Workforce Therapy Files

The Workforce Therapy Files team attended the 2025 Kentucky SHRM Conference, in Louisville. We took the opportunity to interview over 20 professionals who stopped by our booth.

Jamie and Molley sat down to interview Kelly Hunt HR Manager for Perry Distributors, in Hazard, Kentucky. Kelly brings 20 years of combined leadership and HR experience to the discussion. She explained how her primary motivation for working in human resources is people. People build the business, and once the right individuals are hired, it becomes the employer's job to build them up. They discussed how the HR role is challenging, sometimes requiring professionals to act as a "babysitter" when employees bring personal issues, like stomach pain or a toothache, to the office. Kelly commented that HR work must always be proactive, not reactive, meaning professionals need to be ready for anything that comes their way.

When discussing employee appreciation, Kelly emphasized that you have to know your people, because appreciation looks different for each individual. It could be as simple as always giving someone a high five, or it could mean providing a confidential space where they can vent, or even "kick, scream, and cry" if needed. You take a template approach to everyone. Finally, Kelly offered the next guest the question: "Why did you choose to be in HR or did it choose you?".

To learn more, visit:

· Website: https://pdiperrydistributors.com

Kelly Hunt, thanks for stopping by to speak with us!

That's where we'll leave the conversation for today. Before we close the file, we invite you to reach out to us with questions, suggestions or other comments. We'd love to hear from you.

Need Help Supporting Your Company's Recruiting and Staffing Goals?

We're here to help. You can contact us via our individual websites, depending on your specific needs or questions:

· Jamie Swaim, SPHR – www.ParcelKnows.com

· Molley Ricketts – www.IncipioWorks.com

· Jason Heflin – www.CrowdSouth.com

We hope you found this file insightful and helpful. Thank you for listening!

The Workforce Therapy Files team attended the 2025 Kentucky SHRM Conference, in Louisville. We took the opportunity to interview over 20 professionals who stopped by our booth.

The team interviews Eric Williamson, one of the keynote speakers, and author of How to Work with Jerks and co-author of When Work Works. Eric joined the KYSHRM Conference to help HR leaders mitigate workplace friction and help organizations prevent people from becoming a jerk in the first place. He stressed that while people often point fingers at others, we must be self-reflective because everyone has been the jerk at some point. Eric recommends practicing "the art of recognition," by centering on emotional self-awareness and tuning into what your body and the situation are signaling. A tip is to leave the ego at the door and constantly solicit feedback from employees and colleagues, doing a "pulse check" early and often, rather than waiting for formal reviews. Leaders should consider approaching difficult relationships with curiosity, asking how things could be done differently, instead of judgment.

Eric's mission is deeply personal, stemming from his experience as an "expert jerk who turned jerk expert" after both working for a boss who embarrassed him and realizing his own arrogance toward his mentor nearly cost him his job. Talented people quit because they couldn't figure out how to manage difficult relationships, emphasizing the need to look internally for better outcomes. The ultimate tool for navigating conflict, according to Eric, is vulnerability. Removing the guard that makes you appear inadequate gives others confidence and shows them it is okay to not have all the answers. Keeping with the theme of difficult relationship management, Eric left the following question for the next guest: "What's one small action you'll take to build a relationship with someone you don't like?"

To learn more, visit:

· Website: www.tailoredtrainingsolutions.com

Eric Williamson, thanks for stopping by to speak with us!

That's where we'll leave the conversation for today. Before we close the file, we invite you to reach out to us with questions, suggestions or other comments. We'd love to hear from you.

Need Help Supporting Your Company's Recruiting and Staffing Goals?

We're here to help. You can contact us via our individual websites, depending on your specific needs or questions:

· Jamie Swaim, SPHR – www.ParcelKnows.com

· Molley Ricketts – www.IncipioWorks.com

· Jason Heflin – www.CrowdSouth.com

We hope you found this file insightful and helpful. Thank you for listening!

The Workforce Therapy Files team attended the 2025 Kentucky SHRM Conference, in Louisville. We took the opportunity to interview over 20 professionals who stopped by our booth.

The team interviews Charles Duke, the HR Administrator for the Kentucky Historical Society, based in Lexington. He describes himself as an "inspirational leadership type of HR professional." The KHS was coping with a unique situation: its 60 employees had operated for 7 years without an HR person, relying on the Personnel Cabinet for onboarding and discipline. Charles came to the interview prepared. He used the museum's website to create a portfolio of ideas for each department, ultimately turning the interview into a conversation built on competence.

