Want To Work There

There are few things I love diving into more than how companies can operationalize their core values . In other words, how organizations can get their values “off the walls and into the halls.” Today’s guest, Amber Gray, has successfully done just that as the founder and CEO of Trusty Oak, a US-based virtual assistant agency. She shares the practical ways she’s applied her values to everyday behav...

The importance of well-planned offsites has only increased in recent years. With the rise of remote and hybrid work environments, the stakes for these gatherings are higher than ever - a fact that can make them even more stressful to plan than they already were. So how do you plan an offsite that feels worth all the logistics , agenda wrangling and employee travel? That’s exactly what Lindsey Capl...

People Ops leaders are burnt out. Many are looking for a way out, whether that is consulting, taking a “demotion” to join a larger team at a more established company, or just quitting without any idea what comes next.  What would make these leaders feel supported?  That’s the question I’ve been asking myself and dozens of other HR professionals over the last few weeks. Luckily, I have so...

Today’s episode gets real (and a little personal) about the state of people ops heading into 2023. The same trend keeps emerging in conversations for me lately and I wanted to tackle it head on. That trend? Incredible People Ops leaders throwing in the towel in record numbers. I’ll be sharing some of my experience, along with what I’ve been seeing and hearing in the industry over the last few year...

Have you ever been on a team that just can’t seem to work well together? It, well, sucks. That’s why I was so excited to speak with Mark Cruth - Atlassian’s Modern Workplace Evangelist. He has been focused on practical ways to build more effective teams for almost his entire career. The tips and resources he shares are SO GOOD. I know you’ll reference them again and again. Specifically, you’ll lea...

I know I’m not alone in feeling like meetings are often a necessary evil. I’ve worked in many organizations where they overtook my schedule and sometimes felt like a waste of time. If you can relate, you’re going to LOVE this week’s episode where we discuss the meeting audit and revamp Kate De Jong undertook as the VP of Employee Experience at Red Door Interactive. If you’ve ever thought your meet...

Sometimes the internet leads you right to the people you need to meet. That was the case with Stacey Nordwall, who I found through a LinkedIn post she wrote that strongly resonated with me personally. When I heard she had created and was publishing a Guide to Inclusive Communication with Dr. Breeze Harper, I knew I had to have them both on the show. Today is that episode. And I couldn’t be more ex...

Many companies claim to be a great place to work and then - well - aren’t. What is sold in the interview and what you experience in the office can be two completely different worlds. Why does this happen? Well, mostly, because we are human. Humans love to put their best foot forward. Right or wrong, sometimes that means stretching the truth a little.  Have you ever wondered how to dig past th...

I can’t stop talking about the power of internal podcasting for organizations - which you know if you listened to my last episode! I’m hoping I’ve sold you on the immense benefits and now you’re ready to dive in. If so, this is the episode for you. Today, I’m going to share the five content areas to focus on first when starting your internal podcast . From onboarding to spotlights to learning and...

I seriously cannot stop talking about the power of internal podcasting for organizations . And it’s for good reason! Consider this episode your crystal ball, because I’m going to share six reasons I am absolutely confident most companies will have podcasts in the five years. Think an internal podcast won’t work at your company? I’d challenge you to think again - and give the episode a listen befor...

I was recently asked the following question: “What kind of KPIs and data are critical for a People Experience leader to track and why?” With so many options available, it’s so important to identify key areas that need focus instead of trying to boil the ocean. In today’s episode, I share the three priorities I believe every people ops leader should have when it comes to tracking employee data.&nbs...

It has been a tough couple weeks for many since the overturning of Roe V Wade. In times like these, empathy is more important than ever. But what role does empathy really have in workplace culture ? There is no one better to help answer this question than Nōn Wels, founder of the Feely Human Collective and host of the You, Me, Empathy podcast. Luckily, he was happy to sit down with me and explore...

Every employee survey effort has to start somewhere and I strongly encourage you to start simply by consistently tracking your eNPS - also known as an Employee Net Promoter Score. In today’s episode, I’ll share my experience with using the survey and share the exact, easy steps to implementing it within your own organization.  P.S. If you are interested in implementing an employee survey or w...

When you live in a part of the country that gets four distinct seasons, there is nothing like the first 80 degree day of summer each year. For me, it kicks off three months where work becomes a little harder to focus on...and I’m guessing I’m not the only person with this seasonal affliction!  I will never forget learning that a friend’s company had a perk called Summer Fridays which meant fo...

Group think, introversion, and a lack of psychological safety all impede our ability to hear the real thoughts and options of team members during a brainstorm, feedback, or focus group session. While the severity of these issues always vary by group, they inevitably impact great data from surfacing in nearly every discussion. In an effort to ensure all voices were being equally represented, I got...

Have you ever found yourself overwhelmed by all the options - and so you do nothing? That was where I found myself leading up to this interview, before realizing that this is a problem I frequently see with clients who are trying to figure out what to focus on and where to start when building a better workplace culture. I give the same answer to them every time - start with the data. I figured thi...

This week we’re back with the brilliant Lois Weinblatt of True North Visionaries! If you missed part one of our conversation, I definitely recommend starting there. In this episode we’ll be diving deeper in her MVV (minimum viable vision) process and answering FAQ about crafting powerful company visions and sharing them with your team .  In this episode you’ll learn: The two phrases that will...

There is no one I would be more excited to host on my first-ever guest episode than Lois Weinblatt, founder of True North Visionaries . Luckily for me and you, she is exactly who I had the pleasure of sitting down with for our inaugural interview on the Want to Work There podcast! Lois has forever changed the way I think about company vision... no small feat. Today she’ll be sharing the framework...

Welcome back! In today’s episode, I reflect on five core lessons I’ve learned over 10 years of being a remote manager. Managing a team remotely does have its advantages, but it also comes with its own set of challenges. I’ve learned some important lessons the hard way. By sharing, I can hopefully spare you (and your team) from having to experience the same!  In this episode you’ll learn: The...

Welcome to the very first episode of the Want To Work There podcast! Today we’ll be talking about what REALLY makes a company a great place to work - and it’s probably not what you think! You’ll get to know me (your host) Jill Felska and why I am so passionate about helping more companies become great places to work.  I’ll also walk you through an exercise that will help you document what you...

Company culture is a phrase and concept that’s truly become part of our collective lexicon in the last 20 years. That said, many people still have a really hard time quantifying what it actually is. Employers will say things like, “we’re a great place to work because we have weekly happy hours, a ping pong table in the break room, and great health insurance.” Unfortunately, these are examples of p...