Human Resources For Small Business

Are you spending more time with your low performers or high performers? How much time do you spend with each? As managers and employers, you need to spend your time wisely. In this episode, Paige Tamlyn joins us to talk about how managers spend their time and who should they be spending it on. Should you focus more on the low performers to improve their skills, and overcome their weaknesses? Or should you focus on your top ones to unleash more of their strengths?  If you’ve never thought about it, then be sure to listen to this episode and learn where you should invest your time and energy more to create more value for your company, customers, and employees! In this episode, you will learn about: Whom should you focus your time on? How engaged are your top performers? Why you should focus more on your top performers than your low ones Micromanaging your employees Positive reinforcement 9-Box Grid Strategy What did you think of this episode? Give us a 5-star rating and write a review on Apple Podcasts, or ta

We can’t deny that technology has helped us work smarter. Organizations are now using bots to free up their people from administrative tasks to focus on more important humanly tasks. Normally a task that takes us hours to finish, can be done in just a couple of minutes with the help of bots and advanced technologies. In this episode, we’re going to talk about technology and how it elevates our work with Christopher Creel! Chris is the author of the book Adaptive: Scaling Empathy and Trust to Create Workplace Nirvana, a book that’ll help you attract, retain, and utilize your talent to the fullest. He shares how collaborative technologies and smart chatbots are revolutionizing the workplace and culture of a company. He also talks about how technology empowers organizations to become not only efficient in doing work tasks but it also helps people in it become better humans. Moreover, we also touch the issue of a key person’s role, changing company culture and many more! Chris simplifies it all for us - how bots

Mental health awareness has grown more than ever today. But managers, employers, and leaders still have a long way to go in helping their employees get the support they need to deal with mental illness especially in the workplace. How do we help our people feel better and live better? How do we shift their thoughts to make positive choices at work and in life? Join me today as I talk to Karen Millsap on how you can strengthen your mind, change your thoughts, make positive choices and walk a purposeful path so that you can help your employees do the same. Karen is the The Grief Consultant and CEO of Egency, a firm that helps organizations create a human-centric culture with compassion and empathy. She was a former guest on the podcast where she shared how she turned her pain into a purpose to help others. In this episode, Karen is back to share her wisdom on how we can train our brain to stay focused, aware and calm so we can live a better life. She also talks about the STOP & SHIFT models, what is it, and

As social beings, we are wired to connect. It’s part of our DNA. And communication has never been easier than now with the introduction of the internet and social media that allows us to be more interconnected.  Despite all of that, many still feel isolated and disconnected, especially in the workplace. How do we take action and create more engagement at work and connectedness with others? Take the first step in connecting and approaching others in a friendly way as Dr. Melanie Katzman reveals how through her new book “Connect First: 52 Simple Ways to Ignite Success, Meaning, and Joy at Work ”. Dr. Melanie Katzman is a business psychologist, advisor, consultant to the world’s top public and private companies, government agencies,  and nonprofits. She is also the founder of Katzman consulting and the founding partner of the social enterprise Leader’s Quest. In this episode, Dr. Katzman shares 52 actions you can do to forge deeper bonds with your colleagues. These steps are the same techniques she used with lea

Are you successful but strangely feeling empty? Why is it that high-achieving and successful people - despite making great amounts of money and have the respect of their colleagues - still feel unfulfilled? You may be at a certain point in your life where you feel like you’re stuck and you need to get out but for some unknown reason, you don’t know how. In this episode we will dive into how you can reclaim your life back as Maki Moussavi, a transformational coach, speaker, and writer talks about how you can begin your quest to fulfillment, get out of the rut, and bring back the zest that you had when you were just starting and reaching out for your dreams. Maki is the author of the book “The High Achiever’s Guide: Transform Your Success Mindset and Begin the Quest to Fulfilment”. We talk about what it’s like to feel stuck in a rut in spite of being successful. As a former corporate career professional, she knows what it feels like to feel stuck, un-restless, and unfulfilled. She shares through her book the to

