While We Were Working: Human Resources Advice and Workplace Tech Insights for The HR Practitioner Community

Background screening has been an essential part of the hiring process for a long time. Companies used it to ensure that their potential employees had a clean record and were suitable for the job. However, with the changing times, background screening has evolved from being just a security tool to an employee retention tool as well. Companies are interested in identity verification to make sure the...

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been transforming various industries, including healthcare, finance, and manufacturing, and the workforce is no exception. Not only does it disrupt the HR function, but it is becoming more common in traditionally human-driven processes. To discuss this topic, Sommer and I are joined by a special guest, Alexandra Levit. She is a workforce futurist, which means someb...

A report by the Workforce Institute at UKG reveals that managers significantly impact their employees' mental health. In fact, the report found that managers have a greater influence on employee mental health than therapists or doctors and an equal influence to spouses and partners. The report revealed that the quality of the relationship between managers and employees is critical to employee ment...

California's at it again! The 9th court of Appeal has struck down California's law that outlawed mandatory arbitration agreements that was changed just recently. An arbitration agreement is a clause in an employment contract where an employee and an employer agree to settle their grievances out of court instead of going on trial. Arbitration in the workplace is an area that is still not understood...

Did you know that 26% of Fortune 100 companies don't have Human Resources in their C-Suite? That's right, over a quarter of the most successful companies in the world don't have an HR person in their top leadership team. These are the statistics released by a new BambooHR study on the state of HR leadership. But why is that? It's not because HR isn't important. After all, human resources are the l...

Just how well do employees in America love their jobs? In this Valentine's edition episode, we are all about love in this episode. Unfortunately, according to a Gallup poll, there is a downward trend in employees loving their jobs and an upward trend for employees who report hating their jobs. The findings in this poll are surprising, and some staggering figures we should all take note of. But wha...

On January 1st, California's new pay transparency law came into effect. The law requires employers with at least 15 workers to include pay ranges in job postings.  Employees can now also ask what the pay range for their position is, and larger companies must provide more detailed pay data for California's civil rights department than previously required. So, how will this law impact small business...

During The Great Resignation, countless tech workers left their jobs searching for higher pay. But as the wave of tech layoffs keeps accelerating, tech employees are rethinking whether to leave their job and face a highly competitive search. So, what does this mean for small businesses, especially regarding talent acquisition? This week, Joey and Sommer discuss the implications of Big Tech's layof...

If you've been watching the news lately or traveled for the holidays, you've probably heard about Southwest Airlines' catastrophic holiday meltdown, especially what happened with the controversial memo they sent to their employees on December 21, 2022. Southwest is known as the love airline, and they have a strong reputation for caring deeply about their passengers and employees. So, what the heck...

It was only a few weeks ago that ChatGPT was released, and it has already been seen as a tool that could potentially replace thousands of jobs and even make search engines obsolete.  This technology can write complex essays and even code, which has implications for the future of jobs in fields such as development, sales, and marketing. Also, It is currently free to use, which makes it something wo...

In response to employees prioritizing flexibility and a better work/life balance, some companies have started offering their teams a four-day workweek. While this idea may seem counterintuitive, some results look promising. So, should small businesses start implementing the four-day workweek? Today, Joey shares his views on the four-day workweek: Some of its potential benefits. Its effects on tale...

From remote work arrangements to quiet quitting, we saw a significant shift in HR trends in 2022. 2023 will undoubtedly bring new challenges that HR teams need to tackle effectively to survive in an evolving environment. So, what trends will 2023 bring to the HR world? This week, Joey shares the 5 HR trends that will shape the workplace in 2023. Tune in to learn more! Joey also reflects on the mos...

2022 was a year of unprecedented challenges and trends in the world of HR. From hybrid and remote work environments to the metaverse, we witnessed a significant shift in HR practices and how we think about work.  However, the fierce war for talent undoubtedly takes the prize as the most prominent HR topic in 2022. So, as 2022 comes to a close, Sommer and Joey share the top takeaways around talent...