Charles also shares his extensive background, which included 30 years in the Air Force. When asked what he looks for in a candidate, he immediately answered, "authenticity," explaining that he needs to see the same energy displayed during the interview applied to the rest of the job.

Charles believes the HR professional's job is to put the "human" back in HR by handling employee relations and clarifying thought processes. That essential human element and relationship-building can't be done by AI or other staff, like a curator.

Finally, Charles leaves the following question for the next guest: What do you think qualifies you to be a human resources professional?

To learn more, visit:

· Website: www.history.ky.gov

Charles Duke, thanks for stopping by to speak with us!

That's where we'll leave the conversation for today. Before we close the file, we invite you to reach out to us with questions, suggestions or other comments. We'd love to hear from you.

Need Help Supporting Your Company's Recruiting and Staffing Goals?

We're here to help. You can contact us via our individual websites, depending on your specific needs or questions:

· Jamie Swaim, SPHR – www.ParcelKnows.com

· Molley Ricketts – www.IncipioWorks.com

· Jason Heflin – www.CrowdSouth.com

We hope you found this file insightful and helpful. Thank you for listening!

The Workforce Therapy Files team attended the 2025 Kentucky SHRM Conference, in Louisville. We took the opportunity to interview over 20 professionals who stopped by our booth.

Jason Heflin, CEO of CrowdSouth interviews Jack Crowdis, Business Development Manager for PayFWDs, based in Louisville. Jack explains that while their payroll platform is similar to the big national providers, they bring a highly consultative approach. PayFWDs builds systems customized specifically around people, aiming to get the setup right. That may be a different experience from what the client has seen elsewhere. Each client gets a dedicated customer service representatives. PayFWDs serves clients across 48 states.

Jack comments the greatest hurdle they encounter is convincing prospective clients that switching payroll providers won't be a daunting process. PayFWDs tackles this by assuming the burden of the transfer, pulling necessary data for the client. They perform a full tax audit upfront and guarantee in their contract to pay any notice resulting from issues they should have caught.

Jason asks Jack to provide a question for the next interview. Jack asks, "What is the number one thing that drives revenue? Is it customer service, pricing, etc.?"

To learn more, visit:

· Website: www.payfwds.com

Jack Crowdis, thanks for stopping by to speak with us!

That's where we'll leave the conversation for today. Before we close the file, we invite you to reach out to us with questions, suggestions or other comments. We'd love to hear from you.

Need Help Supporting Your Company's Recruiting and Staffing Goals?

We're here to help. You can contact us via our individual websites, depending on your specific needs or questions:

· Jamie Swaim, SPHR – www.ParcelKnows.com

· Molley Ricketts – www.IncipioWorks.com

· Jason Heflin – www.CrowdSouth.com

We hope you found this file insightful and helpful. Thank you for listening!

The Workforce Therapy Files team attended the 2025 Kentucky SHRM Conference, in Louisville. We took the opportunity to interview over 20 professionals who stopped by our booth.

Jason Heflin, CEO of CrowdSouth interviews Jeremy Jacobs, Founder of UnDesked. They discussed critical challenges in workforce development, especially with regard to frontline employees. Jeremy explained that while traditional office workers are equipped with resources like laptops and Microsoft Teams, 80% of the global population in the workforce, or 2.7 billion people, are "undesked" and lack access to a dedicated computer. This gap creates significant problems for organizations related to onboarding, training, daily job assignments, and providing access to necessary resources. UnDesked offers a solution as the only frontline productivity platform, essentially functioning as "Frontline 365" for these deskless workers.

In terms of scalability, while most clients are 50 people or larger, UnDesked serves massive clients like Berry Global, which operates 600 facilities with over 100,000 employees. The platform offers a significant financial value, costing only $5 per employee per month for the first year, which is even cheaper than securing email from Microsoft. Unlike complicated ERP systems that require lengthy implementation, UnDesked is designed for quick adoption, allowing clients to be up and running and communicating with workers within a week.

Jacobs revealed that the worst professional advice he received, often from trusted individuals, was the generalized suggestion to "just go to college and get a good job," advice that would have contradicted his nature as an entrepreneur. Finally, Jeremy provides a question for the next podcast guest, "What specific "puzzle" or non-typical issue keeps them up at night?" He clarifies that the answer should be more interesting than general work stress.

To learn more, visit:

· Website: www.UnDesked.com

Jeremy Jacobs, thanks for stopping by to speak with us!

That's where we'll leave the conversation for today. Before we close the file, we invite you to reach out to us with questions, suggestions or other comments. We'd love to hear from you.

