
00:16:31:13 - 00:16:34:08And I will say I told you on the first day, I was like,
00:16:34:15 - 00:16:37:03Oh my gosh, how am I going to get any of this done?
00:16:37:03 - 00:16:40:15I'm like, I remember going home, like man, I got three pages.
00:16:41:02 - 00:16:44:00But then by the end of my internship, it was like man,
00:16:44:00 - 00:16:48:22I was able to complete 85% of that or even if I did 50%.
00:16:48:22 - 00:16:51:01It's like, look at how much I did.
00:16:51:01 - 00:16:55:16And it wasn't that intimidating when I looked at it at the end of my internship
00:16:55:16 - 00:16:59:21and it was nice to be like, Oh, well, I could go work on this project
00:16:59:21 - 00:17:03:15with this department or, Oh, look at this project, it's with IT.
00:17:04:06 - 00:17:07:15So it wasn't just my typical marketing projects.
00:17:07:15 - 00:17:09:18It was a good realm of.
00:17:10:14 - 00:17:13:14Yeah, maybe a note to managers, create that list,
00:17:13:14 - 00:17:15:14but don't share it on the first day.
00:17:15:18 - 00:17:17:08We might have even sent it to you before.
00:17:17:08 - 00:17:19:03Like, look at all these fun projects.
00:17:19:03 - 00:17:20:13You're probably like, Oh gosh, no.
00:17:20:13 - 00:17:24:12But it was a good thing to be like, This is all of the things
00:17:24:12 - 00:17:28:14that you can accomplish in your internship and just a short summer that we have.
00:17:28:19 - 00:17:32:09Well, and think about how much you did that wasn't even on that list.
00:17:32:09 - 00:17:36:06It would be like you'd be working on item number eight, and I'd be like, Sophie,
00:17:36:06 - 00:17:37:01I need help with this.
00:17:37:01 - 00:17:37:19Like, you got this.
00:17:37:19 - 00:17:40:07Done in the next couple hours and you're like, Oh yeah, of course.
00:17:40:07 - 00:17:43:06And so it's like you you did so much more than even that list.
00:17:43:06 - 00:17:46:21Which is, yeah, I'm so, you know, so just moving on.
00:17:46:21 - 00:17:49:17How about third? The third tool. Tool.
00:17:50:18 - 00:17:51:12The third tool
00:17:51:12 - 00:17:54:06I would say is help the interns explore the business.
00:17:54:13 - 00:17:56:13I remember for myself,
00:17:56:13 - 00:18:00:01I wanted to learn as much as possible, even beyond marketing.
00:18:00:08 - 00:18:03:20And I like I remember being a sophomore in college and kind of
00:18:03:20 - 00:18:07:12getting to the point of them saying, like, you need to declare your major.
00:18:07:12 - 00:18:09:21I'm like, Hey, like business, I guess.
00:18:09:21 - 00:18:10:14Like, I don't know.
00:18:10:14 - 00:18:14:16And I ended up picking marketing, but not really for any reason.
00:18:14:16 - 00:18:17:23Besides, somebody had told me one time, like, I think you'd be good at marketing.
00:18:17:23 - 00:18:19:22And I'm like, Well, I guess that sounds good.
00:18:19:22 - 00:18:20:13And then I
00:18:20:13 - 00:18:24:02had a couple of marketing internships and I really like different aspects of it,
00:18:24:07 - 00:18:28:05and I think all of the experiences I've had have led me to where I am today.
00:18:28:14 - 00:18:31:19But it's been that ability to work on projects
00:18:31:19 - 00:18:35:16outside of my department and being able to work with other leaders.
00:18:35:16 - 00:18:38:20And I think that's something we hear too, from interns,
00:18:38:21 - 00:18:42:12even like for example, with HR It's like, okay, I'm an HR major,
00:18:42:12 - 00:18:44:19but there is so much to HR, like there's the compliance
00:18:44:19 - 00:18:48:23side, there’s the benefits side, and then there's recruiting and a lot of
00:18:49:05 - 00:18:52:09HR Interns tend to do recruiting or filing and they're like,
00:18:52:09 - 00:18:55:14i don't even know how to explore the other areas of HR
00:18:55:20 - 00:18:59:10So being able to give them as many opportunities as they can
00:19:00:11 - 00:19:02:21to just sit in the meetings with people
00:19:02:21 - 00:19:06:15or help with projects or have lunch with the ceo if it's possible.
00:19:06:15 - 00:19:07:17But really
00:19:07:17 - 00:19:09:15and I know we’ve said it a million times a day,
00:19:09:15 - 00:19:13:08they just want to learn and have different experiences to help them grow.
00:19:13:08 - 00:19:18:06And, and who knows, maybe someone in I.T ends up
00:19:18:06 - 00:19:20:10wanting to be in finance or something.
00:19:20:10 - 00:19:24:16It's like internships are there to, like you said, help interns
00:19:25:01 - 00:19:28:04learn more about the company and learn more about themselves to.
00:19:28:23 - 00:19:31:16It cracked me up, during one of our intern program
00:19:32:04 - 00:19:37:05business case discussions and presentations, we did one about accounting
00:19:37:05 - 00:19:41:05and finance for the non financial leader and I kind of teed it off.
00:19:41:06 - 00:19:44:07It was with our CFO and I was like, This is not my area.
00:19:44:07 - 00:19:46:15Like I'm more like creative, that type of thing.
00:19:46:23 - 00:19:49:04And like marketing, you know, whatever.
00:19:49:04 - 00:19:51:02Like that's, that's okay, this isn't your thing,
00:19:51:02 - 00:19:53:08but it's good for everyone to learn and get exposure to it.
00:19:53:16 - 00:19:57:19And we're meeting with a company and one of the marketing interns was like,
00:19:58:01 - 00:19:59:04That was my favorite session.
00:19:59:04 - 00:20:00:20And she's like, I might switch my major.
00:20:00:20 - 00:20:02:04And I'm like, That's awesome.
00:20:02:04 - 00:20:04:13Like, you know, you know, like, you just, I don't know.
00:20:04:13 - 00:20:06:02It's that exposure and
00:20:06:02 - 00:20:09:18experience that gives people the clarity of what they need for their careers.