According to a report done by Accenture’s Reworking The Revolution, 46% of the executives surveyed said that traditional job descriptions are obsolete as machines take on routine tasks and as people move to project-based work. While 29% of leaders report that they’ve extensively redesigned jobs. The way we’re doing business and work now has totally changed. We can surely say that we are entering a new era of work where people aren’t staying in the same company for a long period of time, many have side hustles, and employers are opting to hire freelancers and contractors. How do we survive all this change and create an adaptable organization for long-term success?  How should we take this talent mobility revolution and turn it to an opportunity? In this episode of Transform of Your Workplace, Brynne Kennedy joins us to talk about strategies and tactics to seize the coming talent mobility revolution through her new book, Flat, Fluid, and Fast: Harness the Talent Mobility Revolution to Drive Employee Engagement,

Admit it. Most business meetings suck - It sucks your time and productivity, especially when run poorly. But it shouldn’t be that way. Meetings are supposed to be opportunities for leaders to shine and lead the team to achieve their targets and improve performance. According to Steven Rogelberg’s research, only 20% of leaders receive training on how to run meetings properly. And so it’s no wonder ineffective meetings are being conducted every time in the workplace. How can we conduct better meetings and utilize time more efficiently? Join me as I speak with Steven Rogelberg, the author of the book “The Surprising Science of Meetings: How You Can Lead Your Team to Peak Performance." In this episode, you'll learn how to run better meetings for your team. Grab a copy of Steven’s book now and start conducting meetings effectively! Click here to know more. In this episode, you will learn about: The reasons behind poorly conducted meetings How to make sure meetings are effective Having intentional leaders and stew

We are not built the same when it comes to receiving feedback in the workplace. What might seem as open and direct to one person can seem completely harsh and really sharp to another. Feedback can sometimes break or make someone. How you deliver it matters greatly. When done in the right way it can be the most effective means of communication and performance for you and your organization. Join me today as we redefine what feedback is with M. Tamra Chandler and Laura Dowling Grealish, the authors of the book Feedback and Other Dirty Words - Why We Fear It, How to Fix It. In this episode, Tamra and Laura explain how feedback got such a negative connotation. They share how we can minimize the bad emotional and physical reactions that destroy trust and halts communication. They also offered helpful solutions, suggestions, as well as new definitions to create a better framework for feedback. We can’t totally get rid of no feedback but we can always redefine it! In this episode, you will learn about: Why feedback

As an employer, you might have a lot of questions about what potential employees look for in a company before they apply. And you may also wonder where to find the best possible candidates. In this episode, HR Generalist Paige Tamlyn returns to the podcast to answer questions people have about recruiting employees and the common questions asked in the workplace. Finding potential candidates for a job and hiring them can be quite a feat, but knowing what potential employees are looking for in a job can make this task easier and reduce the number of people that aren’t qualified for the position. In this episode, you will learn about: What “Ghosting” is all about Things employees look out for in a Job How to create a company handbook The best place to find candidates Whether or not to put a range of pay on your job ad How to deal with Millennials and loneliness at work   About Paige Tamlyn: Paige Tamlyn is an HR Generalist and a project manager on the side. She is a freelance stylist in her free time.  Her int

Diversity is the future. When an organization has a diversified workforce, this meant better productivity, creativity, and stronger company reputation. It puts the company in a competitive edge that can lead to greater reach in the future. This is why many are seeking to employ people from different backgrounds. Regardless of a company's good intentions, diversity efforts still falter if the ones with privilege won't allow others equal access to power. How can we break this norm and shift others into building a sustainable culture of inclusion? How can we establish a commitment and match our intents with our impact? In today’s episode, La’Wana Harris, the author of Diversity Beyond Lip-Service joins us to talk about her book and the topic of diversity and inclusions. We also talk about how organizations can make it safe to have conversations around diversity and inclusions and be aware where we are at and where we want to go. Grab your copy now and learn how you can build a sustainable culture of diversity an

