In this HRchat episode, we'll be exploring the benefits of minimalism in the workplace. In a world that often values excess and material possessions, the concept of minimalism is gaining popularity as a way to simplify our lives and reduce stress. But what about in the workplace? How can embracing minimalism benefit employees? Listen as we discuss how a clutter-free workspace can increase productivity, reduce distractions and stress, and even foster creativity. By prioritizing the essentials and...
Apr 20, 2023•19 min•Season 1Ep. 569
The guest this time is Sandy Langhart Michelet , Director of Human Resources at Sparkhound and speaker at the SHRM Talent Conference happening today in Orlando, Florida. Sandy joined Sparkhound in 2014 with 20 years of senior human resources leadership, including tenure at a Fortune 500 company, experience in the public sector, and work in both the healthcare and technology industries. Sandy leads Sparkhound’s people-focused strategies and initiatives to develop a high-performing, engaged cultur...
Apr 18, 2023•19 min•Season 1Ep. 568
Welcome to this country-profile special episode of the HRchat show. Guyana's economy registered a staggering real growth of 62% last year and it has been forecasted to expand by another 25% this year. Revenue from oil exports and royalties is expected to climb 31% to $1.63 billion this year, fueled by an average $83 per barrel price for Guyana's export basket. With new oil revenue flooding into Gayana comes an opportunity to rapidly develop infrastructure and the skills of its working citizens. ...
Apr 17, 2023•23 min•Season 1Ep. 567
The repercussions of the Great Resignation created a long-lasting global talent crisis. Organizations must adapt and adjust strategies to succeed in attracting and retaining top talent. At the SHRM Talent Conference & Expo starting today, talent professionals will learn about new tools, research and processes to help them thrive in 2023 and beyond. In this special event preview episode of the HRchat show, Chris Bjorling and Bill Banham look ahead to the April 16-19 event designed to help fol...
Apr 16, 2023•17 min•Season 1Ep. 566
In an era where burnout, ‘quiet quitting’, and work-life balance have permeated the conversation around employment, how can employers stand out? The implementation of a shorter work week is the most equitable way to strive towards this universal goal of balance and happiness. While a Canadian pilot of a four-day week is still underway, recent results from a similar UK trial show a four-day workweek can significantly improve employee wellness. Key findings include: 54% of employees reported a red...
Apr 14, 2023•15 min•Season 1Ep. 565
Today's guest expert says that the way we pronounce colleagues' names is a big deal. Our names, he explains, are central to our unique identities, and saying them correctly is the first step in connecting with, respecting, and appreciating one another. Bill Banham is joined on the show by Dr. Praveen Shanbhag , Founder & CEO at Namecoach Inc. , a tool offering users access to accurate audio name pronunciations to promote inclusion, belonging, and rapport. Questions For Praveen Include: How c...
Apr 13, 2023•28 min•Season 1Ep. 564
In this episode of the HRchat show, we preview the Benefits and Wellness Superhero Symposium , happening May 18 in downtown Toronto and the virtual edition of the event series happening two weeks later. Bill's returning guest is Roger Thorpe . Roger is the President of the integrated benefits and wellness consulting company, Thorpe Benefits . Having joined the firm in 1997 and later acquiring ownership of the company in 2005, Roger has built a team of senior consultants that understand Group Ben...
Apr 11, 2023•19 min•Season 1Ep. 563
The focus of this HRchat episode is ' Your Admin Staff: Tapping HR’s Golden Natural Resource '. Listen as we consider such questions as: How will redefining Admin’s role create a new pipeline of talent? How can HR and admin staff work together in the new workplace? And what challenges can admin and HR staff better tackle together? Our guest this time is Natalie Massey , Operations Coordinator of the Space Exploration Sector at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory . Natalie lea...
Apr 06, 2023•13 min•Season 1Ep. 562
As employers look to the future, creating a workplace where employees feel heard, where they feel that their voice matters, and where they feel a sense of belonging is vital for the future success of any business. Employee engagement is an excellent barometer of organizational health. The companies that get employee engagement right can enjoy a competitive advantage that's hard for others to replicate. With this in mind, the All Access: Employee Engagement and Experience 2023 online event, produ...
Apr 03, 2023•16 min•Season 1Ep. 561
Our returning guest is Bobby Umar , an inspirational speaker and storyteller. Bobby has delivered 1,000+ keynotes and workshops across 4 continents in the past two decades. Inc Magazine named Bobby one of the Top 100 Leadership Speakers, alongside such noteworthy giants as Sir Richard Branson, Brene Brown, and John Maxwell. Bobby is a 5x TEDx speaker, and one of the top digital influencers in the world, with over 650,000 global followers. You can check out Bobby's previous appearance on the HRch...
