The Workspan Podcast

WorldatWork’s Liz Supinski joins us to discuss the just-published 2022 Year in Review: Inventory of Total Rewards Programs and Practices. Liz shares the most significant changes from last year, findings that most surprised her, among other fascinating tidbits, trends and insights she and her crack team unearthed. Bonus chat on Liz’s latest ambitious DIY project – not quite as impressive as the plane (yes, we said plane) that she and her husband built several years ago, but still, pretty pretty pretty impressive.

Gregory Milano, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner of Fortuna, and his colleague Riley Whately, who leads Fortuna's research and advisory work, join us to discuss the growth of intangible investments and the challenges/opportunities for human resource managers trying to drive value in their organizations.

Kathleen Schulz, Gallagher’s Global Innovation Leader for Organizational Wellbeing, makes her third appearance on the pod. Kathleen discusses Gallagher’s 2022 Benefit Strategy and Benchmarking Survey, and touches on an array of timely topics: what  organizations can do to alleviate the issues that can compromise an employee’s ability to perform, surefire signs of a toxic workforce, the need for companies to have a wellbeing strategy (23.8% of respondents in their survey didn’t), and what organizations can do to make wellbeing initiatives more visible and utilized.

We are joined by Dr. Atul Mitra, Department Head & Professor of Management, Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company at the University of Northern Iowa - College of Business. Professor Mitra discusses his fascinating and insightful article (membership required) in the Journal of Total Rewards that compares the multiple drivers (digital infrastructure, culture, union density, customer expectations, etc.) that influence gig work in India and the U.S.

John Bremen, managing director and chief innovation and acceleration officer at Willis Towers Watson, talks about companies making a public stand on social and political matters: how to successfully navigate the various competing interests while creating more loyal employees and customers.

We kick off the new year in podcasting with Bobbi Kloss, director of human capital management services at Benefit Advisors Network, the premier international, credentialed network of independent employee benefit advisory & consulting firms. Bobbi joins us to discuss strategies for investing in employee well-being in 2023.

We close out the year with one of our all-time favorite guests: John Zissimos, the Chief Marketing Officer at Okta, the leading independent identity provider, who joins the prestigious three-timers club. He previously spoke with us about his experiences with Google and Salesforce, and in this conversation discusses his role with Okta, his influence on the company culture, the evolution of his leadership style, what he expects from/looks for in his team…and more!

A timely conversation with Cheryl Brown Merriwether, Co-Founder, Vice President, Executive Director, International Center for Addiction & Recovery Education™  (ICARE).  Many people struggle during the holiday season as it can give rise to – or heighten - addictions and mental health issues. Cheryl discusses how you, and/or those close to you, can  prepare mentally and emotionally to avoid/minimize these issues, and principles for making positive behavior change long-lasting.

WorldatWork is about to publish findings showing that employers continue to struggle with communicating internally and externally about their pay equity efforts. Nancy Romanyshyn, Director Pay Strategy and Partner Success with Syndio, joins us for a lively, informative discussion on what employers need to understand – and do – to better communicate their pay equity efforts. We also discuss the shock and awe that greeted her provocative presentation at WorldatWork's Rewards ’22 Conference!

We speak with Michael Piker, Global DE&I & Reward Director with Flutter Entertainment, a global sports betting, gaming and entertainment company. Currently based in London, Michael has lived and worked in 9 countries, and brings a broad perspective to a range of important issues: Talent Mobility, DE&I, Total Rewards, Executive Compensation, People Analytics, HR Technology…and more. Michael joins an elite cadre of “second timers” – and based on this excellent conversation, we expect we'll soon be coaxing him back for a third time!