Episodios

  • Mostly Funny HR Stories

    Mostly Funny HR Stories
    May 21 2025
    File 26: In today’s file, the team is going to lighten-up the conversation with some funny HR stories they’ve either experienced or heard about. Before we begin, we’d like to encourage you to send us your funny HR stories, via the Workforce Therapy Files website. We might read them on an upcoming file. Sleeping on the Job Stories Story 1 Molley begins with a personal example from her “first real job.” She wanted to talk with one of the leaders. She knew he was in the office. She knocked on his office door repeatedly. Finally, the door opened. She was shocked. She asked if he had been sleeping at his desk, because there was an imprint of his watch on his forehead! Molley later explains that the guy and his wife had recently had their firstborn, so he may have been justifiably, sleep-deprived. Stories 2, 3 and 4 Jason also has some sleeping stories. Jason worked at a distribution, during a newly-created 2nd shift. There weren’t many trucks coming it on 2nd shift. The supervisors created some busy work for the employees, between trucks. Jason was sweeping a long aisle in the warehouse. Suddenly, he hears, “Hey dude.” It startled him, so he began looking around to see where the voice came from. He looked up to find his co-worker napping on the 3rd level of the rack shelves. Jason climbed up to find and entire sleeping space the guy had created. After assuring his co-worker that they were cool, he climbed back down and just continued sleeping. There was another role in which Jason knew a co-worker in the office was falling asleep at his desk. Jason would ask him what he was doing and the guy’s head would pop-up and the guy mumbled, “Praying.” It happened often enough that Jason had to eventually dismiss the guy. In his final sleeping story, Jason describes a small office he worked in, years ago. They had an admin at the front desk. Early one morning, the boss unlocked the main door and walked in. All the lights were out, so she continued back to her own office. When she came back out, the admin guy was sitting at his desk. The bell on the front door hadn’t chimed, but he claimed he’d been there the whole time. The boss knew she’d just walked past the empty desk. The admin finally relented and admitted that he’d been asleep under the desk (from a hangover). Reasons People Gave for Calling Out of Work Story 5 Jamie was working her first HR-assistant job out of college. One of her responsibilities was to review the call-out line messages. She tells us about 2 interesting excuses. The first was from a woman who was calling on behalf of a guy who worked 3rd shift. He wasn’t going to be able to come in, because she was getting ready to have a baby. Then she let out a giant labor pain scream. Jaime still tries to imagine the conversation that must have taken place between the guy and the woman about calling his employer, while she was having contractions. Fortunately, once the man returned to work, he proudly showed off pictures of his new baby. Work Isn’t the Only Type of Labor that Happens at the Office Story 6 Jamie tells another story about a woman who actually went into labor at work. While the baby came extremely early, it was a very tense experience, that turned out okay. The work environment required a lot of walking. Surprisingly, the walking induced the birth. Jamie remembers sitting on the bathroom floor with the woman. While this isn’t a funny HR story, unexpected things often happen at work. In this case, you might say, “Life Happens.” Drug Test Fail Story 7 Molley was handling mass-recruiting for a large call center. There was a lot of turnover, so it was a constant push to get people scheduled for interviews. She sent an offer to a candidate. Candidates were required to immediately come in for the drug test and fingerprinting. Other employees started approaching the HR office to let them know a woman was in the parking lot offering $100 to anyone who would provide a urine sample she could use for her drug test. They rescinded the offer that day. In Vino Veritas Story 8 Jason recounts a story he heard about a company conference. There was a 20-person hot tub at the venue. Alcohol had been consumed at the event. Someone came up with the idea of playing truth or dare in the hot tub. Well, some stories came out. Needless to say, there were some very awkward looks in the room the following day. Duct Tape Will Fix It Story 9 Jamie remembers a job she had years ago. There was an individual who was constantly in trouble for pushing the line on what was deemed to be appropriate and inappropriate. He enjoyed wearing t-shirts that had questionable statements on them. While some of them were funny, Jamie knew she would lose authority if she allowed herself to actually laugh at some them. To remedy the situation, she’d give the guy duct tape to cover the statements...