It's no secret that the pandemic drastically changed our relationship with work, and the idea of a healthy work-life balance and working for a purpose has come to the forefront for many people. So, how can small businesses ensure that they are meeting the needs of their team members in this evolving environment? Sommer and Joey discuss the top 3 workforce expectations you should be aware of in 202...

Recent studies show that 32% of Americans admit to lying about their resume summary. As a small business owner, knowing how to handle this scenario is crucial if you want to hire the best talent. Fortunately, there are some ways to determine whether someone is lying on their job application easily. In this week's episode, Sommer and Joey share 4 signs a job candidate is lying on their resume and h...

While the unemployment rate in the US is relatively low, the gap between demand for jobs and the supply of workers for on-site positions is four times as high as remote work. So, what does this mean for small businesses looking to hire top talent in 2023? Sommer and Joey share their views on hiring remotely as a talent attraction opportunity in 2023, why the job market is changing, and how to effe...

While consumer inflation has slowed slightly over the last months, it remains well above its global average. However, inflation's effects on workers' earnings can be frightening since they are seeing an average payment reduction of 2.8%.  So, what can small businesses do to support their employees and thrive in an unstable economy? In this week's episode, Joey and Sommer share five practical strat...

Decision fatigue is a common topic in business - you've probably heard about Steve Jobs notoriously wearing the same uniform daily in order to avoid it. But have you heard of ego depletion? Chicka Elloy is an award-winning HR consultant, VP of People & Employee Experience at Mavrck and Chief Learning Officer at CLO Media. He has helped multiple businesses streamline talent management and leade...

Finding ways to help your existing workforce build the skills your small business needs to scale is nothing new in HR.  However, this concept, also known as 'upskilling,' has gained much traction recently, and it might be one of the most critical HR trends small businesses will need to adopt in 2023 to remain competitive. So, why is it happening now? And how can you start implementing it in your b...

If you've been watching the news lately, you're probably aware of Elon Musk taking over Twitter and firing the entire Twitter board in a surprising move.  The implications of Elon Musk's actions remain unclear, but what does this mean for the company's culture, employees and users? Is Twitter doomed? In this week's episode of While We Were Working, Joey and Sommer analyze the reasons behind Elon's...

In a post-pandemic world, the traditional approach and expectations regarding employee experience and well-being have changed drastically. As more companies are trying to provide better support for their employees both at the professional and personal levels, there is no doubt that the future of work is personalized. But what does this new approach look like? Kayla Lebovits is the CEO and Founder...

As the role of HR evolves, HR teams must acquire new skills and an agile approach to work to meet the expectations companies and employees are placing on them. From inflation to 'quiet quitting,' the challenges the future holds for HR teams demand preparation and strategic thinking. So, what HR trends should small businesses pay attention to in 2023? Fortunately for you, that's precisely what Joey...

Companies with steady cash flow from variable products in the market are offering a rich paycheck to lower talent that would have otherwise preferred working at big tech firms, including Microsoft and Meta. So, what does big tech's hiring freeze mean for small businesses and startups? In this week's episode, Joey shares his views on the implications of big tech's hiring freeze for small businesses...

The role of HR is evolving rapidly. From managing hiring challenges to combating ”quiet quitting,” companies and employees are placing new demands and expectations on HR leaders, requiring new skills and an agile approach to work. In this week’s episode, Joey shares his top five predictions on the future of human resources. You’ll learn how training and development techniques are expected to chang...

According to the Gun Violence Archive, more than 350 mass shootings have occurred in the U.S. during the first seven months of 2022. As active shooter incidents increase, expectations on how small businesses should prepare are also changing. Today, Jumpstart HR Consultant Brittleigh Cox joins Sommer to discuss how small businesses can prevent potential dangerous scenarios by developing an effectiv...