Need Help Supporting Your Company's Recruiting and Staffing Goals?

We're here to help. You can contact us via our individual websites, depending on your specific needs or questions:

· Jamie Swaim, SPHR – www.ParcelKnows.com

· Molley Ricketts – www.IncipioWorks.com

· Jason Heflin – www.CrowdSouth.com

We hope you found this file insightful and helpful. Thank you for listening!

The Workforce Therapy Files team attended the 2025 Kentucky SHRM Conference, in Louisville. We took the opportunity to interview over 20 professionals who stopped by our booth.

At the 2025 KYSHRM Conference, Rusty Steele, HR Director for Oxmoor Auto Group, joins Jason Heflin of CrowdSouth to discuss how effective communication and employee engagement drive long-term success in a fast-paced industry. Rusty explains how Oxmoor focuses on creating a positive culture across multiple dealerships, by focusing on transparency, teamwork, and genuine care for employees. He shares how leadership's commitment to listening and adapting has helped them attract and retain top talent in a competitive market. Jason and Rusty discuss how consistency, recognition, and accountability shape Oxmoor's workplace values. This is an example of how a large organization can stay people-focused, while continuing to grow.

As the conversation concludes, Brian provides a question for the next guest at the conference: "Why do you wake up in the morning? Why are you doing this?". He explains that while everyone works for money, life is "too short to do something that you hate". Brian comments that if work is not someone's passion, they should find their passion, because it would be much better to get paid for doing something you love.

To learn more, visit:

· Website: www.oxmoorautogroup.com

Rusty Steele, thanks for stopping by to speak with us!

That's where we'll leave the conversation for today. Before we close the file, we invite you to reach out to us with questions, suggestions or other comments. We'd love to hear from you.

Need Help Supporting Your Company's Recruiting and Staffing Goals?

We're here to help. You can contact us via our individual websites, depending on your specific needs or questions:

· Jamie Swaim, SPHR – www.ParcelKnows.com

· Molley Ricketts – www.IncipioWorks.com

· Jason Heflin – www.CrowdSouth.com

We hope you found this file insightful and helpful. Thank you for listening!

The Workforce Therapy Files team attended the 2025 Kentucky SHRM Conference, in Louisville. We took the opportunity to interview over 20 professionals who stopped by our booth.

In this segment, Jason interviews Brian Ingle. He's the Executive Director of Planning and Management for the State Auditor's Office. Brian adds that his passion lies in leadership, training new leaders, and helping supervisors transition from being button pushers to being true leaders of people.

Brian discusses how the transition from a specialized role to a supervisory position is a big shift. To help new supervisors succeed and prevent them from failing during this transition, he created an acronym designed for the first 90 days in the role: RELAX.

The RELAX Acronym for New Supervisors:

1. R (Role): New supervisors must understand that their role is going to change. It is no longer about pushing buttons; instead, leaders must add value to people and help them to push the buttons better.

2. E (Engagement): This component emphasizes relationship building, as leadership is relationship. Engagement means getting to know employees on an individual level, including personal details such as the names of their spouse, how many children they have, and their important days. Brian notes that if leaders invest in their people, the people will invest in them.

3. L (Link up): In the first 90 days, leaders need to conduct many meetings, not because people love meetings, but to foster the relationship piece. During these meetings, expectations must be clearly articulated: the leader's expectations of themselves, their expectations of the employee, and the employee's expectations of the leader and of themselves. Brian points out that people often have expectations—even if they claim not to—which surface when they go home and say, "it's not what I expected". Therefore, the link up process requires putting those expectations into words.

4. A (A): Ingle was unable to recall the "A" component during the recording, though the host suggested they might discuss it if Brian were to return as a full episode guest.

5. X (X factor): The "X factor" is the unique quality the individual brings to the role, the reason they were hired. Brian stresses that new leaders should avoid trying to fill the shoes of their predecessor or trying to be like everyone else. He encourages tapping into this unique factor because the organization may have hired the person specifically because they are different. He quotes Andy Stanley: "Your marginally improved weaknesses will never be as great as your fully exploited strengths." Leaders should play to their strengths and not be afraid to be unique, as they might be in that position precisely to say that thing, to think that thought, to have that idea. Jason agreed that the X factor is essential because everybody brings something different to the table and can improve things in their own way.

Question for the Next Guest:

As the conversation concludes, Brian provides a question for the next guest at the conference: "Why do you wake up in the morning? Why are you doing this?". He explains that while everyone works for money, life is "too short to do something that you hate". Brian suggests that if work is not someone's passion, they should find their passion, noting that it would be much better to get paid for doing what you love.