Mar 31, 2023•22 min•Season 1Ep. 560
In this episode, we ask why organizations need an offshore strategy to support their recruitment needs. Listen too, as we consider how businesses can maintain their company culture when working with outsourced employees. Bill's guest is Kal Kukadia , Chief Recruitment Officer at Cloudstaff . A seasoned strategist in talent development and recruitment, Kal has been tasked with establishing Cloudstaff’s talent operations in the Philippines, India and Columbia to support global client expansion. He...
Mar 30, 2023•18 min•Season 1Ep. 559
In this performance coaching-focused HRchat episode, we consider ways to prepare for and run productive and outcome-focused 1on1s. Our guest is Libby Stewart , the VP of Customer Experience & Revenue at Topicflow , a new tech platform designed to connect with your favorite calendar(s) to transform your 1on1s into powerful coaching conversations to potentially eradicate the need for performance reviews altogether. Questions For Libby Include: Topicflow sees traditional performance management ...
Mar 28, 2023•24 min•Season 1Ep. 558
In this HRchat episode, Bill Banham talks with Karen Simpson , DEI expert, Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, and founder at Hello Awesome Inc. Questions For Karen Include: You were awarded Canada’s #1 Recruiter in 2019. Why move away from Talent Acquisition? Why do you think focusing on strengths is so important right now? Let’s get into coaching, you’ve taken a unique approach at Hello Awesome Inc. What's the approach and why did you choose this stance? Checking that coaching works: How can HR ...
Mar 27, 2023•19 min•Season 1Ep. 557
Felicia Rickards, Principal Strategist at Felicia Rickards Solutions Limited is the guest in today's episode of the HRchat podcast. She is a Professional Development Coach, Strategic Direction Facilitator & Mediator. Felicia works with corporate employees, business owners and athletes who are ready to actuate their next level of success. She is currently preparing to host the first DisruptHR speaking event in Bermuda on May 11. Questions Felicia Include: As a leadership development coach, wh...
Mar 23, 2023•21 min•Season 1Ep. 556
In this HRchat episode, we focus on employment law and a new solution designed to offer more accessible and transparent options for those seeking legal counsel and legal services for employees. Bill's guest today is Lena Vartanian, Founder of LawVo, a tech solution designed to connect legal professionals with customers via a fully virtual, transparent, convenient experience. LawVo provides an instant fixed fee quote for legal services along with immediate connection to top-rated lawyers. The Law...
Mar 21, 2023•21 min•Season 1Ep. 555
Around half the world’s population is projected to be myopic (or nearsighted) by 2050! Today's guest says that, far from being insurmountable, preventing or delaying the onset of myopia is possible. Dr. Debbie Jones recommends that group benefits administrators and wellness coordinators help their employees consider outdoor time and screen time plans for their children. She also describes a range of therapies that are available to slow myopia progression, including specialized contact lenses and...
Mar 16, 2023•18 min•Season 1Ep. 554
Today's HRchat guest says that, instead of aiming for work-life balance, the goal should be what he calls 'work-life bloom'. Dan Pontefract is the founder and CEO of Pontefract Group, a firm that improves the state of leadership and organizational culture. He is the best-selling author of four books and a popular speaker. Dan has presented at four different TED events and also writes for Forbes and Harvard Business Review. Dan has been listed on the Thinkers50 Radar list. HR Weekly listed him as...
Mar 14, 2023•25 min•Season 1Ep. 553
The guest this time is Shay David , Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO at Retrain.ai , a talent intelligence platform designed to help enterprises hire, retain, and develop their workforce, intelligently. Questions For Shay Include: ChatGPT has put quite a spotlight on generative AI. Although it’s arguably the most impressive chatbot yet, how does it compare to other generative AI tools? How is it similar to or different from retrain.ai? Given the huge number of Chat GPT users, how will it change the ...
Mar 09, 2023•30 min•Season 1Ep. 552
Last week, the HR Gazette team, along with the awesome folks at Bee Happy HR , The Women in Biz Network, and Times Change Women’s Employment Service , hosted a meetup in downtown Toronto . In the build-up to International Women's Day, the focus of the event was Empowering Women in Business. Held at the Xero office, the evening included lots of networking and talks by a bunch of folks focused on ways to help women grow and thrive in their careers. One of the speakers was Rita Sookrit , Canada Lea...
Mar 08, 2023•17 min•Season 1Ep. 551
HR leaders should encourage workforce education programs as a way to attract, retain, and develop top talent, address skills gaps, create a more diverse and inclusive workforce, and foster a culture of innovation and adaptability. By investing in workforce education programs, organizations can build a competitive workforce that is better equipped to meet the challenges of the future. As the nature of work continues to evolve, HR leaders must be proactive in identifying new ways to develop and ma...
