HR Power Hour

“It’s no secret that our healthcare system is broken and that people are having trouble accessing care,” says Colleen Kavanagh, who spent the first decade of her career working with hospitals to implement new technology and maximize profitability. “But to solve this problem quickly, we’re asking the wrong questions, and we’re asking them of the wrong people.” In this episode, host CMA’s David Ciul...

The National Labor Relations Board has had a busy 2023 and employers of all sizes, both unionized and union-free, need to make sure that they are up to date on what the NLRB believes complies (and violates) a host of provisions of the National Labor Relations Act. In this episode of HR Power Hour, join co-host Tawny Alvarez as she speaks to labor attorneys Robert Brooks and Elizabeth Johnston from...

Your broker helps you manage a budget of 25-40% of payroll. Even a small difference in capabilities and results can have a dramatic difference on costs. So why do so many employers fail to properly select a broker? Typically, it’s because employers don’t evaluate brokers very often as it is hard to understand how brokers deliver different results and they don’t see a measurable difference in broke...

Recent studies show that 31% of US healthcare costs can be directly attributed to “behaviorally influenced chronic conditions,” while 69% of costs are influenced by consumer behaviors. These statistics hold true for your workforce. The employees who walk through your door each day are managing more than just the workload; they have families, lives outside of work, and health conditions. Is there a...

Every day we wake up determined to engage with life—to overcome work challenges, finish that novel, reach fitness goals, or repair a strained relationship. Despite our best intentions, we fall short. Why is it so hard to finish what we start. Reaching goals after repeated frustration starts with understanding the impulse known as the Swipe, a side effect of our high-tech culture. In this episode,...

“Money…. Maybe…but it’s really the least important thing in my life” says Mark Jones who has experienced the loss of everything financially but stayed positive over 38 years and grew in life’s R.I.C.H.E.$. In this episode, host CMA’s David Ciullo discusses, with Mark Jones, President of Saco Biddeford Savings Institution, An Optimistic Way to Live, Lead, and Succeed. Learn the importance of unders...

While employers may not be performing reductions of force with the same frequency as earlier in the year, we are seeing heightened restructuring across markets and industries. As a company would analyze the race, gender, and age of individuals affected by a RIF, a similar analysis should be performed when re-structuring. Without this analysis, employers are likely to see adverse effects to DEI goa...

The four-day work week is not a new concept, but in the last year we have seen more and more companies who are “making it work.” Additionally, we are seeing states introduce legislation that incentivizes companies to switch to four-day work week, providing state tax credits to both public and private employers who make the switch.    At the federal level, in 2023, we have seen the proposal of a bi...

 Most employees don’t step into leadership roles and find themselves effectively managing teams on day one. While many individuals may possess some natural ability to lead, for most, you would likely hear stories of struggles and failures as they learned what worked and what was less effective.   How can organizations better equip team members to move into leadership positions and experience succe...

The labels that define us often divide us. But what if your DNA could change the conversation about identity and race? One professor and her students are proving it can. Did you know that all humans at 99.9% identical in their genetic makeup. Differences are only 0.1%!   In this episode, host CMA’s David Ciullo discusses, with Anita Foeman, PHD, Director of the DNA Discussion Project and author of...

ave you ever talked on the phone with someone and then met in real life only to be surprised at what the person looked like? What does the accent of television and movie characters speak to as to a character’s personality and skillset? How, if at all, does the accent of a prospective employee impact decision-makers in determining whether the individual is qualified for the position? Accent bias ef...

In business we have information coming at us a mile a minute. Some of it’s useful, some of it not-so-much. At the same time, each of us (and our employees) have lives outside of work.   Big things, little things, old things, new things, all the things that we carry with us that makes us who we are–but which also can interfere with productivity and general ability to be “present” at work.   In this...

What is important to “you” in workplace culture? 63% of employees say RESPECT and if they do not feel respected, they will leave. So how do you build a culture that focuses on respect and builds trusting relationships in a work environment? How does it affect women vs other genders in the workplace?   In this episode of the HR Power Hour, host CMA’s David Ciullo discusses Let’s Discuss Workplace C...

Employers often ask their employees to “bring their whole self to work.” Companies ask employees to engage in inclusion endeavors and to help the organization achieve its mission as it relates to culture, diversity, and growth. Often, however, when the organization is unsuccessful in achieving any of these goals, the organization blames the individual—using terms and phrases such as “they weren’t...

Growth is leadership’s number one challenge. Your greatest impediments are communication and focus. The single most powerful tool for dealing with those impediments is an effective strategic management process that leverages your most valuable asset – your leadership team. In this episode, host CMA’s David Ciullo discusses with John Myrna, Co-Founder and CEO of Myrna Associates, Inc., his new book...

Do you have the right people, in the right roles, doing the right work? Not just that, but even if the right people are in the right role, are they happy?   Do they enjoy the work that they do daily?   Does it bring them joy? What if there was a resource that could help you determine the right role for your team members—while also making sure that they feel included and engaged in your organizatio...

While most employers are aware that pregnant employees are entitled to some form of protection under the law, do you and your HR team have a full understanding of the statutes and regulations that provide protections to expectant parents—as well as their rights after a child is born?    There are a multitude of both state and federal laws that come into effect once an individual learns that they a...

Your business is only successful if there is a market for its products or services. There is only a market if a company recognizes, engages and encourages its team member to build a community that can consume the products or services. As we all know, a company rarely “acts”—it’s the people within the organization, those who run and participate in the operations that “act” on behalf of the organiza...

Executive Presence is a certain set of attitudes, behaviors, and skills which and when combined, send the right signals, influence others, and ultimately drive results. How would you rate yourself in this critical area? In this episode, host CMA’s David Ciullo discusses with Mark Gonska, Founder of Career Accelerator and Career Management Associates’ Senior Career and Executive Coach, Executive Pr...

While companies would prefer to operate “crisis free,” such a goal is usually unobtainable.   The crisis could be small—a difficult employee who takes up significant time and energy and appears uncoachable—or a larger crisis—supply chain issues, recalls, active shooter situations.   The question, however, that should be asked is whether managers in the organization have the skills and resources to...

Every day we wake up determined to engage with life—to overcome work challenges, finish that novel, reach fitness goals, or repair a strained relationship. Despite our best intentions, we fall short. Why is it so hard to finish what we start? Reaching goals after repeated frustration starts with understanding the impulse known as the Swipe, a side effect of our high-tech culture. In this episode,...

Have you ever heard a team member tell an employee to “calm down?” Has this ever resulted in the employee calming down, or instead does this simply escalate the situation? While employers spend significant time on training managers on how to do their job or what employment laws require, very rarely do we see companies focusing on providing tools and resources for employees to manage conflict and d...

With over 117 different categories of HR Tech software and countless numbers of vendors worldwide offering HR Tech solutions, imagine how much time it would take to do the research for your specific need. We found a better solution and it is FREE and trusted by over 3 million HR and TA professionals. In this episode, host CMA’s David Ciullo discusses A Guide that Honestly Evaluates HR Software wit...

Many HR professionals recognize that a hybrid work environment is what many employees are seeking. While creating policies and expectations are one element of appropriately implementing a hybrid work environment, many companies are struggling to “make it work.” The question of how to engage employees and create an inclusive environment is difficult in person—let alone remote. Add into that managin...

Long COVID is the condition that describes the long-term health effects of a COVID-19 infection. Many employees have been infected with the COVID-19 virus, and while they may have recovered and returned to work, some still suffer from lasting health challenges as a result of that infection. In this episode, host CMA’s David Ciullo discusses with Jim Reidy, Shareholder and Chair of the firm’s Labor...