HRchat Podcast

As local, provincial and federal authorities lift the restrictions imposed around the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses are starting to prepare to reopen. A recent Gallagher pulse survey of Canadian employers suggested that big numbers of companies may not be prepared to return to the workplace or know where to begin the process. In fact, only 26% have developed a return to workplace strategy and nearly half (47%) will continue their work from home policy weeks or months after stay-in-place orders are lifted.In this HRchat interview, we hear from Melanie Jeannotte, CEO, Group Benefits Services, Canada at Gallagher Benefit Services Group about how and when companies should safely return to the workplace.Melanie is responsible for expanding the division’s capabilities throughout Canada. She focuses on developing the business in four key areas - organic growth, mergers and acquisition, productivity, and the Gallagher culture.If you found this interview helpful, you can learn even more about Melanie and the work done at Gallagher in HRchat episode 121. You might also like to get a copy of Gallagher's Return to Workplace Guide for Canadian Employers. We do our best to ensure editorial objectivity. The views and ideas shared by our guests and sponsors are entirely independent of The HR Gazette, HRchat Podcast and Iceni Media Inc.   Support the showFeature Your Brand on the HRchat PodcastThe HRchat show has had 100,000s of downloads and is frequently listed as one of the most popular global podcasts for HR pros, Talent execs and leaders. It is ranked in the top ten in the world based on traffic, social media followers, domain authority & freshness. The podcast is also ranked as the Best Canadian HR Podcast by FeedSpot and one of the top 10% most popular shows by Listen Score. Want to share the story of how your business is helping to shape the world of work? We offer sponsored episodes, audio adverts, email campaigns, and a host of other options. Check out packages here. Follow us on LinkedIn Subscribe to our newsletter Check out our in-person events

In HRchat 188, we hear from Jeff Wald, Founder of WorkMarket, an enterprise software platform that enables companies to efficiently and compliantly, organize, manage, and pay freelancers (purchased by ADP). Jeff is also the author of the newly released book, The End of Jobs: The Rise of On-Demand Workers and Agile Corporations.Jeff began his career in finance, serving as Managing Director at activist hedge fund Barington Capital Group, a Vice President at Israeli venture firm GlenRock and various roles in the M&A Group at JP Morgan. He is an active angel investor and startup advisor, as well as serving on numerous public and private Boards of Directors.He has founded several other technology companies, including Spinback, a social sharing platform (purchased by salesforce.com).We do our best to ensure editorial objectivity. The views and ideas shared by our guests and sponsors are entirely independent of The HR Gazette, HRchat Podcast and Iceni Media Inc.   Support the showFeature Your Brand on the HRchat PodcastThe HRchat show has had 100,000s of downloads and is frequently listed as one of the most popular global podcasts for HR pros, Talent execs and leaders. It is ranked in the top ten in the world based on traffic, social media followers, domain authority & freshness. The podcast is also ranked as the Best Canadian HR Podcast by FeedSpot and one of the top 10% most popular shows by Listen Score. Want to share the story of how your business is helping to shape the world of work? We offer sponsored episodes, audio adverts, email campaigns, and a host of other options. Check out packages here. Follow us on LinkedIn Subscribe to our newsletter Check out our in-person events

In this episode, we consider ways technology will continue to impact how we work. Our guest is Ravin Jesuthasan, global thought leader, futurist, and author on the future of work, automation and human capital.Ravin is a Managing Director at Willis Towers Watson and the co-author of Transformative HR,  Lead The Work: Navigating a World Beyond Employment and Reinventing Jobs: A 4-Step Approach for Applying Automation to Work. He has been recognized as one of the 25 most influential consultants in the world and one of the top 8 future of work influencers. He is also a member of the World Economic Forum’s Steering Committee on Work and Employment.We do our best to ensure editorial objectivity. The views and ideas shared by our guests and sponsors are entirely independent of The HR Gazette, HRchat Podcast and Iceni Media Inc.   Support the showFeature Your Brand on the HRchat PodcastThe HRchat show has had 100,000s of downloads and is frequently listed as one of the most popular global podcasts for HR pros, Talent execs and leaders. It is ranked in the top ten in the world based on traffic, social media followers, domain authority & freshness. The podcast is also ranked as the Best Canadian HR Podcast by FeedSpot and one of the top 10% most popular shows by Listen Score. Want to share the story of how your business is helping to shape the world of work? We offer sponsored episodes, audio adverts, email campaigns, and a host of other options. Check out packages here. Follow us on LinkedIn Subscribe to our newsletter Check out our in-person events

