This episode features an interview with Melissa Marshall, Vice President of People and Organization at Banfield Pet Hospital, the largest veterinary practice in the U.S. Mel is responsible for leading the people strategy at Banfield, where she serves 20,000 associates including veterinarians and their staff. In this episode, Mel discusses how to use layers of technology to support communication among employees, how to increase diversity in a predominantly white profession, and the many ways Banf...
Aug 25, 2022•42 min•Ep. 20
This episode features an interview with Alan Winters, Chief People Officer and Chief Diversity Officer at Teleperformance Group, the worldwide leader in outsourced omnichannel customer experience management. Alan is responsible for HR, learning and development, and talent acquisition at Teleperformance Group, which has over 420,000 employees across 88 countries around the world. Alan was born to lead a truly global and diverse company, having lived and traveled around the world with his family g...
Aug 01, 2022•38 min•Ep. 19
This episode features an interview with Greg Sexton, Chief Operating Officer at Century 21 Real Estate LLC. Greg has been with Anywhere Real Estate, Century 21’s parent company, for over a decade and has received numerous awards for his leadership. As COO, Greg leads both domestic and international operations including tech tools and apps, learning, and he oversees the field servicing staff. In this episode, Greg talks about the best-in-class tech tools Century 21 offers to employees, how to mai...
Jun 29, 2022•40 min•Ep. 18
This episode features an interview with Theresa Alesso, President of Sony Electronics’ Imaging Products and Solutions Americas Division. She has been with Sony for over 30 years in various roles. In her current position as President, she’s responsible for sales and marketing operations for the company’s professional products and imaging solutions. In this episode, Theresa talks about supporting women in business, mentoring employees in their career journey, and leading them to professional fulfi...
Jun 15, 2022•39 min•Ep. 17
A brand new season of Cruising Altitude is coming. Firstup is excited to bring you insights from employee experience experts at companies with over 30,000 employees. We’ll hear from leaders at companies like Sony and Century 21 discuss their best practices, lessons learned, and advice for other EX professionals. Join us as we look deep into what makes an excellent digital employee experience. Welcome to Cruising Altitude.
Jun 01, 2022•1 min
This episode features highlights from our first season. We hear from 7-time CIO Mark Settle, Brady Pyle, Deputy Chief Human Capital Officer at NASA, Tony Saldanha, former VP of Global Business Services at Procter & Gamble, and more. Together, they bring you the most relevant insights to help you attract and retain world-class talent, implement effective tech tools, and improve leadership skills. Quotes *“There is this trap we fall into of assuming we know what employees want and what they ne...
May 18, 2022•11 min
This episode features an interview with Joseph LaMarca, Vice President of Communications at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. Lockheed Martin is a massive company with over 114,000 employees. And Joe leads a world-class communications team that’s responsible for employee executive communications, media relations, marketing, philanthropy and more. In this episode, Joe talks about how to build a supportive culture at work, communicate across silos, and be your employees’ wingman. Quotes *”There's a say...
Apr 26, 2022•33 min•Ep. 16
This episode features an interview with Alexander Senn, Head of People and Organization at Siemens Smart Infrastructure. He leads the 70,000 employees that are part of the Smart Infrastructure family. In this episode, Alex talks about the benefits of replacing performance reviews with growth talks, how to handle being challenged by an employee, and the importance of a trusting culture at work. Quotes *”What happens with people when you really trust them and you empower them… you need to give the...
Apr 14, 2022•38 min•Ep. 15
This episode features an interview with Jâlie Cohen. She is the Group SVP of HR Americas at The Adecco Group. She leads EX for the 9,000 employees across the U.S., Canada and Latin America. In this episode, Jâlie talks about launching a new recruiting system, running a successful onboarding experience, and how the employee experience starts way before hire, with brand perception. Quotes *”Everyone owns the employee experience. Oftentimes I'll read periodicals that really focus on what we, as HR,...
Mar 17, 2022•39 min•Ep. 14
This episode features an interview with Weston Morris. He is the Director of Global Strategy for Digital Workplace Services at Unisys. He is responsible for leading the global strategy for emerging technologies that impact digital worker productivity – including Natural Language Processing, Artificial Intelligence, Automation, Merged Reality, Virtualization and IoT. In this episode, he talks about experience level agreements or XLAs, micro personalization as the future of employee experience, an...
Mar 11, 2022•35 min•Ep. 13
This episode features an interview with Quique Huerta. He is the Global Employee Experience Officer at Liberty Mutual Insurance. Quique has led the Global Employee Experience group since its inception in early 2020. He is responsible for keeping the pulse on how employees are feeling and leading the creation of amazing employee experiences. In this episode, Quique discusses identifying the moments that matter to employees, the importance of challenging the status quo, and aligning employee purpo...
Mar 04, 2022•26 min•Ep. 12
This episode features an interview with Angie Grossman, a Senior Specialist of Employee Experience and Lead Communications Liaison for the Talent Strategy & Employee Experience Team at WarnerMedia. Angie is responsible for employee onboarding and engagement as well as promoting a positive work culture. In this episode, she talks about alternatives to Zoom meetings, bringing enjoyment to digital engagement, and putting the human back into human resources. Quotes *”We implemented No Meeting Fr...