00:20:09:22 - 00:20:11:07Oh, absolutely.
00:20:11:07 - 00:20:14:08So then going on to the fourth tool, what would you say.
00:20:15:07 - 00:20:17:07Networking is the other piece.
00:20:17:07 - 00:20:22:05I think giving them an opportunity to meet people both internally at your company.
00:20:22:05 - 00:20:25:09Obviously within your own department, but all their leaders
00:20:25:09 - 00:20:29:08in other areas of the business, but also other interns too.
00:20:29:08 - 00:20:34:04And honestly, like there is one company that he took it on himself
00:20:34:04 - 00:20:37:00to take every intern to one networking event.
00:20:37:08 - 00:20:39:20And I know he was like, we had a lot of interns last year,
00:20:39:20 - 00:20:41:06so I brought two of them
00:20:41:06 - 00:20:44:03with me to one of them, and I was like, I'm in a competition.
00:20:44:07 - 00:20:45:23Go talk to as many people as you can.
00:20:45:23 - 00:20:49:07And whoever wins, I can't remember if they got lunch or something like that,
00:20:49:14 - 00:20:53:04but they, they really just want to network.
00:20:53:04 - 00:20:54:12And I think it's hard, because
00:20:54:12 - 00:20:58:10especially if you think of COVID and the last couple of years with school
00:20:58:10 - 00:21:01:22being virtual and that type of thing, it's not an easy thing to do.
00:21:01:22 - 00:21:05:10So if you can be there and help mentor and help guide and just give them those
00:21:05:10 - 00:21:10:17opportunities, meeting people will really just allow them to grow in their careers.
00:21:10:17 - 00:21:14:01And I think I look back to the people that I've worked with
00:21:14:01 - 00:21:17:11in my last couple internships, and I still talk to a lot of them.
00:21:17:11 - 00:21:19:10I mean, like think about how many people you're so connected
00:21:19:10 - 00:21:22:22with from then here in program to just our member companies as well.
00:21:23:04 - 00:21:27:10I was going to say just the mini plug for the MRA's intern program.
00:21:27:10 - 00:21:28:19Again, you're given
00:21:28:19 - 00:21:33:02over 100 interns, right there that you're automatically connected with.
00:21:33:02 - 00:21:36:05So it's like you don't really have to go out and do that extra
00:21:36:05 - 00:21:41:07step of really like introducing yourself, finding I mean, yourself to do that.
00:21:41:07 - 00:21:43:04But it's there, all right there.
00:21:43:04 - 00:21:45:07And you see them every single week, some.
00:21:45:14 - 00:21:47:15Plus plus the business leaders.
00:21:47:15 - 00:21:48:22I mean, we have a different presenter
00:21:48:22 - 00:21:51:18every week of the program and all of the panels.
00:21:51:18 - 00:21:54:07I mean, over all, they probably met 30 other business leaders.
00:21:54:17 - 00:21:56:17But I just think it's a cool experience.
00:21:56:17 - 00:22:00:16And no matter what you can do to provide those experiences for them as huge.
00:22:00:16 - 00:22:04:01And I've still been in contact with a lot of people from the intern program
00:22:04:01 - 00:22:08:03from a couple of years ago, even help on my college project.
00:22:08:03 - 00:22:11:11One of them was able to help me out and we're still talking
00:22:11:11 - 00:22:14:05to a few of them now too, so yeah.
00:22:14:11 - 00:22:16:09Oh, it's fun. That's very cool.
00:22:16:09 - 00:22:19:06But I guess what is the last last thing
00:22:19:06 - 00:22:23:11that every intern program should have in order to be successful?
00:22:23:21 - 00:22:27:15Yeah, I think, you know, we covered the main pieces, but I think
00:22:28:02 - 00:22:29:23when an intern has a great experience
00:22:29:23 - 00:22:30:13and then when they're
00:22:30:13 - 00:22:34:14going into an internship, especially going into like their last year of school,
00:22:35:16 - 00:22:37:14they want to know what does the future look like?
00:22:37:14 - 00:22:38:18Do I have a place here?
00:22:38:18 - 00:22:40:01Do I not?
00:22:40:01 - 00:22:43:06And I think it's good to be open from the beginning.
00:22:43:06 - 00:22:46:20I mean, I know when we interviewed you, you had said, like, is there a possibility
00:22:46:20 - 00:22:50:02of a full time role after the internship is over?
00:22:50:21 - 00:22:52:09And I think we're pretty honest with you.
00:22:52:09 - 00:22:55:11And but we continue that conversation throughout the summer.
00:22:56:19 - 00:22:59:11And then obviously, once it got closer, we were pretty
00:23:00:07 - 00:23:04:12adamant that we were able to offer you something before you went back to school
00:23:04:12 - 00:23:08:05just because, like we said earlier, you have so many choices nowadays and
00:23:08:11 - 00:23:11:06you really are in the driver's seat and you made such an impact
00:23:11:06 - 00:23:14:12that we didn't want to lose you and we wanted to be flexible about it.
00:23:14:13 - 00:23:16:05We could work around your school schedule
00:23:16:05 - 00:23:18:20and you could work on projects and just keep you engaged
00:23:18:20 - 00:23:20:21throughout the school year that you wanted to come back.
00:23:21:04 - 00:23:23:12So I think having those conversations is huge.
00:23:23:21 - 00:23:27:13But I would also say that, you know, we talked about feedback from the manager
00:23:27:13 - 00:23:31:15to the intern, but I would say I would ask them to like for feedback.
00:23:31:15 - 00:23:34:13You know, there's a lot of companies that halfway through the program
00:23:34:21 - 00:23:37:12sits down with the interns and say, like, what's working?
00:23:37:12 - 00:23:39:20What's not? How is your manager?
00:23:39:21 - 00:23:41:02What do you need from us?
00:23:41:02 - 00:23:43:09And having those conversations.
00:23:43:09 - 00:23:48:18So, you know, after week ten or 11 or 12 or whatever it is, they leave and they do
00:23:48:18 - 00:23:52:09their exit interview and you're like, Wow, this person had a horrible experience.