In this episode, we highlight the amazing efforts made at Make-A-Wish. Our guest is Betsy Biern, a non-profit executive with over 20 years of organizational leadership experience in strategy, management, and fundraising. In 2016 she joined Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area as president and CEO, where she collaborates closely with the Board of Directors to further the organization’s mission of granting wishes to critically ill children. In the first year of her tenure, the organization granted a record 400 wishes!Make-A-Wish® Greater Bay Area is a non-profit organization that fulfills the wishes of children between the ages of 2 1/2 and 18 who have critical illnesses. The chapter was founded in 1984 and serves 17 counties in Northern California. In its first year, a total of 27 wishes were granted. Now one of the largest Make-A-Wish chapters nationwide, Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area has granted more than 8,500 wishes total and grants close to 400 wishes per year.We do our best to ensure editorial objectivity. The views and ideas shared by our guests and sponsors are entirely independent of The HR Gazette, HRchat Podcast and Iceni Media Inc.   Support the showFeature Your Brand on the HRchat PodcastThe HRchat show has had 100,000s of downloads and is frequently listed as one of the most popular global podcasts for HR pros, Talent execs and leaders. It is ranked in the top ten in the world based on traffic, social media followers, domain authority & freshness. The podcast is also ranked as the Best Canadian HR Podcast by FeedSpot and one of the top 10% most popular shows by Listen Score. Want to share the story of how your business is helping to shape the world of work? We offer sponsored episodes, audio adverts, email campaigns, and a host of other options. Check out packages here. Follow us on LinkedIn Subscribe to our newsletter Check out our in-person events

Mental health and substance abuse cost US businesses between $80 and $100 billion annually. Another study showed that serious mental illness costs America up to $193.2 billion in lost earnings per year. Depression is thought to count for up to 400 million lost workdays annually. Approximately 1 in 5 adults in the U.S - that’s 18.5% of the population - experience mental illness each year Research shows that mental health problems in the workplace cost UK employers £26 billion per year, averaging £1,035 per employee. In Canada, the figure is around $1,500 per employee.Whilst mental health & support is better than ever, mental health in the workplace is something that still needs bringing to the forefront of people’s minds and we'll be considering it in this episode of the HRchat podcast. Our guest this time is David Beeney, Founder at Breakingthesilence.co.uk and advisor to business on how to reduce the stigma of mental health in the workplace.David Beeney suffered for over thirty years, not wanting to tell his colleagues or employer that he was battling mental health problems; believing that it would damage his career, he was embarrassed and scared of the potential consequences.David is now using his experience, commercial background, and business knowledge to help organisations implement mental health & wellbeing strategies within the workplace.We do our best to ensure editorial objectivity. The views and ideas shared by our guests and sponsors are entirely independent of The HR Gazette, HRchat Podcast and Iceni Media Inc.   Support the showFeature Your Brand on the HRchat PodcastThe HRchat show has had 100,000s of downloads and is frequently listed as one of the most popular global podcasts for HR pros, Talent execs and leaders. It is ranked in the top ten in the world based on traffic, social media followers, domain authority & freshness. The podcast is also ranked as the Best Canadian HR Podcast by FeedSpot and one of the top 10% most popular shows by Listen Score. Want to share the story of how your business is helping to shape the world of work? We offer sponsored episodes, audio adverts, email campaigns, and a host of other options. Check out packages here. Follow us on LinkedIn Subscribe to our newsletter Check out our in-person events

