Transform Your Workplace

Let's talk feedback. Though it's become part of modern workplace culture, Carol Sanford , author of No More Feedback  - Cultivate Consciousness at Work , is on mission to change that. Listen in as she shares her take on feedback—why it's not objective, why it's not necessarily helpful and how it can obscure what needs to be done. We'll discuss ways that employees can look within, own their self-de...

We've all been there. It's Monday morning, the to-do list is a mile long, the in-box is overflowing, and the last thing you want to do is attend the weekly team meeting that's 90% pointless and 10% productive. What's worse is you could have received the information in an email in a fraction of the time.  Don't get me wrong, connecting with your coworkers is important; however, meaningless meetings...

We're changing the name of our podcast to be called Transform Your Workplace .  This Human Resources for Small Business podcast originally began as a resource for organizations to learn HR best practices. But the content and audience has evolved into much more than that.  We're now reaching thousands of HR professionals, owners, executives, and leaders in varying sizes of organization all across t...

There's a lot of talk about bias nowadays. But recognizing it is only the first step. Eliminating bias in the hiring process is critical—but it's not going to be easy. Listen in as we talk with Melissa Dobbins, founder and CEO of Career. Place, as she discusses ways to take action. We'll cover examples of conscious and unconscious bias, ways that early stages of the hiring process have bias built...

The remote vs. in-office debate continues to rage on and HR isn't exempt from the discussion. The in-office side highlights what face-time brings to communication and relationships, while the remote side focuses on productivity and cost-savings. Xenium's Lacey Partipilo and Brandon Laws weigh in—and come to a conclusion that offers the expertise and support of HR with the flexibility and cost-savi...

For years, industry experts have only talked about how millennials will change the workforce. Well, they're here and are making up a large part of the workforce already. But what about this other generation trickling into the workforce? Generation Z : are they a replica of the millennial generation or are they vastly different? That's what Corey Seemiller and Meghan Grace sought out to define in t...

As humans, we've never been more connected—or more polarized based on our differences. But there is hope. Howard J. Ross, author of Our Search for Belonging: How Our Need to Connect is Tearing Us Apart believes the workplace is the answer. He joins us to discuss ways that organizations can encourage communication, create bridges to belonging and bring people with different ideologies together thro...

When it comes to business, change is a given. It's how a company handles it that makes all the difference. Nicole Carey, Senior HR Business Partner at Xenium joins us to discuss change management and how it can get companies from "before" to "after." We'll discuss why and when it's needed, who should champion the change and discuss why it's so important—to your company, your employees, even your c...

If you've ever wondered why sports metaphors like "slam dunk" are used in business, Travis Hansen is a great reference. He's succeeded in both worlds, as a former NBA player and founder and CEO of the Tesani Companies. Joining us to talk business, he shares how he's built award-winning culture into his companies through lessons he took off the court, a values-driven approach and unique ways to kee...

Humans today are more connected than ever before, and yet isolation and loneliness are at an all time high. Listen in as Brandon Laws and Paige Tamlyn discuss a Q&A with Dan Schawbel from the SHRM Magazine about workplace trends affecting connection. We'll cover the ways technology and social media are changing personal interaction, the challenges of remote work and how HR and business leaders can...

Culture. Everybody agrees that it's important and yet, it's so rare to find a workplace that gets it right. This week, Xenium's Tyler Meuwissen and Brandon Laws are discussing the highlights of Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups. From building a safe space to sharing vulnerability to establishing purpose, they'll break down the essentials that pave the way for an effective workp...

In this episode of What's Up in the Workplace, Lacey Partipilo and Brandon Laws state several bold HR predictions for 2019.  Email Brandon Laws at  brandon.laws@xeniumhr.com How to Support this Show: Subscribe on your favorite podcast app (iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, etc.) Review us on iTunes Take our survey  and we'll enter you in a drawing for a free book Follow Xenium HR ( @XeniumHR ) and Br...

When it comes to business, big changes are always a challenge. Unless you're Ed Muzio, CEO of Group Harmonics and author of I terate: Run a Fast, Flexible, Focused Management Team . He joins us to share his take on iteration and how it can make your team more effective, no matter what comes your way. We'll cover the skills and tools you'll need to get started, the role management plays, and the co...

