Human Resources For Small Business

As we look forward to the rest of 2017, what can we expect to see in the world of business and human resources? What will employees expect from their workplaces, and how can you anticipate their needs as an employer? And the question on everyone's mind: how will the changing political landscape impact business practice and employment law? Anne Donovan, President of Xenium HR, returns to the podcast to share her 2017 HR predictions along with actionable advice for how to stay ahead of the curve this year.   Give us a review on iTunes and be entered to win a free book! Take our survey and be entered to win a free book!   Connect with Brandon Twitter | LinkedIn | Email Learn about Xenium HR Follow Anne on LinkedIn

Innovation and business success almost always involve taking risk. But risk is, quite frankly, risky, and everyone handles it so differently. How do we know when to act on our new idea or to procrastinate and wait it out? On top of that, how do we create new ideas or new ventures and how do we unlock our creativity and sustain our originality? Tyler Meuwissen, of Xenium HR, returns to join Brandon Laws in a discussion of the book Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World by Adam Grant and what it means to be an Original.   Give us a review on iTunes and be entered to win a free book! Take our survey and be entered to win a free book!   Connect with Brandon Twitter | LinkedIn | Email Learn about Xenium HR Follow Tyler on Twitter | LinkedIn

When it comes to the salaries of our coworkers and people working similar jobs to ours at other companies, should we know what they make? And what about transparency around the entire compensation package, including benefits and culture offerings--should employers be open about it? Jason Nazar, Co-Founder and CEO of Comparably, joins us to discuss how pay transparency can help both employers and employees, and why it's a rising trend among growing organizations.  In this episode, Jason shares what transparent compensation can do to culture, engagement, how it affects the recruiting & process, and much more!   Give us a review on iTunes and be entered to win a free book! Take our survey and be entered to win a free book!   Contact Information: Connect with Brandon - Twitter | LinkedIn | Email Learn about Xenium HR Learn about Jason Nazar & Comparably

Everyone learns differently. So, how do you advance professional development while catering to the many ways people learn? Listen in as five Xenium professionals discuss their favorite learning methods, as well as the pros and cons. Whether you prefer the experiential nature of on-the-job learning or workshops, teaching yourself via books and videos, or the structure of industry certifications, this episode offers professional development inspiration that you and your employees can put into practice. Brandon Laws on Self-Learning [00:50] Angela Perkins on Peer Groups [9:35] Lacey Halpern on Certifications [21:50] Suzi Alligood on Workshops & Seminars [29:58] Alishia Young on Experiential Learning [47:17]   Give us a review on iTunes and be entered to win a free book! Take our survey and be entered to win a free book! Learn about Xenium HR

Giving back to the community fills us with joy—but there is perhaps something even bigger at play—it often brings people together and engages us deeply. Organizations have a huge opportunity to mobilize their workforce, particularly around the holiday season, to volunteer time as a group for many great causes that exist in our local communities today. But how do employers choose an organization that aligns with their values and beliefs? How do we treat volunteer time for employees—is it paid time or is it not? And what kind of impact can community involvement have on individual employees within a company, as well as that company as a whole? Will it impact the culture in a positive way? Rhonda Meadows, Senior HR Business Partner at Xenium HR and Founder of non-profit organizations Project Lemonade and Bridge Meadows, joins the podcast to answer many of these questions and to share her own story of recognizing a need and responding with a solution. Don’t miss this timely discussion on the importance of giving b

When people hear the term "millennial," they often associate the generation ranging from ages 18-34 as "entitled," "trophy generation," "me generation," and many more subjective and typically negative terms. But is this an accurate reflection of the generation that is likely to make up 33% of the workforce in just a few short years? Lacey Halpern, Katherine Thomas, and Brandon Laws (all Millennials) of Xenium HR discuss why people often get Millennials wrong and how they can be a truly great asset in business. Listen in for a fun discussion on one of the most fascinating generations of our time.   Give us a review on iTunes and be entered to win a free book! Take our survey and be entered to win a free book!   Connect with Brandon on Twitter | LinkedIn | Email Connect with Lacey on LinkedIn | Email Connect with Katherine on LinkedIn | Email   Learn about Xenium HR   Links & Resources Related to this Episode: Generations at Work Six Reasons Millennials are Actually the Best Workers

