Geeks, Geezers, and Googlization Show

Founded in 2011, Talent Board wanted to shed light on companies that were attempting to improve the candidate experience. About 3 ½ years ago, our guest on today's show, Kevin Grossman, was approached with the offer to run and scale the program. Working with hundreds of employers around the world, Talent Board is a not for profit institution that works to continue educating employers on how to elevate the candidate experience during the recruitment process. Regardless of company size and culture, companies that are investing more in communication have access to more qualified candidates, as well as higher rates of retention. In 2018, 60% of candidates received an automated email turning them down. 20% of candidates received a personal email with the news. 10% of candidates received a phone call. Now, obviously for large scale companies or any business that hires in mass quantities throughout the year, a personal phone call to each rejected candidate is not feasible. Often, automation needs to be used when it comes to turn-down responses. However, it's important to remember that tech is only as good as how it is being utilized. For example, triggering automated responses at the right time and tweaking the automation so that they are more personalized in style can make all the difference. Another concerning issue is in regards to companies "ghosting" candidates. Over 52% of candidates claim that they didn't receive any sort of response to their application. Not an automated cold email, nor a personal email, and definitely not a phone call! Businesses would be wise to remember that candidate resentment from a poor interview experience directly affects the chance that they will continue purchasing or consuming products from the company itself, as well as risking their resentment spreading into negative reviews of the business among family and friends. Power has shifted to candidates, and if companies don't acknowledge this, they may just start to see a shift in their retention of, and access to, qualified candidates. At the end of the day, it's not automation or tech that's killing the candidate experience. It's the absence of communication and the lack of providing them with definitive closure at the end of the day. Candidates just want to know - are you going to choose me or not? Check out Kevin Grossman and the rest of Talent Board at: www.thetalentboard.org

Our guest today is Danny Iny, author of Leveraged Learning and CEO of the online business education company, Mirasee. With his works followed by over 100,000 experts and professionals, Keith and I were excited to have him on the show. In the context of education, a core part of Danny's belief is that the college degree is a "generic magic ticket to the successful life, costs too much and delivers too little." The college degree as a measurement tool is no longer working, and the disruption resulting from this fact is obvious. So how do people stuck between these two schools of thought and looking to follow a non-traditional and non-college path obtain the careers that they desire? If you're looking for the answer, listen in as we dive in to explore this further. I brought up this statistic to Danny as a segue into what he calls the "signals" of the disruption. "Working minimum wage in the late 1970's- a typical student with a four-year degree could pay off their entire tuition by working 182 hours. That's a part time, summer job. Currently, it requires working full time for 990 hours just to pay off a community or state college." This is a perfect example of the "signals" that Danny has been looking at as far as the future disruption of education in the workforce. In this case, the signals are clearly showing the deterioration of the college degree's value, and that a degree is only as good as your abilities. In and of itself, a college degree is merely a piece of paper and no longer holds the value or weight that it used to. For example, 30 years ago, a college degree was a way to sort through candidates and decide who was qualified or considered valuable enough to spend time interviewing. A degree showed employers that you checked the required boxes for the offered position. It also used to be that only a small minority of the population went to university, and the value of a degree and what it said about a person, was extremely worthwhile. However, things have changed drastically over the years. Herein lies the issue. In the education and employment sectors, we're in this place where the old way is falling apart, but there isn't anything that's fully replacing it yet. With online courses, or even Youtube, one has the ability to learn anything. Unfortunately, with the vast differences in the value that courses offer and the incompletion rate statistics on such courses, simply taking an online course doesn't show that you know enough or have the abilities to be truly considered for a position. So what can someone do to succeed when they've followed the non-traditional path of abstaining from college? Danny's advice is this, "You have to construct the signal yourself, and you can do this by building a portfolio that demonstrates what you know how to do and how well you know how to do it." Regardless of what the old scope or structure of recruiting looks like, there is plenty of opportunity to take advantage of this changing market and use it to propel yourself into the exact career field that you desire. When talking about the non-traditional education paths available, I asked Danny what he's seen available and how someone should go about choosing the right course or learning tools to help them achieve their career goals. His response? "Start by thinking backwards." "Start from the end and think, where do I want to be, or where do I want to go in my life and career? In order for the right doors to open, what do I need to know how to do, and how well do I need to be able to do it?" Once you have the answers to these questions, find people in that field whom you admire or would like to work with and ask them for 10 minutes to explain to you what they've done to get where they are. Show them what you think the path is that you need to take, and ask them if you're on the right track. If you are, ask what online courses or forms of education you should use to get where you want to go and to where they currently are. People that are already out there practicing the skills they've learned and leading successful careers will know exactly what it takes in this non-traditional and non-college age to get there.

