We're Only Human

Talking about D&I is nothing new for HR leaders, but what are you actually doing to measure and improve your firm's approach? For some time the need was there to help people see why diversity mattered, but now the conversation has shifted to how to improve results. 

In today's discussion, Ben talks with Stacia Garr of Red Thread Research and Carole Jackson of Mercer to explore the duo's latest research on diversity and inclusion technology in hiring, development, analytics, and more. 

If your firm is thinking about D&I from a practical standpoint, today's discussion is for you. 

Learn more about the report and the research by visiting: http://info.mercer.com/dandItech

Hackathons are often seen as a tool for creating new software products, but did you realize that they could be used to create a more engaged workforce as well? 

In today's show, Ben interviews Toni Eberhart, Executive Director for Urban Engine. In the show, they talk about how things like coworking nights, hackathons, and other social activities can help to crosspollinate ideas and create more satisfaction for technical talent. 

In a time where it's harder than ever to attract and retain highly qualified technical workers and engineers, is a hackathon the secret ingredient to employee engagement? 

Toni recommends that employers look for places, platforms, and programs that allow employees to practice creative autonomy. It's not just about creativity for its own sake, it's about learning, connecting, and collaborating. 

Links: 

Connect with Urban Engine: http://urbanengine.com 

Check out the Artificial Intelligence for HR book

Case study of ADTRAN for using hackathons for employee engagement

If you enjoyed this, be sure to check out episode 8 (enterprise HR innovation) and episode 10 (your employees aren't innovative enough). 

Recent research from CLO Media shows that the number one performance metric reported by Chief Learning Officers for learning initiatives is employee engagement. But is this the right metric? Does engagement truly encapsulate how people learn, the impact on the business, and other critical factors? 

To answer this question, host Ben Eubanks sits down with Sam Herring, VP and General Manager for Intrepid by VitalSource. Sam has a long track record in learning technology and services and a well-rounded outlook on the profession. In the conversation, Ben and Sam talk about the pros and cons of engagement as a learning metric, how mission-focused learning can lead to better results, and the importance of learning journeys. 

If your team is thinking about how learning can partner more closely with the business this year and in the future, Sam's insightful takeaways at the end of the show offer some spectacular guidance to that end. 

Follow Sam on Twitter: https://twitter.com/samuelherring

Check out Intrepid Learning online: https://www.intrepidlearning.com/learning-library 

Check out Ben's newly released book, Artificial Intelligence for HR: http://aihrbook.com/buy 

Today, everyone is fascinated with talking about the "future of work." But who is the future of work? That's right--students. The kids (we're old enough to call them kids, right?) that are coming up behind us are going to truly BE the future of the workplace.

In today's episode of We're Only Human, Ben takes the opportunity to sit down with a long-time friend, Matt Stollak, to talk about these ideas. Matt teaches HR courses at St. Norbert College, and he takes a very different approach to the classroom than most professors.

If you are hiring new HR professionals or if you're looking for ways to train some that you've recently brought on staff, Matt has some great ideas for how to go beyond the academic approach and make it very practical and real. This is *real* learning. Get ready to take notes, because class is in session. 

Connect with Matt on Twitter: http://twitter.com/akabruno

Ask almost any business leader, and they'll tell you that they want their organization to have a culture of learning. However, in today's discussion, Mark Onisk points out that firms often fail at that "squishy" dream because it's not well-defined. Simply setting up a learning portal won't lead to improved results, says Onisk. 

In this episode, Ben talks with Mark about the development of learning as a discipline and how it has changed over time. Mark is the Chief Content Officer at Skillsoft, a company that recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. In the discussion, Ben and Mark look at how to create durable skills for workers, the biggest mistake to avoid when setting up a learning strategy, and how to get business leaders to prioritize skills development. 

If your organization is looking for ways to build a more competitive workforce that is ready for a digital future, this is the episode for you.

Read Mark's blog on how learning will change in the next five years: https://www.skillsoft.com/blog/2018/11/5-ways-corporate-learning-will-change-in-the-next-20-years/

Get the 2019 HCM Trends Report mentioned in the introduction: http://lhra.io/blog/2019-hcm-trends-market-size-investment-priorities/

• To connect with John: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnwtaylorhrexecutive

Recently Amazon announced it had shut down a talent-finding algorithm built by its internal team. Why? Because it was perpetuating bias against women at the tech giant, which is unacceptable in today's work environment. 

With so many bots, algorithms and other tools being used to automate our work and personal lives, it's important to think about how this affects each of us. Is there bias in the algorithms that drive our decisions? If so, how do we mitigate that? 

In today's episode, Ben talks with two IBM leaders with diverse perspectives on AI, bias, and more. Lisa Seacat DeLuca and Amber Grewal both join the show to talk about how they see AI benefiting the workplace but also how to watch for bias and prevent it from creeping into the finished product. 

To learn more, be sure to check out the following resources from IBM: 

Website: https://www.ibm.com/talent-management 

• IBM releases world’s largest annotation dataset for studying bias in facial analysis: https://www.ibm.com/blogs/research/2018/06/ai-facial-analytics/ 

Is learning a priority for your business? It better be. Research shows that learning, development, and growth opportunities are some of the most highly prized components of the employment relationship, and this is even more important when you have an influx of younger workers as the workplace has seen in recent years. 

In today's conversation, Ben interviews Corey Marcel of Docebo to discuss how to tell when learning is a priority for the business as well as what happens if learning takes a back seat (hint: it's not good). 

Additionally, the discussion covers some of the "suite vs. best of breed" debate from recent years and sheds some light on what HR and learning executives should be thinking when they consider this question in their own organization. 

Learn more about Docebo: https://www.docebo.com/

Connect with Corey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreymarcel/ 

"HR should see themselves as the sole source of people exertise in any organization... You don't go to IT to get ideas on how to formulate product. You go to them for [technical] expertise."

How many times do you solve a problem only to have it come back around again? Are you treating the symptom instead of treating the root issue? In today's conversation with Cheree Aspelin, Ben asks about how HR leaders can get beyond this common issue. 

In Cheree's words, HR needs to "buck up" and make some tough choices about how to lead the business and the function. It's an encouraging conversation because Cheree's passion and excitement about HR as a profession come through in her words, tone, and message. 

Connect with Chereee on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chereeaspelin

What about you? Does this resonate? 

Does corporate culture matter? Does it really? In today's interview, Ben talks with Collette Williamson of Southwest Airlines about the company's approach to culture, hiring, and training. It's quickly apparent that culture is about more than just a fluffy set of core values on the wall at corporate headquarters--it's about a way of life that makes the company fundamentally different than the competition. 

In the interview you'll hear from Collette how the company takes that 2% of applicants that make it through the hiring process and helps to mold them into the people that serve and love their customers in an almost fanatical way. The stories will make you laugh (and may just make you cry), so we hope you enjoy the show as much as we did recording it. 

To learn more feel free to reach out to Collette on LinkedIn or, as you might have guessed, check out the Southwest blog site to learn more about the company.