00:23:52:09 - 00:23:53:23I wish I would have known earlier.
00:23:53:23 - 00:23:55:07And it's it's a two way street.
00:23:55:07 - 00:23:57:04So I think just having those conversations
00:23:58:09 - 00:23:59:11is huge,
00:23:59:11 - 00:24:02:11but I guess so I went through five things and I think we covered a lot of it.
00:24:02:11 - 00:24:05:01But like thinking back to your internship experience,
00:24:05:06 - 00:24:07:19was there anything I was missing like that?
00:24:07:19 - 00:24:11:11I didn't cover that you thought was either I wish you guys would have done this,
00:24:11:11 - 00:24:14:18or maybe like you did this really well, but we didn't touch this.
00:24:15:04 - 00:24:16:12Or do we cover it off.
00:24:16:12 - 00:24:19:03So, like, we covered or have
00:24:19:03 - 00:24:22:07all great stuff, I would just say, like you, like you said,
00:24:22:07 - 00:24:26:15to be very clear with the intern and have a good working relationship
00:24:26:15 - 00:24:29:16between the manager and the intern, I feel like that's almost
00:24:29:16 - 00:24:34:13make it or break it if you don't have a good relationship with your intern.
00:24:35:05 - 00:24:37:17Chances are its not going to be a great internship for them.
00:24:37:17 - 00:24:41:08So I would just say be very open
00:24:41:08 - 00:24:45:05and honest with them and provide feedback as much as you can.
00:24:46:15 - 00:24:49:11And yeah, everything else we said covered it.
00:24:49:11 - 00:24:50:15I'll do that.
00:24:50:15 - 00:24:54:13But as we wrap up here, do you have any last bits of advice
00:24:54:13 - 00:24:56:14or any last pieces to share with us?
00:24:56:14 - 00:24:58:07I have a few a little things.
00:24:58:07 - 00:25:01:10I know we talked a lot about that experience as an intern,
00:25:01:18 - 00:25:04:09but I just want to kind of remind employers,
00:25:05:12 - 00:25:07:21keeping them engaged after you give them an offer
00:25:07:21 - 00:25:09:20and keeping that excitement going
00:25:09:20 - 00:25:12:01is almost as important as getting them there,
00:25:12:01 - 00:25:14:18because if they don't show up on the first day, you have to start over.
00:25:15:00 - 00:25:19:01So really think about that excitement and that communication with them beforehand
00:25:20:14 - 00:25:23:07and then just a couple of little tactical things.
00:25:23:07 - 00:25:26:05But when we had our first internship program, I remember really
00:25:26:06 - 00:25:29:23one of the first weeks, we asked them like, what could your company do better?
00:25:29:23 - 00:25:32:03You know, we just want to provide some feedback.
00:25:32:11 - 00:25:34:02And I think like half of them were like,
00:25:34:02 - 00:25:36:02I don't even have my manager cell phone number.
00:25:36:02 - 00:25:39:15Like, I just want to be able like if I get a flat tire to call them and say like,
00:25:40:04 - 00:25:41:18Hey, I'm not going to make it.
00:25:41:18 - 00:25:44:16Like I'm going to be a little bit late or I'm not feeling well today or whatever
00:25:44:16 - 00:25:49:02it might be just to have that phone number in that contact information was huge.
00:25:49:07 - 00:25:52:05And from an employer standpoint, it's such an easy win, like I don't
00:25:52:05 - 00:25:56:11think--they're not going to contact you unless they need to or so And it almost.
00:25:56:11 - 00:25:57:18Gives them like
00:25:57:18 - 00:26:01:06it builds some trust, you know, like, hey, like, here's my phone number.
00:26:01:06 - 00:26:04:16I'm here whenever you want my whenever you need to reach me.
00:26:04:16 - 00:26:08:09And it's, it's like a little more personal than just like, here's my email.
00:26:08:14 - 00:26:11:02Yeah, email me whenever it's like, no, call me.
00:26:11:02 - 00:26:13:04Yeah, I need to. Call you if you need to.
00:26:13:04 - 00:26:15:00Yeah, I know there's one company
00:26:15:00 - 00:26:18:13that the CEO gave out the enter their phone number and they were like,
00:26:18:18 - 00:26:20:12We're excited to have you intern this summer.
00:26:20:12 - 00:26:22:19Here's my phone number. Call me if you need anything.
00:26:23:01 - 00:26:25:09And I'm pretty sure the intern never called,
00:26:25:09 - 00:26:28:03but it's kind of like, Wow, the CEO really cares about me.
00:26:28:04 - 00:26:31:04So kind of a cool touch, if you're willing to do that,
00:26:32:00 - 00:26:35:03the last thing I would say is think about what they need to know
00:26:35:03 - 00:26:37:20and again, a lot of them, this may be their first experience.
00:26:38:04 - 00:26:42:07And I remember when you emailed me and we're like, What do I wear?
00:26:42:13 - 00:26:43:17I was like.
00:26:43:17 - 00:26:45:03I was like, That's such a good question.
00:26:45:03 - 00:26:46:05Like, we never even told you.
00:26:46:05 - 00:26:48:03Like, we're business casual.
00:26:48:03 - 00:26:50:18Like you can wear what you know, whatever you're comfortable with.
00:26:50:18 - 00:26:53:22But we do dress business casual and it's like, I don't know, you just aren't.
00:26:54:00 - 00:26:57:14Yeah, you don't know those things and you don't want to mess up from the first day.
00:26:57:14 - 00:26:59:05And I give you a lot of credit for asking,
00:26:59:05 - 00:27:02:04but that should have been on the back of our minds to tell you too.
00:27:02:04 - 00:27:04:02So all things considered.
00:27:04:02 - 00:27:06:18Yeah, I know like, what do I wear? What's really fun?
00:27:06:18 - 00:27:08:04I missed something.
00:27:08:06 - 00:27:11:05But lastly, I have to say, when you're going through this program
00:27:11:13 - 00:27:13:12does a lot of the entire experience as a whole.
00:27:13:12 - 00:27:16:12It's all about the experience and it's you really want to leave
00:27:16:12 - 00:27:18:09that lasting impression with the interns.
