The HR Hub

Mindset is harder than rocket science according to NASA scientists. So all you HR people out there? Give yourselves a pat on the back! The people stuff is hard! In this episode, I spoke with Mitch Warner, managing partner at the Arbinger Institute, which is responsible for the book "Outward Mindset". Mitch helped with the latest edition and shares his insight into mindset generally. He focuses particularly on the value of having an outward (rather than inward) mindset. He's worked with clients like NASA and this is how he knows what the rocket scientists think! An "outward mindset" has all employees (including HR) focusing on others' needs and objectives alongside one's own. This approach, he argues, is key to fostering a productive, connected, and innovative workplace culture. Key insights from our conversation: • There are many mindsets (growth, safety, positive, scarcity etc) but many of them would have us focus on ourselves rather than others around us. • Changing mindset has been shown to be far more effective in creating change than simply prescribing new behaviours. • We can use an outward mindset to help our employees redefine what it means to have a job in terms of impact on others including our customers and coworkers. • He gave examples of how an outward mindset can revolutionize areas like workplace safety and debt collection. HR is often instrumental in creating the kinds of organizations we need. An outward mindset has a so much potential. Forget silos, remember our customers, ditch bickering... This is an idea I am thinking about a lot! Mitch's insights offer a fresh perspective on organizational culture and leadership, challenging HR professionals to rethink their approach to employee engagement and performance. Whether you're looking to boost productivity, enhance teamwork, or drive innovation, this episode provides strategies for leveraging the power of mindset in your organization. Find Mitch and the Arbinger Institute at https://arbinger.com/ You can find their books (The Outward Mindset and Leadership and Self-Deception) anywhere you buy your books but also via their website: https://arbinger.com/store/ Find me, Andrea Adams, at https://thehrhub.ca/

"We (need to) talk to people not about people." Talking about people (unless you're venting with a trusted friend), greatly harms trust. Building trust within teams is critical for high performance, but it's often an overlooked aspect of team dynamics. It came up recently for me in relation to consulting so I sat down with trust expert Ila Edgar to dive deep into the key behaviours and mindsets needed to foster trust on teams. Ila is a coach, former recruiter, and co-host of the "Trust on Purpose" podcast. We did a couple episodes year before this one and they were some of the episodes I refer to most often at work. She shares her invaluable wisdom on: 💥 Why distrust can actually be a good thing and how to manage it productively 💥 The 4 key domains of trust (competence, sincerity, reliability, care) and how to cultivate each on your team 💥 The vital role leaders play in modeling trust-building behaviors 💥 Dangerous trust-breaking behaviors to avoid at all costs Whether you lead a team or are part of one, this episode is packed with practical insights to create an environment of psychological safety where people can do their best work. Don't miss Ila's perspectives on this crucial but often overlooked team dynamic. Find Ila at https://www.bigchangeinc.com/ This is her podcast: https://trustonpurpose.buzzsprout.com/ Andrea is an HR consultant in Western Canada. Find her at https://thehrhub.ca

"You have to think about [retirement], it doesn't just automatically happen." How are organizations supporting the retirement of their employees? Are they getting pushed out the door or supported in making informed decisions? Having recently embarked on her own retirement, Dr. Melanie Peacock offered her account of reimagining life's next steps and how to improve your employer brand by informing your employees. She is an HR expert; she's also an author, keynote speaker, and a fellow with CPHR Alberta, making her insights informed from both an HR and retirement perspective. Melanie provides insights on: 📝 Why retirement planning goes far beyond just finances - the emotional and physical health aspects are critical 💡 How employers can support transitioning employees while building their employment brand 🧠 Simple ways to start normalizing retirement conversations from your first steps out of school 👵🏻 The benefits of alumni programs and allowing phased retirement Check out this conversation on how organizations could support their employees, decrease turnover and improve their employer brand. Find Melanie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelaniepeacock-cphr-doublem/ https://www.doublemconsulting.net/ourteam/ Find Andrea for consulting support: https://thehrhub.ca

'The difference between the skill of job seekers and those who are employed is often significant.' So, for executive search, you are almost exclusively looking for leaders who are in good jobs that they probably like. So how do you entice them away? If you think about it, this has many implications to the talent acquisition process. I had a great conversation with Adam Pekarsky of Humanis Advisory. Adam started out as a lawyer, but has been in executive search for 20+ years. He has one of the best newsletters that I have ever read (the Ampersand) and his own podcast. He has an inspiring way of connecting the details to the big picture and to his values and ethics. It's apparent in everything he says. For instance: 🫨 Ethics are critical. In addition to personal values, there is no ethical wiggle room especially in smaller communities. Word will get out. 🤔 He defines sourcing differently. I thought it was reaching out directly to potential candidates. He defines it as asking people who might know the candidates. 🎙️ Authentic, honest, story-telling is important: the story of the organization and the story of the candidate. 🌟 The role of the client who wants to fill a job is critical. In executive search they must SELL the job. ... And shouldn't ask "So why do you want the job?" Adam approaches his work and role with such respect and insight. Watch it. You will learn a lot on many levels! Find Adam Pekarsky on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adampekarsky/ Humanis Advisory: https://humanisadvisory.com/ The Ampersand Blog (highly recommended): https://humanisadvisory.com/blog/ Find Andrea for HR Consulting https://thehrhub.ca

