Transform Your Workplace

Episode number one started with Lacey Halpern, a Senior Human Resources Business Partner at Xenium HR, so we brought her back to celebrate episode number 100. In this "mailbag" episode, Lacey answers rapid fire questions on everything from defining illegal interview questions to how much time managers should spend with low performers versus high performers to what she believes the future workplace...

What's the difference between bullying and harassment, and when do they become the same thing? What are the stages of bullying and how can you catch the signs early before it escalates into a real issue that emotionally impacts people, both those involved and those observing? Catherine Mattice, author of Back Off! Your Kick-Ass Guide to Ending Bullying at Work , founder of Civility Partners, inter...

There's a lot of buzz around establishing a compelling mission, vision, and values for your company. But what are the real world impacts of having these in place, and how do you use them to create value for your employees and customers? Shawn Busse, CEO of Kinesis Inc., joins Brandon Laws in a discussion of how their work as marketing leaders overlaps and coexists with the work of human resources...

Conflict and disagreement are inherent parts of human existence. The simple fact is that no matter how congenial and friendly and inclusive your organization is, problems should and will arise. The real question is how we respond to those problems. Maybe an employee chooses to say nothing, hoping the problem will go away, until their anger bottles up and bursts out one day. Then what happens? As a...

In honor of our upcoming 100th episode, we're turning the mic on our regular host, Brandon Laws. Listen in as Angela Perkins, VP of Sales & Marketing, gets Brandon's take on HR trends, what it's like to be a marketer for Xenium, inside of a human resources consulting company, and all things podcast—from favorite episodes to lessons learned to a little sneak peek of what's to come.   How to Support...

So often, we measure and talk about our work day in terms of time - the 40 hour week, the 9-to-5 job, the flex-time perk, and more. Jody Thompson, co-author of Why Work Sucks and How to Fix It: The Results-Only Revolution and Why Managing Sucks and How to Fix It: A Results-Only Guide to Taking Control of Work, Not People , offers a new way of viewing our own work and others': with a results-only f...

How much of our decision making is truly born out of our own deeply held beliefs and values rather than a product of messaging from brands and media or the social influence of our family, friends, and peers? Tyler Meuwissen , Xenium's Compensation & HR Analyst, joins Brandon Laws in a discussion of Invisible Influence: The Hidden Forces that Shape Behavior by Jonah Berger, in which they delve into...

We've all been the new person at a company, trying to get our footing in a new role and within a new industry. It can be a lot to take in, particularly when each company has its own set of acronyms and internal jargon they frequently rely on. "Think out of the box," "I'll ping you," "let's be sure to bake that into the process," "we should avoid any tissue rejection on this specifically," - the li...

As human beings, we are attuned to detect trustworthiness. It's often a gut feeling we get about a person, an organization, a brand, a place - almost anything. So how do we make sure that the people around us find us trustworthy? How do we broach tough conversations about our own areas for improvement, or someone else's, without it going south or just getting awkward? And what can trust really do...

When it comes to social media, the lines between public and private are blurred—especially in the workplace. There's certainly nothing wrong with coworkers connecting via social. But what happens when an employee starts posting about their political views? Or their workplace? Or other employees? Listen in as Suzi Alligood and Brandon Laws discuss what's protected and expected under Oregon law, com...

The open office is definitely having a moment. One of many workplace trends that's made its way from Silicon Valley to offices everywhere, it's meant to fuel collaboration and productivity, increase visibility and knock down hierarchy. But Lindsey Kaufman, a creative director in NYC and Washington Post author of "Google got it wrong. The open-office trend is destroying the workplace," would beg to...

Your company has fallen on hard times, and you have no choice but to let go of highly skilled, talented employees - who you may have a hard time tracking down or finding qualified replacements for once you're financially able to rehire for those positions. Or is there another way? The Work Share program in Oregon (name varies in other states) offers an alternative that involves an hour reduction f...