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    30 m
  • Layoffs and Lay-Ups (Part 2)

    Layoffs and Lay-Ups (Part 2)
    May 9 2025
    File 25: In today’s file, the team wraps up a 2-part discussion on the job market. In this episode, they’ll focus on “lay-ups”. These are the positive ways an organization can assist exiting employees to land on their feet, after a separation. At the same time, this segment will also help area employers to take advantage of the availability of new candidates becoming available, especially if a large layoff has occurred. Click here to listen File 24, Layoffs and Lay-Ups (Part 1). In File 11 (Breaking Up Is Hard to Do), the team discussed the topic of separating with dignity. This might also be a good reference point. There Are Steps that Can Be Taken to Assist Exiting Employees Molley begins by commenting about how once the severance package and other formalities have been handled, there are still additional steps an employer can take to assist exiting employees. This comes back to a them discussed in File 11 about separating with dignity. If the organization knows the separation is going to happen, are there job-placement resources in the community that could assist with re-hiring? Do managers personally know if local businesses that could use good employees? Contact them and invite them to connect with your impacted employees. These types of extra steps can help to ease the transition. Remember, when one door closes, another one eventually opens. In the previous file, File 24, Jamie presented some of the legal requirements a company has, based on the WARN Act, when a layoff is coming. Again, none of the hosts are attorneys, but the information can serve as a guideline for a conversation with your business/corporate attorney. Jamie points out that by helping former employees to land on their feet, there are indirect and direct benefits to the organization, such as lower claims and the avoidance of potential litigation expenses. Not to mention the damage to the company’s reputation as a community/regional employer. Jason discusses a number of actions he’s seen his clients take in these types of situations. He groups them as passive and active steps. An example of a passive action could include writing letters of recommendation for employees. An active action might be contacting local and regional workforce teams and the unemployment office resources. Additionally, if you become aware of a layoff in the area, get your marketing team working on a plan to potentially attract these potential job candidates. Go so far as to engage that company’s HR team to see if you can begin recruiting onsite, before the official layoff date occurs. Consider geo-fencing or geo-targeting the company’s location enabling you to serve online ad notifications to people who show up at that location. Jamie also comments on this aspect. If you are the employer facing layoffs, consider reaching out to other local employers to see if they are looking for good candidates. Your recommendations would be extremely helpful to the HR team, as well as your employees. Jason explains how they helped to identify industry-adjacent employers for a client. They didn’t have the exact same jobs, but many of roles required similar skillsets. Molley describes how affected employees can leverage the skills they’ve developed over the years, yet when recruiters and HR overly-depend on technology to screen applicants, those prospective employees risk being left on the sidelines. We need to help employees to tell their stories differently. Providing a long-term employee resources can be extremely helpful. He/she may need help building a résumé and learning how to apply for jobs. Help them to list their specific skills. It’s also possible to work on improving their social media footprint. Equip that long-term employee with a letter of recommendation, help them to set up an appointment with a staffing specialist, and you might even be able to provide them with information about specific opportunities with other employers. Remember, these are steps to helping with a lay-up, before or after the layoff. Molley suggests contacting the Kentucky Career Center, which is a statewide resource. It’s a valuable resource for employees who are facing a layoff or other separation. Your tax dollars have already been used to fund these resources, so take advantage of them. Placing an Emphasis on Workforce Planning This was mentioned in File 24. Molley provides an example. Organizations over-hire. It’s often because they don’t know how to properly hire. They’re planning for attrition. Instead, if organizations were to create an authentic approach to the hiring process for each position, you’d consider the company’s readiness to hire, the timing for the hire, the reason one or more people need to be hired, etc. This granular approach will help you to know the best time to engage in the hiring process. It can actually lower the overall cost of your workforce ...