If you worked uninterrupted, could you get your work done in 5 hours or less? 45% of full time workers worldwide say that they could. Is the era of the 4-day workweek finally here? Joyce Maroney, executive director of the Workforce Institute at Kronos, joins us to discuss the findings of their latest report on the state of workplace efficiency, how workers are spending their time and what it means...

In this episode of What's Up in the Workplace, Brandon Laws and Lacey Partipilo discuss work holiday parties. Should employers host them and if so, what's appropriate and what's not? Listen in on this timely discussion.  Email Brandon Laws at  brandon.laws@xeniumhr.com How to Support this Show: Subscribe on your favorite podcast app (iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, etc.) Review us on iTunes Take ou...

What if we told you three simple words could change your entire mindset? Greg Bell, author of What's Going Well? The Question Changes Everything , is here to do just that. He joins us to discuss the mind-shifting concept within his book and ways to apply it—both at work and in your personal life. We'll cover everything from the power of gratitude, to the research behind the concept, to the many wa...

Today, the podcast isn't big business as usual—we're getting literary. Jennifer Rock and Michael Voss, authors of B.S., Incorporated , join us to discuss their latest book, a satirical takedown of corporate America. We'll get the story behind this hilarious novel, as well as a little backstory on the authors, their personal take on corporate life and what they hope HR professionals and leaders wil...

In this segment from a CEO panel at the 2018 Leadership & Economic Summit in Portland, Oregon, three CEOs discuss employee engagement, building culture, and attracting and retaining talent. This CEO panel discussion was hosted on November 29, 2018 in Portland, Oregon and moderated by Anne Donovan, President of Xenium HR, featuring Sadie Lincoln, CEO & Founder of barre3, Kyle Stavig, CEO of Myers C...

There's a shift happening in the business world. Jeff Mike, VP and HR research leader of Deloitte Consulting, joins us to discuss " The Rise of the Social Enterprise ". This new trend shows businesses are shifting from "companies" to "institutions" that are integrated into the social fabric of society. Listen in as Jeff breaks down how this is changing the way organizations work— from the role of...

Many millennials entering the workforce are burdened with student loan debt. And according to some articles , the average student in the class of 2016 has $37,172 in debt. In the fight for talent, employers are getting as creative as they can to attract and retain talent to grow their businesses and some are turning to student loan repayment programs as a new, unique benefit to employees. In this...

In this What's Up in the Workplace, Lacey Partipilo and Brandon Laws discuss how the political views from the mid-term election is impacting the workplace and what it means for employers. Have a topic for us? Email Brandon Laws at  brandon.laws@xeniumhr.com   How to Support this Show: Subscribe on your favorite podcast app (iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, etc.) Review us on iTunes Take our survey  ...

As humans, we're wired to connect with others and build relationships. We spend most of our time at work, so it should be no surprise that our relationships must also translate to the workplace. Companies that figure this out will end up retaining the best and brightest and end up on top of the competition. In this episode, author of Bring Your Human to Work: 10 Surefire Ways to Design a Workplace...

Technology has changed so many things in the workplace, from the way we communicate, to how we get things done. It was only a matter of time before HR and benefits evolve as well. Avi Karnani, CEO of Alice, is changing the way employers and employees manage their benefits by automating pre-tax spending on benefits like healthcare. He joins us to discuss everything from current tech trends, to the...

Every year, companies are spending hundreds of millions of dollars to increase employee engagement. But is it working? And why is it so important anyway? Dr. Bob Nelson, author of 1,001 Ways to Engage Employees, joins us to answer these questions and more. We'll cover simple but impactful methods for increasing engagement, the areas you need to focus on the most, and new strategies for empowering...

Angela Perkins and Brandon Laws discuss how the DISC assessment and DISC InterACTION Guide can help colleagues or people in a manager/employees relationship first discover their personality traits and also how to best work together. This episode covers a brief overview of DISC and then Angela and Brandon share an actual example of how a manager and employee might review their DISC profiles togethe...