Today, Keith and I are happy to have Eric Meyer on the show discussing social media as it applies to at-will employment and HR. A partner in the employment group at FisherBroyles LLP, Eric Meyer is a volunteer EEOC mediator, a paid private mediator, and publisher of "The Handbook." https://www.theemployerhandbook.com/ We start off the conversation with this simple and relatable question - "How has social media changed in the last few years, and how should employers be using social media?" Eric's take on this is that it's common knowledge that businesses can gain a huge economic advantage from responsibly using social media platforms, and if they are using these platforms, it should come as an obvious fact that companies need to be training their employees to use social media responsibly. This training should cover everything from how one can adjust their privacy settings to instilling awareness in employees that whether or not they are on the clock, they are still accountable for the things they post, tweet, and type. For example, if an employee goes home at the end of the day and posts something that is discriminatory, racist, or simply paints the company in a bad light, then the company has every right to fire them. This is a working example of "at-will" employment. As far as the recruiting aspect of social media, Eric recommends to companies that they create and implement a standardized set of hiring criteria that is applied evenly across the candidate board. This set of hiring criteria is non-negotiable and applies to every applicant being considered for the position. What comes across the desk of the final person making the hiring decision should be clear facts and credentials regarding the candidate, a picture painted from the company's absolute hiring standards and not based on a person's race, religion, etc. Moving forward, I asked Eric what his thoughts or suggestions are on how employers should be handling #MeToo and discrimination complaints. First, Eric states that it's extremely important for companies, managers, and employees to take these complaints seriously. Again, having a clearly written company handbook that states what is tolerated in the workplace and what is not, as well as a list of the avenues that one can go down to place their complaint, is essential. Additionally, it's worthy to note that each complaint case is different and should be handled accordingly. There are instances in which an employee may consider something said to them as discrimination, when in fact, it wasn't, by legal or company standards. In these cases, educating the employee or providing counseling while striving to not make them feel like their complaint was unnecessary, is important. Aside from these great thoughts, and steering our talk towards technology, I ask Eric to consider the fact that we know that tech's pace of change is going to continue happening, and it's going to keep happening quickly. Knowing this, what impact does he see Artificial Intelligence making in the workplace and are they positive changes? His response was solid. "Using AI for recruiting is only as good as those programming it." For instance, consider Amazon's great debacle when it came to light that their algorithm was ignoring a high percentage of female applicants. AI in anything, especially recruiting, ultimately comes back to the humans creating the program, codes, and algorithms. So, Eric advises that companies make certain that they are auditing their hiring processes and not inadvertently discriminating against a certain class. Summing up our conversation, I ask Eric what he sees coming up next in employment law. He believes that the next big thing in 2019 will be the Supreme Court taking up an LGBTQ case and using it to define the instances that violate anti-discriminatory laws in regards to these classes. Contact Eric Meyer https://www.theemployerhandbook.com/ https://www.facebook.com/TheEmployerHandbook/ https://twitter.com/Eric_B_Meyer https://www.linkedin.com/in/emeyer

With 300 million people worldwide suffering from depression and with depression and anxiety disorders costing over 1 trillion dollars each year, I thought a discussion with Dave Quinn of Being Well 365 would be of great value to our listeners. Excited to have him on the show, Keith and I discuss with Dave some of the startling statistics when it comes to employee disengagement related to stress and depression issues. Did you know... 80% of workplace stress affects relationships with family and friends 35% of employees miss 3-5 days of work per month because of workplace stress 71% of employees constantly spend time thinking about or actively looking for another job Keith started our conversation with this thought- "There is a massive element missed in job/life integration. For employers, doesn't it make sense to help the employees that they already have lead a better life?" Well, in Dave's opinion, the U.S. spends billions of dollars each year on wellness programs that simply are not working. With a former career in economic development, Dave witnessed fellow colleagues, himself, and their families affected by work stress and started looking for a solution. Wanting to make more of a difference in people's lives, he developed a program focused on helping businesses retain their current employees and cut down significantly on