Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work

For our end-of-year special episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work, we’re bringing back a fantastic conversation with Marta Taylor, Manager of Strategic Initiatives at the City of Port Moody, where she explores successful employee feedback programs in municipal organizations and how to turn survey results into actionable improvements. 

What You’ll Learn:

• How to structure employee focus groups for maximum impact
• The "Champion Strategy" for gaining leadership buy-in
• How to use benchmarking data to prioritize actions and contextualize survey results
• Why simple communication initiatives can dramatically improve employee engagement
• The "Two-to-Three Action Rule" for helping department managers implement targeted improvements
• How to balance comprehensive organizational development plans with department-specific initiatives
  
  

Marta Taylor is the Manager of Strategic Initiatives at the City of Port Moody, where she leads corporate planning, diversity and equity initiatives, indigenous relations, and accessibility programs. With vast experience in employee engagement and organizational development, she has successfully transformed employee feedback into meaningful operational changes. Her innovative approach to employee surveys and focus groups has helped create a more responsive and inclusive workplace culture within the municipality.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do so are here: https://www.fame.so/follow-rate-review

Highlights and YouTube Chapters:

• [00:00] Introduction
• [01:46] Marta’s Role and Journey
• [03:31] Why Employee Voice Matters
• [06:24] Survey Planning Essentials
• [07:45] COVID and the Cost of Delay
• [09:34] Alternative Feedback Channels
• [12:05] Securing Leadership Support
• [14:32] Customizing Survey Questions
• [17:32] Using Benchmark Strategically
• [22:40] Closing the Feedback Loop
• [24:34] Focus Group Designs That Works
• [32:33] A Simple Email, A Big Impact
• [35:18] Practical Tips for Municipal Leaders
  
  

Quotes:

• “I think planning out the timing is important, and obviously the survey structure, the questions, thinking through the why of why you're asking those questions, what you hope to get out of it, and being really clear on what your action plan is.”
  
  
• “I act as a connector between big picture goals and on-the-ground realities.”
  
  
• “Having good conversations with your leadership team from the outset is really important to ensure that for those who are leaned in, they understand why the survey is happening.”
  
  
• “I really want to hear people's true thoughts and opinions. I don't like to sugarcoat things myself, and I think that sometimes we get caught in the perception of how things are going, and unless we really hear from staff at all levels of the organization, we don't really know.”
  
  

Episode Resources:

• Marta Taylor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylormarta/ 
• City of Port Moody: https://www.portmoody.ca/en/city-hall/careers.aspx 
• Sean Fitzpatrick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-j-fitzpatrick/?originalSubdomain=ca 
• TalentMap Website: https://talentmap.com/ 

💬 Comment below your favorite part!Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Veronique Robinson, Chief People Officer at IDX, to discuss how she launched a global baseline people survey to rebuild trust, surface regional realities, and reset leadership communication.

What You’ll Learn:

• How to build executive alignment before launching your first survey
  
  
• Why involving your regional teams in question design yields richer, more culturally relevant insights
  
  
• The difference between quick wins and long-term trust-building initiatives
  
  
• How to sustain communication momentum after the initial survey push
  
  
• Why removing physical barriers between leadership and employees matters more than any survey question
  
  

Veronique Robinson is Chief People Officer at IDX, a digital-first communications company specializing in website development and hosting for publicly traded organizations. With a background leading HR transformations across global teams in Europe, North America, and Asia, she brings expertise in employee engagement, organizational change management, and building psychologically safe workplace cultures.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do so are here: https://www.fame.so/follow-rate-review 


Highlights and YouTube Chapters:

• [00:00] Introduction
  
  
• [04:07] Start with a Baseline
  
  
• [05:12] Securing Executive Buy-In Without Resistance
  
  
• [07:06] Using a Survey as a Baseline
  
  
• [11:20] Interpreting Global Survey by Region
  
  
• [14:17] What Leadership Turnover Revealed About Visibility and Communication Gaps
  
  
• [15:43] Sharing Results Through the CEO for Credibility
  
  
• [18:10] Turning Feedback Into Immediate, Visible Actions
  
  
• [21:26] Building Accountability Into Communication Cadence
  
  
• [27:51] Lessons Learned From Running the Survey Manually
  
  
• [30:00] Leadership Visibility as a Trust-Building Tool
  
  
• [31:34] Investing in Team Events to Strengthen Culture
  
  

Quotes:

• “Remove your offices. Sit amongst your teams. The value added in people being able to relate to the Chief People Officer, see the CEO, not sequestered away in a big corner office, but actually sitting at the desk, helping himself to a cup of coffee in the kitchen, that is invaluable. People have to see us as humans and people that are also impacted by business decisions.”
  
