True Stories at Work: fresh from HR

Did you know that HR professionals are the true crime detectives of the corporate world? From solving the case of the mysterious naughty photographs to catching protesting poopers, this True Stories at Work episode features jaw-dropping stories from Nicole as she shares her most memorable investigations and leaves no case unsolved.

Learn how Nicole landed her first HR job (as a director) without even applying. Gain insight into the unpredictable and often strange investigative work that HR conducts. Reflect on when it might be the right choice to bend or break the rules for the greater good.

00:00 Introduction

01:58 Stories at Work

10:16 Nicole's Story

16:02 More Stories at Work

30:24 Haiku for Nicole

Resources

Curious about great HR leadership + Bending the Rules at work, here are some links to get started:

What Separates Great HR Leaders from the Rest (hbr.org)

HR Ethical Dilemmas (shrm.org)

Bending The Rules | When it's Right to do the Wrong Thing | Rice Business Wisdom

When to Break the Rules at Work – And How to Do It (linkedin.com)

Stories are what we remember and how we connect, so please share yours with me

Let's talk about your people strategy

Tell a story!

Make a Workplace Confession

Host: Michelle Aronson

Editor: Bella Hutchins

 

Haiku for Nicole

Nicole proudly solves,

workplace mysteries with a

bit of rule bending

How does an HR professional build a connected, inclusive, and tech-forward culture? Find out in our latest podcast episode with Karen, who considers herself an accidental tourist in HR! #HRLeadership #InclusiveWorkplace #Podcast

In this episode, Karen shares her experience crafting a culture to support high-growth companies. She discusses the importance of creating an inclusive culture and how to align the executive team and care for the HR team. We discuss how to keep culture (and humans) in focus as you implement technology for your HR practices. Karen shares that “employees want to know that tomorrow will be better than today and that they have a say in it.”

00:00 Introduction

01:55 Karen's Story

05:45 Stories at Work

32:02 Workplace Confession

37:29 Haiku for Karen

Resources

Curious about culture and tech at work, here are some links to get started:

4 Ways AI Will Disrupt the HR Function in 2024 (shrm.org)

Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace (shrm.org)

Talent Management in the Age of AI (hbr.org)

 

Stories are what we remember and how we connect, so please share yours with me

Let's talk about your people strategy

Tell a story!

Make a Workplace Confession

 

Haiku for Karen

Karen understands...

Connection is essential

in work and in life.

 

Host: Michelle Aronson

Editor: Bella Hutchins

What happens when you choose to face your fears and be vulnerable at the work? This episode of True Stories at Work shares how well these tactics worked for Adam, as he moved from a $10/hr contractor to running global programs in the London headquarters of a multinational insurance company within 8 years! Adam shares the importance of honest communication, sharing your half-baked ideas, and taking risks at work.

We discuss vulnerability, mentorship, radical candor and managing your fear at work. Adam shares his journey of falling-out of a PhD program and into human resources. You'll hear great stories of humility, risk-taking, continuous learning, and the importance of open communication. The Workplace Confession is from a coworker of Michelle's who used his knowledge from a sexual harassment training to avoid her investigation!

#CareerGrowth #AuthenticLeadership #Vulnerability

Timeline:

00:01 Introduction

01:22 Adam's Story

16:05 Stories at Work

33:09 Workplace Confession

38:50 Haiku for Adam

Curious about vulnerability at work or writing better job descriptions, here are some links to get started:

Want To Write A Better, More Effective Job Description? Follow These 14 Tips (forbes.com)

How to be vulnerable at work without spilling everything, from Brené Brown | (ted.com)

HBR: How to Build Confidence About Showing Vulnerability

 

Stories are what we remember and how we connect, so please share yours with me

Let's talk about your people strategy

Tell a story!

Make a Workplace Confession

Ask a question+ make a suggestion

 

Haiku for Adam

Adam knows that growth…

Comes with fear, risk and sharing...

Uncomfortable truths.

 

Host: Michelle Aronson

Editor: Bella Hutchins

This True Stories at Work episode begins where my last podcast episode dropped off, with Lauren on the brink of her first leadership role and her first sexual harassment investigation (at the same time!).

Lauren shares a few of the ‘insane moments’ she has experienced during her career and how reveals how these experiences have shaped her into a better HR professional.