00:27:18:09 - 00:27:20:18Absolutely. Great ending. Thank you.
00:27:21:07 - 00:27:24:01Well, I want to thank you for being a great guest today
00:27:24:01 - 00:27:27:05and really sharing your knowledge on how companies can either
00:27:27:05 - 00:27:29:22begin or enhance their intern programs.
00:27:30:08 - 00:27:34:20So if you liked our chat and topic today, make sure you share this episode.
00:27:35:03 - 00:27:38:06Leave a comment or review and consider joining MRA
00:27:38:06 - 00:27:40:11if you aren't a member already.
00:27:40:11 - 00:27:41:13We have all the resources
00:27:41:13 - 00:27:44:18you need in the show notes below, so make sure to take a look at those,
00:27:45:10 - 00:27:49:10including Courtney's email and LinkedIn profile in the show notes.
00:27:49:10 - 00:27:53:08So if you want to get in touch with her or learn more about the MRA's
00:27:53:08 - 00:27:56:23Intern Leadership Program, she's the girl to contact.
00:27:57:10 - 00:28:00:23Otherwise, thank you for tuning in today and thanks for all the great
00:28:00:23 - 00:28:03:17info, Courtney, and we will see you next week.
00:28:04:00 - 00:28:05:01Thanks for having me.
00:28:05:01 - 00:28:07:20And that wraps up our content for this episode.
00:28:07:21 - 00:28:11:00Be sure to reference the show notes where you can sign up to connect
00:28:11:00 - 00:28:12:16for more podcast updates,
00:28:12:16 - 00:28:16:11check out other MRA episodes on your favorite podcast platform.
00:28:16:12 - 00:28:21:10And as always, make sure to follow MRA’s 30 minutes Thrive, so you don't miss out.
00:28:21:11 - 00:28:24:15Thanks for tuning in ,and we'll see you next Wednesday to carry on
00:28:24:17 - 00:28:26:00the HR conversation.
Wednesday Feb 22, 2023
Wednesday Feb 22, 2023
Description: In today's episode, we're diving into the complex and ever-changing world of employment law. Understanding the ins and outs of this legal landscape is crucial whether you're an employer or an employee. We'll cover a wide range of topics, from risky labor practices to data breaches and everything in between.
We'll also explore recent developments in employment law, including the impact of remote work on the employment relationship, the effect of The State of the Union Address on employers, and the increasing importance of mental health in the workplace. Join us as we unpack the nuances of employment law and equip you with the knowledge you need to navigate this critical area of business and employment.
Resources:
Employment Law Update
MRA Membership
About MRA
Let's Connect:
Guest Bio - Christine Liu McLaughlin
Guest Bio - Joel Aziere
Guest Bio - Scott LeBlanc
Guest Bio - Scott Reigle
Guest Bio - Audrey Merkel
Guest Bio - Craig Papka
Host Bio - Sophie Boler
Host LinkedIn Profile - Sophie Boler
Transcript:
00:00:00:01 - 00:00:03:10Hello everybody and welcome to 30 minute Thrive,
00:00:03:10 - 00:00:06:20your go to podcast for anything and everything HR.
00:00:06:21 - 00:00:09:22Powered by MRA, the Management Association.
00:00:09:23 - 00:00:13:14Looking to stay on top of the ever-changing world of HR? MRA
00:00:13:14 - 00:00:14:18has got you covered.
00:00:14:18 - 00:00:17:15We'll be the first, to tell you what's hot and what's not.
00:00:17:16 - 00:00:21:03I'm your host, Sophie Boler, and we are so glad you're here.
00:00:21:04 - 00:00:23:07Now it's time to thrive.
00:00:23:07 - 00:00:26:16Hello and welcome to this episode of 30 Minute Thrive.
00:00:26:22 - 00:00:27:20We're glad you're here.
00:00:27:20 - 00:00:31:18And I am actually here at MRA's Wisconsin Employment Law Update,
00:00:32:00 - 00:00:35:05where attendees are gaining insight on how to remain resilient
00:00:35:12 - 00:00:39:12after this post pandemic uncertainty and economic change.
00:00:40:01 - 00:00:42:12We have over 600 people attending
00:00:42:12 - 00:00:45:07virtually and in person today, so it's a big event.
00:00:45:12 - 00:00:48:14And I will be talking with seven of the speakers from today
00:00:48:18 - 00:00:51:13who are all practicing attorneys in the area.
00:00:51:18 - 00:00:53:04So come along.
00:00:53:04 - 00:00:54:05Hello, everybody.
00:00:54:05 - 00:00:56:18I'm here with Christine Liu McLaughlin.
00:00:56:18 - 00:01:00:15Christine is a shareholder at Godfrey and Kahn’s Labor and Employment
00:01:00:15 - 00:01:04:14Practice Group, and she was actually the former practice group chair.
00:01:05:00 - 00:01:08:11Christine provides counsel on a wide variety of employment
00:01:08:11 - 00:01:12:06and labor issues ranging from interpretation and application
00:01:12:06 - 00:01:16:02of federal and state employment laws to specialized employee
00:01:16:02 - 00:01:19:11transition matters and complex business transaction.
00:01:19:12 - 00:01:23:08So, Christine, you just reviewed 2022 and kind of talked
00:01:23:08 - 00:01:26:01about 2023, the year ahead for employers.
00:01:26:08 - 00:01:29:11So can you kind of summarize some of your key points that you talked about?
00:01:30:09 - 00:01:31:12Sure.
00:01:31:19 - 00:01:33:02I talked a long time.
00:01:33:02 - 00:01:34:15So this is going to be a big summary.
00:01:35:16 - 00:01:37:14I always like to start on the federal level.
00:01:37:14 - 00:01:41:06So if anybody saw the State of the Union address,
00:01:41:17 - 00:01:44:15it was very heavy emphasis on employment.
00:01:44:15 - 00:01:48:09And President Biden's push to really make changes,
00:01:48:09 - 00:01:51:15both on executive level at a regulatory level.
00:01:51:15 - 00:01:54:08So what does that mean for employers for 2023?
00:01:54:15 - 00:01:57:04Forecasting it, you're looking at agencies
00:01:57:10 - 00:02:02:16passing a lot of guidance, a lot of rules and doing a lot of enforcement.