  
• “When I became the chief people officer, one of the first things I wanted to do was actually understand how the employees felt about being at IDX.”
  
  
• “We became a lot more transparent on business performance. We have the CFO stand up and do that so people actually know how the business is performing.”
  
  

Episode Resources:

• Veronique Robinson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronique-r-45150926/ 
  
  
• IDX on LinkedIn: https://www.idx.inc/ 
  
  
• Sean Fitzpatrick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-j-fitzpatrick/?originalSubdomain=ca 
  
  
• TalentMap Website: https://talentmap.com/ 

💬 Comment below your favorite part!



Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Ken Finneran about why intentional listening is the most underestimated leadership skill in an AI-accelerated world. Ken shares tactical frameworks, such as the 90-second rule, demonstrating how curiosity-driven leadership, people-centered AI transformation, and unlocking employee voice can enhance trust, performance, and organizational impact.

What You’ll Learn:

• How to reframe "soft skills" as "power skills" that directly drive profitability, people retention, and productivity metrics. 
• The 90-second rule for accelerated decision-making: Give employees 90 seconds of undivided attention without distractions. 
• Why ego and internal narrative are the biggest barriers to effective listening. 
• How to shift from directive to curiosity-based questions that unlock insight instead of compliance. 
• The three-part framework for successful AI transformation: Technology alone fails; you need technical implementation, process redesign, AND people/change management. 
• How AI is fundamentally reinventing the HR function, from one-time annual surveys to real-time engagement tracking embedded in actual work. 
• The counterintuitive truth about speed in high-growth environments: Slowing down to listen now prevents costly rework later
• How to adopt mass personalization in learning and development, using AI to customize training examples to individual interests. 
• The one habit that transforms leadership during change:
  
  

Ken Finneran is a Global HR Executive and Talent Partner at Brightstar AI with 15+ years of experience transforming high-velocity organizations, including eMed and Kaseya. He specializes in organizational development, change management, and AI-driven talent strategy. Renowned for championing a shift from answer-focused to curiosity-led leadership, Ken helps companies bridge technology, process, and people, equipping organizations to thrive through complex, AI-enabled transformation.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do so are here: https://www.fame.so/follow-rate-review 
Highlights and YouTube Chapters:

• [00:00] Intro
• [00:33] Welcome to Voice Activated
• [00:03:14] Reframe "Soft Skills" as "Power Skills" to Drive Business Metrics
• [00:06:18] Bridge Strategy and Frontline Insight Through Leader Coaches
• [00:09:39] Build Trust Through Consistent Human Action and Coaching Culture
• [00:13:26] Replace Directive Questions with Curiosity-Based Questions
• [00:16:51] Overcome Ego and Internal Narrative to Listen With Intent
• [00:21:20] AI Implementation Requires Technology, Process, and People Alignment
• [00:27:57] HR's Opportunity to Reinvent Work Through AI Transformation
• [00:35:30] Real-Time Engagement Intelligence and Mass Personalization Examples
• [00:39:50] Prioritize Listening Over Speed to Accelerate Performance
• [00:43:33] The 90-Second Rule: Undivided Attention Accelerates Decisions
• [00:46:52] Shift From Answer Mode to Curiosity and Inquiry Mode
• [00:47:30] Key Takeaways: Listen, Lead, and Transform
  
  

Quotes:

1. "The real power in leadership isn't around knowing the answers. It's really around learning how to ask better questions and really listen with intent and purpose to the people you're asking those questions of."
2. "The best way that I know of how to bridge the gap between strategy and frontline insights is by training, teaching, and encouraging leaders within the organization to become leader coaches."
3. "Trust is built over time through repeated observance of human actions. So leaders just need to remember to be human first."
4. "Slowing down to listen now prevents you from slowing down later to fix and rework what you missed earlier."

Episode Resources:

• Ken Finneran on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-finneran/ 
• Brightstar.ai on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/brightstarai/ 
• Sean Fitzpatrick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-j-fitzpatrick/?originalSubdomain=ca 
• TalentMap Website: https://talentmap.com/ 

💬 Comment below your favorite part!

Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Joe Quinn, Chief Operating Officer at Covenant HR, to share transformative leadership and employee engagement through intentional listening practices, strategic retention initiatives, and the power of regular check-ins.

