PCTY Talks: HR, People and Culture

Finding Your Unique Style with Jade Simmons

Jade Simmons is a classically trained concert pianist who, over time, has added speaking to her audience and mixing different genres of music into her repertoire to create what she calls "concert adventures." Simmons believes that imposter syndrome can be overcome by focusing on creating something new instead of imitating what has come before. Listen in as Jade Simmons and host Shari Simpson discuss how you tackle making a lasting impact in your organization and the world around you.

Mentioned in Episode:

• Website: https://jadesimmons.com/

Guest: Jade Simmons, World-class concert pianist, powerhouse activational speaker, and CEO of Jade Media Global

Acclaimed creator of mind-blowing transformational experiences and named one of the “Best Keynote Speakers” (Northstar Meetings), Jade spent the first few years of her career performing as a classical concert pianist. Following an artistic epiphany, she pivoted from playing the piano to impressing audiences to using the piano as the vehicle by which to provide the inspiration, entertainment, and transformation that profoundly moves them instead. The results have been, well…darn impressive.

No stranger to pushing boundaries to see bold results, this concert pianist turned world changer is brought in by the likes of corporations like Barron’s, Mass Mutual, Royal Bank of Canada, DOW, Raytheon, the Hershey Company, Genentech, Valic, Pfizer, and Nationwide to redefine purpose, inspire seismic shifts in mindset, and activate audiences to go out and instantly start living more consequential lives of impact.

Hourly Employee Management with Traci Chernoff

Do you manage an hourly workforce? You're not alone. A recent study found that around 60% of businesses in the US rely on hourly employees. But managing a shift-based workforce can be tricky. If you're not careful, you could wind up with scheduling nightmares and angry employees. Join Traci Chernoff and host Shari Simpson as they discuss the benefits of modern workforce management tools used to optimize staffing levels and keep employees informed.

Guest Bio: Traci Chernoff, Senior Director of Employee Engagement, Legion Technologies

Traci Chernoff is the Director of Employee Engagement at Legion Technologies and an experienced HR leader. Before joining Legion, Traci spent nearly a decade in key HR leadership roles for both luxury and big-box retailers like Target, directly supporting retail management and hourly teams across North America. Recently, Traci worked as a Director of Human Resources for global luxury retailer SMCP, where store managers could reduce the time spent on scheduling by 50% with Legion Workforce Management. Traci is the host and creator of the podcast "Bringing the Human back to Human Resources," where she destigmatizes HR by uniting employee demands and business needs while simultaneously challenging the perceptions and stigmas surrounding HR.

Mentioned in the episode:

• Podcast: Bringing the Human Back to Human Resources
• Company: Legion Technologies
• LinkedIn: Traci Chernoff

 

Hybrid Work is Here to Stay with Elizebeth Varghese

It's estimated that 50 percent of the workforce comprises freelancers, contractors and temporary employees. That's right – the days of traditional full-time employment are numbered. So, what does this mean for managers and HR professionals? Join Elizebeth Varghese and host Shari Simpson as they discuss thinking about work in a new way.

Guest: Elizebeth Varghese, Global Business Leader I People & Technology Strategist I Board Director I Author

Elizebeth leads and transforms organizations to achieve powerful business outcomes. She is a global business leader and advocate of servant leadership, a trusted C-suite advisor and a board director.

Elizebeth furthers People, Technology and HR strategies with solutions in artificial intelligence, Blockchain and robotics - for organizations that operate worldwide and in Space. She is recognized as a global Top 100 Influencer for her continuing work as a futurist and thought leader. She is a #1 best-selling author on management and leadership. Elizebeth brings creativity and a thoughtful, collaborative approach to inspire, uncover the best thinking and exceed business results.

Elizebeth is on the Council of Advisors for the SETI Institute, which works with NASA and other space agencies to explore, in understand and explain the origin and nature of life in the universe. Elizebeth champions space exploration education and programs. She is a Board member at SAYA, a non-profit organization providing after-school programming, education and college support.

Mentioned in the episode:

• Book: [Block]Chain Reaction: The Future of How We Live and Work https://amzn.to/3hHbuKE
• S.E.T.I.: https://www.seti.org/
• Website: https://elizebethvarghese.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizebethvarghese/

The Ever-Evolving Role of the CHRO with Jim Link

As businesses continue to grow and evolve, so too does the role of the CHRO. No longer is this executive responsible for just human resources; they are now a strategic partner in creating and implementing company-wide initiatives. Join Jim Link and host Shari Simpson as they discuss how the CHRO needs to be more than just a HR expert - they need to be a strategic business partner and trusted advisor to the CEO.

Guest: Jim Link, SHRM-SCP, CHRO, SHRM

Jim Link is the Chief Human Resources Officer for the Society for Human Resource Management.  With more than 315,000 members worldwide, SHRM is the largest HR professional association in the world and the leading voice for matters related to workers and the workplace.

Jim’s career includes roles of increasing responsibility across various industries and companies, including General Electric, the Pillsbury Company, Porsche Cars, and Randstad.  In his recent role as CHRO for Randstad North America, he led a global team of 150 HR professionals who were instrumental in transforming the company into an award-winning, inclusive, and sustainable global leader.

Jim has served as a volunteer leader in several organizations, including the SHRM Foundation Board, the Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank Human Capital Advisory Board, and the Human Resources Leadership Forum.

Jim holds undergraduate and master’s degrees from Murray State University.  Born and raised on a working family farm in western Kentucky, he resides in Atlanta and Alexandria, VA.

Jim is an adjunct instructor in the Executive MBA program at the University of Poznan (Poland) School of Economics and Business and the University of Liège (Belgium) Asia-Pacific campus in Taipei, Taiwan.