recruitment and turnover costs by focusing on the mental and emotional state of these same employees. With the mantra "Wellness isn't a destination, it's a decision you make daily," Dave created Being Well 365 with the idea that this mindset can help add many quality and productive years to one's life. Instead of throwing money into wellness tech that doesn't focus on the person, Being Well 365 brings the human element into a company and gets to the heart of why its employees are disengaged and stressed. Being Well 365 approaches anxiety and depression issues with employees by meeting them where they are, talking to them about what it is that's causing stress, and teaching them techniques and skills to better cope with what they're going through. Beyond that, they assess the different departments in a company, looking for pain points, current fires that need to be extinguished, and possible issues that could be on the horizon. After assessing, they offer solutions in the form of different workflow suggestions, day-day department changes, or simply just environmental improvements like loosening the reins on confining cubicles and break time rules, or introducing more "movement" into the office in the form of walking desks or walking breaks. Of course, it's up to the CEO's to make the ultimate decision to hire Being Well 365, and convincing them relies on them not only buying into the culture that these mental and emotional issues should be talked about and dealt with in a positive manner, but also showing them the financial benefits of an effective wellness program. Dave says, "We show them the cost of not taking care of these problems and how ignoring these issues leads to higher turnover and recruitment rates. We show them what they're losing from not investing back into their current staff." Contact Dave Quinn and Being Well 365 Website: www.Beingwell365.com

Today we're talking with Phil Strazzulla, CEO and Founder of the recruitment marketing company, Next Wave Hire, and creator of the YouTube series "Whiteboard Wednesdays". Firstly, if you haven't watched Whiteboard Wednesdays, you should. Whiteboard Wednesdays started as a New Year's Resolution and became a hit for viewers with over 252,475 watches. Stemming from conversations that Phil has had with recruiters, HR departments, and other business minds, he spends 2 minutes in front of a whiteboard each week to talk about recruitment concepts in relation to marketing. Covering topics such as using Facebook ads for marketing, HR chatbots, SEO and its relation to talent acquisition, and the myriad of other subjects that recruiters and HR are currently struggling with, Phill dissects these topics and offers solutions. Phil noted the need for a company like Next Wave when he saw how top talent was getting continuously bombarded by recruiters with generic or lifeless emails and cold calls. By using these archaic methods, recruiters were turning off more candidates than they were actually recruiting. So, he set out to teach recruitment departments how to give talent something useful that will cause them to notice you and be turned from a passive seeker to a new hire. Whether this something is an open source project, career advice, or an invitation to a workplace mixer, you have to think of recruitment in the same way that you would marketing. Show potential candidates the culture of your company, what you have to offer them, and why they should notice you. Phil explains Inbound Recruiting with this example, "If Nike wants you to buy their new sneakers, they're not going to send someone to your door. They're going to put out interesting content regarding the sneakers, content such as ads with Usain Bolt that make you feel aspirational while explaining the value proposition of the shoe are what consumers are sold on." For Inbound Recruiting, you're marketing the company as a place to work. Your product is your company and you need to show the value proposition of its workplace. Next Wave teaches recruiters and HR departments how to do this by showing them how to build relationships with potential top talent and establish a culture and buzz for their workplace. Starting with establishing a talent community on a business's website, Next Wave then encourages employees to drive the company brand and talent to the community by sharing news about the company, its events, and culture on social media platforms. Over time, candidates that started as passive job-seekers come to a place where they are ready to transition to a new company and career. With Next Wave, the foundation and relationship has already been set for these talented individuals to seamlessly move into the recruitment process. Keith also added this great point, "Recruitment is just like sales, treat your potential new hires like your sales team treats potential new clients." Of course, there are CEO's who object to the idea of their recruiters using work time for social media and company related engagement. Phil deals with these objections by showing them data and hard facts. If you don't think that potential candidates are looking through Facebook or Linkedin and that traditional methods of recruitment are still the best way to go, then you're going to miss out on top talent opportunities. To connect with Phil and Next Wave visit: https://nextwavehire.com/

