We're Only Human

"Companies can now optimize things like rewards and training and development. HR and the way companies communicate with employees is going to be based on personalization." 

Juan Betancourt, CEO, Humantelligence

We're Only Human -- Episode 119

The "one size fits all" approach is being replaced with the "one size fits one" approach at some of the most forward-thinking companies. 

In your personal life, you expect personalization. Customized movie, dining, or clothing recommendations are becoming the norm. But at work, this hasn't been the case in the past. 

Now, with intelligent technologies, we can personalize how we interact with everyone at work, creating deeper levels of understanding and collaboration. In this episode of We're Only Human, Ben talks with Juan Betancourt of Humantelligence about how the company is enabling these personalized experiences for the workforce and executive leaders. Use cases for personalization include everything from who to fits a job or company to how they learn best to what kinds of rewards they want and so much more. Check out this conversation to learn how you can personalize your approach to your people.

Connect with Juan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juanluisbetancourt/ 

Connect with Humantelligence: https://humantelligence.com/ 

Check out our archives and learn more about the show: https://lhra.io/podcast 

• See the show archives and sign up for episode updates

"It all has to link back to practical insights and practical takeaways about how best we can come through the current crisis together."

Bill Banham, Editor, HR Gazette

We're Only Human -- Episode 118

One of the fun parts of the last year has been connecting with new people, finding new resources, and building new communities. Someone at the heart of that is Bill Banham, editor and publisher at the HR Gazette. As someone who covers things happening in the HR industry, he brings a unique and balanced perspective on what HR leaders can learn about today's business environment. 

In this episode, Ben and Bill talk about the learnings of the last year, what he sees as important for HR leaders to pursue in the coming months, and more. 

Check out the HR Gazette where Bill spends most of his time: https://hr-gazette.com/

• See the show archives and sign up for episode updates

"Listening without solving... Is really important, because the tendency for a lot of people is when somebody comes to you with an issue, the immediate response is to try and find a solution to the problem when in fact that may not be what you need." 

Gordon Simpson, SVP Human Resources, DHL Global Forwarding

We're Only Human -- Episode 117

Work is changing. We all know it. We've seen it. Hiring is more difficult than ever, and predictions are that it will get harder. Retaining talent is critical. Development is essential. 

It's easy to feel like it's a problem that nobody can solve, but in today's conversation, Ben talks with Gordon Simpson of DHL Global Forwarding about how the firm is serving its workforce by putting them first. From shifting to bring PPE into the country during COVID to health concerns with return to work, DHL is adapting to meet the challenges its people face and supporting them at the same time. 

Connect with Gordon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gordon-simpson-5731736/ 

See episode archives and learn more about the show: http://lhra.io/podcast 

• See the show archives and sign up for episode updates

"There's a lot of blame going around. Rumors, gossip, people are on their guard.  So this kind of hidden anger and passive aggressiveness that I have seen, [what's] always an eye-opener with clients is how many people need to be CC'd on any given email. So the more people that are CC'd in anything gives you an indication: there's a bit of fear, and so that shows that there's generally low trust." 

Faye Ekong, Managing Director, RavelWorks Africa

We're Only Human -- Episode 116

In the organizational context of change management, it's easy to become frustrated or flustered with people about how they feel about policies and decisions. But as Faye Ekong so clearly illustrates in this conversation on We're Only Human, we should hold them accountable for their actions, not how they feel. 

In addition, Faye shares insights on organizational health (and a lack of it) with examples that will make you smile and nod along with her. Her work in Africa in may ways reflects the work of HR leaders around the globe, and her advice is helpful for driving better change and HR outcomes. 

Connect with Faye and RavelWorks: 

https://www.linkedin.com/company/ravelworks/?originalSubdomain=ke

https://www.linkedin.com/in/faye-ekong/?originalSubdomain=ke

Learn more about We're Only Human, check out past episodes, and more: 

http://lhra.io/podcast 

• See the show archives and sign up for episode updates

"So the nerdy neuroscience about the brain is that your brain can't distinguish between a real-time event or if you visualized it.  But when you when you walk yourself mentally, emotionally, visually through those things, and you just see yourself doing them and being successful, that's the really key piece."

Roger Kitchen, Mental Skills Coach

We're Only Human -- Episode 115

High-performing individuals in music, athletics, and even business use coaches to help them accomplish their goals, but have you ever thought about the importance of mental skills at work? 

For knowledge workers (and HR leaders), the vast majority of performance isn't physical in nature, it's mental. And yet we let ourselves continue doing what we've always done, missing opportunities to create better performance and work habits. 

In this fun interview with Roger Kitchen, a mental skills coach, Ben and Roger dive into the key aspects of creating good work habits, focusing mental performance, and driving better satisfaction and resilience. 

Connect with Roger on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rogerkitchenjr/ 

Learn more about We're Only Human, see previous episodes, and subscribe: http://lhra.io/podcast 

• See the show archives and sign up for episode updates

"What I see is that we're no longer working from home. We're living at work. And so how do we help employees work differently?"