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    23 m
  • Layoffs and Lay-Ups (Part 1)

    Layoffs and Lay-Ups (Part 1)
    Apr 23 2025
    File 24: In today’s file, the team begins a 2-part discussion on the job market. In this episode, they’ll focus on layoffs. Several clients have reached out to Jamie and Molley to plan for potential layoffs and the specific steps companies are required to take. In File 11 (Breaking Up Is Hard to Do), the team discussed the topic of separating with dignity. This might be a good reference point. Legal Considerations Involving a Layoff To begin, it’s important to note none of this should be considered legal advice, as the members of the WTF Podcast team are not lawyers. However, they’ve been involved in these situations and are prepared to share some perspectives and tips. Today’s discussion might provide an outline for a series of questions you might want to review with your business attorney. Information regarding the WARN Act can be found on the Department of Labor’s website. It’s the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification. This Act ensures advanced notice in cases of qualified plant closings. When are Employers Required to Provide Advance Notice to Employees of a Layoffs or a Plant Closure? Jamie explains that if you are an employer planning a layoff, plant closure or significant reduction in work hours, you are required to do a WARN notice. It must be filed with the unemployment office. The threshold is that you must have over 100 full-time workers, excluding workers who have been there for less than 6-months, or who work less than 20 hours per week. If you’re laying off 50 or more people, at a single site, or if you employ more than 100 workers who work at least a combined 4,000 hours. Please note, there are many other group descriptions that should be reviewed in determining your specific requirements. The benefit to this process is that it can help the various community resources to engage in planning and coordination to assist affected workers in the area. It also provides 60-day notice so that the affected employees can make plans regarding their individual situations. Jamie notes that the time and notice can make a difference for continued employment for those impacted employees. What Can Companies Do to Help Employees Affected by a Layoff? Jason comments that the notification, per the WARN Act, goes to the local career centers and unemployment offices. Once notified, those agencies can provide information on opportunities and programs for up-skilling and training. Some agencies may even come on-site to provide employees with information about job openings and other potential resources, including providing information about how unemployment works. It’s good to utilize these services as early in the process as possible. It’s also the right thing to do for your people. Most of the previous files on this podcast have focused on attracting good people; the right talent for your company. You probably have a large group of people you really hope to retain. You may even be able to come up with solutions that could avoid the need for a layoff. Alternatives to Enacting a Layoff Consider the use of furloughs. If you’re trying to reduced costs, you may have the option of instituting temporary furloughs and avoiding the need to issue a WARN Act notification. The advantage is you might still be able to retain your talent. They should be able to draw unemployment for periods of time. Jamie recalls working with a client who was having a dip in business, but believe it wasn’t a permanent situation. As a company, they decided to implement furloughs to get them through the current period and come out together, on the other side. Everyone, including management took a 2-week, unpaid furlough. In their case, the payroll savings enabled them to survive. Molley comments that communication is key, especially when the company itself is under stress. By being transparent about the situation, it may help to gain important buy-in for an option, such as a furlough, instead of having to layoff a significant number of people. This transparency also helps the company to control the narrative, rather than letting rumors and misinformation to get traction. It’s important to understand that a furlough for a specific period of time is much different from a layoff, which means you’re losing your job. It’s an entirely different situation. Molley points out that some companies might try to use a layoff to mask poor performance. Often, this is due to a lack of good management, in her opinion. If you’re laying off for poor performance, is it possible your managers weren’t given the tools or opportunities to lead? Jamie, agrees that using “layoffs” for poor performance is a misuse of the term. You’re not required to retain a poor performer. You should take the necessary steps to notify someone of their lack of performance and to provide opportunities and time for improvement. This is the best way to get someone ...
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    27 m
  • Equipping Organizations and Visionaries - Interview with Summer Dixon Goldberg

    Equipping Organizations and Visionaries - Interview with Summer Dixon Goldberg
    Apr 9 2025
    File 23: In today’s file, the team welcomes Summer Dixon Goldman of Dixon Strategies. She offers fractional Chief Operating Officer services for owners, founders and CEOs. Dixon Strategies brings order to chaos. Meet Summer Goldman Summer had a 20-year, corporate career. She has a background in agriculture and lending. The majority of her corporate experience was in leadership roles related to sales and operations teams. She eventually made the decision to start her own company. Summer begins by explaining fractional chief operating officer services looks different for different organizations. She focuses on startups, small businesses and family-run businesses. She either serves as a fractional COO, or as a consultant to the existing operations team. Summer also has a Vistage practice. She serves in the peer-advisory role and as a coach. Her practice is comprised of an entrepreneurial group of CEOs, although still focused on startups, small businesses and family-run entities. Challenges People Need Help Solving, Today Jamie asks about the trends in the types of challenges Summer is seeing in today’s marketplace. One issue Summer sees is the location of the workforce. She has an advanced manufacturing client with locations across Kentucky. The challenge for this company is sourcing local talent, in a very competitive environment. Another issue is the multi-generational workforce. Each group