To learn more, visit:

· Website: www.auditor.ky.gov/Pages/index.aspx

Brian Ingle, thanks for stopping by to speak with us!

That's where we'll leave the conversation for today. Before we close the file, we invite you to reach out to us with questions, suggestions or other comments. We'd love to hear from you.

Need Help Supporting Your Company's Recruiting and Staffing Goals?

We're here to help. You can contact us via our individual websites, depending on your specific needs or questions:

· Jamie Swaim, SPHR – www.ParcelKnows.com

· Molley Ricketts – www.IncipioWorks.com

· Jason Heflin – www.CrowdSouth.com

We hope you found this file insightful and helpful. Thank you for listening!

The Workforce Therapy Files team attended the 2025 Kentucky SHRM Conference, in Louisville. We took the opportunity to interview over 20 professionals who stopped by our booth.

In this segment, Jamie and Jason interview Kevin Finley. He's an HR Generalist, with Denham-Blythe Company, a design-build general contractor specializing in industrial and heavy commercial construction. Kevin talks about how Denham-Blythe is adapting to future leadership challenges by implementing a successful beta test for a flexible work model for their office staff. This model was later implemented throughout the company. He also explains the company's leadership model, where ownership is transferred internally, ensuring minimal culture shift.

To learn more, visit:

· Denham-Blythe Company: www.denhamblythe.com

Kevin Finley, thanks for stopping by to speak with us!

That's where we'll leave the conversation for today. Before we close the file, we invite you to reach out to us with questions, suggestions or other comments. We'd love to hear from you.

Need Help Supporting Your Company's Recruiting and Staffing Goals?

We're here to help. You can contact us via our individual websites, depending on your specific needs or questions:

· Jamie Swaim, SPHR – www.ParcelKnows.com

· Molley Ricketts – www.IncipioWorks.com

· Jason Heflin – www.CrowdSouth.com

We hope you found this file insightful and helpful. Thank you for listening!

The Workforce Therapy Files team attended the 2025 Kentucky SHRM Conference, in Louisville. We took the opportunity to interview over 20 professionals who stopped by our booth.

In this segment, Molley interviews Nelson Caudill. He's an Employee Benefits Advisor, with USI Insurance Services. Nelson joins the podcast to talk about how USI Insurance Services partners with companies to simplify complex insurance challenges. He describes how their hands-on, analytical process helps clients make smarter decisions about managing risk and employee benefits. Nelson shares examples of how USI's insights have made a tangible difference for businesses of all sizes. It's an easy-to-follow conversation that gives leaders a real sense of what it's like to work with USI.

To learn more, visit:

· USI Insurance Services: www.usi.com

Nelson Caudill, thanks for stopping by to speak with us!

That's where we'll leave the conversation for today. Before we close the file, we invite you to reach out to us with questions, suggestions or other comments. We'd love to hear from you.

Need Help Supporting Your Company's Recruiting and Staffing Goals?

We're here to help. You can contact us via our individual websites, depending on your specific needs or questions:

· Jamie Swaim, SPHR – www.ParcelKnows.com

· Molley Ricketts – www.IncipioWorks.com

· Jason Heflin – www.CrowdSouth.com

We hope you found this file insightful and helpful. Thank you for listening!

The Workforce Therapy Files team attended the 2025 Kentucky SHRM Conference, in Louisville. We took the opportunity to interview over 20 professionals who stopped by our booth.

In this segment, we interview keynote speaker, Dr. Brad Shuck. He gave a talk titled, Built by Us: How HR Is Leading the Future of Work. From the website: "The future of work isn't something we're waiting on – it's something we're building Today. The choices we make. How we show up. How we connect. How we see others. In real time. Human Resources isn't reacting to change anymore. We're leading it."

You may remember Brad from File 16, during which he discussed The 5 Currencies of Work .

To learn more, visit:

Website: www.orgvitals.com

Dr. Brad Shuck, thanks for stopping by to speak with us!

That's where we'll leave the conversation for today. Before we close the file, we invite you to reach out to us with questions, suggestions or other comments. We'd love to hear from you.

Need Help Supporting Your Company's Recruiting and Staffing Goals?

We're here to help. You can contact us via our individual websites, depending on your specific needs or questions:

· Jamie Swaim, SPHR – www.ParcelKnows.com

· Molley Ricketts – www.IncipioWorks.com

· Jason Heflin – www.CrowdSouth.com

We hope you found this file insightful and helpful. Thank you for listening!