00:02:02:16 - 00:02:08:00And that's anything from the EEOC to the Department of Labor on union issues
00:02:08:21 - 00:02:11:23to wage and hour enforcement.
00:02:11:23 - 00:02:13:22You're also going to see
00:02:13:22 - 00:02:17:08and what we've seen so far in January was the FTC.
00:02:17:08 - 00:02:19:18So Federal Trade Commission, why am I talking about it?
00:02:19:18 - 00:02:24:12It's because they issued a proposed rule related to non-compete,
00:02:25:05 - 00:02:29:21which really is a broad reaching proposal that covers all restricted covenant
00:02:29:21 - 00:02:34:18agreements and is highly restrictive and preamps says it's written right now.
00:02:35:00 - 00:02:36:17Any state law that's inconsistent.
00:02:36:17 - 00:02:38:11So that's a big game changer.
00:02:39:10 - 00:02:41:11Don't expect it to pass as it is.
00:02:41:11 - 00:02:42:23There's going to be a lot more dialog.
00:02:42:23 - 00:02:46:22In fact, this afternoon, they're actually having an open forum to discuss it.
00:02:47:06 - 00:02:48:23So that's a big topic.
00:02:48:23 - 00:02:53:04We're also looking at some of those hot issues as it relates to enforcement
00:02:53:04 - 00:02:54:06at the agency level.
00:02:54:06 - 00:02:59:01So think about A.I., artificial intelligence and hiring and recruiting.
00:02:59:06 - 00:03:01:17What does that mean in terms of enforcement?
00:03:01:21 - 00:03:07:03We know in the draft enforcement report right now, for the next five years,
00:03:07:03 - 00:03:10:02there's going to be a heavy emphasis by the EEOC on that issue.
00:03:10:20 - 00:03:12:21And by the way, you know,
00:03:13:04 - 00:03:16:21saying that the algorithm is at fault is no defense for employers.
00:03:16:21 - 00:03:18:19And that's very clear.
00:03:18:19 - 00:03:22:21In the enforcement plan, as it reads right now, we're also looking at pay
00:03:22:22 - 00:03:27:03transparency issues as it relates to those state laws.
00:03:27:03 - 00:03:31:17So there's been a lot of state movement, family medical leave, paid leave expense
00:03:31:17 - 00:03:35:16reimbursement, which we've never seen on the books come to fruition.
00:03:36:00 - 00:03:38:15But in addition to that is pay transparency.
00:03:38:15 - 00:03:41:03How do your job post be transparent?
00:03:41:03 - 00:03:42:14Should you have a policy in place?
00:03:42:14 - 00:03:44:16What should that look like
00:03:44:16 - 00:03:48:05and how do you open up a conversation or respond to a conversation
00:03:48:05 - 00:03:51:18from an applicant that wants to talk about pay, something
00:03:51:18 - 00:03:55:12that historically has been very taboo and uncomfortable for employers?
00:03:56:07 - 00:04:00:03The final, I think emphasis is going to be on mental health
00:04:00:20 - 00:04:03:07and with all of the crises
00:04:03:07 - 00:04:06:10that we see out there in the U.S.
00:04:06:10 - 00:04:09:20right now, both in employers, places of business
00:04:10:12 - 00:04:13:18as well as our schools, it is at the forefront of everybody.
00:04:13:18 - 00:04:19:02And I think that one of the best things employers can target for 2023 is educating
00:04:19:07 - 00:04:22:15those individuals that work with employees,
00:04:23:06 - 00:04:25:15reminding them they need to take care of themselves,
00:04:25:19 - 00:04:30:13but also giving them the power and knowledge of power to identify
00:04:30:15 - 00:04:33:06risks in the workplace as it relates to mental health.
00:04:33:22 - 00:04:35:20Add some great advice, Christine, thank you.
00:04:35:20 - 00:04:39:15And you had a lot of important and essential updates that you gave us today.
00:04:39:15 - 00:04:41:16So thank you for summarizing those.
00:04:41:16 - 00:04:45:06But just as we wrap up here, do you have any other advice or insight
00:04:45:06 - 00:04:48:13you can give and kind of wrap up to employers today?
00:04:50:06 - 00:04:51:07I think that
00:04:51:07 - 00:04:56:07the biggest takeaway that I would look at for this coming
00:04:56:07 - 00:05:00:08year is to realize that those that deal with humans every day
00:05:01:13 - 00:05:04:01are tired and they need support.
00:05:04:01 - 00:05:08:11So whatever you can do to invest in your people, remember
00:05:08:11 - 00:05:12:06those that are at the highest level is making those really tough decisions.
00:05:12:15 - 00:05:15:04Need your support, whatever that may look like for you.
00:05:15:11 - 00:05:18:02Okay. Well, thank you, Christine, for joining us today.
00:05:18:02 - 00:05:19:09We appreciate it. Welcome.
00:05:19:09 - 00:05:20:07Thank you.
00:05:20:07 - 00:05:21:10Hello, everybody.
00:05:21:10 - 00:05:25:09I'm here with Joel Aziere, He's the president at Buelow Vetter.
00:05:25:09 - 00:05:29:10And Joel is a top rated attorney here in the Waukesha, Wisconsin, area,
00:05:29:17 - 00:05:32:16providing legal representation in the Wisconsin area
00:05:32:16 - 00:05:34:13for a variety of different issues.
00:05:34:13 - 00:05:37:03So thanks for joining us today, Joel.
00:05:37:03 - 00:05:42:01I want to ask you about your talk that you just had on risky labor practices.
00:05:42:12 - 00:05:45:07So with President Biden's endorsement,
00:05:45:08 - 00:05:49:14he says that I intend to be the most pro-union president
00:05:49:14 - 00:05:53:09leading the most pro-union administration in American history.
00:05:53:21 - 00:05:56:19So union efforts are definitely increasing.
00:05:57:02 - 00:06:00:22Can you give any advice for organizations on how to really prepare for this?
00:06:01:09 - 00:06:04:05I think there's a couple of things that organizations need to do.
