Join Jason for a thoughtful and deeply moving conversation with Dr. Jenna Sage, Director of Organizational Wellness and Well Being, Ultimate Medical Academy, and executive coach, author, and passionate advocate for whole-person employee support.

Jenna discusses how organizations can truly support employees navigating grief, loss, and caregiving. Having walked alongside a loved one through terminal illness, Jenna knows firsthand the weight leaders often carry in silence. She believes it’s time for organizations to normalize conversations around loss, bereavement, and mental wellness, by design, not just in reaction.

Key highlights from this episode include:

👉 Start normalizing discussions about loss, grief, caregiving, and mental health at work.

👉 As a manager, you’re not expected to be a therapist; what’s needed is grace, flexibility, and understanding, not answers or solutions.

👉 Respect and support boundaries, understand that networking events or after-hours obligations might not be a fit for caregivers, and that’s not a lack of commitment.

👉 Rethink bereavement that true compassion looks like flexibility and recognizing the many forms of loss an employee might face.

Connect with Jenna:

Website: https://www.beself.ist/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenna-sage-phd-bcba/

***

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Website: https://jasonlauritsen.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JasonLauritsenVideo

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonlauritsen/

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#Leadership #PeopleFirst #CompanyCulture #FeedbackLoop #WorkplaceExcellence

Join Jason to learn about building an award-winning culture through storytelling in this episode with John McHugh, Vice President of External Affairs at Kwik Trip.

John shares how Kwik Trip has harnessed the power of storytelling to create low turnover, high morale, and exceptional customer experiences, all in an industry notorious for high attrition. He shares practices for how they have scaled a culture of exceptional service and customer commitment within an organization of 39,000 “co-workers”.

Key highlights from this episode include:

👉 Practical interview questions that find candidates hardwired for compassion and purpose.

👉 Why every meeting at Kwik Trip starts with an emotional real-world story and how this practice fuels engagement at every level.

👉 How sharing thousands of unsolicited customer compliments each year has become the secret sauce behind both customer loyalty and employee satisfaction.

👉 How Kwik Trip’s profit-sharing and recognition programs help every employee feel like an owner, resulting in industry-leading retention rates.

***

Connect with John:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-mchugh-37056513/

***

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Connect with Jason:

Website: https://jasonlauritsen.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JasonLauritsenVideo

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonlauritsen/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/jasonlauritsen/

#Leadership #PeopleFirst #CompanyCulture #FeedbackLoop #WorkplaceExcellence

In this mini-episode, Jason announces the launch of the Human Connection Study, a new research initiative created in partnership with Ingenuity Design.

This ambitious project aims to understand how people today are experiencing connection and disconnection at work and in everyday life.

Jason shares why he feels this study is both necessary and vitally important. And, he asks for your help.

In the episode, Jason invites you to take the Human Connection Survey and then share it with your friends and colleagues.

Take the sruvey here: https://www.thehumanconnectionstudy.com/

***

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Connect with Jason:

Website: https://jasonlauritsen.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JasonLauritsenVideo

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonlauritsen/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/jasonlauritsen/

Join Jason for a powerful conversation with Wendy Rummler, Chief People Officer at Credit Acceptance. Wendy shares the inside story of how their organization transformed from a conventional, in-office workplace to a high-performing, remote-first organization, while earning multiple workplace awards year after year. The secret, she says, is fostering a culture where listening leads to meaningful action, and where transparency and feedback are non-negotiable.

Key lessons highlighted in our conversation include:

👉 True “listening cultures” require managers to close the feedback loop every time. Either by implementing suggestions, explaining their reasoning for declining, or seeking more information.

👉 Organizational change is a long-term journey. The best results occur when leaders approach engagement as a continuous and rigorous discipline.

👉 Transparency about “why” decisions are made, especially about difficult topics, builds trust, even when the answer isn’t what people want to hear.

👉 The most valuable employee feedback often points to operational obstacles, not just perks or benefits. Addressing these issues directly enables your people to do their best work.

👉 Remote work success hinges on proactive onboarding, strong mechanisms for relationship-building, and frequent, meaningful leader check-ins with every team member.

👉 Strong cultures assume positive intent. Leaders who communicate trust and aspire to help everyone succeed redefine performance expectations and team cohesion.

***

Connect with Wendy:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-rummler-69777611/

***

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Connect with Jason:

Website: https://jasonlauritsen.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JasonLauritsenVideo

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonlauritsen/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/jasonlauritsen/

#Leadership #PeopleFirst #CompanyCulture #FeedbackLoop #WorkplaceExcellence

Join Jason for an enlightening conversation with Mike Ferone, Vice President of Organizational Development and Performance Excellence at Benchmark Gensuite, as they explore how his company has created a “culture of opportunity”—one where promotions are based on demonstrated competencies and potential, not rigid timelines.

Together, they examined how this approach shapes engagement, enables rapid development, and makes workplaces more human-centered and successful.