Today, we're talking with a man who was pronounced dead at birth, diagnosed as retarded by his guidance counselor, and never spoke a word until he was 6 years old. Additionally, he had a documentary made about him in in 2007 called "Music Within". Our guest this week, Richard Pimentel, has overcome tremendous odds and Keith and I are honored to have him on our show. A disability rights advocate and public speaker, Richard was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. Pronounced dead at birth, his mother, who had gone through several miscarriages, struggled to cope with raising him. Shortly after he was born, she released him to the care of an orphanage where he stayed until his Grandmother found him. However, by the time she was able to locate him, he had adapted to the culture of the orphanage. This culture was one in which children were expected to be neither seen nor heard. It was partially due to this, and the rest Richard credits to stubbornness, that he remained voluntarily mute until he was six years old. While he was sent to a special needs classroom because of this , Richard reiterates that remaining non-verbal wasn't a disability but a choice. It was because of his experience in this situation that he grew close to the students. They were his friends, and he was able to see how they were treated. When people give their sympathy regarding Richard's backstory, he's quick to point out that it was all, in fact, a blessing. "Hard things in life give you keys to open doors, and it gives these keys because they're doors you'll absolutely need to open at some point." Out of this, he grew up to become and advocate for this disabled. It wasn't until later in life that Richard himself faced disability. Unable to afford to go to college, he went to Vietnam so that he could use the GI bill to finish his education. While there, his 5 man special team and another troop found themselves in enemy territory and trapped for months. Finally, they received the call that it was their chance to get to an extraction point. Relief turned to dismay when this news was followed by the order that 5 would have to stay behind to distract the enemy. The 5 chosen were, of course, his team. A defining moment in his life, his troop leader told them what he said was the real definition of responsibility- "It's not what you owe the country, or your teammates. It's your ability. Given the ability we have to slow the enemy down, what then is our response? Tell me, what's your response to this ability?" Moving on in our conversation towards the meaning of leadership, responsibility, and attitude, Keith, posed the question - "When I first heard your story about the real definition of responsibility, that is, your ability to respond to a situation, how is it that you see your responsibility or how you're helping employers take on their responsibility as it applies to taking in qualified veterans into the workforce?" Richard's response comes, of course, from his experience. Coming back from Vietnam, Richard had severe hearing loss and a traumatic brain injury. Knowing that his fellow veterans were also coping with these disabilities, he became involved with the movement to get the Veterans With Disabilities Act passed. Richard's passion was fueled by the training ingrained into him…"You never leave a fallen comrade behind. Ever." It occurred to him that he was seeing more fallen soldiers on Main Street than in Vietnam. "If I wouldn't leave them behind in 'nam, why would I leave them behind now?" With this thought in his mind, he then went on to develop programs to help bring veterans back into the workforce. In his development of these programs, he realized that employers don't hate the disabled, they just don't understand them. "I didn't need to change employers minds about people with disabilities, I needed to change their minds about themselves." If it's an issue with PTSD, the second most common issue versus a traumatic brain injury, the average employer is skittish because they don't understand these issues. So, Richard has taken on the mantle of teaching them what they need to do to accommodate workers with these issues. After giving them materials and training, he leaves them feeling more confident in their own ability to work with the disabled. Richard points out that accommodating workers with these types of injuries can be as simple as being available to talk, letting them know that you want them to talk to you about what they're going through, and that it's a safe space. Something as simple as a worker being able to tell you that they have an anniversary coming up where they lost men and don't necessarily work well during that week, and then being able to work something out, can make all the difference. Richard leaves us with this thought- the disability community has been more fearful about an economy like the one we have today than one where there weren't any jobs. What they want everyone to know is that they want you to be as picky hiring them as you would be if there wasn't a labor shortage. It doesn't make any sense to hire someone just because they're there. Don't hire them because of what they did over there or what they did for America. Hire them for what they're going to do for your company. I agree wholeheartedly with his closing statement, "The government can bring us back, but only you can bring us home."