Feb 23, 2022•27 min•Ep. 11
This episode features an interview with Marija Zivanovic-Smith, Executive Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Public Affairs at NCR Corporation. Among Marija’s many responsibilities are the global brand strategy and execution, sales enablement, digital marketing, public affairs and communicating with NCR’s 38,000 employees. In this episode, she talks about celebrating employee stories, engaging them with the NCR intranet, “Bridge,” and understanding employees’ emotional responses thr...
Feb 10, 2022•46 min•Ep. 10
This episode features an interview with Jennifer Russo, Senior Director of Corporate Communications and HR Strategy. Jennifer communicates on behalf of the Banner Health system to the 55,000 employees across six states. She also champions the strategy that makes Banner Health a great place to work. In this episode, she talks about communicating effectively during times of crisis, exploring different mediums like videos and podcasts, and offering mental health resources to employees. Quotes *“We'...
Jan 26, 2022•21 min•Ep. 9
This episode features an interview with Brady Pyle, Deputy Chief Human Capital Officer at NASA. Brady oversees the Executive HR Directors for NASA’s 10 field centers nationwide in the development, execution, and integration of HR services, programs, processes and policies. In this episode, he talks about expanding their workforce with contractors, the unique experience of working for a federal agency, and what goes into picking the next NASA astronauts. Quotes *“Inclusion is a big value at NASA,...
Nov 17, 2021•39 min•Ep. 8
This episode features an interview with Lisa Cummings Penn, Executive Director of Employee Engagement in the office of the CIO at Estée Lauder Companies. Lisa leads employee engagement for IT at ELC. In this episode, she talks about how one size does not fit all when it comes to employee engagement. Quotes *“Mr. Leonard Lauder has always said listen first and lead second. Really listen to your people. It’s important to have intimate conversations with people and really understand what people wan...
Oct 26, 2021•29 min•Ep. 7
This episode features an interview with Joey Wilkerson, Acquisition Integration Manager and Employee Experience Lead at Cisco. Joey engages new employees with company culture after an acquisition. On this episode, he talks about starting off on the right foot, the importance of building relationships, and creating a community that supports the whole person. Quotes “There is this trap we fall into of assuming we know what employees want and what they need. And we don't. We can make some generaliz...
Sep 15, 2021•34 min•Ep. 6
This episode features an interview with Nicole Alvino, Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of SocialChorus. Nicole sets goals for company growth and defines the industry standard for an innovative digital employee experience. On this episode, she talks about getting buy-in from C-suite executives on an EX overhaul, serving highly personalized company information to employees and how to kick off an exceptional employee experience from day one. Quotes “The best marketers find us where we are and de...
Aug 04, 2021•34 min•Ep. 5
This episode features an interview with Erica Cary, Vice President of Product and Services at Hilton. Erica has more than 18 years of experience in technology, client relationship management, and business development. At Hilton, she’s responsible for creating digital experiences for both employees and guests. In this episode, she talks about creating a relevant experience for a diverse workforce, making inclusive ads, and personalizing the experience by providing choice. 3 Takeaways Consolidate ...
Jul 21, 2021•28 min•Ep. 4
This episode features an interview with Tony Saldanha, an industry leader in information technology with more than 30 years of experience in Global Business Services design, operations and governance. He’s the former VP of GBS at Procter & Gamble, and was previously named one of the world’s Premier 100 IT Professionals. In this episode, Tony talks about user-journey mapping, setting expectations for continuous improvement, and striving for employee delight. 3 Takeaways Every issue that arise...
Jul 07, 2021•35 min•Ep. 3
This episode features an interview with Aaron Gerlitz, Program Manager of Information Security at Lowe’s. Aaron’s job is to keep the digital tools and applications running smoothly and securely for over 300,000 employees and 2,200 stores across North America. He orchestrates complex, multi-year projects implementing software, building new capabilities, and running data analytics. Aaron talks about how the hard work behind the scenes makes for a seamless digital employee experience. 3 Takeaways D...
Jun 23, 2021•27 min•Ep. 2
This episode features an interview with Mark Settle, seven-time CIO and author. Mark has served as CIO for companies like Okta, Arrow Electronics, and Visa. He specializes in enterprise software, high-tech distribution, and financial services. His most recent book, "Truth from the Valley, a Practical Primer on IT Management for the Next Decade," was released in 2020. On this episode, Mark discusses the challenges of personalizing the employee experience at larger companies, streamlining IT opera...
Jun 09, 2021•30 min•Ep. 1
Cruising Altitude is about employee experience lessons from leaders at companies over 30,000 employees. If you are a leader at a company with over 30,000 employees, managing employee experience is a little different. Problems are more complex, and implementing change is more difficult. In this podcast we will talk to leaders who are designing the best digital employee experiences in the world - from the front lines to the back office. Life is different over 30,000. So tap subscribe and buckle up...
May 26, 2021•2 min•Ep. 1