What You’ll Learn:

• How to implement the "15-Minute Weekly Check-in" framework that boosts engagement by 13%
• Why asking "What did you love working on?" creates more authentic conversations than annual reviews
• The retention measurement system that holds managers accountable through bonus structures
• How to use exit interviews strategically to identify leadership effectiveness
• Why transparent communication of survey results drives higher response rates
• How AI can transform HR processes while maintaining the human touch in recruitment and engagement
  
  

Joe Quinn is the Chief Operating Officer at Covenant HR, bringing vast experience as a seasoned HR professional across Fortune 500 and mid-sized technology firms. With a distinguished career spanning leadership roles, mergers and acquisitions, and cultural transformation initiatives, Joe has established himself as an expert in employee engagement and organizational development. Previously serving in CHRO positions at various organizations, including Medco Health Solutions (now Express Scripts), he has achieved notable success in improving retention rates and implementing effective listening strategies that saved companies millions in turnover costs.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do so are here: https://www.fame.so/follow-rate-review 
Highlights and YouTube Chapters:

• [00:00] Introduction
• [01:50] The Marcus Buckingham Influence
• [05:22] Follow-Up Builds Trust
• [08:59] Retention Metrics by Manager
• [13:25] Onboarding Woes and Cultural Red Flags
• [17:57] The Middle Manager Squeeze
• [21:37] Celebrating Success at 90 Days
• [24:32] From Feedback to Follow-Through
• [30:14] HR Skills in Sales Role
• [35:24] How AI Supercharged Recruiting
• [41:29] Real-Time Feedback on Sales Calls with AI
• [45:15] Want Loyal Employees? Start by Actually Listening

Quotes:

• “Whether it's in your professional life or your personal life, think of yourself as the chief listening officer.”
• “The biggest failure of leadership is not acting on what they've learned, following up, and following through.”
• “If you listen to what they tell you and if they give you a couple of things that they need you to do to help them, it's all about follow-up and follow.”

Episode Resources:

• Joe Quinn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-quinn/ 
• Covenant HR on LinkedIn: https://www.covenant-hr.com/ 
• Sean Fitzpatrick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-j-fitzpatrick/?originalSubdomain=ca 
• TalentMap Website: https://talentmap.com/ 

💬 Comment below your favorite part!

Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Christopher D. Lee, Managing Director at Storbeck Search, to discuss how leaders can build genuine listening cultures through structured, regular dialogue.

What You’ll Learn:

• How to implement the "Performance Conversations Method" for regular, structured employee check-ins
• The Three Essential Questions framework for productive employee discussions
• Why separating performance improvement from compensation discussions leads to better outcomes
• How to prepare both managers and employees for meaningful feedback conversations
• Why treating employees as individuals, not just performers, unlocks human potential
  
  

Dr. Christopher D. Lee is the Managing Director of Storbeck Search and a seasoned HR professional who has served as CHRO for five institutions, including William & Mary and Virginia's Community College System. With over two decades of experience in higher education leadership and human resources, he is also a Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel and acclaimed author of "Performance Conversations," pioneering a revolutionary approach to employee feedback and development. Dr. Lee is known for his groundbreaking work in transforming traditional performance management systems into dynamic, conversation-based approaches that build trust and drive results.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do so are here: https://www.fame.so/follow-rate-review 

Highlights and YouTube Chapters:

• [00:00] Introduction
• [01:38] A Better Way to Listen
• [05:14] Goodbye Ratings, Hello Conversations
• [09:34] The Speed of Trust
• [13:49] The Three Magical Questions
• [20:32] The Magnificent Seven
• [27:51] Customize by Culture
• [29:59] Prepping Employees, Too
• [36:05] Anonymous Feedback and One-On-One Talks
• [39:55] Why Star Leaders Don’t Need Scripts

Quotes:

• “The performance conversations method is a series of brief, structured conversations about things that matter the most; a planned series of conversation at some interval. And those intervals, I would recommend, are between four and sixteen weeks, depending upon two factors.”
  
  
• “The Performance Conversation Method manages both the person and the professional because you cannot manage me if you don't know me. Giving this feedback to Chris yields different results than providing the same feedback to Sean, due to the people involved and the relationship.”
  
  
• “Great leaders create great employees. So it's a series of plain conversations.”
  
  
• “You cannot manage me if you don't know me. That's what relationship and rapport is important.”
  
