We're Only Human

"What really excites someone to join a company? Why do they stay at the company? Every person you talk to has a different story." Amit Pamar, HR executive at UnisysThis conversation happened at IAMPHENOM, one of the last live events prior to the COVID-19 shutdown. In today's episode, Ben interviews Amit Parmar, an HR executive at Unisys, a technology firm with 20,000+ employees. Ben and Amit talk about talent, AI, analytics, digital transformation, and more. The discussion digs into why it doesn't matter if chatbots are AI or not, how personalization creates better experiences for the workforce, and how we can automate the "grunt work" of HR and focus on the strategic work we need to be doing. To connect with Amit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parmar79/To get the HR Summer School replay:Visit https://www.humanresourcesacademy.org/courses/hr-summer-school-on-demand and use promo code "onlyhuman" at checkout for 20% off for being a podcast listenerSee the show archives and sign up for episode updates

"We need to own what we do. We've been apologizing and apologetic for being in HR instead of owning what we do. Every other profession says, I'm a salesperson, I'm a finance person. I'm a marketer. We go, I'm sorry. I'm in HR." Steve BrowneIn this conversation, a replay from the most popular session at HR Summer School 2020, Ben talks with Steve Browne, the most connected person in HR, about how to be an intentional connector, how to add value to relationships, and why HR is an essentially human profession. If you enjoy the talk with Steve, his new book HR Rising is now available! You can also see the full video replay in addition to the 50+ other speakers on HR Summer School On Demand at HumanResourcesAcademy.org here: https://www.humanresourcesacademy.org/courses/hr-summer-school-on-demandSee the show archives and sign up for episode updates

"And then the other piece of it was just the fear of losing a job increased dramatically... So the top line headline was one of anxiety in the marketplace."Jeff Rohrs, JobviteIn recent months things have turned upside down not just for many employers but for job seekers as well. In this episode Ben talks with Jeff Rohrs of Jobvite to discuss the company's annual Job Seeker Nation study and the key findings that HR and talent leaders need to know, from how job seekers feel right now to what place internal hiring and mobility practices have in the recruiting process (hint: they are the #1 thing candidates are looking for). Learn more at: https://www.jobvite.com/lp/2020-job-seeker-nation-report/See the show archives and sign up for episode updates

"The assessment traditionally has seemed a bit disconnected from the job role. This can come across as friction. You've worked hard to find a candidate and you want them to join--this can seem disjointed."Jora Gill, SHLHiring is a balancing act. We want to drive candidates into the funnel, create positive experiences, and bring the best candidates into the organization, but we also need data to help make the right choice. While AI has been challenged for its impact on hiring, new evidence shows that it can help to minimize erroneous decisions. In this conversation, Ben talks with Jora Gill from SHL about how assessments can be blended into the hiring process for better, more objective decision-making without sacrificing candidate experience. Learn more about SHL at http://shl.com See the show archives and sign up for episode updates

"We are wasting talent. We can't afford as a nation, as a society, to waste talent."  Brenda Weitzberg, Founder and Executive Director of AspiritechWhen we talk about diversity in the workplace, we often overlook the concept of neurodiversity, which encompasses the broad range of intellectual capabilities that individuals have. In today's episode, Ben interviews Brenda Weitzberg about her company, Aspiritech, and how it is able to hire individuals on the autism spectrum for specific tasks that suit the unique strengths of individuals with autism.The capabilities of each person, regardless of the color of their skin, their gender, or their mental clarity, are unique. As Brenda says in the interview, "When you've seen one person with autism, you've just seen one person. You haven't seen them all." Let's learn more about how to open up opportunities for those that are neurodiverse.Learn more at aspiritech.orgSee the show archives and sign up for episode updates

"People don't want flexibility. they want complete control over their time."Today, we keep hearing that flexible work is the way to go. People want it. They crave it. Yet in today's episode of We're Only Human, Ben talks with Jody Thompson, creator of the ROWE movement. ROWE stands for "results only work environment," and it has been around for some time (the first book, Why Work Sucks, was published in 2008). Today the workplace looks different than it did then, but according to Thompson, employers are still chasing the wrong things. We're looking at when work gets done and where work gets done, but we're not focusing enough on the what in terms of results. That lack of focus on the right things sometimes forces our people to fight for control over their work. How? By looking for workarounds, playing the "I'm busy" game, arriving early or staying late, and more. Instead of looking at managers as controlling figures, we should look at them as performance coaches. Expect to explore all of this and more in today's conversation. Enjoy!Learn more about Jody and ROWE at: https://www.gorowe.com/resource-librarySee the show archives and sign up for episode updates