has its own unique needs and desires. This can lead to misunderstandings between the generations and challenges for the company leadership trying to manage the diverse issues that arise. There’s also the ongoing challenge of being clear when attempting to communicate/establish expectations with various groups of people and/or individuals. Jason comments that he recognizes the issue of geographic locations of the workforce. It’s been a challenge for growing markets in Kentucky. Bowling Green, for instance, is exploding. Manufacturing is a growth-area that’s especially hot in Warren County. He discusses how Bowling Green has addressed the workforce issue head-on and the result is Bowling Green becoming the fastest growing market in Kentucky and one of the fastest in the country. How Are Companies Addressing the Workforce Issues Relative to Misplacement or Displacement? Jason asks Summer about her perspective on how other Kentucky areas are dealing with what Bowling Green had to overcome. It begins with communities finding effective ways to communicate the various opportunities available in their respective, geographic areas. On the surface, certain industries may not seem as attractive, until you begin to understand the advantage they offer to the individuals and the communities, at large. Branding the workforce experience for those particular industries is important. Summer goes on to stress the importance of meeting people where they are, in a very broad sense. This encompasses their physical location, skill set and their personal goals. It’s a question of figuring out how to blend and balance both the business’ and personal needs. Addressing the Skills Gap The team focused on this in the previous file, with Amy Rudy. Summer hones in on the advanced manufacturing space. We’ve lost a lot of those jobs. However, she points out that the coal industry workers actually have skills that lend themselves to those of advance manufacturing. There’s also a similar fit for certain areas of agriculture. Skills in areas such as diesel mechanics, livestock or crop production and others are actually quite applicable. Jamie refers back to the 3-Part series WTF recorded on Peeling the Workforce Onion (Part 1). A key point was to avoid being overly rigid in the specific attributes you use to screen prospective employees. Transferrable skills exist, but the individual may not recognize this fact. Thus, they never connect with the potential employer. Summer recalls how File 14 also offered suggestions on finding overlooked candidates. Immigrant populations and veterans can be ideal candidates. Molley discusses how individuals can leverage transferable skills, or up-skill themselves to equip them to qualify for those new types of jobs. Molley’s company, Incipio, is actively matching individuals with positions that have “like” skill sets, based on the information they’ve submitted. The software is highlighting matching skill sets, some of which you may not have previously considered. What Are Leaders Missing in Terms of Workforce Development? Jason asks about what Summer is seeing as potential blind spots she’s seen leaders fail to recognize. She notes that many founders/owners struggle with understanding why members of their teams aren’t as passionate as they are about the business. In reality she points out that they’re not going to be. It’s not their baby. They most likely don’t have their life’s savings ...
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    29 m
  • Workforce Development and the Skills Gap

    Workforce Development and the Skills Gap
    Mar 26 2025
    File 22: In today’s file, the team welcomes Amy Rudy, the Founder of Impact Sales Systems, to discuss the challenge of staying relevant in your industry or field and growing your knowledge, skills and abilities. It’s also going to require a level of resilience to remain agile in the future of work. In case you missed them, the previous 2 episodes focused on The Future of Work. Click the below links to listen: · The Future of Work (Part 1) · The Future of Work (Part 2) Meet Amy Rudy Amy is a sales and sales management coach. She works with business owners and sales teams on the behaviors behind selling. She often works with solely-owned and closely-owned businesses. Prior to launching Impact Sales Solutions, Amy founded a software development firm that built custom solutions for specialized challenges facing both small businesses and Fortune 500 companies. The Gap Left when a Founder Leaves the Organization Amy explains that a successful business will often outgrow the skill set that enabled it to launch and grow, in the early days. This is especially true of a business that had a sole owner/founder. It works for a while, but because so much of what makes the organization unique is tied to the knowledge, skills and relationships of that individual, it may be difficult to export that talent to a larger team. As the team attempts to take shape, the initial inertia can slow and leave the team wondering how it can regain the momentum and direction. Managing the Transition It may be a case of the leader wanting to retire or exit in 15 years, or so. However, when Amy is approached with the idea of accelerating that exit to 18 months or less, it’s virtually impossible. Now the exit can definitely take place, but it’s a question of how stable the company was built to withstand the event. It’s a matter of being strategic with the decision. If new leaders are beginning to surface and take on some of the responsibilities, they may be willing to do even more. There’s already a sense of forward motion occurring. The reality is often smaller companies are managed and controlled (along with the decision-making). This environment may work well for the leader, but the rest of the organization is underprepared to move beyond that individual; even to survive after the exit. Is the organization ready to operate with a business-mindset, rather than as a personal checkbook? Amy recommends planning for succession much earlier that people often assume is necessary. The Importance of Creating Succession Plans Jason asks about how this is initiated and developed. Amy comments that it’s a question of whether the organization needs “more of same” or needs to pivot. If the company needs more of the same approach, then documenting work processes and operations would make sense. Amy prefers to begin by asking the client(s) to describe their future. What does FutureCo look like? How much revenue will it produce? How much volume will be required to generate that revenue? Is it truly more of same or is it different? Will it need to move faster? Will the