Honest HR

In this episode of Honest HR, host Amber Clayton and SHRM Knowledge Center Advisors Robyn Hopper and Rue Dooley continue with Part 2 of their two-part mini-series of listener-submitted stories of bad bosses, give more advice on handling problematic people managers, and close out the session with a set of redeeming stories of outstanding bosses who were there for their employees in amazing ways. Ea...

If you’ve ever had a bad boss, not only did they make work miserable, but also probably gave you a good story to tell later on. In this episode of Honest HR, host Amber Clayton is joined by SHRM Knowledge Center Advisors Robyn Hopper and Rue Dooley to read listener-submitted stories of bad bosses, identify their problematic behaviors, and give advice on solving for them in your workplace. Earn 1.2...

As both laws and attitudes toward marijuana continue to change, the question for employers is likewise, “Then how does my organization’s HR and approaches to people management need to change?”. In this episode of Honest HR, host Amber Clayton is joined by Holland & Knight attorneys Dana Feinstein and Travis Nelson, who provide insights and guidance for employers navigating the complex issues surro...

Generative AI programs (like ChatGPT) have tremendous potential to deliver new efficiencies and capabilities to the workplace, but what do these new tools mean for HR, both in using them, and the myriad of concerns they raise? In this episode of Honest HR, host Wendy Fong speaks with Karl Ahlrichs, Senior Consultant at Gregory & Appel, on how HR professionals can use AI ethically and responsibly,...

Known for their focus on providing quality educational experiences to adult learners, the University of Phoenix wanted to learn more and provide resources to another core group of enrolled students: Individuals with disabilities.  In this episode of Honest HR, host Wendy Fong speaks with Kelly Hermann, Vice President of Accessibility, Equity & Inclusion at the University of Phoenix, to discuss:  ...

Previously brought to the spotlight by the pandemic, organizations’ prioritizing employee mental health and wellness reflects its ongoing importance to employers and employees alike.   But what does the work of creating workplace cultures of mental health and wellness actually entail?  In this episode of Honest HR, host Amber Clayton speaks with Rich Safeer, M.D., Chief Medical Director of Employe...

A good mentor/mentee relationship creates a safe, nonjudgmental space to provide guidance and advice, and that’s just as true for mentorships dedicated to the HR profession. In this episode of Honest HR, host Monique Akanbi is joined by Sheila Thomas and Firdosh Bhathena, a real-life HR mentor/mentee pair, to share their HR mentorship story, discuss why mentorship is important in an HR career, and...

Occurrences of unequal pay between employees with the same qualifications, experience and job responsibilities continue to have a problematic presence in the workplace, and likewise reflect longstanding wage gaps between men, women and people of color. In this episode of Honest HR, host Amber Clayton speaks with SHRM CHRO Jim Link about the importance of pay equity and ensuring fair and equal pay...

Managing employee attendance is challenging: Employers and people managers need to know not only if employees are showing up to work, but also what to do if they don’t. In this episode of Honest HR, host Amber Clayton speaks with SHRM Knowledge Advisors Barbara Holland and Julie Schweber about handling scenarios such as fishy doctors’ notes, no call/no shows, and above all, the importance of getti...

Hiring and talent acquisition is so often premised on a “hurry up and wait” passivity: You announce a position, cross your fingers, and hope qualified applicants come to you. But what if they just don't? If so, apprenticeships are another route that allow you develop your own talent, rather than waiting for it to arrive.  In this episode of Honest HR, host Monique Akanbi speaks with Mary Wright, M...

The hosts of Honest HR begin 2023 by welcoming Monique Akanbi as a new voice to the podcast, and give a fond farewell to one of their own, Gloria Sinclair Miller. Amid talent scarcity, the benefits that employers offer their employees have emerged as a key differentiator in attracting and retaining talent. In this episode of Honest HR, Amber, Monique and Wendy discuss the importance of expanding t...

In this episode of Honest HR, host Wendy Fong continues her discussion with HR consulting/talent management specialists Karen DeLise, Adrianna Gabriel and Allison Levine from CCI Consulting to discuss everything to learn from the past, present and future of a multigenerational workplace experience. Earn 1.00 SHRM PDC for listening to both parts 1 and 2 of this two (2) part miniseries; relevant det...

