In today’s episode, I sit down with Ryan Loken, Head of HR Policy, Administration, and Governance at Tyson Foods, to discuss his multifaceted role within the company, his broader impact on the community, and the dynamics of HR. Tyson Foods is a multinational corporation and one of the largest food processing companies in the world. Ryan discusses his role in the company, why there is no such thing as a typical day for him, and the community outreach work he is involved with. Discover how he leverages the company for good, his motivation for pursuing community outreach, and how his professional experiences benefit his current role. Explore why HR professionals are no longer compliance police, metrics that provide pragmatic insights into the structure of a business, why he chases the mission and not the title, the interconnectedness between company policy and culture, and much more. 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Ryan explains his role at the company and what his day-to-day looks like.

• His community outreach work and motivation behind it.

• How his job and community outreach work feed into each other.

• Discover how the HR landscape has changed and what caused it.

• Practical strategies and examples to enhance your role in HR. 

• Become a business partner as opposed to a traditional HR manager.

• Self-development, constantly learning, and remaining motivated.

• Background about Ryan and his path to his current role.

• Leveraging policy to drive culture and company values. 

• Final words of wisdom that Ryan has for listeners.

Quotes:

“I want to be able to give back and hopefully provide a better future for those who may not have the same opportunities that I did.” — Ryan Loken [0:03:45]

“With every job we hold, we learn some [valuable] things.” — Ryan Loken [0:16:55]

“I have never really had aspirations of having this title, that job, or this thing. It has always been a situation of how do I make my job more efficient.” — Ryan Loken [0:21:05]

“I have never chased a title. I have always chased a mission.” — Ryan Loken [0:21:43]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Ryan Loken on LinkedIn

Tyson Foods

Talk Talent to Me

Hired