problems be more complex? She also challenges the client(s) to consider the required capabilities. Describe the necessary skills to operate at those levels and in those areas. How much cash will FutureCo require to operate at those levels? It’s a matter of really attempting to define what the intended future will look like. Once you have that vision defined, Amy notes that the business needs to measure where they are today, using the same metrics, for CurrentCo. When accurately performed, a true gap-analysis provides valuable insights. Leaders should then involve the people around them to figure out what needs to be done differently to become FutureCo, as envisioned. One of the underlying challenges becomes reality when the new leader steps into the role, but the insight and resulting roadmap doesn’t exist, because it walked out the door inside the previous leader’s head. This can echo throughout company leadership as people begin to protect what they know. There’s no real knowledge transfer and the organization becomes stuck, or worse yet, begins to regress. It may not be a question of who the organization replaces “Steve” with another Steve (e.g. more of same). Maybe Steve hit his performance ceiling. It’s it possible that moving forward will require a different kind of leader who can take what Steve began and effectively navigate into the future? Jason and Amy discuss the view that, “It worked, so why change it?” Assessing whether it’s still working and will it work in the future are importantly different questions. While this is a difficult conversation to have, Amy observes that there are people at the table who want to be part of the conversation, but unfortunately are not always given the opportunity to contribute their ideas, perspectives and...
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    27 m
  • The Future of Work Part 2

    The Future of Work Part 2
    Mar 12 2025
    File 21: In today’s file, the team continues the discussion on the future of work, namely the changes to where and how we’ll work, in the not too distant future. Remember, we let AI draft the outline for this file. Jason and Molley haven’t seen the outline. We’ll see where the machine takes us! If you missed Part 1, you can listen to it here: https://www.workforcetherapyfiles.com/podcast/the-future-of-work-part-1/ The Gig Economy Is Booming Will this continue to grow? Will contract-work increase? Jason points out that not everyone is wired to be a business owner. It’s a big step and can be more complicated that it appears, on the surface. Before you quit your office job and jump into the world of full-time entrepreneurship, you may want to follow his example. Jason dipped his toe into the water by doing some side-hustle work to see if it was a viable option. He is a fan of gig-work. He uses it himself. However, it’s not for everyone. While he does think the gig economy is part of the future of work, there are many challenges for those getting into it on a full-time basis. Jamie talks about her dad’s decision to take a part-time job after retiring. He actually enjoyed the freedom and the income the job provided. She goes onto explain that if you are hiring gig-workers, there are some challenges. These could include a lack of continuity, you may not be able to spend the time training them like you would a typical employee, and you’ll need to be very confident in the people whom you decide to hire on a gig-style basis. Molley see this as a viable option for structured individuals. There are various websites that connect companies with gig workers such as: · https://www.gigworker.com/ · https://www.gigworx.com/ · Note: Molley is not specifically endorsing these sites. As it relates to gigs for meal delivery, rideshare services and others, these will continue to be good ways to supplement your income. These could also be viable transitional jobs. Prediction Molley sees gig work as being both generational and situational, as it continues to grow. Reskilling Will Be Part of Life Jamie mentions the availability of online course, such as on LinkedIn Learning. Some colleges/universities provide free courses. Will these continue to be part of individuals’ development plans? The group discusses Python, which is a coding language. AI can step in and code a process or task for you, as well. Learning how to work with these tools is a definite advantage. Jason notes that traditional education isn’t necessarily the best path for every individual. Technology is allowing people to choose their own paths and lifestyles. It requires courage and discipline, but just like gig work, it’s viable. Molley mentions that she knows people who will work for Amazon or some other employer, and then take several months off to do something else. The availability of these jobs may provide healthcare benefits and other advantages. It’s a lifestyle choice. Jason discusses how employers will need to be aware that potential candidates have options. This lifestyle approach to working can become either a threat or potential competitor to your workforce development efforts. Jamie mentions that technology is moving forward more quickly than traditional education. We’re going to have to find other ways to upskill or reskill our workforce. It’s going to take some significant investment by employers. Jason points out that if companies resist the need to reskill employees, those individuals are going to seek it out on their own, and may pursue new opportunities as a result. Molley suggests individuals explore reskill and upskill opportunities thorough resources such as Jefferson County Adult Education. There are tons of classes available. Jamie reads through some of the industry-specific “callouts” related to reskilling. · - Healthcare · - Education · - Retail · - Manufacturing · - Finance Because we’re discussion the future of work, Jason asks the group if we’ll every have a Jetsons existence? Molley thinks it’ll happen but maybe not in their lifetime. Challenges Concerning the Future of Work The ethics of AI will be a significant challenge. Rules, or policies, need to be created and enforced as we continue to embrace AI-developed work product. Mental health can be strained as remote workers feel the pressure to be “on” 24/7. This is going to negatively affect the work quality, over the long-term, if employers aren’t sensitive to this risk. Job displacement through automation. This will be another reason organizations will need to focus on reskilling or upskilling the workforce. Automation and technology don’t have to be a threat, as long as employees have the skills to embrace and optimize the processes using these new technologies. ...
