Human Resources For Small Business

Intrigued by the paradox of leading with vulnerability? Tune into this fascinating podcast with Jacob Morgan. Morgan shares an emotional story of how suppressing emotions led him to experience panic attacks. He makes a thoughtful case that vulnerability differs for leadership roles and requires a blend of openness and competence. You'll come away with insightful perspectives as Morgan outlines eight attributes leaders need to unlock the power of vulnerability. He also provides practical tips for leaders becoming more vulnerable, emphasizing the intention behind what you share.   TAKEAWAYS Leaders must combine vulnerability with demonstrated leadership competence - you can't just be vulnerable without the leadership piece. There are 8 attributes leaders need: 3 for leadership (competence, self-confidence, motivation) and 5 for vulnerability (integrity, authenticity, empathy, self-compassion, self-awareness). Leading with vulnerability improves innovation, trust, engagement, and perceptions of leadership quali

Our latest episode features Erica Keswin, a workplace strategist and bestselling author, and a discussion revolving around the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the world of work. Erica talks about her latest book, The Retention Revolution, and how leaders must rethink their battle stance in the War for Talent if they want to stay competitive. Ultimately, the key to retaining talent lies in offering growth opportunities, empathetic leadership, flexibility, and — surprisingly — maintaining an open door even when employees choose to move on. TAKEAWAYS The pandemic accelerated the need for a more humane approach to work, making leaders more empathetic and vulnerable. Erica Keswin’s book, The Retention Revolution, explores how leaders can adapt to retain employees in the changing work landscape. In the modern work environment, people expect to change jobs frequently, so companies must focus on intentional onboarding and treating employees well. The definition of "work" is evolving, and companies

Katarina Polonska, a transformational connection coach, discusses the misconceptions surrounding some of the top trending topics in the workplace: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She explains how the language we use can either help or hinder this important conversation. Listen in to get fresh insights into the crucial relationship between effective inclusive practices and engagement among your people.   TAKEAWAYS Inclusion is about having involvement and feeling that you're actually empowered to be involved, which if we distill even further, is really about engagement. To create an inclusive environment, one must create a sense of belonging and psychological safety. The inclusion-engagement equation naturally leads to higher retention, better productivity, greater innovation, and higher revenue. There has to be something around bringing in the very techniques of inclusion and belonging if we want to foster inclusion and belonging, and that means including the people we speak to and the people who ar

Join Xenium guests Annie, Director of HR Services, and Lacey, Sr. Director of Client Success, in this week's bonus episode all about employee performance. We discuss mentorship, top performers, and the ripple effect of low performers on your entire workforce.    A QUICK GLIMPSE INTO OUR PODCAST 

Get an eye-opening look into the construction industry with recent guest and Gamut Project Solutions founder Josh Durham. Learn all about Gamut’s Foundational Five series and other timely leadership advice, all taken from Josh’s successes and failures over his many years in construction project management. Tune in for insight into relationships, negotiation strategies, empathy, and the need for inclusivity and psychological safety in the construction industry and beyond.    TAKEAWAYS Gamut Project Solutions offers a program called the Foundational Five, which provides practical tools and focuses on leadership, relationships, and communication. The five guiding principles are agreements, communication, leadership, agency, and relationships. Employees are willing to follow leaders who compromise, value relationships, and communicate effectively. When people feel psychologically safe, distractions decrease, and productivity increases.   A QUICK GLIMPSE INTO OUR PODCAST 

In this episode of the Transform Your Workplace podcast, Melanie Langsett from Deloitte discusses the company's innovative approach to employee well-being. Unlike traditional one-size-fits-all plans, Deloitte's benefits are tailored to meet individual needs. Tune in and learn how Deloitte gets creative when it comes to benefit offerings and leave programs, and get insight into how listening and supporting your people translates to productivity and retention.   TAKEAWAYS Deloitte offers family leave programs that extend beyond traditional parental leave, recognizing that employees have various caregiving responsibilities. The key to Deloitte's approach is creating space for employees to provide input without fear of repercussions and actively listening to employees when creating their rewards programs and well-being initiatives. Deloitte prioritizes mental well-being, understanding that a stressed or distracted employee cannot perform at his or her best. Every workforce is unique, and organizations sho

