CHRO Champions

The HR world is rapidly changing, and today’s professionals have to be adaptable, innovative, and ready to drive major changes.

Employee experience is vastly different than it was last year and the future of human resources lies in creating an environment where employees feel safe and free to grow and celebrate success.

In this episode of CHRO Champions, I sat down with Stacey Valy Panayiotou, CHRO & Executive Vice President of Human Resources at Graphic Packaging International, LLC, for a lively exploration of her amazing career and valuable contributions to the field.

My five takeaways:

-For the young people out there: don't specialize too early.

-Don't forget the plot.

-The best companies measure and promote their people using objective data. And it's not only good for your company, but it's actually better for your people in the long run.

-Experiment and iterate to drive change.

-You're only as good as your team.

To hear more episodes like this one, subscribe to CHRO Champions on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, or follow us here on the Totem Blog!

In the post-pandemic world, employees are more focused than ever before on health: mental, physical, and financial.

That’s why it’s crucial for leading companies to embrace the value of unique group wellness concepts and comprehensive insurance plans that address mental health needs.

Rory Trotter, Director of Total Rewards & Executive Compensation at Brown-Forman, shares some fascinating insights on the importance of mindfulness and the overall impact of well-being on employee culture.

Rory joins co-host Annette Griffin to discuss:

-One of the largest challenges benefits professionals are facing: how to manage the cost of healthcare.

-Combining a comprehensive insurance package with unique wellness programs to boost overall employee health.

-Removing the stigma around EAP programs and mental health, especially post-pandemic.

Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:

Rory Trotter, Director of Total Rewards & Executive Compensation at Brown-Forman

Annette Griffin

Totem Solutions

For more interviews like this one, subscribe to CHRO Champions on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts!

It’s always easier to fix something than to build it from scratch.

But what do you do when there’s nothing there to start with?

In this episode of CHRO Champions, I sit down with Julie Goodhart, Vice President or Human Resources at Klaussner Furniture, to discuss her experience building and developing HR functions from the ground up.

We also talk about:

-Assessment strategies that fill the gaps

-The hierarchy of processes

-Engaging both champions and resistors

-Identifying your best recruiters

To hear more episodes like this one, subscribe to CHRO Champions on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Imagine leaving the corporate world to take care of your family, staying home for a decade, and then jumping back into the corporate world and picking up where you left off while adapting to new trends.

Maybe that seems crazy. Or maybe you’ve done it.

In this episode of CHRO Champions, I sit down with Virginia Means, Chief People Officer at United Distributors, to discuss:

To hear more episodes like this one, subscribe to CHRO Champions on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

An HR professional must go above and beyond to leave a legacy. Standing out from the crowd involves innovating, having a keen eye for talent, and developing the people around you.

John Lucas, former CHRO of both Lockheed Martin and Goodyear Tire, has had an incredible journey through his lifetime HR career. John joins the show to discuss his approach to HR and training:

-Developing talent and a strong interview process

-Bungee jumping between a bird’s eye view of execution down to tactical execution

-The four questions to ask in succession planning

-Leaving a legacy and what John’s focus is now

For more interviews like this one, subscribe to CHRO Champions on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts!
You can contact John at https://www.linkedin.com/in/johntlucas/.

Sometimes engagement at work doesn’t have to be about work.

Listen to that again.

Sometimes (not always) the best way to foster engagement with employees at work is to realize that the engagement doesn’t have to be all about work. It’s more often about figuring out what an employee is passionate about and then doing what is needed to foster that passion.

On this episode of CHRO Champions, I sat down with Kelly Scheib. Kelly is the VP of Human Resources at Proterra, a company dedicated to delivering clean, quiet transportation for all.

What we talked about:

-Why what an employee does outside of the office is just as important as what they do at the office

-What sparked her choice of HR as a career at the age of 19

-Her passion for foster care and how her job at Proterra allows her to follow that passion

-Her podcast, SurviveHR, and why you should tune in
To hear more episodes like this one, subscribe to CHRO Champions on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

There are no shortcuts to great culture.

Leaders have a responsibility to demonstrate the beliefs of their company and reinforce behaviors that reflect those values. They create culture through transparency, authenticity, credibility, and character.

It’s hard work, but it’s worth it.

In this episode of CHRO Champions, I sit down with Jeff Shuman, former Chief Human Resources Officer at Quest Diagnostics, to discuss the secret sauce to creating a great culture.

What we talked about:

-Concepts he’s championed over his career

-How he drove cultural change at several companies

-Common missteps companies make with their culture

-His approach to employer-sponsored healthcare in light of rising costs

To hear more episodes like this one, subscribe to CHRO Champions on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

The CHRO role is about so much more than hiring; it includes being a part of the processes that achieve the overall targets for the organization and contribute to its growth.

As HR continues to move beyond a traditional role to a more strategic one, conversations around HR’s value continue to be relevant.

In this episode of CHRO Champions, I sat down with Issac Jayaraj, Chief Human Resources Officer at Accscient, to discuss different factors CHROs should consider that add value to a business.

What we talked about:

-How to take smart risks in your career journey for long-term success

-The best way for someone in HR to learn the financial components of a business

-How to build rapport in a remote environment

-The evolution and future of HR

To hear more episodes like this one, subscribe to CHRO Champions on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Supporting your team’s work-life balance and mental health means seeing them as people, not just employees.

Stephanie Forand, VP of Human Resources at Cicis, uses her own experiences with mental health to help others successfully overcome their struggles. She finds that getting to the root of any mental health or work-life balance issues is more effective than only evaluating people as employees.

Stephanie joins co-host Annette Griffin to discuss…

-Her journey & what inspired her to get into HR

-How she exercises people over policy in her role

-Why she’s passionate about benefits

-The most common misbelief people have about HR

To get in touch with Stephanie, email her at [email protected].

CHRO Champions is hosted by Geoff Rowson of Totem.
To hear more episodes like this one, subscribe to CHRO Champions on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Before someone starts to really succeed in HR — or any field, for that matter — they have to uncover their ‘Why.’ Understanding your passion within HR is essential for growth.

Otherwise, why are you even there?

In this episode of CHRO Champions, Wendy Hull, VP of HR at Salad Collective, chats with Geoff about…

-How she’s become successful in HR without a college degree

-Her career-defining moments

-Why she doesn’t let policy drive her work

-How her company has coped during the pandemic

Connect w/ Wendy on LinkedIn or email her at [email protected].

CHRO Champions is hosted by Geoff Rowson of Totem.

To hear more episodes like this one, subscribe to CHRO Champions on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, or wherever you listen to podcasts.