  

Episode Resources:

• Christopher D. Lee on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cdleephd/ 
• Storbeck Search on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dsg-storbeck/about/ 
• Performance Conversations: https://www.amazon.com/Performance-Conversations-Productivity-Confidence-Appraisals/dp/158644669X 
• Sean Fitzpatrick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-j-fitzpatrick/?originalSubdomain=ca 
• TalentMap Website: https://talentmap.com/ 

💬 Comment below your favorite part!Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Greg Waechter, Managing Partner at Super Simple HR, to unpack how to build scalable, human-centered HR practices that actually work, reduce administrative burden by 60%, and boost employee engagement by 40%.

What You’ll Learn:

• How to implement a continuous feedback system that replaces outdated annual reviews
• The three core pillars of employee satisfaction
• Why simplicity beats complexity when scaling HR systems and culture
• How to support middle managers through tools, training, and practical frameworks
• Why treating HR as a product strategy can lead to better employee outcomes
• How to align HR systems with company values while maintaining authenticity
  
  

Greg Waechter is the Managing Partner at Super Simple HR, where he specializes in helping high-growth startups build lean, human-centered people operations. With over 20 years of HR experience, including leading organizations through three IPOs and four exits, Greg has demonstrated expertise in scaling companies from 50 to 500+ employees while reducing administrative burden by 60% and increasing employee engagement by 40%. His approach focuses on three core pillars: fair compensation, growth opportunities, and meaningful recognition.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do so are here: https://www.fame.so/follow-rate-review 
Highlights and YouTube Chapters:

• [00:00] Introduction
• [02:14] From IPOs to Independency
• [04:23] Seeing Around Corners
• [07:44] The 3 Pillars of Employee Satisfaction
• [10:09] Job Architecture and Clarity
• [14:28] The Danger of Inaction
• [18:56] Culture Isn’t a Poster
• [22:08] Rethinking Performance Management
• [27:45] Coaching the Uncoached
• [30:42] The Middle Manager Crunch
• [37:12] Gen Z, Screens, and Soft Skills
• [38:38] Building Trust as an HR Consultant
• [46:00] Mindset Shift for HR

Quotes:

• “From an HR perspective, what are the programs, processes, philosophies of tenants? So, it's typically going to be some sort of performance management system. And I don't mean annual reviews. I'm really talking about feedback mechanisms.”
  
  
• “Think about HR in people stuff as a product role, a product strategy, where your product is your people.”
  
  
• “If you truly wanna make an impact on the business, you gotta focus on your employees and make sure you're giving them what they want.”
  
  
• “I tell founders when they're trying to keep their culture strong through growth, you have to talk about something about culture every single meeting, every single communication point, to the point that you're gonna be so sick of talking that you're gonna wanna beat your head against the wall.”
  
  

Episode Resources:

• Greg Waechter on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregwaechter/ 
• Super Simple HR on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/super-simple-hr/ 
• Sean Fitzpatrick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-j-fitzpatrick/?originalSubdomain=ca 
• TalentMap Website: https://talentmap.com/ 

💬 Comment below your favorite part!Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Priyanki Amroliwala, Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition for 42 North Dental, to explore why culture matters more than perks in healthcare recruitment, how to effectively navigate rural hiring challenges, and the importance of slowing down the hiring process to ensure better long-term fits.

What You’ll Learn:

• How to shift from transactional recruiting to relationship-based hiring that drives long-term retention
• Why slowing down the hiring process leads to better matches and reduced turnover
• How to effectively sell rural healthcare opportunities by focusing on lifestyle benefits and earning potential
• Why culture fit matters more than perks, and how to assess it during interviews
• How to maintain recruiter wellbeing through mindfulness and work-life balance strategies
  
  

Priyanki Amroliwala is the Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition for 42 North Dental, where she leads recruitment strategy for over 100 dental practices across the Northeast. With more than a decade of healthcare recruiting expertise, she has established herself as a thought leader in dental talent acquisition through her consulting work at Healthcare Talent Solutions and role on the editorial board of Group Dentistry Now. Since 2015, Priyanki has been instrumental in developing innovative recruitment approaches that emphasize culture, trust, and team dynamics over traditional transactional hiring methods.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do so are here: https://www.fame.so/follow-rate-review 


Highlights and YouTube Chapters:

• [00:00] Introduction
• [02:40] It’s Not About the Party, It’s About the Hard Days
• [06:36] Slow Down to Speed Up
• [10:50] Interviewing Beyond the Resume
• [14:28] Culture Is in the Details
• [18:35] The Employer Brand vs. Reality Gap
• [24:25] Reframing Rural Hiring
• [34:44] Staying Grounded in a High-Pressure Field
• [39:36] The #1 Mindset Shift for Hiring

Quotes:

• “Gone are the days when it's the candidate that needs the job. In the dental industry, we're in need of that candidate.”
• “Take your time to interview. Don't just quickly meet a candidate for five or ten minutes. Spend a full hour, sit down with someone and get to know them.”
• “Most hiring teams have communication gaps during the interview process. If you can just bridge that communication gap and really make sure that you set the expectations and the tone from the beginning, they'll know what they're getting into.”
• “Don't hire out of desperation. Get to know the candidate. Any position it is, they are all important positions.”