Mar 07, 2023•19 min•Season 1Ep. 550
Business is transforming at a faster pace than ever. It is no longer possible, says today's guest, to hire your way to success or to rely on the locked-in structures of roles and traditional career paths. To ensure your people and their capabilities evolve in support of your business needs you must look deeper and understand people at the level of their skill. Our guest this time is Steve Holder , Vice President, Solution Advisory at Visier Inc. and speaker at the Agility Reimagined Summit on Ma...
Mar 06, 2023•18 min•Season 1Ep. 549
In this HRchat episode, we hear from Fermin Diez , Deputy CEO & Group Director at Sector Capability and Transformation Group about why now is an exciting time to be in HR and better ways to use your people data. Dr. Fermin Diez has more than 35 years of experience in human resources, which includes consulting, corporate and academic roles in 40 countries in all continents. As a consultant, he has advised major multinationals, large local companies and public sector organizations at the Board...
Mar 03, 2023•21 min•Season 1Ep. 548
In this episode of the HRchat show, we hear from Jennifer Paxton , co-founder of Jamyr , a video content platform that helps companies engage and attract candidates. Questions for Jennifer Include: How does video help the candidate experience and the employer brand? stats around video content Employer Brand- what trends are you seeing in EB that are working really well right now? What are you seeing that isn't working? Should companies try to control what employees say about them on video? In th...
Mar 01, 2023•24 min•Season 1Ep. 547
Social impact branding and marketing is critical to HR as it helps attract and retain top talent, enhance employee engagement and motivation, and align employees with the organization's values and purpose. Companies that prioritize social impact branding and marketing can create a more attractive employer brand, enhance employee satisfaction and productivity, and foster a strong company culture. In HRchat episode 546 , we consider ways having a social purpose can help you attract and retain tale...
Feb 24, 2023•22 min•Season 1Ep. 546
Building an organizational learning culture requires a concerted effort from HR and L&D professionals. A growth mindset, clear learning goals, regular feedback and coaching, and a supportive learning environment are key factors that can help to create an organizational learning culture. By implementing these strategies, HR and L&D professionals can help to create an environment where employees are motivated to learn and grow, leading to improved job performance, employee engagement, and ...
Feb 23, 2023•28 min•Season 1Ep. 545
HR plays a critical role in promoting ESG considerations within companies. Specifically, HR departments can help ensure that a company's internal policies and practices align with its ESG goals. For example, HR can help to implement diversity and inclusion initiatives, develop employee training programs on environmental sustainability, and ensure that employee compensation and incentive structures align with ESG performance. Additionally, HR can help to recruit and retain employees who share the...
Feb 21, 2023•17 min•Season 1Ep. 544
Our guest in this episode of the HRchat pod is Natal Dank , Agile HR Author, Co-founder at PXO Culture, and Chief HR Trendwatcher at the HR Trend Institute Recognized as a pioneer in Agile HR and business agility, Natal heads up Learning, Consultancy & Coaching at PXO Culture and is the Chief Trendwatcher at the HR Trend Institute. Following decades in senior Human Resources, Talent and Organisational Development roles, Natal coaches clients across all industries, from innovative tech compan...
Feb 17, 2023•19 min•Season 1Ep. 543
In this episode of the HRchat podcast, we consider the employee experience and ask: Are we getting worse at communicating? Bill's guest this time is Yuri Kruman , Chief Executive Officer / Head of Remote at HR, Talent & Systems , a full-service HR Consultancy, focused on building out robust HR functions for fast-growth companies. Yuri is a sought-after speaker and expert on HR, Digital Transformation, and Employee Experience (EX). Questions For Yuri Include: How did you end up in HR after 5 ...
Feb 16, 2023•21 min•Season 1Ep. 542
A well-designed benefits program can help employees manage their health and financial wellbeing, which can improve their overall wellness and quality of life. When employees have a clear understanding of their benefits and can utilize them effectively, it can lead to increased productivity, reduced absenteeism, and lower healthcare costs. A positive employee benefits experience is important to an employer because it can have a helpful impact on employee morale, job satisfaction, and overall enga...
Feb 13, 2023•28 min•Season 1Ep. 541
Employers in the US, Canada and elsewhere are faced with a very broad range of laws that govern the relationship between employers and employees. The US, for example, is a country that is based on states' rights and on a federal system. And what that means is that not only does the federal government have different regulations on employer-employee relationships, but in many cases, different states do too. Bill Banham's guest in this benefits law-focused HRchat episode is Tom M. White , Attorney ...
Feb 10, 2023•18 min•Season 1Ep. 540