We discuss the many challenges that HR faces, the shifting expectations of employers, and how HR is often the junk drawer for everyone else’s people problems.

The episode wraps up with a workplace confession (and debate) from a former colleague of Michelle’s that increased his empathy toward Michelle and pets left in cars.

Timeline

00:00 Introduction

01:40 Lauren's Journey to HR Leadership

02:31 Lauren's First Sexual Harassment Investigation

03:33 The Aftermath of the Investigation

05:49 Lauren's Reflections on Her HR Career

06:11 Lauren's Most Insane HR Moment

15:43 Lauren's Workplace Pet Peeve

18:31 The Changing Landscape of HR in a Post-COVID World

22:41 Workplace Confession

29:44 Thanks for Listening

Resources

Curious about the topics discussed on the show, here are some links to learn more:

Company Culture Is Everyone’s Responsibility (hbr.org)

3 Myths About Hiring People with Criminal Records (hbr.org)

Guns in the Workplace: What Has Changed, and What Can Employers Expect? (shrm.org)

Stories are what we remember and how we connect, so please share yours with me

Let's talk about your culture and strategy

Tell a story!

Make a Workplace Confession

Ask a question+ make a suggestion

Have you ever had to handle a rift in your department?

In this True Stories at Work episode you get to meet Lauren, who hit “all the desks” in HR to grow her expertise… but nothing prepared her for the mistake of rehiring a former employee, creating a “scorched earth” moment and a lot of leadership growth. We also talk about boundaries, and how you we keep them with our teams and employees.

Lauren shared so many stories that I had to split her stories across 2 episodes. In this episode, you’ll learn about Lauren’s background and how her career aspirations to be creative are fulfilled by working in HR.  ”HR is artistic because you have to literally be able to handle things at the drop of a hat unique situations.”

For the Workplace Confession, you will hear a story from a former coworker, who wants to share some stories that still make him laugh and cringe from working with me. This one is from a leadership coaching conversation where he gets distracted by a squirrel… and I pulled the coaching recording to find out how that squirrel entered our coaching session.

Additional research on topics discussed in this episode:

Should You Rehire an Employee Who Left Your Company? (hbr.org)

How to Be Friends with Someone Who Works For You (hbr.org)

I need your workplace confession, so if you have every done anything wrong at work, please share your story with me by going to physicsatwork.com/podcast and leave me a voice message (anonymously and easily) from your phone or computer.

Make a Workplace Confession

Stories are what we remember and how we connect, so please share yours with me!

Let's talk about your people strategy

Tell a story!

How would adding children at work up the stakes as an HR leader?

In this True Stories at Work episode you get to meet Jason, who, despite the law, doesn’t believe in Central Jersey! We discuss the ways that his bartending skills transfer to HR, how to de-escalate a peanut hostage situation, and the unique challenges he faced when employees, parents and kids are your customers.

Curious about de-escalation at work?

How to De-Escalate an Argument with a Coworker (hbr.org)

Schools – Managing Peanut Allergies (peanutallergyfacts.org)

Central Jersey exists, it even has a website: Central Jersey exists: NJ Gov. Phil Murphy signs tourism bill (mycentraljersey.com)

Stories are what we remember and how we connect, so please share yours with me

Let's talk about your people strategy

Tell a story!

Make a Workplace Confession

Haiku for Jason

Jason keeps it real...

For employees, parents and

Kids, and remains calm.

HR leaders have difficult conversations, around an incredible range of topics “It would just be easier to say, we don't want you around than to say, hey, I need you to wear a bra to work.”

Welcome to True Stories at Work, where we discuss the best things about working in Human Resources. The people, the stories, and the things that happen at work that we didn’t know even about… workplace confessions!

I’m a recovering HR executive, certified coach, and business school professor who knows that THE BEST stories happen at work, from heartbreaking to heartwarming, from hilarious to outrageous.

In a past role, I was a member of a magical HR executive committee, pulled together by a Group Purchasing Organization to represent a variety of members from each region of the country.… and I loved going to the meetings to connect with them, learn what they were doing, and hear their great stories! Today, you get to meet Michael, who was a member of that executive committee.