Episode Resources:

• Priyanki Amroliwala on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/priyanki/ 
• 42 North Dental on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/42northdental/ 
• Sean Fitzpatrick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-j-fitzpatrick/?originalSubdomain=ca 
• TalentMap Website: https://talentmap.com/ 

💬 Comment below your favorite part!

Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick is joined by Phillip Wilson, CEO of LRI Consulting and founder of Approachable Leadership, to explore why approachability is the true foundation of leadership. They dive into the three essential habits of approachable leaders, the transformative “Hero Assumption” mindset, and practical tools to prevent workplace conflict. Discover how closing the power gap between leaders and teams creates stronger relationships, a better culture, and lasting organizational success.
What You’ll Learn:

• How approachability serves as the foundational component of strong leadership
  
  
• Three essential habits of approachable leaders: openness, understanding, and support
  
  
• Why the "Hero Assumption" mindset transforms leader-team relationships
  
  
• How to use the "Stop, Listen, Confirm" technique to demonstrate active listening
  
  
• How to recognize signs that you may not be as approachable as you think
  
  
• The connection between approachability and preventing workplace conflicts
  
  
• Why seeking and accepting feedback is crucial for leadership development
  
  
• The importance of believing in your team's potential to create positive outcomes
  
  

Phillip B. Wilson is CEO and General Counsel of LRI Consulting Services, Inc. (LRICS) and Approachable Leadership, organisations dedicated to building extraordinary workplaces that boost engagement and reduce turnover. Author of seven books, including Left of Boom, The Approachability Playbook, and his upcoming The Leader-Shift Playbook (April 2025)—Phil is a sought-after keynote speaker on leadership, employee retention, and labour relations. Featured in outlets such as Fox Business, The New York Times, and Forbes, he also brings expertise as a former congressional expert witness.
If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do so are here: https://www.fame.so/follow-rate-review 

Highlights & YouTube Chapters:

• 00:00 Stop, Listen, Confirm: A Powerful Leadership Tool
• 02:40 What Makes a Leader Truly Approachable?
• 09:31 Three Essential Habits of Approachable Leaders
• 12:36 The Stop-Listen-Confirm Framework for Better Listening
• 17:18 Why Frontline Supervisors Face the Toughest Leadership Challenge
• 20:08 The Hero Assumption: A Revolutionary Leadership Mindset
• 30:51 Preventing Labor Issues Through Better Leadership
• 36:28 Three Signs You're Not as Approachable as You Think
• 39:14 Key Takeaways: Making the Hero Assumption Work

Quotes:

1. "Being approachable means your teammates feel safe and comfortable coming to you if they've got a suggestion, if they've got a concern, they feel comfortable coming to you, their leader."
2. "If you are approachable, you have vastly different outcomes than if they say you're not, and you get a little bit of a pass for the rest of the stuff that leaders are supposed to do."
   
   
3. "The people who are willing to give you that tough feedback, those are gifts in your life, and how do you get more of those gifts? You have to ask for them."
   
   

Episode Resources:

• Phillip Wilson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pbwilson/ 
• LRI Consulting Services Website: https://lrionline.com/ 
• Sean Fitzpatrick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-j-fitzpatrick/?originalSubdomain=ca 
• TalentMap Website: https://talentmap.com/ 

💬 Comment below your favorite part!Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Greg Roche, founder of Retention Rewards and longtime Total Rewards leader. Today, we explore why people leave long before they resign, why counteroffers rarely work, and how simple, intentional conversations across the organization can create the kind of culture people don’t want to leave. 