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    23 m
  • The Future of Work - Part 1

    The Future of Work - Part 1
    Feb 26 2025
    File 20: In today’s file, the team will discuss the future of work, namely the changes to where and how we’ll work, in the not too distant future. In an effort to lighten up the topic, we let AI draft the outline for this file. Jason and Molley haven’t seen the outline. We’ll see where the machine takes us! Companies Will Adapt to Remote Work to Survive? There’s been a lot of chatter about the return-to-office trend. How will this affect the workforce? Molley suggests that top talent may decide to seek other companies allowing its teams at least some work-from-home flexibility. Jason’s company, CrowdSouth, has decided to let everyone work from home, although they have periodic, internal, in-person meetings. Client meetings are also generally held in-person. Some employees do enjoy coming into the office and interacting with colleagues. While he understands the advantages of being able to stay home, there are many jobs that can’t be done that way. One of the compromises (or sacrifices) we’ve made is giving up that traditional 9-5 work day. Working from home often results in work being done throughout the day and night. As an HR professional, Jamie admits not walking through the office environments makes it more difficult for her to get a sense of the way employees are interacting. It makes it more of a challenge to understand how the culture is actually working. Remote work also makes it more difficult to form those bonds with colleagues. Companies are required to be more intentional about how they maintain productivity and cultivate a positive experience. Molley notes that if we were to return to the office, it may help to reestablish boundaries for everyone. This may help to better define when someone is “on” and when they’re “off.” That line has gotten blurred over the past several years. Jason explains how the work being done is more difficult for managers to accurately track. Members of his team may decide to work more at night or to take longer lunch breaks. While it may be okay for some organizations, it may present more of a challenge for others. For instance, because the employees don’t have that face-to-face interaction, there may be less of a social bonding taking place. His company uses a practice during weekly meetings to enable each team member to talk about personal bests they accomplished, in additional to their work-related accomplishments. This is an actual agenda item for their meetings. Molley suggests there should be a hybrid approach to having employees re-enter the office. Maybe this is a 3-2 arrangement or some other workable combination. Jamie explains a concept referred to as the “Trust Triangle.” It’s made up of 3 attributes: being authentic, being empathetic and having rigorous logic. When combined, an organization can use it to build trust. This can be helpful as companies begin to require employees to return to the office. The trust triangle can be a guiding principle in helping organizations to successfully navigate this change. Jason points out that some companies, including his, hired remotely. This may present a significant barrier to requiring everyone to return to a central office. Prediction: Jamie predicts that hybrid work arrangements will be the solutions. Organizations will need to balance flexibility with customer needs. Molley sees a significant push in 2025 to have employees return to the office on a more regular basis. She sees the hybrid becoming the solution for 2026 and beyond, in an effort to keep top talent. Jason agrees with both, but adds that it’s going to be more based on the industry or roles involved. AI and Automation Will Grow in Significance Jamie discusses how she’s begun using Smartsheet. It creates charts, graphs and summaries from Excel spreadsheets (take that you pivot table aficionados). She also uses AI to draft policies, based on previous policies she may have written. It’s an expedited path, verses always starting from scratch. Recently, she used AI to help outline a process map for organization design. Again, it’s a way to get started more quickly. Molley uses ChatGPT to rewrite a document she’s already drafted. She like how it can make a draft much more understandable. On a different level, she sees how AI will have a dramatic effect on recruiting. While it may not fully replace the human, it will augment the process and reduce the time required to perform certain tasks from talent attraction to assimilation. Jamie notes that if you decide to use AI in recruiting, you will still be responsible for your screening. It cannot have an unintended or disparate impact. You need to be careful here. A recent case made it to the Supreme Court. Jason comments that there are a number of sensitive topics and asks he doesn’t see being transitioned to AI. He sees the value in having it write a first ...