You will get to hear his journey into and out of HR. As an attorney, he shares “The importance of ripping off the Band-Aid and having difficult conversations, even when they are uncomfortable” and even when they don’t go as planned.  “It's actually hard to do the things when you're in the moment and experiencing it as a human as well”

He shares a story that demonstrates the impact that subtle, non-verbal behaviors can have on feelings and perceptions “even if I'm not saying it, or even if it's not intentional, simply the, the chair I pick is sending a message.”

The approach he took to teaching people how to treat his HR team, and how he reinforced  “that HR is not just a punching bag”.

Micheal shares a great practice to keep your leadership team connected to the people in your company who are impacted by your decisions “It's easy to start thinking about people as simply numbers or FTEs as opposed to remembering that real people are losing their jobs, and those are having real impacts on their life.”

At the end, you get to hear a workplace confession, something that happened at work that never made it through the doors of HR. This one is about me… a director sharing a story about me that he wanted to confess on my behalf, how generous!

Curious about how to improve your skills with difficult conversations?

Here are some links to get started:

How to Handle Difficult Conversations Gracefully | Psychology Today

Things to Do Before a Difficult Conversation (HBR)

How to Create a Strong Culture (shrm.org)

Stories are what we remember and how we connect, so please share yours with me

Let's talk about your people strategy

Tell a story!

Make a Workplace Confession

Haiku for Michael

Michael knows that growth,

Requires difficult words to...

Be shared with kindness.

#HumanResources #Podcast #TrueStoriesAtWork

#Career #Culture

In this episode of True Stories at Work, we introduce you to Aileen, who has spent the majority of her career in Talent Acquisition at a professional services firm and is now a career coach. Join us as we share true stories about following your passion, networking into the best jobs, and the importance of taking career risks.

Aileen graduated college with aspirations to become a Russian-speaking foreign policy expert (and maybe even high potential Karaoke-queen) but accidentally entered HR after hating her first job as a technology data analyst.

She started her HR career in executive search, which she describes as “an amazing training ground.  You're basically thrown to the wolves.”

Aileen shares how she successfully networked her way into HR at a professional service firm (twice) and her favorite stories about:

the importance of taking risks in your career journey, personal + client, and the value of networking

how searching for a job is like dating

how important it is to be aware of and overcome unconscious bias to hire the BEST talent.

Aileen has taken big career risks, even fulfilling her calling to become a Chicago Public School teacher, for one year… wait until you hear what she saw when she saw happening behind her back in her classroom when she reviewed her Student Teaching video! “I could review my own video. So that night I brought it home and reviewed it and saw it and I was like, oh my gosh, I think I'm gonna get an F on this video.”

Aileen encourages you to follow your passion and energy to find the job you LOVE. “Don't be afraid to follow your passions. Don't think that it's just a nice to have, or it's, it's a dream job. It'll never come true. It is possible. You just have to be thoughtful.”

At the end, you will hear my workplace confession, the biggest thing that I did wrong at work… which I still believe was right in the end. It is a story of insubordination in my quest to update our dusty and dated values, and how I took a big risk to ask for forgiveness, not permission. And how no one even noticed?!

Resources Suggested Aileen

Curious about how Aileen preps her clients and some of her favorite job search tools? Check out these links to get started:

Create an elevator speech + have 3-4 behavioral interview stories, check out this resource to set you up for interview storytelling success.

Optimize your resume with jobscan.co .

Best job boards for seekers: LinkedIn and BuiltIn.

Want to reflect on what career path makes sense, check out 16personalities.com - which is a free Myers Briggs resource.

Or contact Aileen directly at joblinkllc.com.

Stories are what we remember and how we connect, so please share yours with me!

Let's talk about your people strategy

Tell a story!

Make a Workplace Confession

Drop Your Wisdom

Connect on Linked In.

Listen to the show

 

Haiku

Aileen takes her own

Career advice by choosing

Work that brings her joy!

In this True Stories at Work episode, you get to meet Tara, who started her career as a behavioral specialist and found the skills and knowledge transferred nicely into HR. She worked in many industries (financial, tech, and higher ed) and understands that “the work that we do in HR is ultimately about people. The industries are definitely different. The types of people that work in them are different. But, overall there's a similar thread to humanity.”

We connect around the virtue of patience, except in disciplinary situations “We would go through a corrective action process and it would be first, final written warning, second final written warning, and third final written warning. And I would have managers say, what does the word "final" mean if you're going this far?”