Informational interviewing can give you or your employees the opportunity to gain perspective and hear tips and advice when at a career crossroads. So why isn't it talked about more, and why aren't employers actively encouraging their employees to interview or be interviewed themselves more often? Lacey Halpern, Sr. HR Business Partner at Xenium, joins Brandon Laws in a discussion of the do's and...

Gaining direct access to the knowledge and skills of others can be a challenge for those who have the desire to grow professionally. But what if employers could build an effective mentor program that that granted access to internal and cross-company mentors? What would effect would that have on the growth, development, and engagement of employees? Heidi Holmes, Co-Founder of Mentorloop joins the p...

Millennials are continuing to pour into the workplace, and by 2020 they are expected to represent nearly half of the workforce. As managers and leaders, how do we best communicate with this generation? What are their common behaviors that we need to adapt to, and what do millennials want and hope to get out of their work? Lee Caraher, author of Millennials and Management: The Essential Guide to Ma...

At Xenium, it's our job to stay on top of the various workplace and HR trends that come our way. And in this podcast, we'll talk about the belief that HR should be replaced or absorbed into other business departments. Is it a good idea? Listen in to find out. We'll be discussing the viability of this approach, the role of HR and the real duties of the department. Whether it skews administrative or...

When it comes to hiring fresh talent, there's a new demographic in town. With boomers retiring and Gen Xers aging, millennials are taking over the workforce and changing the way companies attract and retain new talent. In this episode, we'll be discussing all the ins and outs of recruiting and hiring millennials—why it's worth it and what to expect. Listen in as we decode the values and behaviors...

So much of the job seeking process has moved online into social media, job boards, and applicant tracking systems. But is this the most effective way to job search these days? What about the so-called "hidden job market," and how do we find those less publicized or Google-able opportunities? Peter Paskill, Owner and CEO of CareerMakers, joins Brandon Laws in a discussion of how to navigate the job...

As we look forward to the rest of 2017, what can we expect to see in the world of business and human resources? What will employees expect from their workplaces, and how can you anticipate their needs as an employer? And the question on everyone's mind: how will the changing political landscape impact business practice and employment law? Anne Donovan, President of Xenium HR, returns to the podcas...

Innovation and business success almost always involve taking risk. But risk is, quite frankly, risky, and everyone handles it so differently. How do we know when to act on our new idea or to procrastinate and wait it out? On top of that, how do we create new ideas or new ventures and how do we unlock our creativity and sustain our originality? Tyler Meuwissen, of Xenium HR, returns to join Brandon...

When it comes to the salaries of our coworkers and people working similar jobs to ours at other companies, should we know what they make? And what about transparency around the entire compensation package, including benefits and culture offerings--should employers be open about it?  Jason Nazar, Co-Founder and CEO of Comparably , joins us to discuss how pay transparency can help both employers and...

Everyone learns differently. So, how do you advance professional development while catering to the many ways people learn? Listen in as five Xenium professionals discuss their favorite learning methods, as well as the pros and cons. Whether you prefer the experiential nature of on-the-job learning or workshops, teaching yourself via books and videos, or the structure of industry certifications, th...

Giving back to the community fills us with joy—but there is perhaps something even bigger at play—it often brings people together and engages us deeply. Organizations have a huge opportunity to mobilize their workforce, particularly around the holiday season, to volunteer time as a group for many great causes that exist in our local communities today. But how do employers choose an organization th...

When people hear the term "millennial," they often associate the generation ranging from ages 18-34 as "entitled," "trophy generation," "me generation," and many more subjective and typically negative terms. But is this an accurate reflection of the generation that is likely to make up 33% of the workforce in just a few short years? Lacey Halpern, Katherine Thomas, and Brandon Laws (all Millennial...

How do you help someone who has a track record of high performance as an individual contributor become the next great leader? Tana Thomson, Xenium HR's VP of Human Resources, joins the podcast to discuss how she believes aspiring leaders and high potential employees can develop their leadership skills, and how you as an employer can identify and encourage those individuals. In the podcast, Tana sh...