Mentioned in the episode:

• SHRM: https://www.shrm.org/
• Jim Link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-link/

Helping Women in Leadership Stay Engaged with Dr. Mira Brancu

A recent study by the Pew Research Center found that women are now just as likely as men to hold managerial jobs. While this is a great step forward, it also brings new challenges for both companies and women in leadership. One of the most important issues facing managers today is keeping these leaders engaged and motivated. Join Dr. Mira Brancu and host Shari Simpson as they discuss tips for helping women in leadership stay on track and achieve their goals.

Guest: Dr. Mira Brancu, Consulting Psychologist & CEO/Founder, Brancu & Associates

Dr. Mira Brancu helps executives, and their teams, lead well today and better navigate tomorrow. Her organization development consulting firm, Brancu & Associates, was awarded the 2021 Corporate Philanthropy Award for supporting under-served women professionally and economically. Dr. Brancu brings two decades of experience in healthcare and academia, including an award-winning leadership career at the US Department of Veterans Affairs and a faculty appointment at Duke University. Dr. Brancu is also a contributor to Psychology Today and Thrive Global and the author of Millennials Guide to Workplace Politics.

Mentioned in the episode:

• McKinsey Article: https://leanin.org/women-in-the-workplace
• Mira Brancu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mirabrancu/

 

HR Skills for the Future with Dr. Alex Alonso

A report compiled by the Harvard Business Review revealed that within the next 10 years, 65% of jobs will necessitate new skills that are not currently required. As the world progresses and changes, so too must the field of human resources. Join Alex Alonso and host Shari Simpson as they discuss the most essential skills for HR professionals in the future.

Guest: Dr. Alex Alonso, Ph.D., SHRM-SCP, Chief Knowledge Officer, SHRM

Alexander Alonso, PhD, SHRM-SCP is the Society for Human Resource Management's (SHRM's) Chief Knowledge Officer leading operations for SHRM's Certified Professional and Senior Certified Professional certifications, research functions, and the SHRM Knowledge Advisor service. He is responsible for all research activities, including developing the SHRM Competency Model and SHRM credentials.

During his career, he has worked with numerous subject matter experts worldwide to identify performance standards, develop competency models, design organizational assessments, and conduct job analyses. He was also responsible for working on contract task orders involving the development of measurement tools for content areas such as job knowledge (like teacher knowledge of instructional processes) and organizational climates (like organizational climate forecasting in military health care).

Dr. Alonso received his doctorate in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Florida International University in 2003. His works have been recognized for their contribution to real-world issues. They include being recognized by the Society for Industrial Organizational Psychology (Division 14 of the APA; SIOP) with the 2007 M. Scott Myers Award for Applied Research in the Workplace for the development of the federal standard for medical team training, TeamSTEPPS; being awarded a 2009 Presidential Citation for Innovative Practice by the American Psychological Association for supporting the development of competency model for team triage in emergency medicine; receiving the 2013 SIOP Distinguished Early Career Contributions for Practice Award.

Throughout his career, he has published works in peer-reviewed journals such as Industrial and Organizational Psychology: Perspectives on Science and Practice, Journal of Applied Psychology, International Journal of Selection and Assessment, People and Strategy, Personality and Individual Differences, Quality and Safety in Health Care, and Human Resources Management Review. He has also authored several chapters on community-based change initiatives in workforce readiness, as well as co-authoring Defining HR Success: A Guide to the SHRM Competency Model in Practice.

Dr. Alonso also served as a columnist analyzing major trends in the workforce for The Industrial Psychologist and HR Magazine. In addition, he has served on several professional society boards, including the SIOP and the Personnel Testing Council of Metropolitan Washington.

 

Mentioned in the episode:

• SHRM: https://www.shrm.org/
• Dr. Alex Alonso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-alonso-shrm/

Building DEIA Advocates at Work with Holly Norton

You might think, as a manager or HR professional, that you’re already doing all you can to advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in your workplace. But there are always ways you can step up your game – and building a team of diversity advocates is one great way to do it. Join Holly Norton and host Shari Simpson as they discuss ways to create a DEIA-friendly workplace.

Guest: Holly Norton, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Division Group Program Manager, County of San Diego | Department of Human Resources

Holly Norton is a Program Manager with the Department of Human Resources Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) division in the County of San Diego. She has worked as a learning and development professional for over 15 years across academic, secular, corporate, and government. In every position, she has found ways to leverage her passion for creating opportunities for transformational growth and connection.

Mentioned in the episode:

• County of San Diego: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/hr.html
• Holly Norton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holly-chow-norton/

What You Need to Know About Gen Z in the Workplace with Hana Ben-Shabat

There’s a new generation in the workforce, and if you want to understand them, you need to learn about Gen Z. Born between the mid-1990s and early 2000s, this group is already making its mark on the world. So, what’s different about Gen Zers? Join Hana Ben-Shabat and host Shari Simpson as they talk about what Gen Z wants from work and how managers can start preparing for them now.

Guest: Hana Ben-Shabat, Founder, Gen Z Planet

Hana is the founder of Gen Z Planet ─ a research and advisory firm. She helps business leaders to prepare for the next generation of employees and consumers. In this role, Hana combines her passion for insights with her commitment to support the integration of the next generation into society. As an award-winning management consultant who was named one of the “Top 25 Consultants” by Consulting Magazine, Hana is a sought-after speaker and business commentator and is the author of the book Gen Z 360: Preparing for the Inevitable Change in Culture, Work, and Commerce.

Mentioned in the episode:

• Hana Ben-Shabat: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hanabenshabat/
• Book: Gen Z 360 https://amzn.to/3UPA75l
• Website: https://genzplanet.com/