In episode 151, Coffey talks with Kelly Bubolz about the causes of burnout and how to address it within an organization. They discuss the distinction between burnout and stress; the factors contributing to burnout in industries like hospitality and among remote workers; the changing work environment leading to increased burnout; the shift away from grind culture in younger generations; the organizational costs of burnout; signs of burnout in employees; and strategies for leaders to prevent...

In episode 150, Coffey talks with Suzanne Lucas about her Evil HR Lady articles from May. They discuss the kerfuffle that arose after she released an article suggesting that employees who change their work location without coordinating with their employee should be fired; the tax and regulatory issues employers and employees face when working in other states or countries; a private wealth manager’s assertion that 45-minute reference checks are better than interviewing applicants; why...

In episode 149, Coffey talks with Kurt Wilkin about people leadership in entrepreneurial firms. They discuss the premise behind Kurt's book "Who's Your Mike," which focuses on the different kinds of workplace personalities encountered as an entrepreneurial firm matures; the evolution of HR in entrepreneurial businesses; common misconceptions that entrepreneurs have about people practices; what HR professionals often misunderstand about working in entrepreneurial firms; finding the balance...

In episode 148, Coffey talks with Krystal Yates about the US Department of Labor's revised rules for classifying independent contractors. They discuss the difference between an employee and an independent contractor; “1099 employees”; the reasons employers might misclassify employees as independent contractors; “gig” workers; the changes brought about by the final rule; employer considerations when determining if a worker is an employee or an independent contractor; the economic reality test...

In episode 147, Coffey talks with Darryl Owens about navigating the multigenerational workplace with emotional intelligence. They discuss the importance of emotional intelligence (EQ) in the workplace; the five components of emotional intelligence; the impact of the pandemic lockdown on EQ; current challenges in multigenerational workplaces; how emotional intelligence affects communication; understanding the social DNA of each generation; and what leaders can do to foster an emotionally...

In episode 146, Gabriela Norton and Coffey discuss whether HR is meant to protect the interests of the company or the employees. They discuss the challenges faced by HR in finding a balance between the two; whether HR professionals can be friends with employees; how feedback, coaching, and mentoring can help to bridge the gap and drive results for both employees and employers; the importance of shared vision and goals; HR’s role as a risk advisor to leaders; and how the "great resignation"...

In episode 145, Coffey talks with Karen Cunningham about recent HR news around whether layoffs are “a failure of leadership” and “fear” of returning to the office. They discuss recent layoffs; employee loyalty, engagement, and management; balancing regular and temporary employees; the pros and cons of remote work; how leaders can be more intentional in a remote environment; and “overemployment.” Links to stuff they talked about are on our website at https://goodmorninghr.com/EP145 and include...

In episode 144, Coffey talks with Vianei Braun about employers' responsibilities and employees' rights under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. Note: As predicted in the podcast (recorded on April 1st), the EEOC issued the final regulations implementing the PWFA on April 15th for official publication on April 19th. The final regulations can be found at https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2024-07527/implementation-of-the-pregnant-workers-fairness-act. (The final rule starts on...

In episode 143, Coffey talks with Neil Katz about how companies utilize fractional leadership. They discuss the distinction between a consultant and a fractional leader; the two types of fractional leaders and their level of control within a business; the typical profile of a fractional leader; how to assess the need for a fractional leader; the cost analysis of employing permanent staff compared to a fractional leader; and the extent of involvement of a fractional leader with a company. Good...

In episode 142, Coffey talks with Crystal Lay about employer brand and culture. They discuss the definition of an "employer brand" and why companies need to pay attention to theirs; whether marketing or HR owns employer branding; understanding the process of building an EVP (Employee Value Proposition); how branding impacts recruiting and retention; the importance of building a community; and how to align company values and reputation. Resources mentioned in the episode: - Give & Get...

In episode 141, Coffey talks with Catherine Clifton about recent news about sexual harassment, discrimination, and what’s next for DEI programs. They discuss employer lessons to be learned from California's Sunshine Raisin $2 million sexual harassment lawsuit; Florida's Stop Woke Act; two “reverse discrimination” cases; and the shift away from “diversity” to “inclusion.” Links to stuff they talked about are on our website at https://goodmorninghr.com/EP141 and include the following topics: -...

In episode 140, Coffey talks with Marci Sogan about the state of skilled trades and manufacturing workforce. They discuss how modern manufacturing jobs are different from those in years past; challenges in the labor market; the impact of remote work and flexibility on talent acquisition within the manufacturing workforce; education, certifications, and career paths; and (admin/clerical) support roles in manufacturing. Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—premium background checks...

