HR Works: The Podcast for Human Resources

Guest: Jessica Zwaan, speaker, author, HR thought-leader, and Chief Operating Officer at Whereby Is it time to start looking at the employee experience as a subscription product? What advantages can organizations and their workplace cultures gain by taking a product-management approach to leading people? In this latest episode of the HR Works Podcast, we examine this innovative, product-influenced approach to people operations with Jessica Zwaan, an author, speaker, HR thought-leader and COO of Whereby. With extensive experience leading global people and talent teams across the startup and technology space, Jessica is introducing philosophies that are common across product management teams and demonstrating their broader application across entire workforces. Listen as she shares how HR leaders can improve their workforce performance by embracing evidence-based decision making, while establishing a culture of continuous feedback and iteration. We also take a closer look at her latest release, Built for People, a must-have guide for leaders looking to proactively develop an employee experience which attracts, engages and retains the talent the business needs and supports them to operate at their full potential.

Guest: Sony Jean-Michel Thornton, Sr. HR Business Partner at Columbia University Irving Medical Center When it comes to employee benefits, what does “flexibility” mean to workers and their employers in 2023? How can HR leaders and organizations know if flexible benefits, such as unlimited PTO or hybrid work, are the right fit for their corporate culture? In the latest episode of the HR Works Podcast, Sony Jean-Michel Thornton, Sr. HR Business Partner at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, joins as we take a closer look at the growing demand for employee benefits that offer more flexibility and choice. With over 20 years of HR experience in strategic HR practices including total rewards and talent engagement strategy, Sony brings her first-hand insight and expertise into our conversation and shares her prediction for the future of employee benefits. And don’t miss her advice for the one thing HR teams should START doing today to help create a more productive and attractive employee experience!

Companies have procedures about what to do if one of their team members has a death in the family, must take care of a child who is sick, or is suffering from a long-term illness. But although 10% of their workforce goes through a divorce every year, most companies don’t have plans to support these employees. Fortunately, my guest for today’s episode, Sheri Atwood, is an expert in this area. Sheri is CEO and Founder of SupportPay, which offers first-of-its-kind employee benefits for divorce and separation. Listen in as we discuss the stigma of divorce in the workplace and its implications for employees and managers, what companies can do about divorce inequality, and more.

Guest: Alexandra Levit, Founder and CEO of Inspiration at Work What unique skills and competitive advantages are recent 2023 graduates bringing into this highly-competitive talent marketplace? For the HR teams that are hiring these newest members of the workforce, what skills training should be prioritized to set up their new Gen Z hires for long-term success? In this latest episode of the HR Works Podcast, we tackle these questions and so much more about future workforce trends with the impressive Alexandra Levit, author, speaker, workplace futurist, and Founder and CEO of Inspiration at Work. Listen as Alexandra shares her insight on the strengths (and weaknesses) that 2023 graduates are offering organizations, what sets them apart from their Millennial and early-Gen Z predecessors, and how organizations can best prepare for the future of work. She also helps debunk a misconception with AI that challenges HR leaders, as we take a closer look at her latest book release “Deep Talent: How to Transform Your Organization and Empower Your Employees Through AI”.

Jared Pope, Co-Founder and CEO of Work Shield, joins to discuss the importance of transparency, best practices when developing an employee misconduct reporting system, and more.

Lou Bachenheimer, CTO of the Americas for SS&C Blue Prism, joins the show to discuss the advancement of intelligent automation (IA) and artificial intelligence (AI).

Guest: Darci Dunn, President of EssentialHr – HR Done Right With the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) taking effect on June 27th, the onus is on HR departments to review their accommodation policies for their U.S.-based employees during pregnancy and childbirth. So what does the PWFA entail and what do organizations and their HR teams need to know to ensure they remaining compliant under these updated EEOC standards? Employee relations and benefits expert Darci Dunn, President of EssentialHR – HR Done Right, joins the HR Works Podcast and helps us take a closer look at the details of the PWFA. Listen as she shares some must-have insight and next steps to help HR leaders meet the updated standards for reasonable accommodations for pregnant employees. Darci also offers some effective ways to communicate these policy changes across a workforce, and provides predictions for the next wave of workplace protections that could be on the horizon.

One week after SHRM23, we take some time to reflect on hot topics in HR, the future of work, the importance of flexibility, and more.

In the latest episode of Pages of HR, I'm joined by Genevieve Hawkins, a senior executive with extensive experience in leading major change programs in large organizations. We’re discussing her book, Mentally at Work: Optimizing Health and Business Performance Through Connection.  “Mentally at Work” is about understanding the science behind why connection matters and the practical strategies to build your mental health, the mental health of the team, and the strength of connection that delivers results. In an ever-changing, complex world, how we lead has become an increasingly critical skill. Genevieve hopes that this book can guide leaders to lead in a sustainable way for them, their teams, and their businesses, so that we may collectively reverse the trend of mental illness in the developed world. In part one of this two-part series, listen in as we discuss Hawkins' 20-year career in senior management and knowing exactly what this level of leaders face, as well as how a leader’s mental health reverberates through their ranks, the value of connection and what connection with others virtually and physically means for mental health, and more.

Guest: Caroline Dowd-Higgins (Executive leadership coach, media host, public speaker and best-selling author) How are we seeing the emergence of artificial intelligence in the workplace impacting some of HR’s most valued and prioritized elements, such as workplace culture and employee wellbeing? What are some of the long-term challenges from being solely focused on goals without celebrating achievements? In this latest episode of the HR Works Podcast, Caroline Dowd-Higgins joins to share her new philosophy that encourages employers and HR leaders to embrace a new kind of AI - Achievement Intelligence.  Listen as Caroline explains why workforces should start embracing an approach that looks beyond the quantity of work being done and instead values the quality of the work being accomplished from a workforce.