POPS! The People Ops Podcast

Big news! People Operations, our new book, made the Wall Street Journal’s list of Top 5 Bestselling New Business Books two weeks in a row. It points to a big appetite for resources to help small businesses understand and deal with the changing workforce and workplace—and yes, it’s still evolving. 

In this PREVIEW episode, host Didi D’Errico shares startling new stats on the Great Resignation and how the People Operations book can help you create a strategy to recruit and retain talent.

Additional Resources:

• Order your copy of People Operations: https://www.zenefits.com/pops-book/

On this episode, you’ll hear: 

• [00:22-01:10] Our exciting news!
• [01:11-02:14] The Great Resignation: Why people are (still) leaving jobs in record numbers
• [02:14-03:27] How to recruit and retain talent heading into 2022
• [03:27-03:50] POPS! Quiz

Automation has gotten a bad rap as something that will take over human jobs. But in a modern organization, automation isn’t meant to replace people, it’s meant to enhance their work experience. 

In fact, according to automation expert and Zentist co-founder Paulina Song, automation can actually help employees feel challenged and engaged.  In this episode of PIVOT, Paulina explains why automating tasks can help employees do more of the work they love. You’ll hear her journey as a consultant for dental practices, her approach to automating people ops, and the most common automation mistakes she sees in small businesses.

On this episode, you’ll hear:

• [00:33-03:07] Meet Paulina Song, automation expert and Zentist co-founder
• [03:20-04:30] How automation helps employees feel challenged and engaged
• [04:50-06:40] When it’s time for a small business to operationalize its people work
• [06:42-07:56] How to think about new hires as long-term business investments
• [09:01-11:26] Small business obstacles to automation
• [11:49-15:43] How the pandemic changed the dental industry
• [16:59-19:54] Empowering employees to be “mini engineers” using technology
• [20:34-22:57] How to talk to your people about using technology to work smarter
• [23:32-26:28] Enhancing the employee experience through expectation- and goal-setting
• [26:28-29:35] Where small businesses should start with automating people ops
• [29:43-31:19] Why Paulina is optimistic about small business: refreshed perspective

After you listen: 

• Pre-order your copy of our book People Operations: Zenefits.com/pops-book
• Follow the podcast
• Submit your People Ops questions: https://www.zenefits.com/workest/ask-a-question/

In April 2021, more than 4 million US workers quit their jobs—the biggest spike on record. And the turnover is expected to continue. What can businesses do to retain employees during the Great Resignation?

On this episode of POPS! Zenefits Senior HR Advisor Lora Patterson explains the key reasons why people are leaving their jobs and strategies companies can use to keep their best employees.

Additional Resources:

• Order your copy of People Operations: https://www.zenefits.com/pops-book/

On this episode, you’ll hear: 

• [00:00-00:41] What is the Great Resignation? 
• [00:41-01:40] How the pandemic altered how workers view their careers and lives
• [01:40-03:31] The key reasons why employees may be considering a job change
• [03:31-05:03] Why work-life balance matters to workers more than ever before
• [05:03-05:49] Why it’s important to survey your workforce on their preferences
• [05:49-06:37] Steps you can take to keep your workforce
• [06:37-07:39] Step 1: Involve managers
• [07:40-08:09] Step 2: Develop mentoring programs and build career paths
• [08:09-10:16] Step 3: Identify at-risk workers
• [10:17-10:35] Step 4: Identify departments or teams with particularly high turnover
• [10:35-10:57] Reeling in employees who are checked out or disengaged

With just 4 in 10 employees reporting being “actively engaged” and turnover rates at a 20-year high, employee engagement is top-of-mind for businesses of all sizes right now. We’re tackling the big topic of building better engagement across a 4-part series—starting today. 

In Part 1, Zenefits VP of People Ops Danny Speros discusses how to align people and their work to company outcomes, and why this can have an outsized impact on individual engagement.