Is AI something that could be utilized in the recruitment process without eliminating the need for the human element in HR? This week, Keith and I cover this topic during a great conversation with our guest, Robby Gulri, CMO of Engage Talent, an AI-assisted recruitment support company. With the recruitment process going through a technology metamorphosis, AI has found its place in the echelon of the biggest players and change makers in business tech. Robby describes Engage Talent as "Recruitment Science", in which they "map the relationships between people, roles, companies, and dynamic markets using purely external data." When working with clients, the Engage Talent process is positioned on what Robbie calls the "Legs to the Stool". Talent identification: There needs to be the realization that sometimes a person and a company are just not a good fit. Now, this isn't necessarily the individual or the company's fault. Engage Talent believes that this improper pairing can be avoided by identifying potential candidates' personal and professional interests to see how these interests and skills align with the open position. In short, Engage seeks to pair recruiters with candidates that have the statistical possibility of becoming long-term, effective, and content employees. After providing the recruiter with candidates who meet the above criteria, the Engage team shows their client how to use this information to pique the interest of said potential candidates. With this information, they create custom, personalized messages catered to the individuals, instead of just sending them those cookie cutter emails that we all receive and usually discard without a moment's glance. All of this information is married through the system that is Engage Talent's AI algorithm. Now, for our listeners wary of AI and are currently picturing a robot apocalypse or the augmentation of human activity, Robby takes the time to stress how the human element in HR is essential, and it can not and should not be replaced. "AI is simply a way to gain a 'leg up' in the recruitment process by narrowing down the funnel that potential hires come through". With the insights that Engage Talent's AI algorithm provides, recruiters are able to focus their energy on the 100 or so people that would, or do actually care about the opportunity. So, instead of spreading their net out over the masses and holding their breath to see what they pull in, they are able to target specific candidates whom they already know are right for the job and have a keen interest in the possibility of acquiring it. Keith, Robby, and I also go on to reiterate that far too often, recruitment and HR departments are left behind when it comes to new tech. It seems that the cause of this problem usually lies at the top of the company pyramid with the "check writers"... aka senior management. This is a fact I find quite surprising considering that in a recent poll, 50% of senior management execs say that talent is their #1 issue and finding the right people to react with the dynamic nature of their business is a struggle. Yet, those are the same leaders resistant to making tech changes (such as the use of AI). Why is there such a resistance to tech upgrades that significantly help recruiters and HR departments in their mission to essentially keep the "lifeblood" of a corporate entity warm? There are a few reasons for this resistance. Reasons such as a sole focus on profit generation and the market, coupled with the non-realization of the tech that is currently available or how to use it. So, how exactly does Engage's AI work? To put it simply, Engage focuses not just on today, but on what's going to happen tomorrow. For example, news of a merger, an acquisition, or leadership change runs through Engage Talent's AI. This information is then paired with potential candidates who are suddenly reeling from the business "shock" that comes with the above changes. These previously content employees are all of the sudden curious as to what else is out there for them and are now open to a recruitment conversation. Engage's AI captures data from available public information, such as the New York Times, public domain data, and individuals' public profiles and records. It then runs this data through their algorithm, which gives them the information needed to give prediction models to recruiters. This explaining of Engage Talent's data collection, of course, led me to ask what the feedback has been on the use of this tech. Well, Robby states, "At first, there is usually this 'deer in the headlights' look, but after we explain how we aggregate the data to not only find the right candidates, but also show how their competition's processes are working, their reception grows." Overall, it seems that once the time has been taken to explain to CFO's and CEO's how Engage Talent's algorithm is a science-based tool and not a human replacement, they realize how useful, essential, and ultimately profit-generating the use of AI is in the recruitment process. Of course, with new tech concerns will always come. The need to safeguard such data is key to helping AI succeed in this field, protecting it from non-ethical use and ensuring that it continues to flow through the proper channels. Robby's team is dedicated to such safeguarding. That being said, I agree with his closing statement - "In terms of AI and recruitment technology, my feelings are nothing but jazz and excitement." If you'd like to read more about Engage Talent or talk to Robbie, you can contact him at, robbie.gulri@engagetalent.com Engagetalent.com Linkedin: Robby Gulri You can also hear more on his podcast - Masters of Modern Recruiting