"Without conflict, you don't have innovation. So I want to make sure people use their voices." And use it effectively in a leadership team when there are a number of strong voices present. I spoke with Tish Squillaro of CANDOR Management Consulting about the art of building leadership teams. This is something you'll do more as you progress, but the principles apply to any team. Tish, is a candid consulting expert who has worked with Salesforce and IBM. She knows her content inside and out and one of her core interests is team dynamics, a crucial aspect of scaling organizations. Tish shared her insights on her approach to leadership team dynamics or what she calls team chemsitry. She talks about the qualities that a leadership team should possess, and why these are so crucial for organizational success. She also discusses the challenges of recruitment, the evolution of leadership teams as companies scale, and the tools she uses. Here's a peek into some of what we covered: 🎯 The importance of a leadership team that not only drives the business but works well together. It's the first team first. 🔍 The complexity of the interview process when you're looking for skills and personality. 📊 The use of DISC behavioral profiles as a tool for understanding team dynamics. 🔧 The actionable steps to improve team chemistry after identifying gaps in leadership teams. 🎙️ The significance of effective communication and conflict resolution. I've already applied what I learned so I know this episode is a treasure of useful information! You can find Tish at https://candor-consulting.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tishsquillaro/ Find Andrea for consulting andrea@thehrhub.ca or https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-adams1/

HR expert Wendy Sellers discusses the irritating behaviors of entitled employees. She suggests introspection for understanding employee behavior. Caring is emphasized as a key for managers and HR to address challenging issues in organizations.

Employer Brand: "Ultimately, it’s about reverse engineering. What does the business need? And getting to the point of ‘Now we understand that, how do we tell a story and talk about the strength, benefits, and opportunities balance with the harsh realities adversities to craft a proposition that’s both authentic and compelling.'" I had a fantastic conversation with Bryan Adams, founder and former CEO of ph-creative and founder and CEO of HappyDance - a platform that means business when it comes to candidate experience. He has consulted to brands such as Apple and Nike and knows what he's talking about. It would be difficult to consolidate what I learned but here's a few things: $ You can do it on a budget. If you're autthentic and compelling you've won with respect to your employer brand. 😣 The most important and interesting part is uncovering what might DISSUADE someone from working there. 💡 Something beautiful or slick is a nice-to-have, you have to get coherence, clarity and alignment first. 🪞The most common mistake it to make it look beautiful and shiny, but brush over the harsh realities. I was privileged to participate in this conversation. Bryan was able to articulate what we are striving for in many elements of our life - authenticity AND effectiveness. Take a listen! Links are in the comments. Find Bryan on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanadams1/ HappyDance: https://www.happydance.love/ Ph-Creative: https://www.ph-creative.com/ And don't forget to look up his book 'Give and Get: Repel the Many and Compel the Few with Impact, Purpose and Belonging' on Amazon Find me, Andrea Adams, for consulting support http://thehrhub.ca

Attendance management is not discipline. We use it when valid issues affect an employee's ability to meet the commitments of their employment. In this episode, I tackled the fairly common yet tricky issue of attendance or absenteeism management. This is part of the series I am doing for small and medium businesses and NFPs on HR. However it has a lot of relevance for anyone involved in this aspect of HR. It's Canadian content - especially towards the end. In it, I discuss how to on how to effectively manage attendance and the impact that poor attendance has on productivity, morale, the customer experience and the overall work environment. Also: 🗂️ The types of absences that fall under attendance management and how to address them, from chronic lateness to unscheduled absences. 📋 The importance of having clear policies and procedures for attendance, creating objectivity and fairness in the workplace. 📈 The role of data and documentation in managing attendance, and the tools that can assist in tracking absences effectively. 🗣️ How to have a constructive conversation with an employee about their attendance, respecting their privacy and focusing on solutions. Managing attendance is not about blaming or punishing, but about getting work done while recognizing things happen. Please tune in! As I said, I'm an HR Consultant. Reach out at andrea@thehrhub.ca.

Hiring a foreign worker isn't guaranteed and it may take longer. But you may be better off in the long run. One of my first jobs ever was as an immigration officer so maybe it was just me, but I loved this demystification of rules for hiring foreign talent. This is American content though - I'll find someone Canadian soon. I spoke with an immigration attorney, Sergio Athanasso, of Sergio Law. He specializes in helping organizations with their foreign recruitment and gave us a bunch of tips on how to navigate international hiring. Key highlights include: 1. 🌎 Understand the various visa categories and their qualifications: TN, L1, E2, O1, H1B. 2. ⏱️ You need to plan ahead with foreign recruitment, but sometimes maybe not as long as you thought. 3. 📚 For anything other than hiring a Canadian, you may want to secure an immigration lawyer. And maybe even with hiring Canadians. So if you are American HR - or someone going to work in the States, check this out! It might not be as bad as you thought! Find Sergio Athanasso at sergio@sergiolaw.com or https://sergiolaw.com/ You can find me, Andrea Adams, for consulting https://thehrhub.ca/

Succession planning is more than just a game of thrones! It's about building a pipeline of ready and able leaders. But where do you start? This week I delved into the complexities of succession planning with Dr. Nanette Miner. She is an author, consultant, and succession strategist, and broke down the process of succession planning which is mostly preparation. As the video below says, you need a pipeline not a single individual. 3️⃣ Succession planning takes a minimum of 3 years. Maybe this is why few organizations do it well. 🔍 You need to start with the metrics. 📈 Succession planning is building talent not buying it. 🎯 Avoid personal bias: what served you in the past may not serve you in 5-10 years. Nanette believes that leadership should be instilled from day one and that every employee should be given development opportunities. Leadership is a behaviour that takes a long time to learn. Find Dr. Nanette Minor on LinkedIn or at https://www.trainingdr.com/ Find Andrea https://thehrhub.ca/