Key lessons highlighted in our conversation include:

👉 The power of flexible, individualized promotion timelines, so everyone advances when ready, not just at review time

👉 How transparency and public clarity about why someone is promoted removes frustration and builds trust within teams.

👉 Why rigorous accountability, through regular manager and HR check-ins, ensures that every advancement is both earned and supported.

👉 How promoting based on demonstrated potential can accelerate growth for ambitious, early-career talent.

***

Connect with Mike:

Company: https://benchmarkgensuite.com/

Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelferone/

***

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Website: https://jasonlauritsen.com/

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonlauritsen/

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Join Jason for a deeply engaging conversation featuring Karen Rieck, the Vice President of Human Resources at Farm Bureau Financial Services, as she shares her journey on building “presence with a purpose” work.

Karen’s inspiring approach to employee connection, especially through their innovative “Real Stories” internal podcast, offers real-world lessons every manager should consider. They talked about how powerful it can be when people are encouraged not just to do their jobs, but to show up fully as who they are, even with everything they’re carrying.

Key lessons from our conversation include:

👉 The game-changing shift from “return to office” mandates to designing intentional in-office experiences that fuel genuine human connection.

👉 Practical, low-cost ways to foster community that make the workplace a destination.

👉 The transformative effects of storytelling through initiatives like the “Real Stories” podcast, which invites employees to share impactful experiences

👉 How inclusion is amplified not by policy statements, but by allowing people to own their stories and truly be known by their colleagues.

👉 Strategies for balancing work-life integration with organizational productivity, especially as employee expectations evolve in today’s workplace.

***

Connect with Karen Rieck:

Website: www.fbfs.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-rieck-6148446/

**

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Connect with Jason:

Website: https://jasonlauritsen.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JasonLauritsenVideo

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonlauritsen/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/jasonlauritsen/

#HRLeadership #EmployeeExperience #WorkplaceCulture #FutureOfWork #Inclusion #HumanConnection #RealStories #PeopleFirst

Join Jason for an enlightening conversation with Jessica Jones, Executive Vice President of People and Culture at Emprise Bank. Jessica reflects on her evolution from being a strong advocate for remote-first work to recognizing how hybrid and in-person work, when grounded in intention and clarity, can enhance belonging, innovation, and team trust.

Together, they explore the risks of reactive policies and examine what today’s employees are truly seeking: not just remote work, but authentic flexibility.

Key lessons highlighted in our conversation include:

👉 Start with strategy: Align workplace policies with your organization’s unique business needs, rather than following trends or executive preferences.

👉 Be clear and intentional: Communicate the ‘why’ behind workforce decisions to ensure employees understand and not just comply with organizational choices.

👉 Flexibility is fundamental: Employees crave autonomy and flexibility; when that’s missing, “return to office” feels like punishment, not opportunity.

👉 Invest in what matters: Whether in-office or remote, invest in equipping managers, supporting employee well-being, and building spaces (physical or virtual) that build collaboration.

👉 One size does not fit all: Tailor approaches to different roles and locations; balance recruiting needs, development opportunities, and business impact.

Jessica’s perspective will challenge and inspire you to think differently about your own organization’s approach to culture, connection, and the future of work.

***

Connect with Jessica Jones

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-jones-b1681193/

***

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Connect with Jason:

Website: https://jasonlauritsen.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JasonLauritsenVideo

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonlauritsen/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/jasonlauritsen/

#HRLeadership #EmployeeExperience #WorkplaceCulture #FutureOfWork #PeopleFirst #HybridWork #Inclusion #LeadershipDevelopment

Join Jason for an insightful episode with Halai Shukran, Chief Operating Officer of Pluribus Digital. Known for her strong background in HR leadership and people strategy, Halai offers an engaging, real-world perspective on how HR can become a true driver of business value.

In this episode, Halai shares her extraordinary journey from HR and corporate training to the C-suite, breaking down how empathy, business acumen, and a relentless focus on both people and outcomes propelled her forward. Together, they explore the nuanced distinction between aligning people to business strategy and aligning business strategy down to people, revealing why both are essential for managers looking to make an impact.

Key lessons highlighted in our conversation include:

👉 The difference between aligning people to business strategy (translating people initiatives up to deliver business results) and aligning business strategy to people (empowering every team member to see their role in the big picture).

👉 Why building your business acumen as a leader is as vital as mastering your own function—and how that cross-functional curiosity sets you apart.

👉 How to navigate resistance from leaders by choosing your battles, building cross-functional allies, and searching for high-impact, low-effort wins.

👉 The crucial role of transparency and consistent communication during times of uncertainty, especially when your people are looking to you for reassurance and clarity.

***

Connect with Halai Shukran:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/halai-shukran/

***

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Connect with me:

Website: https://jasonlauritsen.com/

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#HRLeadership #WorkplaceCulture #EmployeeExperience #FutureOfWork #PeopleStrategy #BusinessAlignment