Today, August 29th marks the 200th episode of the Transform Your Workplace podcast and it also happens to be Brandon's 34th birthday. In this episode, Angela Perkins, VP of Sales & Marketing at Xenium HR, join Brandon while he's wrapping up his month-long sabbatical to talk about how the sabbatical is going, learnings from the sabbatical, and how employers might think about using this unique benefit in their workplace.  What did you think of this episode? Give us a 5-star rating and write a review on Apple Podcasts, or take our survey. Contact Brandon: Email Brandon.Laws@xeniumhr.com or connect on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram Learn more about Xenium HR at xeniumhr.com Follow Xenium on Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

You’re super busy at work — your phone's blowing up from the overflowing inbox of notifications, reminders, and chats. There’s so much interruption that you’ve got no time to think. And when you do, you have to stay stuck at the office, working more than 40-hours a week or force yourself to pull an all-nighter to meet unrealistic deadlines.  You don’t even have time to sleep because of your packed schedules and endless meeting.  When weekends come, instead of spending your precious me-time relaxing and having fun, you have those Sunday-afternoon emails to worry about, waiting to be read and dealt with. It’s just crazy!!! But hey, work doesn’t have to be crazy.  It’s true. We can still deliver a fantastic job without making ourselves miserable and insanely working like crazy to meet those so-called “goals.” We can have a productive work environment that lets people do their work in the best way possible. Basecamp is setting a great example of what it’s like to have a calm and productive workplace! How can we a

Juggling workplace stress with the daily pressures of family, friends, hobbies, self, and life in general, is a tough feat for employees to achieve. We’re getting busier than ever and it causes heavy damage to both work and personal lives. Today, Anna Mieners from Cascade Centers, a company that provides counseling services and organizational consultations, joins us again to talk about work-life balance, employee’s wellbeing and preventive programs that benefit both the employer, employee, and the business. Last time we talked about the book - Dying For A Paycheck and how we not die from a paycheck, now we’ll be digging deeper into the work that she does to transform workplaces into an environment where people are happier and healthier. Help your company by helping your employees achieve control and balance in their work and life. In this episode, you will learn about: The nature of Anna’s work and how EAPs provide health and crisis services to organizations Helping people have good work-life balance Trainin

There are people working at different locations and at different times. With the advancement in technology, communication tools also have greatly upgraded. Unlike before, we’re constrained to finding talent locally, but now we can look for them all across the globe. With this, more and more organizations are adopting the “remote workplace”. This meant working from a place where you’re focused and comfortable.  But wait, wouldn’t that result in a decrease in productivity?  Well, you’ll be surprised to know that the answer is quite the opposite according to Kevin Eikenberry the co-author of the book “Long-Distance Leader”. Whether you’re leading a remote team or not, I urge you to listen to this episode as Kevin and I discuss the changes in leadership when you adopt a remote workplace, the challenges, and perks of leading from a distance, how to lead your team remotely, and why working remotely increases productivity and focus!   In this episode, you will learn about: How to lead people who are working remotel

 “I’ve never been happier than I am ever since I embraced change.” ⁠— John Johnson Many of us prefer the easy path. We find comfort in things that we already understand. When things change too quickly, we tend to go back to the way things were. Change doesn't always feel good. It makes us uncomfortable, but it's essential because the world around us is ever-changing. Our fear of trying something new from what we're used to prevents us from growing and reaching our full potential. You can't always stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to reach you. You have to go out and take the initiative sometimes. But how do you get comfortable with change? How do you get okay with being uncomfortable? Here's the thing, we'll never feel comfortable at all times. That's why we need to push our boundaries a little bit. John Johnson, an Employee Benefits Consultant at USI, is here to help you shift yourself into that discomfort zone. Today's episode focuses on helping you help yourself be more comfortable with