00:06:04:05 - 00:06:07:14First and foremost, you need to remember that the National Labor
00:06:07:14 - 00:06:11:10Relations Act doesn't just pertain to union organizing.
00:06:11:17 - 00:06:15:23It also has to do with rules and policies that a company may have
00:06:16:06 - 00:06:18:01that could be seen by the board
00:06:18:01 - 00:06:21:17as having a chilling effect on employees ability to organize.
00:06:22:01 - 00:06:24:22So the first thing to do is even if you don't suspect
00:06:24:22 - 00:06:28:01that there could be any union organizing is look at your policies,
00:06:28:08 - 00:06:33:04look at your social media policies, look at your communication policies.
00:06:33:04 - 00:06:36:22All of those policies that could touch on how employees
00:06:36:22 - 00:06:39:04talk to one another and check those.
00:06:39:04 - 00:06:42:05Second of all, employees employers excuse me,
00:06:42:05 - 00:06:45:20need to be very, very diligent in watching their workforce.
00:06:46:01 - 00:06:48:06They need to look for changes.
00:06:48:06 - 00:06:52:04Anything that is a dramatic change from what the employees were doing
00:06:52:04 - 00:06:55:21before is an indication that they might be looking to unionize.
00:06:56:11 - 00:07:00:11The other piece that an employer needs to recognize is forming
00:07:00:11 - 00:07:04:08a union doesn't mean that the employees dislike the employer.
00:07:04:08 - 00:07:05:11I hear that a lot.
00:07:05:11 - 00:07:09:17What did we do wrong that got them to want to use or to form a union?
00:07:09:17 - 00:07:11:20That's not the right way to look at it.
00:07:11:20 - 00:07:14:17But it is good to do a self-reflection and say,
00:07:14:17 - 00:07:18:18Are there things that we can do to better communicate with our employees?
00:07:19:00 - 00:07:22:20Because obviously they feel they're not getting that direct communication.
00:07:23:03 - 00:07:26:15They want to bring in a third party to be the intermediary,
00:07:26:15 - 00:07:28:00and that's never a good idea.
00:07:28:00 - 00:07:32:21So look at what you are doing to try and facilitate clear communications.
00:07:33:14 - 00:07:36:18So you also talked about unfair labor practices,
00:07:36:18 - 00:07:39:10and I know you highlighted some great examples.
00:07:39:16 - 00:07:42:08Can you talk about the one with the vending machines?
00:07:42:08 - 00:07:44:13There was a recent case that you just worked on,
00:07:45:02 - 00:07:47:07so can you talk about some of the key points there?
00:07:47:22 - 00:07:50:14So the key to remember is, first of all, an unfair
00:07:50:14 - 00:07:54:15labor practice can be filed by anyone, not just somebody who has a union.
00:07:54:23 - 00:07:59:06And it has to do with a change in terms and conditions of employment.
00:07:59:10 - 00:08:02:21And whether you did something that you were not permitted to do.
00:08:03:01 - 00:08:04:02Now, the example
00:08:04:02 - 00:08:08:02that I use is an extreme example, and I can't see this happening again,
00:08:08:05 - 00:08:11:10but it's to illustrate what how far down
00:08:11:11 - 00:08:14:07the NLRB will look at four turns and conditions of employment.
00:08:14:14 - 00:08:17:18There was a production facility that had to break rooms.
00:08:17:18 - 00:08:19:14Both of them had vending machines.
00:08:19:14 - 00:08:22:04One was a newer breakroom, one was an older breakroom.
00:08:22:09 - 00:08:25:10And what the company did was they swapped the vending machines.
00:08:25:10 - 00:08:26:06That's all they did.
00:08:26:06 - 00:08:29:11The newer vending machine was swapped into the newer breakroom
00:08:29:18 - 00:08:30:22and they got an unfair
00:08:30:22 - 00:08:34:06labor practice charge and they couldn't figure out why what they had done wrong.
00:08:34:17 - 00:08:37:04The look, the vending machines, everything looked the same.
00:08:37:04 - 00:08:40:17One was a little bit older, but what they came down to is one of the
00:08:40:17 - 00:08:44:08vending machines had clean m&m's and the other one had m&m's with peanuts.
00:08:44:18 - 00:08:48:14And that in and of itself was enough for for these employees
00:08:48:14 - 00:08:51:19to say it was a change in terms and conditions of employment.
00:08:52:01 - 00:08:53:11Now, of course, we settled it.
00:08:53:11 - 00:08:56:13We resolve the matter very clearly, but it is an example
00:08:56:13 - 00:08:59:23of how far down you can go in making that determination.
00:09:00:00 - 00:09:01:02Oh, absolutely.
00:09:01:02 - 00:09:04:14And just as we wrap up here, do you have any other lasting advice
00:09:04:14 - 00:09:08:19or tips for employers out there on just the changing economy right now?
00:09:09:20 - 00:09:12:22You have to make sure that you are connecting with your employees.
00:09:12:22 - 00:09:16:04The number one reason that employees want to form a union
00:09:16:04 - 00:09:18:22is because they feel they are not being heard.
00:09:19:04 - 00:09:23:06That does not mean you have to give in to everything that an employee wants,
00:09:23:11 - 00:09:26:12but you do need to make sure that you are communicating to them
00:09:26:12 - 00:09:28:10that you are available to talk to them.
00:09:28:10 - 00:09:29:13You will listen to them
00:09:29:13 - 00:09:32:17and you will take their thoughts and ideas under consideration.
00:09:32:17 - 00:09:33:21That's some good advice.
00:09:33:21 - 00:09:34:22Good to end with.
00:09:34:22 - 00:09:36:15So thank you Joel for joining us today.
00:09:36:15 - 00:09:39:03We appreciate it. Thank you.
00:09:39:03 - 00:09:40:05Hello, everybody.
00:09:40:05 - 00:09:44:13I'm here with Scott LeBlanc, a labor and employee employment law attorney
00:09:44:13 - 00:09:47:19at Husch Blackwell, who helps clients really navigate
00:09:47:19 - 00:09:52:05the complexities of employment privacy in health care regulation.
00:09:52:05 - 00:09:56:00So, Scott, you just talked about reductions and workforce layoffs.