Tara's early career aspirations were to be an archeologist. However, uncovering a revealing photo of an employee was not a treasure she was seeking when he was terminated after his 3rd “final” warning. “It confirmed was they knew this was coming… but it will indelibly be in my mind.”

We discuss entitlement, and how it shows up in unusual ways across senior leadership “You know, sometimes people aren't grateful and sometimes people don't act so well… use their, their trash cans as toilets”.

Tara understands that demonstrating kindness is the most important aspect of her legacy, even in challenging employment situations. After a company closure, she reflects on feedback she received from an impacted employee “If that is the legacy of my career, if that I handled something where somebody came away from a very negative experience and felt that there was kindness in that experience, then you know, then I've accomplished everything I need to accomplish.”

We wrap up curious about why “HR people on TV tend to be represented as dull when we actually are amazing, have a lot of fun doing what we're doing while ensuring that there's heart in our work?” There are no answers to why our smart, talented peers are projected in media as Catbert (Dilbert’s evil director of human resources) and Cody (the buzzkill in The Office).

In the end, you'll hear the final workplace confession from my BFF. This one is a childish prank, gone, terribly wrong. A puddle splashing that got her banned from the work site.

This episode is sponsored by Physics at Work: If you're looking for ways to create momentum and boost performance to achieve your organization's goals faster…. Physics at Work can help you to define and refine your people strategy. Just reach out to me at physicswork.com or connect on LinkedIn. Because the same laws of physics that drive our universe also drive your workforce.

Stories are what we remember and how we connect, so please share yours with me.

Tell a story!

Make a Workplace Confession

Ask a question+ make a suggestion

Join the email list,

Connect on Linked In.

Join the private True Stories at Work Linked In group to connect with guests and listeners of the show.

 

Resources:

Tara’s background as a Behavior Specialist helped her as we work to stabilize our workforce: It’s a New Era for Mental Health at Work (hbr.org).

Simon Sinek: Leaders Eat Last book, and a short video describing the concept What "Leaders Eat Last" means - YouTube,

Dilbert + Catbert and the best of Toby from The Office

 

Haiku for Tara

Dig deeply to find,

the kindness that we deserve,

as humans who work.

Have you ever wondered what makes a manager truly memorable? In this True Stories at Work episode we pick up with Bruce where we left off, talking about the impact COVID had on the employee complaints at work. This episode discusses the shift from employees complaining about each other to employees complaining about their managers. If you are just tuning into this podcast, please listen to episode 5, where this story begins…

Remember, Bruce studied HR, only worked in HR and oversaw the Employee Relations function of HR for a 15,000+ person company. He had a ringside seat to watch the best + the worst behaviors at work, including the behavior of leaders. “I think the sad reality, I don't think there are a lot of very good leaders. And I don't think it's easy to be a good leader. And you have to want to be a good leader, but so many people have gotten into management who don't even like to manage people, but that was the only way they can move up.”

Bruce knows that being a good leader isn’t easy and offers some insight for reducing complaints about leaders, improving the leadership hiring success and ways to become a memorable leader (in a good way).

Bruce reminds us that when leadership is done well, it is truly magical and the memory of that leader can last a lifetime “Um, that was literally 20, maybe like 22 years ago, and I remember being in the larger meeting room. And, and the impact that those messages had. “

Want to be a better leader? Here are some links to get started:

Anyone Can Learn to Be a Better Leader (hbr.org)

The Best-Leaders-Have-a-Contagious-Positive-Energy

Coaching managers elevates your organization (chieflearningofficer.com)

Spoiler alert, at the end we have yet another incident of love gone wrong at work, and by love I mean a relationship that started out as an affair but was really sexual harassment all along. “it was his admin who turned him in, who we later found out he had been having an affair with. And, the relationship fell apart… and then all of a sudden she wanted to get revenge on this individual.”

At the end, you will get to hear a workplace confession, something that didn't make it through the doors of HR. Another one from my life-long friend Zoe, where she pulls a Robinhood move with some shiny new office chairs.

Feedback is a gift. Episode #6, the final episode of my first season, so please take one minute to go to www.physicsatwork.com/podcast and vote for your favorite episode… The winning episode will be invited back to share more great stories!

These are the first 6 podcasts I have ever created, so please share your feedback + suggestions for future episodes.

Haiku

Great managers are

hard to find… and even more

difficult to leave.