Additional Resources:

• Beyond employee engagement: A guide to enhancing productivity and performance: https://www.zenefits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/beyond-employee-engagement.pdf

On this episode, you’ll hear: 

• [00:56-01:37] The state of employee engagement today
• [01:37-03:07] The factors that impact employee engagement, and those that don’t
• [03:07-05:29]  Steps to help people align their day-to-day work to company success

Moving from traditional compliance-based and paperwork-heavy HR to automated, integrated, and culture-focused people operations doesn’t happen overnight. In fact, a small business typically goes through five stages before achieving people ops mastery. But how do you figure out where you are on the journey and, more importantly, move from one stage to the next?

On this episode of PIVOT, Zenefits CMO Kevin Marasco dives into how small businesses can use the People Operations Maturity Model to do just that. You’ll hear sound bites from each stage of the model and how to use the tool to master people ops, one milestone at a time.

On this episode, you’ll hear:

• [01:01-02:29] Meet Kevin Marasco, Zenefits CMO 
• [02:53-03:46] What inspired Kevin to co-author People Operations
• [04:11-06:02] What is the People Operations Maturity Model?
• [06:45-14:26] The 5 Stages of the People Ops Maturity Model
• [14:51-16:40] How to use the People Ops Maturity Model as a small business
• [16:41-18:37] The value of having a people ops roadmap
• [18:52-20:28] The first step in moving from traditional HR to people ops
• [20:40-21:41] What Kevin is most optimistic about for small businesses in 2021

After you listen: 

• Measuring People Operations: A guide to workforce analytics and maturity: https://www.zenefits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/measuring-pops-ebook-v2.pdf
• People Operations Maturity Model: https://www.zenefits.com/learn/people-operations-maturity-model/
• Pre-order your copy of our book People Operations: Zenefits.com/pops-book
• Follow the podcast
• Submit your People Ops questions: https://www.zenefits.com/workest/ask-a-question/

The way work gets done has changed—and the way you think about it has to change, too. But you don’t have to do it alone. POPS! is back for another season of can’t-miss stories, examples and tips about pivotal people moments in three episode formats.

Our 5-minute POPS episodes share expert insights to your thorniest and most pressing workforce questions. The longer-format PIVOT interview style episodes will give you access to some of the greatest minds in business. And, new this season, we’ll bring you PREVIEW—our shortest-form episode format. We’ll share principles from the People Operations book while also keeping you updated on the latest trending news that impacts people in small businesses.

Tune in as we continue to pursue our promise: to make it easier for small businesses and their people to succeed in the new world of work. 

After you listen: 

• Pre-order your copy of our book People Operations: Zenefits.com/pops-book
• Follow the podcast 
• Submit your People Ops questions: https://www.zenefits.com/workest/ask-a-question/

How can you tell if your HR team members are A-plus all-stars or just mediocre?

On this episode of POPS!, Zenefits' Senior Manager of Integrated Campaigns, Jean Spencer, breaks down how to assess the people management policies (or lack thereof) in your company and how to improve them. You’ll hear how to evaluate your own HR practices and find out if you are a master of people operations.

Additional Resources:

• People Ops Assessment:  https://www.zenefits.com/learn/pops-quiz/

On this episode, you’ll hear: 

• [00:39-01:37] How Zenefits developed the maturity model assessment
• [01:37-02:44] What does the model tell us about people ops?
• [02:44-03:10] How can I take the assessment?
• [03:23-04:35] What should you do with your results?

With most states offering COVID-19 vaccines to all adults, what should small businesses take into account as they reopen offices?

On this episode of POPS!, Zenefits content marketers Jean Lee and Andrea Curry discuss surprising findings from a survey of 1,000 full- and part-time employees about their post-vaccination work preferences. You’ll hear how to gather input from your own employees as you plan a return to the office, and tips on how to do so safely.