In this episode of Transform Your Workplace, Jennifer Watson, a seasoned Human Resources expert, shares her remarkable journey from the classroom to HR. After her time in education, Jennifer's career spans a decade at a Fortune 100 retailer, followed by leading an HR department in a small business during the COVID pandemic. Jennifer emphasizes that, in the ever-changing landscape of HR, understanding what employees truly want and finding ways to support their needs are paramount to real success. Listen in to learn all about the power of saying yes to new opportunities, building strong relationships, and taking a proactive approach to HR.    A QUICK GLIMPSE INTO OUR PODCAST 

In this episode of the Transform Your Workplace podcast, host Brandon Laws welcomes Carolyn Swora, a trauma-informed leadership and culture consultant and the author of Evolve: The Path to Trauma-Informed Leadership. The two discuss Carolyn’s personal journey from navigating her husband’s terminal kidney cancer to her eventual path to healing. Listen in to learn the impact of trauma in the workplace and how leaders can adopt more compassionate and human-centered approaches toward their people.   TAKEAWAYS Being attuned to others' experiences and valuing their perspectives is at the core of self-awareness and leadership. The foundation of leadership lies in awareness and the ability to navigate emotional complexities in a noisy world. The terms "care" and "trauma" aren’t often used in the corporate context, but the collective trauma experienced during the pandemic has brought these concepts to the forefront, making it crucial for workplaces to acknowledge and address them. Leaders must understand traum

In this episode of Transform Your Workplace, Eimear Marrinan, VP of Culture & ESG at HubSpot, discusses the company’s post-pandemic transition to a successful hybrid work model. Eimear explains data motivated them to give their people the flexibility of choosing whether to work from home, in the office, or a hybrid of the two — an unconventional approach even in today’s changing business landscape. Listen in to learn about their successes, challenges, and Eimear’s vision for the future of hybrid work.   Sign up for the What People Want from Work Survey    A QUICK GLIMPSE INTO OUR PODCAST 

In this episode of Transform Your Workplace, we tackle the tricky topic of negotiation. According to guest Kelli Thompson, whether you’re negotiating pay, benefits, workplace location, or PTO, “success loves clarity,” both on the side of the employee and the employee. Learn about acceptable pay ranges for your role, the importance of proper negotiation from the outset, and how to present your case.   TAKEAWAYS Proper negotiation from the outset has a lasting impact on the financial landscape of a career.  A common misconception is that it’s unprofessional or rude to ask for more money; however, appropriate pay is beneficial for not only the employee but the employer as well. Since organizations make decisions based on market equity, skills, talents, and experience, employees must base their negotiation approach on these factors. Negotiation isn’t just about pay — employees can negotiate when it comes to PTO, tuition, workplace location, benefits, and more.   A QUICK GLIMPSE INTO OUR PODCAST 

In the white collar world, the skills and lessons that make us professionally successful aren’t designed to help us lead happy, balanced lives. But how can we fill in these learning gaps this late in the game? According to recent guest Charles Price, it’s all about rewiring our minds and staying present. Listen in to some stories and tips about how to rewire your relationship with yourself and your career for authentic balance and contentment.   TAKEAWAYS Not only are there gaps in our professional training, but in many ways, these lessons can steer us away from the things that we need to live contented and balanced lives. Students are taught to analyze the past and strategize for the future but never to live in the present. We tend to minimize all of our wins and successes while, at the same time, we obsess about our defeats and mistakes, so our “bank balance” inevitably becomes radically overdrawn. So many people say that their motivation is money, a promotion, a job, a position, or this recognition

In this episode, we welcome back frequent guest and Xenium Employee Nicole Blevins to discuss HR of 2023. We discuss growing trends of pay transparency, employee benefits, and the rise of remote work or "work from anywhere" culture.   A QUICK GLIMPSE INTO OUR PODCAST 

In this episode of the Transform Your Workplace podcast, host Brandon Laws interviews David Dodson, an accomplished author and successful entrepreneur. David shares insights from his book, The Manager's Handbook, which provides a comprehensive blueprint for effective management, offering practical and data-driven strategies for hiring, onboarding, and day-to-day leadership. The episode provides valuable insights for managers seeking to optimize team performance and achieve business success.   TAKEAWAYS Managers must move away from hiring based on gut feelings and move toward hiring based on outcomes. In the first one hundred days, the connective tissue is built between the employee and the company, so proper leadership during this initial time is critical to retention. Instant performance management with radical candor is essential in developing your people and building trust. The exit interview is a secret weapon for greater understanding and development of the manager’s strengths and weaknesses, and