Maribeth Bearfield, Chief Human Resources Officer, Bright Horizons

We're Only Human -- Episode 114

In the last year, employers have struggled with how to support workers in a rapidly changing environment. Even today as some things change, others stay the same. During this episode, Ben talks with Maribeth Bearfield about how she looks at the human side of benefits that her team offers the workforce. 

Learn about the new Horizons program that allows employees to earn a free education, creating new opportunities for the firm's diverse workforce and an exciting legacy of impact on the communities in which it serves. 

Did you know that of the various assets on a balance sheet, people don't show up? After all, they aren't property, equipment, or materials. However, they do show up in the skills and innovation that they bring to the table. Maribeth also talks about the value of intangibles, which is where the value of your people really shine. 

Connect with Maribeth: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/maribeth-nash-bearfield-9002822/ 

Connect with Bright Horizons: 

https://www.brighthorizons.com/ 

• See the show archives and sign up for episode updates

"If this week a leader acknowledges [employee feedback], next week, the person is eight times more likely to participate again than if the leader said nothing the week before." 

Ruby Kolesky, Co-CEO and Head of Product, Joyous

We're Only Human -- Episode 113

What's your stance on employee feedback and anonymity? In today's conversation with Mike and Ruby from Joyous, they share a bold proposal: stop making employee feedback anonymous, because you're telling them that it's something to be worried about. Instead, they advocate for open feedback that can help to identify issues, engage support, and drive the best outcomes. 

In the discussion, the team talks about research they've done among employers asking for and acting upon feedback from their people, and they also talk about what it takes to create the environment where people can share their best ideas with the rest of the organization, making everyone's work (and workplace) better. 

Connect with Mike and Ruby: 

https://joyoushq.com/ 

Ben's favorite Joyous case study: https://joyoushq.com/blog/post/launching-lockdown-genesis 

See the We're Only Human archives, subscribe, and learn more about the show: https://lhra.io/podcast 

• See the show archives and sign up for episode updates

My preference in work was not towards optimizing machinery, but helping optimize work processes for people.

Tim Gardner, Former Organizational Development Consultant at Kimberly-Clark (retired)

We're Only Human -- Episode 112

If you're an introvert in HR, you're not alone. Recently I shared a piece on LinkedIn about introverts in HR and the value of introversion, and the piece received thousands of likes and comments. Apparently my own preference for introversion is in good company!

In today's podcast discussion, Tim Gardner, an admitted introvert and experienced organizational development leader, talks about designing work around people instead of forcing people to bend around the work. His background as an engineer (yes, really!) gives him a unique and powerful perspective on HR, process design, and business operations. 

Towards the end of the discussion, I ask Tim to talk about legacy and impact, and it's a great set of ideas for all of us as we think about the lasting impressions of our work and relationships on the world. 

Connect with Tim: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timjgardner/ 

Learn more about We're Only Human and see show archives: https://lhra.io/were-only-human-podcast/ 

• See the show archives and sign up for episode updates

"The platform was up and running literally weeks after the pandemic hit. And through this platform they saved 2,000 jobs, so it's also about saving jobs by redeploying people effectively when the times are needed."

Jerome Ternynck, Founder and CEO, SmartRecruiters

We're Only Human -- Episode 111

In some brand new research, we found that internal hiring and talent mobility is a key priority for employers in the coming year, and they measure success through increased diversity, lower cost to hire, and better performance and retention. These factors all feed into today's conversation.

In this interview with Jerome Ternynck, Founder and CEO of SmartRecruiters (and one of the  most passionate people about hiring on the planet), we dive into what virtual recruiting looked like in 2020, how employers are adopting internal talent marketplaces to support internal hiring and employee mobility, and what it takes to lead the business as a talent acquisition leader. We also look at SmartRecruiters' intense commitment to equitable hiring and share the playbook SmartRecruiters uses to support these practices internally. 

Resources:

See the DEI hiring playbook: hiringsuccess.com

Check out new research on priorities for 2021/2022 in talent acquisition: https://lhra.io/blog/new-research-virtual-hiring-recruiter-skills-and-internal-mobility/ 

• See the show archives and sign up for episode updates

"I think as HR leaders, one of the biggest things that we have to do is never lose sight of the people."

Erika Lance, SVP of People Operations at KnowBe4

We're Only Human -- Episode 110

According to research, organizations face an average cost of over $3 million for a cybersecurity breach. 

Do we have your attention? In today's episode, Ben talks with Erika Lance of KnowBe4 about the importance of cybersecurity and how HR can play an active role in supporting this critical business issue. At the end of the day, cybersecurity is primarily a people issue more than anything else, and Erika will share tips and strategies for how to make this a priority in your organization. She will also share tips on building better stakeholder relationships with IT and information security teams, which strengthens HR's credibility with the business. 

Learn more: 

knowbe4.com

Connect with Erika on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikalance/

See our archives and subscribe: http://lhra.io/podcast

• See the show archives and sign up for episode updates