This week's podcast features our guest Janine Woodworth, Director of Strategic Services at Jobvite. Janine, Keith, and I had a fast-paced conversation about the current state of talent acquisition, why corporations are failing at it, and how to ensure that you don't. With unemployment rates at their lowest since 1969, a staggering 3.7% (2% if you're a college graduate), competition between companies to hire the best talent is extremely high, and the time of candidates begging for jobs (aka the recession) is long gone. If corporate recruiters know these facts, then why are they still using the same recruitment process from ages past? Janine points out how she hears rather often, "We posted on the various job sites, so why aren't we seeing the right candidates coming through?" Well, in this technological age, you might as well ask why the "help wanted" sign in your store window wasn't effective for pulling in top talent! If you're waiting for candidates to come to you and you're not out there aggressively marketing your company, then you're simply going to fail. Every company needs to sell the benefits of WHY your company is a better place to work than where the candidate is currently employed. Janine is passionate when she says,"Market your business with the thought that you're asking a potential employee to purchase, not a product, but a place to work every day." Here are a couple key points to consider - What's your candidate experience looking like? How lengthy and unnecessary are the questions on your application? What does the mobile application experience look like? Just recently, a new client was frustrated they weren't getting enough applicants to interview. Well, we installed an Applicant Tracking System and after just a few weeks discovered that the problem had nothing to do with the applicants or marketing. A quick look at the application report revealed several well-qualified applicants. The problem was the recruiter. She wasn't responding to these applicants for two weeks! By the time she contacted them, they already had new positions. That is the absolute wrong way to play the game in today's race for talent. To grab the talent you need, your recruitment process must be smart, efficient and fast Does your current application use lengthy and unnecessary questions? Think about what you need to know now at THIS point in the process. If you don't know, then Janine has a great suggestion - fill out your own application! Think about it, how long has it been since you applied to work at your current place of employment? Better yet, take the application of competitors and see what they're asking, how their process flow works, and what you see being done right or wrong. Additionally, have you tested your mobile platform? With the majority of candidates applying from their phones, how is your process performing? It's incredible the number of mobile applications that don't work on both Android and iPhones, or don't even work on mobile at all. This archaic model that companies have been using to recruit needs to change. The model the recruitment process has been built on is flawed and must change with the times. However, we can't forget the human element that is still very necessary. No, we're not talking about cold calling, BUT it's still important to reach out to potential talent in some way that's not automated. Be it a text or a phone call, extend the hand that shows interest in their specific talents beyond a generic email.

This week on The Geeks Geezers and Googlization Show we're talking about the #MeToo movement and its effects on the culture of HR as we know it. Rebecca Weaver and Nickolett Hocking from HR Uprise lead us in an eye-opening discussion regarding "disruptive HR", the #MeToo movement, and how Human Resource departments wield so much more power than they realize. In the wake of #MeToo and the conversations it has stirred up within the past year, Rebecca and Nickolett wondered why they were seeing so many powerful leaders in the entertainment industry being held accountable, but when it came to leaders in business, no one was being called out. It was these discussions that led the two to start HR Uprise. Knowing that business leaders and HR departments are a huge proponent in driving the culture of the business workplace forward, Rebecca and Nickolett established HR Uprise as a channel through which sexism and racism in the workplace may be eradicated. Curious, I asked Nickolett what, initially, the reception of this idea looked like. She responded, "When we first put out this idea of 'disruptive HR', it was encouraging to see other 'black sheep' HR workers step out in agreement and support of what we were doing." Additionally, both Rebecca and Nickolett thought it incredibly revealing to see the sparked interest of non-HR employees desperate for change, reaching out and asking them to come and speak to their own workplaces' HR departments. I agreed with both of the ladies in saying that if the public response for help witnessed by them doesn't show a problem within the current climate of our workplaces, then what does? Nickolett also added, "We hear over and over NOT to go to HR for harassment issues, that HR exists to protect the company, not the employees." But HR really does have more control and power than is being recognized... and it's the power to change this perception of what HR is and does that needs to be realized. Another highlight during my discussion with Rebecca and Nickolett was on the point that HR departments need to realize that they aren't limited to only taking action on harassment when held to its legal definition alone. A core principle of HR Uprise (and an important one), stands on the fact that if, as an HR team, all you're focusing on is resolving legal level harassment issues, then you're doing the bare minimum for your company and your employees. All too often, perfectly legal but completely inappropriate conversations and actions happen