Sit down with the Chief Inspirational Officer of Pacific Perks, Natalie Fairchild, in this fun and fresh episode of Transform Your Workplace. Natalie’s unique business, Pacific Perks, is an espresso bar catering business with an emphasis on workplace flexibility, allowing employees to have autonomy over their roles and schedules. Natalie shares stories of employees with diverse backgrounds who have found success and fulfillment at Pacific Perks and talks about the challenges and victories of making the business work despite such unorthodox methods. Listen in and get inspired by this unique and thriving business.   A QUICK GLIMPSE INTO OUR PODCAST 

In this episode, guest host Lacey Partipilo is joined by Emily Etherington, the recipient of the Xenium Volunteer Award, to delve into the importance of volunteer programs in the workplace. Emily, who spearheaded the development of the volunteer program at Xenium, shares her insights and experiences in coordinating community service and volunteer events for the organization and its clients. Discover the significant impact volunteering can have on employee engagement, mental well-being, and overall workplace satisfaction.    Interested in learning more? Connect with Emily on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-etherington-31013328/   A QUICK GLIMPSE INTO OUR PODCAST 

Struggling to keep top talent in today’s modern workplace? It’s not as complicated as you might think. According to recent guest Joe Mull, author of Employalty, employers must make a commitment to three essential aspects of a “destination” workplace: providing the ideal job, prioritizing meaningful work, and being a great boss. Simple yet powerful, these focus areas are the key to lasting retention. Listen in and learn how you can take real steps to ignite commitment and loyalty among your people.   TAKEAWAYS Employalty is a portmanteau of the words “employer,” “loyalty,” and “humanity.” Social science research shows that organizations can attract and retain dedicated employees by focusing on three key areas: “ideal job,” “meaningful work,” and “great boss.” Today’s employees are recalibrating the type of work they want to do and how that work fits into their lives. Business owners and leaders need to embrace a mindset shift — that there is no staffing shortage, but rather that there is a “great jobs”

This podcast episode discusses "radical candor," a framework for giving direct and empathetic feedback to build trust and foster a positive work environment. It emphasizes giving feedback frequently, rather than waiting for annual reviews and promotes personal and professional growth in feedback-giving. The hosts share personal experiences and stress the importance of context, questions, and co-creating solutions in feedback conversations.   A QUICK GLIMPSE INTO OUR PODCAST 

Sit down with Malorie Nicole, a transformational executive coach, as she discusses the challenges that today’s leaders face in achieving personal business alignment. Malorie highlights the importance of scaling a company by keeping the development and well-being of your people at the forefront. And when it comes to boosting team performance, she talks about how CEOs must start with themselves. If you’re a leader of people, you don’t want to miss this conversation on how to create real and lasting change for your team.   TAKEAWAYS A significant challenge facing today’s leaders is achieving personal business alignment, or the harmony between an individual's personal values, passions, and goals and the goals and direction of their business.  Scaling a business is largely dependent on the development of people. Post-pandemic, people don't just want a place to work but rather a place where they feel connection and autonomy. When you’re feeling “stuck,” it usually means you forgot to give yourself permissio

Sit down with recent guest Phil Simon, technology and collaboration expert and author of The Nine: The Tectonic Forces Shaping the Workplace, for a discussion relevant to virtually every business leader in today’s changing workplace. Get insight into worker engagement and productivity, burnout, the labor market imbalance, the power of AI, and the role of blockchain in creating boundaries amidst chaos. This is one eye-opening conversation that you don’t want to miss.   TAKEAWAYS The workplace is undergoing significant transformation and won't revert to its pre-pandemic state. Nine transformative forces are shaping the modern workplace. One hypothesis about a drop in workplace productivity is its correlation with a forced return to work. A leading cause of burnout is technology and collaboration overload. Management shouldn’t dismiss new tools, like Generative AI, just because of their disadvantages, but they should also be wary of leaning too heavily upon them. Blockchain seems to be the best safeg

Our latest bonus episode of Transform Your Workplace with Nicole Blevins, where we discuss mentorships. Nicole shares her experience with formal and informal mentor relationships and how to make the most of them. Listen in as we discuss the importance of being prepared as a mentee and how to drive the relationship forward. Don't miss out on this insightful conversation!   A QUICK GLIMPSE INTO OUR PODCAST