What You’ll Learn:

• Why do people leave months before they resign
  
  
• How internal networking boosts retention and mobility
  
  
• Why counteroffers fail and what to do instead
  
  
• The five-step playbook for building a relationship-first culture
  
  
• How listening (not surveys) becomes a core leadership skill
  
  
• Why retention is a systems problem, not a one-time fix
  
  

Greg Roche is the founder of Retention Rewards and creator of The Introverted Networker, a coaching platform helping people build authentic connections at work. With more than 20 years of experience leading Total Rewards strategies through mergers, transformations, and growth phases, Greg has served in roles across compensation, benefits, and HR analytics. He now teaches organizations how to build cultures of connection, where trust, not transactions, drives employee engagement.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do so are here: https://www.fame.so/follow-rate-review 
Highlights & YouTube Chapters:

• [00:00] Introduction
• [03:21] From SAP to HR: Greg’s Unlikely Career Path
• [07:02] What Total Rewards Really Means
• [11:26] Why Counteroffers Don’t Work
• [13:10] Crossing the Line: The Real Moment People Decide to Leave
• [16:38] Internal Networking and Talent Visibility
• [23:18] Building Connection in a Hybrid World
• [29:05] The Leadership Habit That Builds Trust
• [33:08] Why Mentorship Should Be Employee-Led
• [38:28] Turning Surveys into Dialogue
• [45:55] Greg’s 5-Step Playbook for a Relationship-First Culture
• [47:48] Listening as a Core Value
• [48:54] How to Reach Greg

Quotes:

• “By the time someone hands in their resignation, they have already left two or three months ago.”
  
  
• “It doesn't matter how much you pay them. If they feel disconnected from the organization... nothing you pay them is gonna keep them.”
  
  
• “Listening is our core value. That it is one of the most important things we can do.”
  
  

Episode Resources:

• Greg Roche’s Website: https://www.retentionandrewards.com/
  
  
• Greg Roche on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregsroche/
  
  
• The Introverted Networker: https://theintrovertednetworker.substack.com/
  
  
• Sean Fitzpatrick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-j-fitzpatrick/?originalSubdomain=ca 
  
  
• TalentMap Website: https://talentmap.com/ 
  
  

💬 Comment below your favorite part!



Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Michael VanDervort, a seasoned labor relations strategist and trusted voice in the employee experience space, to discuss how organizations can build extraordinary workplaces through better employee relations, whether unionized or not.

What You’ll Learn:

• How to transform labor relations from risk management to relationship building
  
  
• Why approachability is the key leadership trait for preventing union organizing
  
  
• How to create effective listening systems beyond annual surveys
  
  
• Why responding to feedback matters more than collecting it
  
  
• The critical role of middle managers in building employee trust and engagement
  
  
• Why organizational culture change must start with executive commitment and modeling
  
  

Michael VanDervort is a seasoned labor relations strategist and trusted voice in the employee experience space. He’s also a key voice behind LRI Consulting Services and HR Acuity, where he leads communications, content, and events focused on building extraordinary workplaces. With over 35 years of experience in labor and employee relations, including roles at the United States Postal Service and various private sector organizations, he brings a unique perspective from both union and management positions. Michael is also Co-Host of The Left of Boom Show and Drive Thru HR.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do so are here: https://www.fame.so/follow-rate-review 
Highlights and YouTube Chapters:

• [00:00] Introduction
  
  
• [02:53] From Law School to Labor Relations
  
  
• [05:18] Is Labor Relations More Collaborative Today?
  
  
• [10:49] What Makes a Workplace Extraordinary
  
  
• [13:47] The Approachable Leadership Training Philosophy
  
  
• [17:31] Union vs. Non-Union Listening Cultures
  
  
• [28:01] When Surveys Fail and How to Fix Them
  
  
• [31:03] Why Leaders Don’t Close the Loop
  
  
• [36:39] If I Were a CEO…
  
  
• [39:36] The Hero Assumptions

Quotes:

• “Trust your people, know your people, assume the best. That doesn't mean everybody's great or everybody's perfect, but don't manage your business because of the bad apples.”
  
  
• “If leaders are approachable, that's like one of the biggest, best starting points.”
  
  
• “Unionized companies do not necessarily have bad labor relations. Unions and companies don't necessarily have to hate each other.”

Episode Resources:

• Michael VanDervort on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelvandervort/ 
  
  
• HR Acuity on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hr-acuity/ 
  
  
• LRI Consulting Services on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/labor-relations-institute/ 
  
  
• The Left of Boom Show: https://podcasts.apple.com/pt/podcast/the-left-of-boom-show/id1740403761 
  
  
• Drive Thru HR: https://drivethruhr.online/ 
  
  
• Sean Fitzpatrick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-j-fitzpatrick/?originalSubdomain=ca 
  
  
• TalentMap Website: https://talentmap.com/ 

💬 Comment below your favorite part!



Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so