00:09:56:06 - 00:10:00:12Could you give us some highlights or just key tips for our listeners today?
00:10:00:23 - 00:10:03:14Yeah, Well, one of the things I talked about sort of at the end of my
00:10:03:14 - 00:10:07:07presentation is alternatives, layoffs, right?
00:10:07:08 - 00:10:08:00I think
00:10:09:00 - 00:10:10:23layoffs should always be the last resort.
00:10:10:23 - 00:10:13:14So if you're if you need to reduce your costs,
00:10:14:15 - 00:10:16:13what can you do short of layoffs that are.
00:10:16:13 - 00:10:16:21Okay.
00:10:16:21 - 00:10:19:14So we talked about wage reductions, Right.
00:10:19:14 - 00:10:23:09Which you're just, you know, temporarily or permanently reducing salaries
00:10:23:09 - 00:10:26:00or employ hourly compensation.
00:10:26:10 - 00:10:28:12You can do things like furloughs, which are
00:10:29:13 - 00:10:31:02require leaves of absence.
00:10:31:02 - 00:10:33:20So someone's going to take a required unpaid leave of absence
00:10:33:20 - 00:10:36:07for a certain period of time that's going to save you some money.
00:10:36:07 - 00:10:39:10So talking about, you know, if you and as an organization
00:10:39:10 - 00:10:41:03based on what you need to do
00:10:41:03 - 00:10:43:22there are other ways other than just laying off employees to do that.
00:10:43:22 - 00:10:44:13And there are
00:10:44:13 - 00:10:46:22there are things that you need to think about from a legal standpoint,
00:10:47:12 - 00:10:48:15but maybe thinking about those
00:10:48:15 - 00:10:51:20first before you dip all the way into to having to do layoffs.
00:10:52:09 - 00:10:54:18I know it's something that's on top of employers
00:10:54:18 - 00:10:56:20minds right now, especially with the start of the year.
00:10:57:03 - 00:11:00:14So can you just and end us with any other good advice you have
00:11:00:14 - 00:11:04:06or any tips for employers out there who may be struggling with ideas?
00:11:05:03 - 00:11:08:08Yeah, I think planning and documentation is always important.
00:11:08:08 - 00:11:10:01I mean, that's something I always hammer home,
00:11:10:01 - 00:11:11:22whether we're talking about layoffs or anything else
00:11:11:22 - 00:11:15:05from an employment law standpoint is just documenting your process.
00:11:15:05 - 00:11:18:12So if you're thinking about doing layoffs and you know,
00:11:19:03 - 00:11:22:02you really it's really helpful for a lot of different reasons,
00:11:22:02 - 00:11:23:12whether it's putting together
00:11:23:12 - 00:11:26:18a severance agreement for employees or making sure that you're not
00:11:27:07 - 00:11:31:09selecting employees based on discriminatory reasons.
00:11:31:09 - 00:11:33:20How how did you come to that process?
00:11:33:20 - 00:11:35:07Who made the decisions?
00:11:35:07 - 00:11:39:05How did you make the decision of how many employees that you need to get rid of?
00:11:39:14 - 00:11:43:15What are the categories are you using and who is coming up with the data there
00:11:44:03 - 00:11:47:12and just really documenting a process that's really going
00:11:47:12 - 00:11:48:05to help you in the end.
00:11:48:05 - 00:11:50:14It's not just going to make things easier
00:11:50:14 - 00:11:52:02because you're going to be more organized,
00:11:52:02 - 00:11:54:16but it's also going to help insulate you from legal liability.
00:11:55:09 - 00:11:57:23Well, thank you for joining us and thank you for the advice.
00:11:57:23 - 00:12:00:02We appreciate it. Glad to be here.
00:12:00:02 - 00:12:01:07Hello, everybody.
00:12:01:07 - 00:12:06:11I'm here with Craig Papka & Audrey Merkel from von Briesen & Roper.
00:12:06:21 - 00:12:11:03Craig is a shareholder in the labor and employment law section and counsels
00:12:11:03 - 00:12:14:03clients about a wide variety of matters
00:12:14:11 - 00:12:17:07with a view to preventing costly litigation.
00:12:17:13 - 00:12:21:02Audrey is a member of the Labor and Employment Section and focuses
00:12:21:02 - 00:12:25:01her practice on representing businesses, government in schools,
00:12:25:13 - 00:12:28:01with employment in covid related issues.
00:12:28:12 - 00:12:32:01So Craig, you discuss remote work and that it's really here to stay.
00:12:32:13 - 00:12:35:22However, professionals have to navigate the cultural
00:12:35:22 - 00:12:40:02and legal issues associated with employees working remotely.
00:12:40:02 - 00:12:42:02So can you highlight some of the key points
00:12:42:02 - 00:12:45:00you were talking about in your presentation today on that?
00:12:46:13 - 00:12:47:03Yes, certainly.
00:12:47:03 - 00:12:48:05Thank you.
00:12:48:13 - 00:12:51:15I guess the most important thing is really to stay consistent.
00:12:52:11 - 00:12:55:20It's really critical that HR Professionals have set guidelines
00:12:55:20 - 00:12:57:02and they stick to them really
00:12:57:02 - 00:13:00:04in all aspects, especially with regard to remote workers
00:13:00:20 - 00:13:01:23to avoid putting yourself
00:13:01:23 - 00:13:05:00in a potential discriminate, discriminatory type situation.
00:13:06:10 - 00:13:11:07And then in terms of some best practices, we recommend defining eligibility.
00:13:11:07 - 00:13:17:04So exactly which employees can be working from home and also consistently abiding
00:13:17:04 - 00:13:22:05by any seen criteria that the company has in respect to working from home.
00:13:22:11 - 00:13:24:10Also require written requests
00:13:24:10 - 00:13:27:22for work from home to be submitted to both management HR
00:13:28:09 - 00:13:32:05And also train managers on handling work from home requests perfect.
00:13:32:09 - 00:13:35:23Thank you guys for joining us today and thank you for your great presentation
00:13:35:23 - 00:13:36:22and the advice.
00:13:36:22 - 00:13:39:08So look forward to talking to you.
00:13:39:17 - 00:13:40:22Hello everybody.