between employees that can and should still be handled and resolved by HR. In fact, better than resolving these issues after the fact, HR Uprise seeks to provide employees and their respective HR departments with an entirely new workplace climate and culture so that these unnecessary moments don't happen in the first place. So, what does HR Uprise say is the first step toward propelling companies in the right direction when it comes to the topics that the #MeToo movement has surfaced? Rebecca reflects on the time she's spent with clients directing what she prefers to call "Allied Training". Allied Training is a method where employees meet in a room together, and while HR Uprise is there to lead the discussion and answer questions, the majority of the time is spent with the employees having an open and honest discussion with each other. Initially, the conversation usually starts with plenty of "what if" questions. What if something happens outside of work, on the weekend, between a supervisor and an employee, etc.? Rebecca counters these types of questions with a question to the group, "What do you think should happen?" or "What behavior do you want from your fellow employees?" The end result of these Allied Training discussions is a productive and thoughtful time where in the end, the employees leave the room in agreement and on the same page as to what is and what is not acceptable in their workplace. When employees know not just the legal standard for workplace behavior, but also their co-worker's personal standards, the "culture" of the workplace changes and becomes an open, respectful, and comfortable one. In short, it's time to open up the dialogue between employees, their co-workers, and HR. Cultivating the right culture in a workplace starts with conversations that establish the right climate and alter archaic perceptions between employees, their peers, and HR. Follow HR UP on Instagram: @hruprise Connect with Rebecca Weaver on Linkedin Connect with Nickolett Hocking on Linkedin

On this episode of The Geeks Geezers and Googlization Show, we're talking with the Editor-in-Chief of Entrepreneur Magazine, Jason Feifer. Keith, Jason, and I dive deep into the resentment that each generation seems to have for the next. If you're curious to hear Jason's thoughts on this topic, you'll love this episode. We get down to brass tacks quickly. First, Jason invited us to take a look at the history of innovation and how each new thing introduced through the generations was met with resistance. He starts with the bicycle (Yes the bicycle was going to ruin civilization!), recorded music, the radio, and so much more. But eventually, the adoption of these inventions became so commonplace that the resistance dissipated and the disruptions went mainstream. Fast forward a generation or two down the line, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a single soul who can still recall or explain the resistance in the first place. You've probably heard the saying that history repeats itself. Then it's no surprise that each older generation tends to morph into similar attitudes and judgments toward their successors. If you disagree, just take a look at what Seneca was saying all the way back in First Century A.D. "Our young men have grown slothful. Their talents are left idle, and there is not a single honorable occupation for which they will toil night and day." Sound familiar? If that's not enough, how about the Life Magazine cover from 1968 that describes the up and coming generation as promiscuous, lazy, rebellious, and idealistic (aka the Baby Boomer Generation!)? This was repeated again in 1985 when Newsweek's over displayed an image of 3 Generation X distracted by video games. Or the seemingly endless headlines and media covers covers bashing Millennials beginning in the 1990s. Case in point - Generations Gaps are nothing new and older generations have demeaned young people from the beginning of time. So, why does the older generation seem to keep forgetting that at one time they were the change makers, the rebellious, and the idealists? This memory lapse would be a fair one if each generation was getting progressively worse, but they're not. Instead, we're finding them growing kinder, more empathetic, developed, and advanced. One could even argue that with the current state of technology, the younger are catching up to the older at a faster pace than any of the previous generations. Jason brings up a great point as to the actual reason why the older generation is consistently bashing the younger… "The older generation is aware that the new generation is their replacement." This may sound harsh, but it's true. "And, by admitting this truth, you're admitting your own mortality and replaceability." Tough words, but is that not exactly why baby boomers look down on the Millenials? We, as the proven and established generation, don't want to see them as equal or as a replacement because then, what does that make us? Now, in case our conversation was starting to make you feel either vindicated as a Millenial or like a puff of dust as a Baby Boomer, Keith, Jason, and I also took the time to highlight the less morbid side of this discussion. First of all, just because the older generation is preparing to either retire from the workplace or pass over the mantle of their experiences, doesn't mean that they're not needed. In actuality, they are still, and will continue to be, absolutely necessary- a fact, that most Millenials know and appreciate. The Millennial leaders of the next generation are intelligent enough to take advantage of the fact that their elders are carriers of wisdom. They do have more experience, and they can provide valuable advice from their life experiences, whether this advice is career, life-based, or both. Listen to the full episode here.