In recent weeks the podcast has covered critical topics like the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and how HR technology providers are supporting businesses during this time. Today, we're going to take a step toward engaging those workers that are working remotely, many of them doing so for the first time. In this solo episode, Ben covers 11+ ways HR leaders and line managers can support and engage their workers, from simple concepts like one on one's to more complex ideas for how to run company all hands briefings. Working remotely may be a challenge right now, but for those workers that enjoy the experience and want to remain remote after the COVID-19 scare is over, managers will need new tools and ideas to help them support workers they can't see on a daily basis. If you have your own ideas to add to the list, please send them to ben@upstarthr.com and we'll add them to the show notes here. Thanks!See the show archives and sign up for episode updates

"As the head of HR, I'm now suddenly expected to be a doctor, virologist, and epidemiologist." That quote came from a discussion with an HR leader in the last few days, and it clearly outlines what many companies are going through right now. In today's conversation, Ben talks with Brett Meager of Paycor to learn how employers are responding to the dynamic situations happening across the country as well as how the company is supporting its small and mid-size clients in the middle of the chaos. Brett talks about how the firm is helping to keep people informed on legislation and other details as they arise (see the links in the show notes below for more on that).The best thing we can all do right now is share positive, helpful resources and information with each other, so if you would be willing to share this episode with a friend or colleague as a way of making work better and safer, I would greatly appreciate it.  For pandemic preparedness plans, advice, resources, webinar and communication templates check out the Paycor Coronavirus Support Center for SMB Leaders. Paycor posts on Twitter and LinkedIn daily with our latest COVID19 resources, we encourage you to follow along!Brett also shared a few tips on Working From Home with Kids: https://www.paycor.com/resource-center/how-to-work-from-home-with-kidsSee the show archives and sign up for episode updates

"Here's my general advice for businesses--don't be afraid to get help."In recent weeks a flurry of legislative activity has led to numerous laws to help employers and businesses dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak, and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act is a big part of the activity. What does this law mean for employers, and how does it benefit them? What other considerations should employers think through as they support their workforces during this pandemic? In this episode, Ben talks with Eric Meyer, Partner at FisherBroyles, LLP, about how employers should be responding to the current environment and what the law means for them. Connect with Eric: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emeyer/Follow Eric's blog: https://www.theemployerhandbook.com/ List of HR Tech companies offering free software and/or support: https://lhra.io/blog/hrtech-companies-offering-free-resources-information-covid-19-crisis/  Ben's personal piece on how to respond to the crisis: https://upstarthr.com/rising-up-to-embrace-our-humanity/See the show archives and sign up for episode updates

Agile talent acquisition? What's that? Many of the talent leaders we encounter have heard of agile as it pertains to the software development industry, but what lessons does this methodology have for today's talent leaders? Agile, at its core, is about prioritizing (ruthlessly) on the things that need to get done. In agile talent acquisition, managers hold more power to set priorities. At the same time, recruiters and talent advisors get the benefit of clearer communication, a framework that sets them up for success, and a true partnership with their customers (the hiring managers in the organization). In today's discussion, Ben talks with Trent Cotton, a key figure in the implementation of agile talent acquisition methods at BBVA, a global financial firm with more than 10,000 North American employees and a global workforce of over 100,000. Cotton explains how the process works, what benefits BBVA has seen from the approach, and offers specific advice for how to make it a reality in any organization. If you'd like to connect with Trent, you can find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trentcottonIf you found this episode valuable, you might also enjoy episode 58, which was an intriguing conversation with Paul Shane about how Northwestern Mutual created its hiring playbook: https://upstarthr.com/were-only-human-58-open-sourcing-the-recruiting-playbook-from-northwestern-mutual/This is somewhat like our conversation with the H&R Block head of TA on episode 25: https://beneubanks.podbean.com/e/were-only-human-25-how-to-forecast-hiring-needs-and-lead-a-recruiting-team/See the show archives and sign up for episode updates