How do you help someone who has a track record of high performance as an individual contributor become the next great leader? Tana Thomson, Xenium HR's VP of Human Resources, joins the podcast to discuss how she believes aspiring leaders and high potential employees can develop their leadership skills, and how you as an employer can identify and encourage those individuals. In the podcast, Tana shares how managers and leaders can work with these high potentials in a coaching relationship to develop leadership skills.   Give us a review on iTunes and be entered to win a free book! Take our survey and be entered to win a free book!   Connect with Brandon Twitter | LinkedIn | Email Learn about Xenium HR Follow Tana on LinkedIn | Learn about Tana    

Mindfulness has been a buzz word these past several years. But what is it in practice and how can it impact the workplace? Will it truly make a difference in productivity? And how might we get started? Pearl Waldorf, licensed professional counselor, joins the podcast to share her own perspectives on the impact of practicing mindfulness and walks us through how we can be mindful.    Give us a review on iTunes and be entered to win a free book! Take our survey and be entered to win a free book!   Contact Information: Connect with Brandon Twitter | LinkedIn | Email Learn about Xenium HR Connect with Pearl Woldorf Website | Email   Links and Resources: http://www.wildmind.org/blogs/on-practice/open-mind-focused-mind https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/finding-true-refuge/201502/the-backward-step Guided Mindful Self-Connection Check: http://pearlwaldorf.com/self-connection-check Workshops: http://pearlwaldorf.com/2016-career-development-group

Resilience, stamina, a determination to continue on against all odds - we've all heard how important this is to achieving our goals, whether personal or professional. But how do we do it? Is the ability to persevere, is grit, innate? Can we grow and develop it in ourselves? How do we establish and structure our goals? Tyler Meuwissen, Xenium’s Compensation & HR Analyst, returns to join Brandon Laws in a discussion of Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth and share their personal experiences of grit.   Give us a review on iTunes and be entered to win a free book! Take our survey and be entered to win a free book!   Connect with Brandon Twitter | LinkedIn | Email Learn about Xenium HR Follow Tyler on Twitter | LinkedIn

How do we live our happiest lives, even throughout pain, suffering, and loss? How do we capitalize on the good of life, and achieve and enjoy our happiest lives? Mark Jaffe, a former senior executive at The Walt Disney Company, joins the podcast to discuss his book, Suitcase of Happyness. He shares techniques and pathways to a deeply and broadly happy life, and how to bring those methods and attitudes into your broader community and work life.   Give us a review on iTunes and be entered to win a free book! Take our survey and be entered to win a free book!   Email Brandon at brandon.laws@xeniumhr.com Follow Brandon on Twitter | LinkedIn Learn about Xenium HR Follow Mark Jaffe on Twitter | Buy The Suitecase of Happyness

As technology has shifted a lot of our work to screens, more companies are creating opportunities for employees to work from home. Craig Bryant is a founder of several companies which have nearly transitioned to a fully remote workforce throughout the past five years, with employees spread all across the country. Craig Bryant, Founder of Kin HR and Co-Founder of We Are Mammoth joins the podcast to discuss the realities of remote work: the benefits, the drawbacks, how to implement a remote workforce, and how to navigate all the day to day realities of everything in between.   -- Give us a review on iTunes and be entered to win a free book! Take our survey and be entered to win a free book!   Follow Brandon on Twitter | LinkedIn Learn about Xenium HR Learn about Craig Bryant and Kinhr.com

Email has become one of our chief methods of communication in the workplace, yet one of the biggest thorns in our side in terms of productivity. Several companies are experimenting with limiting email usage, or attempting to do away with email altogether. Is this a progressive choice that represents what’s next in the world of work, or would it do more harm than good? Should we view email as either an all or nothing tool, or are there ways to walk the middle line and make changes to our habits to improve our relationship with it? And how could changing our email habits impact our relationships – both personal and professional? Molly Kelley, Senior Human Resource Business Partner at Xenium, talks all things email and productivity and share resources for any employee or business leader to implement in their own work life and organization. -- Give us a review on iTunes and be entered to win a free book! Take our survey and be entered to win a free book!   Follow Brandon on Twitter | LinkedIn Learn about Xenium H

Lacey Halpern, Sr. HR Business Partner at Xenium and frequent podcast guest, joins us for a special episode to discuss how she landed in the HR industry after graduating college with a psychology degree, the challenges and rewards of being a working mom, memorable and challenging moments from working in HR with a variety of organizations, her experience working with millennials, and where she finds fulfillment in her career.   Give us a review on iTunes and be entered to win a free book! Take our survey and be entered to win a free book!   Follow Brandon on Twitter | LinkedIn Learn about Xenium HR Follow Lacey on LinkedIn