In this episode, we'll consider why its vital to present authentic branding in times of high unemployment. Our guest is Kerris Hougardy, Vice President, People Services North America at Colliers International.Kerris leads Colliers International's North American People Services group for Canada and the USA. She coaches, mentors, and manages a high-performing team of 80+ HR professionals with a focus on strategic business partnerships, talent management, employee experience excellence, employment brand championship, diversity & inclusion and continuous process improvement.We do our best to ensure editorial objectivity. The views and ideas shared by our guests and sponsors are entirely independent of The HR Gazette, HRchat Podcast and Iceni Media Inc.   Support the showFeature Your Brand on the HRchat PodcastThe HRchat show has had 100,000s of downloads and is frequently listed as one of the most popular global podcasts for HR pros, Talent execs and leaders. It is ranked in the top ten in the world based on traffic, social media followers, domain authority & freshness. The podcast is also ranked as the Best Canadian HR Podcast by FeedSpot and one of the top 10% most popular shows by Listen Score. Want to share the story of how your business is helping to shape the world of work? We offer sponsored episodes, audio adverts, email campaigns, and a host of other options. Check out packages here. Follow us on LinkedIn Subscribe to our newsletter Check out our in-person events

In this episode we hear from Van Le, Director of HR at Lighthouse Labs about her career pivot into HR and how leaders can help employees to learn new skills to be more competitive in the jobs market. Van has 12+ years of progressive HR leadership experience in both BC and Ontario within the non-profit, technology, finance, and cannabis industries. She's been a part of many change management strategies including international expansions, public listings, and M&A activities. As the Director of HR for Lighthouse Labs, she hopes to bring her personal journey of being a career reskiller to other professionals seeking training and education alternatives.Lighthouse Labs teaches people to learn to code in 12 weeks and do it in a way that prepares students for amazing careers. Operating out of Canada's most dynamic tech hubs with campuses in Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, Victoria, Montreal, and Ottawa, Lighthouse Labs combines a mentor community of 60+ full-time developers with an agile curriculum that emphasizes building real software. This has, historically, allowed them to achieve a great result for their students: a 93% employment rate for job-seeking graduates within 120 days of program completion.This interview was recorded in February 2020. We do our best to ensure editorial objectivity. The views and ideas shared by our guests and sponsors are entirely independent of The HR Gazette, HRchat Podcast and Iceni Media Inc.   Support the showFeature Your Brand on the HRchat PodcastThe HRchat show has had 100,000s of downloads and is frequently listed as one of the most popular global podcasts for HR pros, Talent execs and leaders. It is ranked in the top ten in the world based on traffic, social media followers, domain authority & freshness. The podcast is also ranked as the Best Canadian HR Podcast by FeedSpot and one of the top 10% most popular shows by Listen Score. Want to share the story of how your business is helping to shape the world of work? We offer sponsored episodes, audio adverts, email campaigns, and a host of other options. Check out packages here. Follow us on LinkedIn Subscribe to our newsletter Check out our in-person events