00:13:40:22 - 00:13:45:10I'm here with Scott Reigle from Meissner Tierney, he represents clients
00:13:45:10 - 00:13:49:00in a variety of different civil litigation matters in Wisconsin,
00:13:49:00 - 00:13:52:09California and other jurisdictions around the country.
00:13:52:19 - 00:13:54:17So, Scott, I know you just talked about
00:13:54:17 - 00:13:58:09the digital world today in different data breaches and stuff like that.
00:13:58:09 - 00:14:03:15And we have access nowadays more than any time in history on data.
00:14:03:23 - 00:14:07:01So could you just summarize how a business
00:14:07:01 - 00:14:11:04can really reduce its vulnerability to protect its data nowadays?
00:14:11:06 - 00:14:13:17Well, thank you, Sophia, and thank you, Mary, for having me.
00:14:14:03 - 00:14:16:22This is a great event and I really appreciate the opportunity to talk
00:14:18:15 - 00:14:19:10as far as
00:14:19:10 - 00:14:22:03what a company can do to protect itself.
00:14:22:13 - 00:14:25:05I look at that in two different ways.
00:14:25:05 - 00:14:28:16This kind of comes from my litigation background.
00:14:28:16 - 00:14:32:17How do we protect ourselves proactively and reactively and all That's about,
00:14:34:04 - 00:14:36:14first of all, limiting the opportunity
00:14:36:14 - 00:14:38:05for somebody to attack you in the first place.
00:14:38:05 - 00:14:41:13But if they do to to limit
00:14:41:21 - 00:14:44:16would mean what we think of in the legal world is exposure.
00:14:44:16 - 00:14:47:03So what liability you might face.
00:14:47:06 - 00:14:51:00So on the proactivity point, typically we're going to advise
00:14:51:00 - 00:14:53:06our clients, you need to have policies and procedures.
00:14:53:06 - 00:14:57:15You need to stay up to date with software updates and security mechanisms.
00:14:58:08 - 00:15:01:06You need to and then also you need to have plans in place for
00:15:01:15 - 00:15:06:01if the unthinkable does happen when it happens.
00:15:06:03 - 00:15:06:15Excuse me,
00:15:06:15 - 00:15:09:23if it happens, we're all we're always hoping, of course, that it doesn't.
00:15:10:09 - 00:15:12:10But if it does happen to you,
00:15:12:19 - 00:15:16:04the biggest thing to do is act quickly and you want to act decisively.
00:15:16:04 - 00:15:18:07So you want to make sure that you're protecting
00:15:19:13 - 00:15:22:20the systems while an attack is going on or shortly thereafter.
00:15:22:22 - 00:15:26:21B) you're getting your arms around what happened, investigation is a key.
00:15:27:23 - 00:15:30:02C) that you
00:15:30:02 - 00:15:33:05then take the proper remedial actions to get involved.
00:15:33:05 - 00:15:35:08And and this is a big one.
00:15:35:08 - 00:15:38:11D) You've got to be transparent throughout the process.
00:15:38:11 - 00:15:40:04So many companies that
00:15:40:04 - 00:15:43:03get into big trouble in these situations get into trouble because
00:15:44:00 - 00:15:46:18for lack of a better term, it's either shame or greed.
00:15:47:00 - 00:15:49:01They're either ashamed that this happened to them
00:15:49:13 - 00:15:52:21or they don't want to lose sales, they don't want to lose.
00:15:52:21 - 00:15:55:23Customers eventually will get out.
00:15:55:23 - 00:16:00:23And they're they're both common law and statutory liabilities that can happen
00:16:01:12 - 00:16:05:22that can accrue to a company if they don't come clean on these types of things.
00:16:05:22 - 00:16:07:21So we always counsel it's best
00:16:07:21 - 00:16:12:01to just be forthright and upfront with these types of things.
00:16:12:02 - 00:16:15:19Now, of course, within all the things we're talking about, I just gave an hour
00:16:15:19 - 00:16:20:11long speech on it, so I can't cover it all here, but there's a lot of nuance.
00:16:20:11 - 00:16:22:13But that's the CliffsNotes. Yeah.
00:16:22:21 - 00:16:26:18And you did give a lot of good information in the past hour, like you said.
00:16:26:18 - 00:16:30:13But, is there any lasting advice that you want to give our listeners today
00:16:30:13 - 00:16:34:00or any other security advice you want to give them before we wrap up?
00:16:35:03 - 00:16:37:02Change your passwords early and often.
00:16:37:02 - 00:16:40:12That's that's the best piece of advice I can give in a short amount of time.
00:16:40:12 - 00:16:41:16And I know we don't have long,
00:16:41:16 - 00:16:44:13but I just want to thank you guys again for for having us.
00:16:44:13 - 00:16:46:21And and this has been a great event.
00:16:46:21 - 00:16:48:04Thank you, Scott.
00:16:48:04 - 00:16:52:05I want to thank each of the seven speakers that I got a chance to chat with today
00:16:52:05 - 00:16:55:09in sharing their knowledge and expertise on the employment law.
00:16:55:18 - 00:16:59:19We have linked the resources from this event and each of the speakers
00:16:59:19 - 00:17:04:00biographies in the show notes, so make sure to reference those as needed
00:17:04:11 - 00:17:07:18and I encourage you to join MRA if you aren't a member already.
00:17:07:18 - 00:17:10:22We also have resources in the show notes for that as well.
00:17:11:12 - 00:17:14:01Otherwise, thank you for coming along with me today,
00:17:14:02 - 00:17:16:22and we will see you next week.
00:17:16:22 - 00:17:19:11That wraps up our content for this episode.
00:17:19:12 - 00:17:22:16Be sure to reference the show notes, where you can sign up to connect
00:17:22:16 - 00:17:24:07for more podcast updates,
00:17:24:07 - 00:17:28:03check out other MRA episodes on your favorite podcast platform.
00:17:28:03 - 00:17:33:02And as always, make sure to follow MRA’s 30 minutes Thrive, so you don't miss out.
00:17:33:02 - 00:17:34:04Thanks for tuning in
00:17:34:04 - 00:17:37:16and we'll see you next Wednesday to carry on the HR conversation.