In this episode of Honest HR, host Wendy Fong is joined by HR consulting/talent management specialists Karen DeLise, Adrianna Gabriel and Allison Levine from CCI Consulting to discuss everything to learn from the past, present and future of a multigenerational workplace experience. Earn 1.00 SHRM PDC for listening to both parts 1 and 2 of this two (2) part miniseries; relevant details provided in-...

One of the most contentious events of 2022 was the U.S. Supreme Court's decision (Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization) overturning Roe v. Wade. In this episode of Honest HR, host Amber Clayton is joined by SHRM Chief of Staff Emily M. Dickens and Janell Stanton, senior associate/head of the employment law group at Wagner, Falconer, & Judd, Ltd. to discuss implications for work, workers an...

Asian-American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) are no strangers to adversity in the workplace, but their experience often doesn’t receive much attention because of longstanding positive stereotypes of AAPI as hard workers and good employees. In this episode of Honest HR, host Wendy Fong is joined by Buck Gee (Cisco Systems, Committee of 100) to discuss why AAPI employees go under-promoted, stories on...

The pandemic prompted serious reevaluation of what employees expect from their jobs and widespread departures followed. In this episode of Honest HR, host Amber Clayton is joined by Paula Harvey, SHRM-SCP, vice president of human resources and safety at Schulte Building Systems, to make sense of the new talent acquisition landscape and discuss how to make your organization turnover-proof. Earn 0.7...

Have you ever extended a job offer to a candidate who turned out to be a total dud? In this episode of Honest HR, host Amber Clayton, Director of SHRM’s Knowledge Center, continues the conversation on sound hiring with SHRM Knowledge Advisors Rosa Hardesty and Patty Graves on topics that include how to avoid filling a job too quickly, what to do when a new hire emerges as a bad employee and what t...

In an era of acute talent shortages and employee departures, it’s important to be sure you’re hiring the right “somebody”, not just “some body”. In this episode of Honest HR, host Amber Clayton, Director of SHRM’s Knowledge Center, speaks with SHRM Knowledge Advisors Rosa Hardesty and Patty Graves on how bad hires can happen and what to do to avoid them. Earn 1.00 SHRM PDC for listening to Parts 1...

Each day, more than 10,000 people turn 65, which prompts conversation on a topic that comes up much less frequently in the workplace: Elder care and caring for aging parents. In this episode of Honest HR, host Wendy Fong speaks with Liz O’Donnell on navigating work and while also providing important end of life care to parents, and approaches employers can take to support their employees with care...

Maya Angelou famously said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”, and this rings especially true in the workplace. In this episode of Honest HR, host Wendy Fong speaks with Liz Fosslien about emotions as your workplace super power to create rewarding workplace experiences for both you and your employees. Honest HR...

A recently terminated employee threatens you. One of your team members hasn’t reported for work in days. The underage intern is displaying signs of physical abuse. In each of these instances, should you call should you call the police? In this episode of Honest HR, host Amber Clayton is joined by employment law specialists Janell Stanton and Brittany Nicholls to discuss when to get in touch with l...

A tragic byproduct of the COVID-19 pandemic has been an increase in the frequency of domestic violence. Likewise, domestic violence carries over to the workplace, which has real impacts on employees’ safety and attendance. In this episode of Honest HR, host Amber Clayton speaks with Tom Manion, Director of Montgomery County Maryland’s Family Justice Center, who shares advice for employees on comin...

The heart of workplace equity lies in providing fair opportunities to all of your organization’s employees by identifying and supporting the specific needs of employees from different demographics, but how do you that? In this episode of Honest HR, host Gloria Sinclair Miller speaks with Nicole Armstrong, the Founder and CEO of Queen City Certified, a leading data-informed employer certification a...

Despite their strong technical backgrounds and experience working in specialized teams, veterans still have a hard time securing employment when they enter the civilian workforce. In this episode of Honest HR, host Gloria Sinclair Miller speaks with Ronda Wakefield, a human resources consultant and talent acquisition specialist, on how HR and talent acquisition professionals can become more inclus...

In this episode of Honest HR¸ co-hosts Wendy Fong, Amber Clayton and Gloria Sinclair Miller continue their discussion of workplace-related issues the Biden administration has acted on in the first half of 2021, alongside discussion of other pertinent workplace topics, such as the PRO Act and approaches for finding untapped talent. Earn 0.75 SHRM PDCs for Listening to This EpisodeEpisodes of Honest...