In this HRchat interview, David Osborne returns to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the workplace and why providing employees with wellbeing programs is vital in the new normal. Listen and discover:How companies can integrate workforce wellness into their day-to-day activitiesWhat steps HR professionals should take to ensure a successful and safe return to workHow employers can begin to revive cultures as employees return to the workplaceThe mental challenges caused by in-person work interaction following the long period of isolationWays leaders can leverage digital technology to re-emphasize and reinforce company culture, structures, and protocolsAbout David OsborneDavid is a business technology leader with more than 20 years’ experience in global sales, operations, transformation planning, and execution. As CEO of Virgin Pulse, he is responsible for streamlining, optimizing, and scaling Virgin Pulse as the company continues its aggressive growth strategy and solidifies its position as the largest workplace wellbeing company in the world.About Virgin PulseVirgin Pulse, founded in 2004 as part of Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group, designs technology that cultivates good lifestyle habits for employees. Throughout June, Virgin Pulse will be broadcasting ThriveX, a virtual event to empower health, wellbeing and safety leaders to connect, plan, and navigate with confidence. Speakers Include Dr. David Katz, Public Health Expert, Dr. Laurie Santos, Cognitive Scientist and Professor of Psychology at Yale University, Dr. Martin Makary, Johns Hopkins Surgeon and Professor of Health Policy, Dr. Matthew Walker, UC Berkeley Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology, and Josh Bersin, Global Industry Analyst.We do our best to ensure editorial objectivity. The views and ideas shared by our guests and sponsors are entirely independent of The HR Gazette, HRchat Podcast and Iceni Media Inc.   Support the showFeature Your Brand on the HRchat PodcastThe HRchat show has had 100,000s of downloads and is frequently listed as one of the most popular global podcasts for HR pros, Talent execs and leaders. It is ranked in the top ten in the world based on traffic, social media followers, domain authority & freshness. The podcast is also ranked as the Best Canadian HR Podcast by FeedSpot and one of the top 10% most popular shows by Listen Score. Want to share the story of how your business is helping to shape the world of work? We offer sponsored episodes, audio adverts, email campaigns, and a host of other options. Check out packages here. Follow us on LinkedIn Subscribe to our newsletter Check out our in-person events

In this HRchat interview, we consider how mindfulness can be used by HR and leaders to address mental health, help build mental agility and better respond to stress and anxiety.Our guest this time is Dr. Geoff Soloway, Founder and Chief Training Officer at MindWell-U, a health tech firm that delivers research-backed e-mental health tools that are shown to increase resilience, lower stress, and improve performance.Geoff has been working in the area of health promotion, mindfulness, and wellbeing for almost 20 years. He completed a Ph.D. on Mindfulness at the University of Toronto, as well as a Master's of Education on Holistic Education. He has worked as an Instructor at the University of Toronto and the University of British Columbia and as a consultant offering mindfulness-based workshops and programs for professionals in the workplace. We do our best to ensure editorial objectivity. The views and ideas shared by our guests and sponsors are entirely independent of The HR Gazette, HRchat Podcast and Iceni Media Inc.   Support the showFeature Your Brand on the HRchat PodcastThe HRchat show has had 100,000s of downloads and is frequently listed as one of the most popular global podcasts for HR pros, Talent execs and leaders. It is ranked in the top ten in the world based on traffic, social media followers, domain authority & freshness. The podcast is also ranked as the Best Canadian HR Podcast by FeedSpot and one of the top 10% most popular shows by Listen Score. Want to share the story of how your business is helping to shape the world of work? We offer sponsored episodes, audio adverts, email campaigns, and a host of other options. Check out packages here. Follow us on LinkedIn Subscribe to our newsletter Check out our in-person events

In episode 180, we hear from Ryan Tahmassebi, a business psychologist and the Director of People Science at Hive - an employee feedback platform and strategic partner. Listen as Ryan shares his insights into using employee data to help drive lasting cultural changes in the workplace.In his role at Hive, Ryan steers thought around people analytics and leads Hive’s team of people scientists, who work alongside businesses to create high-performing cultures characterized by happy, healthy, and thriving employees. He has also played a lead role in the growth of ‘Good Day at Work’, a wellbeing network now consisting of over 50,000 members in the UK. We do our best to ensure editorial objectivity. The views and ideas shared by our guests and sponsors are entirely independent of The HR Gazette, HRchat Podcast and Iceni Media Inc.   Support the showFeature Your Brand on the HRchat PodcastThe HRchat show has had 100,000s of downloads and is frequently listed as one of the most popular global podcasts for HR pros, Talent execs and leaders. It is ranked in the top ten in the world based on traffic, social media followers, domain authority & freshness. The podcast is also ranked as the Best Canadian HR Podcast by FeedSpot and one of the top 10% most popular shows by Listen Score. Want to share the story of how your business is helping to shape the world of work? We offer sponsored episodes, audio adverts, email campaigns, and a host of other options. Check out packages here. Follow us on LinkedIn Subscribe to our newsletter Check out our in-person events