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    29 m
  • Show Me the Money when It Comes to Employee Benefit Programs

    Show Me the Money when It Comes to Employee Benefit Programs
    Feb 12 2025
    File 19: In today’s file, the entire team is back in the studio. They welcome Wendy Hall to discuss showing you the money. She is an Employee Benefits Advisor for USI Insurance Services. The group discusses the impact of taking an innovative approach to employee benefit programs. There are ways to do this in a very, cost-effective manner. Meet Wendy Hall Wendy has spent many years in focusing in the areas of employee benefits and HR. Her passion is helping employers create a motivated and engaged workforce through effective benefits plan, without breaking the bank. The relative cost of benefits has a significant impact on the financials of most companies. Wendy’s objective is to help employers control those costs while getting employees excited about the available benefit options. Transparency Leads to Value with Benefits Molley is a strong proponent of ensuring the total benefits package is delineated in an offer letter. Ideally, that second page should go into great detail to help the prospective employee to easily see beyond the base pay. Many employers miss out on the opportunity to showcase the value of the entire package. It may be a lost opportunity to differentiate the offer from others that may be in consideration. This tactic can also be applied to an annual review. Wendy notes this is a common topic executives want her perspectives on during an engagement. The arrive frustrated because employees or prospective employees are pursuing other options because they don’t fully recognize the value added by the benefits program and/or package. She points out that it may be a case of the employer failing to effectively communicate the value of the various elements being offered. On the other side of the coin, many employers overlook the possibility of asking what their workforces would like to see as part of their benefits. Wendy points out that we have 5 different generations in the workforce, so a one-size-fits-all approach to benefits will typically fail. Employees have different needs and wants, depending upon the stage of life they are in. Jamie recalls her first job. She read through the benefits, but didn’t understand the difference between co-insurance and co-pay. She didn’t understand how to make the optimal 401(k) selections. To make matters worse, the company didn’t provide resources to help her think through these important options. How Are Companies Beginning to Educate Their Employees about Benefits? Wendy begins with insurance, because it’s typically a large, specific line item on the financials. However, open enrollment really happens once a year. So, how can companies use the remaining 11 months of the year to educate their respective workforces? One option is to begin analyzing the gaps in care and/or education. Are there trends and grouping in the types of questions employees are asking? Those clusters can identify opportunities for focused education and communication. Proactive implementation of this education and communication may ensure the upcoming open enrollment period goes more smoothly. It also empowers the employees to may better decisions about their individual benefits. How Often Should an Organization Audit Its Benefit Package? If your organization is run by a board, or is a government entity, regulations are probably already in place regarding the audit frequency. For example, there may be a requirement that an RFP be issued every 3 years. There’s also a due diligence process. If your feedback loops are indicating certain elements aren’t working well, it’s a signal you should begin investigating alternative providers and options. The size of your organization doesn’t necessarily have an impact on the frequency. In reality, it may be driven more by the available funding for the benefit programs. Wendy comments the importance of considering the costs related to retention, turnover and recruitment, that bucket may provide additional fund that could be leveraged to improve the mix of benefit options being made available to your employees. She notes benefits are definitely a differentiator related to those metrics. The Importance of Employee Surveys It’s important to include sections related to benefit offerings in your employee surveys. It affords the workforce a chance to provide input and share perspectives about what they find valuable and what they don’t. That process can foster a sense of ownership. The positive effect is multiplied when they see the organization implementing changes, based on that feedback. How Transparent Should Management Be Regarding the Available Benefits? Wendy views transparency as “your best friend.” It’s a competitive marketplace and employees often have options. The grass may seem greener elsewhere, if the organization is not promoting the condition of the grass on its side of the fence. Take the time to conduct in-depth benefit ...
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