Having the right data results in better health outcomes. - Springbuk What if you could identify how many of your employees are at risk of suffering from a disease like stroke, cancer, diabetes, and other health conditions through a software that provides intelligent health data? Sounds great right? It's not very often that we highlight a product within the podcast but this product is just too amazing not to share! In today's episode, I get to talk with Rod Reasen, the guy who founded The Healthiest Employer Award program where Xenium has participated and won every year since its start back in 2008.  He and his team started a software company called Springbuk to address the growing concerns of employers over the rising cost of health and wellness programs. The health intelligence software utilizes employee health data to lessen the cost, prevent diseases, and figure out where to allocate funds to create a healthier workforce. Rod is going to simplify everything on how their software works and why you need to i

"A bravespace workplace is one where people can show up as they are, both perfect and flawed, and do great things together. " — Moe Carrick  Most workplaces are unfit for human life. Many are still miserable at work. Despite the efforts of good leaders and managers in taking care of their people - investing and training them as well as creating an enjoyable workplace, they still fail. Why is that?  Something needs to change to create a win-win situation for both the employee and employer.  This motivated Moe Carrick to write Bravespace Workplace, where she puts everything into perspective. She explores how a lot of employers are treating their employees wrong. She recognizes that people are such a huge component in building a great company.  Our conversation is centered around her book - Bravespace Workspace. In the book, she talks about real-life stories about how companies and organizations are into bringing out the best in their people. We also discuss technology's role in the workplace, the definition of

According to the Department of Labor, 70% of mothers with children under the age of 18 participated in the workforce in 2018. In 1975, that number was just 47%. With more mothers in the workplace today, there are more and more families in which both parents are employed. As a result, many of today’s parents struggle to accomplish those household tasks that would have been completed during the day decades ago by a stay-at-home parent. So, to lure (and retain) working parents, many employers are finding creative ways to accommodate their busy schedules.  As working parents themselves, Lacey Partipilo and Brandon Laws can relate. In this episode, they discuss the demographic trends of parents in the workplace, the specific needs of working parents, and ways employers can make life a bit easier on them. Sign up for the What People Want from Work survey Enroll in Xenium's e-Learning Courses   Connect with Us: What did you think of this episode? Share a review on Apple Podcasts or take our survey. Email Brandon.Law

⁠”The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.”— Albert Einstein Do you ever hear people say “Sunday nights are the worst because Monday is coming up”? If you’re showing up to work but you’re not giving your 100%, that may be a sign that you’re not on the right path. If you don’t like who you’re becoming because you’re on the wrong path, then maybe it’s time to move on to the next chapter. Josh Schneider, the founder of Millennial & Employee Engagement Institute, joins us to discuss his book - 5 Days to Your Best Work Yet: A Human Like Approach to Better Work. In this book, he shares a 5-day guide to finding your path to unleash your best work. Becoming who you want to be is an iterative process, in order to achieve your desired result, you have to go through a cycle of trial and error. But as long as you take the initiative to do your best in the path that you choose then you’re all good! In this episode, you will learn about: Josh’s learnings

“Psychological safety is a belief that one will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns or mistakes.” ⁠— Amy Edmondson  Have you ever had a question you’ve been dying to ask in a meeting but couldn’t because when you look around, everyone is simply nodding their heads, agreeing to everything the boss says?  No one wants to look incompetent or ignorant, especially at work. We prefer to look smart, helpful, and that we go everything covered. To avoid being labeled as ignorant or incompetent, people choose not to ask questions or admit to their mistakes.  Sadly, innovations are delayed, and great ideas don’t come to light every time this happens.  In this episode, Amy Edmondson will be joining me to discuss her book, The Fearless Organization: Creating psychological safety in the workplace for learning, innovation, and growth. We talk about how organizations go wrong because people lack psychological safety and never speak up due to the fear that they might never get that pr