In episode 139, Coffey talks with Shelley Goodrum about coaching as a leadership skill. They discuss the definition of being a coach; the difference between managing and coaching; the significance of coaching in creating employee autonomy; the fundamental skills that leaders need to establish a coaching culture; and how to provide feedback while maintaining a balance between accountability and empowerment. Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For...

In episode 138, Coffey talks with Jim Zadeh about legal issues related to the use of AI in business. They discuss the legal issues companies face when using AI, including privacy and confidentiality, international and local regulations, liability for errors made by AI tools, the use of others’ intellectual property, ownership of AI-generated content, and the near-term positive and negative impacts of AI on business and society. Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof...

In episode 137, Coffey talks with Sarah Glaser about office romances, working while sick, and employee surveillance. They discuss the post-Covid increase in office romances and appropriate policies to protect the company and workforce; the reasons behind conflicting attitudes about working when ill; and a backlash against employee surveillance. Links to stuff they talked about are on our website at https://goodmorninghr.com/EP137 and include the following topics: - Are your employees aware of...

In episode 136, Coffey talks with Michael Sherrod about the impact of artificial intelligence on business strategy and management. They discuss how old news media’s failure to adapt their business model to the digital age may be a predictor of how businesses succeed or fail with the advent of artificial intelligence and other disruptive technologies; how organizational structures are changing to more quickly adapt to digital transformations; younger workers’ expectations that businesses...

In episode 135, Coffey talks with David Aspinall about embracing neurodiversity in the workplace. They discuss how auticon is a demonstration that neurodiverse individuals bring unique value propositions to employers; underemployment in the neurodivergent workforce; how employers can prepare their team to engage with neurodiverse peers; the benefits of having a diverse organization in terms of work culture; the challenges neurodiverse applicants might face during the recruiting process; and...

In episode 134, Coffey talks with Suzanne Brown about the importance of embracing a balance-friendly workplace. They discuss the meaning of work-life balance; the distinction between balance and integration; the impact of individuals’ priorities in defining work-life balance; the impact of the pandemic on employees’ expectations; employers’ role in creating a balance-friendly environment; evaluating the financial benefit of balance-friendly strategies; the impact of remote work; and how...

In episode 133, Coffey talks with Peter Cappelli about the consequences of employees experiencing too much psychological safety. They discuss the difference between the popular and the academic definitions of psychological safety; how psychological safety is measured; the correlation between psychological safety and job performance; why an above-average sense of psychological safety might damage performance; and the importance of accountability and compliance when building a...

In episode 132, Coffey talks with Patrick Richter about HR news from January, including the Department of Labor’s new contractor rule and discrimination settlements. They discuss the Department of Labor’s final regulation concerning classification of independent contractors, which takes effect on March 11th and whether it will really impact employers; Perdue Foods’ settlement of a lawsuit regarding accommodations under the Pregnancy Discrimination Act and Americans with Disabilities Act;...

In episode 131, Coffey talks with Dr. Stevie Dawn about the impact of emotional intelligence on organizations. They discuss the definition of emotional intelligence; the difference between EI and EQ; how to measure emotional quotient and whether it is reliable; the correlation of EI and empathy; how to identify lack of EI in the workplace; approaching emotional intelligence as a learned ability; how to improve the EI in the workplace; how EI affects organizations and leadership; and codes of...

In episode 130, Coffey talks with Shani Dellimore Barrax about the state of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging programs and who should be accountable for those programs. They discuss the definition of DEIB; understanding that each person’s various experiences “intersect” to create a unique individuals; “diversity” as a means rather than an end; equity through the four P's: policies, programs, practices and people; the difference between intersectionality vs. intersected identities;...

In episode 129, Coffey talks with Corinne Spencer about the latest changes in California employment law. They discuss California’s Fair Chance Act regulations; who qualifies as an employer or employee under the FCA; the criminal history inquiry rules under the FCA; what employers are allowed to consider regarding criminal records; the challenge with individualized assessments; steps employers in California must take before utilizing an applicant’s criminal history; the importance of...

In episode 128, Coffey talks with Julia Gannaway about recent regulatory and legal items that all employers can learn from. They discuss Whole Foods’ wins in federal court and before a National Labor Relations Board administrative law judge related to dress code enforcement and Black Lives Matter paraphernalia; a business owner who was alleged to have interfered with a Department of Labor wage and hour investigation, going so far as to retaliate against employees who cooperated with...

In episode 127, Coffey talks with Caroline Harrison about the challenges of being a multistate employer. They discuss the post-Covid growth in remote out-of-state employees; legal considerations for multistate employers; responding to the phenomenon of nomad employees; when companies are required to register and pay taxes as business in another state; noncompetes and other employment-related agreements; policies to help manage multistate employees; and complying with multiple states’ PTO and...