How do you approach a coworker or friend with a concern about their body odor? Or negative feedback about their work or attitude? The prospect of an uncomfortable conversation has a tendency to set our heart beating a mile a minute - but it doesn't have to if we take a few simple steps to establish openness and honesty within our relationships, whether professional or personal. Tyler Meuwissen, Xenium's Compensation & HR Analyst and a frequent guest of the podcast, joins Brandon Laws to discuss Shari Harley's book, How to Say Anything to Anyone and share practical advice and examples on getting comfortable with tough communication. Give us a review on iTunes and be entered to win a free book! Take our survey and be entered to win a free book!   Follow Brandon on Twitter | LinkedIn Learn about Xenium HR Follow Tyler on Twitter | LinkedIn  

Communication is key in many areas of life, most chiefly the workplace. An office of clashing employees not only makes for unpleasant feelings amongst the employees, but can impact the overall effectiveness and productivity of our employees. But what are some tricks of the conflict resolution trade that can smooth the path to a calm and productive workforce? Laura MacLeod, licensed social worker and creator of the From the Inside Out Project joins us to discuss the most challenging and nuanced aspect of any job – people. Learn simple ways to improve interactions between employees, reduce conflict in your workplace, and know when it’s necessary for a manager to jump in and fix an issue versus when it’s best to let an issue resolve itself.  Give us a review on iTunes and be entered to win a free book Take our survey and be entered to win a free book --- Follow Brandon on Twitter | LinkedIn Learn about Xenium HR Learn about Laura MacLeod

Worksite wellness programs are often launched with very employee-centric goals in mind. But what about employees’ families, and the benefits that could result from intentionally involving an employee’s family in your wellness & health initiatives? How do you appropriately design your wellness program to be legally compliant and not unlawfully require too much of family members? What are some practical ways you can keep employees engaged while involving families in wellness activities? Benjamin Prinzing, President of local worksite wellness company Kadalyst, returns to the podcast to discuss how to effectively include families in corporate wellness programs.   --- Follow Brandon on Twitter | LinkedIn Learn about Xenium HR Learn about Kadalyst Attend the Worksite Wellness Summit

As an HR professional, how do you jump into conversations about the business side of your organization, particularly when it’s about finance, marketing and operations? How do you learn what’s truly keeping your CEO up at night, and how you can become an even greater asset to the organization in your HR role? Lori Kleiman, author of Taking Your Seat at the Table – Being a Strategic Executive Creating Actionable Plans and Embracing Technology joins us to discuss the keys to developing a career in HR and gaining a strategic role within an organization on the executive team. Learn more about the book Taking Your Seat at the Table   Follow Brandon Laws on Twitter | LinkedIn Follow Lori on Twitter | LinkedIn Visit the HR Topics website  

Picture a workplace free of micromanagement—where responsibility in the hands of many and everyone is empowered to do their best. That’s the goal of holacracy. But how do you go from a traditional structure to this self-management model? Megan Leatherman, HR consultant and author of The Integrated Workplace, joins us to discuss the benefits and challenges of holacracy. We’ll talk through the thinking behind the movement, how it works, and how it can change your organization for the better.   --- Follow Brandon on Twitter | LinkedIn Learn about Xenium HR Learn about Megan Leatherman | The Integrated Workplace Blog

Today we’re talking brand promise, that elusive but essential vision that affects every element of a business—from customer experience to employee attitudes to HR practices. Rick Thomas, business advisor at Pilot Wealth Management, joins us to discuss the ins and outs of brand promise. We’ll cover everything from what exactly a brand promise is and how to develop one, to how you can use it to make solid business decisions and ensure the long-term success of your organization. -- Follow Brandon Laws on Twitter | LinkedIn Follow Rick on LinkedIn Visit the Pilot Wealth Management website

What does a baby boomer do when he finds himself the fish-out-of-water at a tech startup? Well, if you’re Dan Lyons, you write about it and expose a side of startup culture that we don’t usually see in the news. Xenium’s Brandon Laws leads a discussion with Tyler Meuwissen of Lyon’s latest book, Disrupted: My Misadventure in the Start-Up Bubble. We’ll touch on all the hot topics, from “unicorns” and Silicon Valley culture to the free candy and flip flops, and offer our HR perspective on Lyons’ most interesting insights.