Additional Resources:

• 64% of Unvaccinated Employees Don’t Intend on Getting a Shot, Plus Other Return to Work Insights from SMBs: https://www.zenefits.com/workest/64-of-unvaccinated-employees-dont-intend-on-getting-a-shot-plus-other-return-to-work-insights-from-smbs/

On this episode, you’ll hear: 

• [00:43-01:06] How Zenefits gathered data on COVID-19 vaccines in the workplace
• [01:10-01:55] Surprising employee preferences on returning to work in an office
• [01:56-03:05] How to take stock of what employees want 
• [03:06-03:31] What the survey says about hybrid work 
• [03:32-04:33] How to bring employees back to the office safely
• [04:33-05:34] Survey findings about employee vaccination rates and comfort levels

Juneteenth is Saturday, June 19th. Should small business leaders plan to acknowledge and celebrate the holiday, even if they haven’t in the past?

On this episode of POPS!, Zenefits Chief Operating Officer Issac Vaughn joins VP of People Ops Danny Speros for a conversation about what Juneteenth is, how it’s celebrated, and the importance of acknowledging it—even if it makes you feel uncomfortable. You’ll hear how talking about Juneteenth plays into broader DEI efforts and why everyone benefits when small businesses foster inclusive workplaces.

Additional Resources: 

• Celebrating the Juneteenth Holiday: Ways Your Business Can Support Juneteenth: https://www.zenefits.com/workest/celebrating-the-juneteenth-holiday-ways-your-business-can-support-juneteenth/
• Racial Equity and Justice at Work: How to Keep the Conversation Going Beyond Juneteenth: https://www.zenefits.com/workest/racial-equity-and-justice-at-work-how-to-keep-the-conversation-going-beyond-juneteenth/
• Pre-order your copy of our book People Operations: Zenefits.com/pops-book

On this episode, you’ll hear: 

• [01:07-02:42] Meet Issac Vaughn, Zenefits’ Chief Operating Officer
• [03:00-03:54] What Juneteenth is
• [04:02-06:05] How people celebrate Juneteenth today
• [06:06-08:03] The importance of supporting Black-owned businesses in celebration of Juneteenth
• [08:08-10:49] Why acknowledging Juneteenth is good for business
• [10:49-12:36] Why inclusion is the glue that holds diversity efforts together
• [13:07-15:10] The key to acknowledging Juneteenth for the first time: authenticity
• [15:11-17:29] How HR leaders can get employees involved in Juneteenth
• [17:30-19:42] The impact of DEI efforts and how it can drive engagement

The pandemic put a spotlight on where traditional HR falls short—especially for small businesses. 

How can a small business level the playing field and gain an advantage in the post-pandemic world of work? Zenefits CEO Jay Fulcher says that it all boils down to people. And if people are truly at the center of a company’s focus and strategy, the shift from traditional HR to strategic People Operations can’t come soon enough.

On this episode of PIVOT, Jay explains why the HR paradigm shift inspired him and his co-authors to write a book, and why movement away from compliance-based HR has massive implications for small businesses.

On this episode, you’ll hear:

>>>>> [01:16-02:17] Why Zenefits CEO Jay Fulcher loves working with small businesses

>>>>> [02:51-04:51] How the pandemic put a spotlight on where traditional HR falls short

>>>>> [05:11-08:21] What companies need to thrive in the new world of work 

>>>>> [08:27-10:20] The importance and value of measurement beyond time-to-hire and turnover

>>>>> [10:20-12:40] How to think about the HR function as a small business owner

>>>>> [12:43-15:19] Jay’s Pivotal People Moment: Adapting to remote work overnight

>>>>> [15:35-17:34] How to take steps away from old school HR toward strategic People Ops 

>>>>> [17:41-18:57] Why we’ll see a resurgence of small businesses over the next year

After you listen: 

• Pre-order your copy of our book People Operations: Zenefits.com/pops-book

• Follow the podcast
• Submit your People Ops questions: https://www.zenefits.com/workest/ask-a-question/