Preview - Episode 76 - 'Wellness Strikes Back'

HR Happy Hour - Episode 76 - 'Wellness Strikes Back' (subtitle : Why is McRib season the same as Open Enrollment season?)

Thursday November 18, 2010 - 8PM ET  - Call in 646-378-1086

Listen from the show page, calling in on the listener line, or using the widget player below:



A couple of months ago we tried the 'wellness' show, but we were beset with a slew of technical problems that more or less ruined the show. It was a spectacular fail.

So after that earlier debacle, we vowed to come back stronger, better, and more prepared for the inevitable 'fail' that will at least attempt to spoil the fun.  No worries, we are going to press on with a resolve that usually I only get from filling up on some tasty barbecue.

But wait, this is the 'wellness' show right?  Why am I talking about McRib and BBQ? Because to me, the two are inexorably tied together.

I want to have McRibs and BBQ.  I don't really feel like being badgered to be more 'well'.  And I really don't feel like being hassled at work about it. Work is hassle enough - now I have to go to the office and get told to stretch, count my cups of veggies, and park farther away?

That kind of sucks.

But the reality in the US is that health care costs continue to spiral out of control, people are getting fatter by the minute (did I mention the McRib is available for a limited time?), and companies are being forced to find ways to reduce the costs associated with keeping our fat butts upright, and reasonably productive.

So the idea of company promoted and sponsored wellness initiatives seems to be here to stay, or at least until companies decide providing health benefits to employees is really too much of a hassle, and try to pay the government to take care of it all.

On the show we will be joined by experts in all sides of the wellness discussion - design, communication, and socialization.  Fran Melmed, Tanya Barham, and Greg Matthews will be back in the HR Happy Hour hot seat to talk wellness - why we need it, how you design for it, and how you might attempt to get idiots like me to pass on the McRib and have a salad.  Not an easy task.

I hope you can join us for what should be a fun show.

Preview - Episode 74 - 'Creativity, Flexibility, and Speed'

HR Happy Hour - Episode 74 - 'Creativity, Flexibility, and Speed'

Thursday November 4, 2010 - 8PM ET

Listen live from the show page, using the widget player below, or on the call in number - 646-378-1086.



This week on the HR Happy Hour show we will be joined by IBM's Dan Roddy - the study director for IBM's Chief Human Resource Officer study, a comprehensive survey and analysis of conversations with more than 700 Chief Human Resource Officers worldwide.

On the show we will talk about the overall findings from the study, and deep dive into the three main workforce gaps and opportunities identified by the CHROs.

1. Cultivating Creative Leaders - who can lead in complex, global environments

2. Mobilizing for speed - generating capability to rapidly identify and meet changing conditions and matching talent with opportunity

3. Capitalizing on collective intelligence - increased collaboration and knowledge sharing is seen as an essential need and a significant gap.

Dan will help us understand the study findings and discuss some of the recommendations for action that can help your organization with these challenges.

I hope you can join us for what should be an interesting show.

Preview - Episode 73 - 'HR Horror Stories II'

HR Happy Hour - Episode 73 - 'HR Horror Stories II' - Thursday October 28, 2010 - 8PM ET

Join the fun by listening live from the show page, using the widget player below, or on the listener line - 646-378-1086.



Last year's HR Horror Stories show was epic. All manner of inappropriate workplace behavior, shocking antics from employees, and any number of candidate misadventures were recalled on the show that night.  The tales were so incredible, that an employee that actually used her, shall we say, feminine charms to earn change for the vending machine wasn't even the most shocking tale of the night.

So listeners of the HR Happy Hour show - you are hereby issued the challenge - bring your best (and worst) stories from your HR careers, and your workplace experiences to share on the HR Horror stories show.  It is all fair game, and since you know you are dying to share some of these stories, you may as well share them with us.

And, if we don't get enough Horror Stories, I'll spend the entire show talking about basketball, and believe me, almost no one wants that.

Join the fun!

Preview - Episode 72 - Fistful of Talent Radio

HR Happy Hour - Episode 72 - 'Fistful of Talent Radio'

Thursday October 21, 2010 - 8PM ET

Listen from the show page, using the widget below, or on the call in line 646-378-1086.



Fistful of Talent is well known and respected as one of the leading blogs in the HR/Recruiting/Talent space (and that's not just because I get to contribute once in a while), but due to the consistent quality, sometimes edgy and controversial point of view, and the quality of the roster of the contributors.

Since Fistful has a strong recruiting angle, we will kick around some of today's most interesting and possibly controversial topics in the recruiting space - namely how much digging for information about candidates on the social nets is fair game, and when does it go too far; when does it make sense to call in the big (RPO) guns for help; and are we all just wasting time worrying and talking about 'candidate experience'.

Joining us on the show will be FOT founder Kris Dunn, FOT Editor in Chief Jessica Lee, and Chief S&@# stirrer Tim Sackett, and more of your friends from the crew.

Who knows where the conversation will go, but I guarantee it will be lively and entertaining.  I hope you can join the fun.

HR Southwest Preview - The Stars at Night

The HR Happy Hour show is back on the road this week, (as I get a taste of what life might be like working the State Fair circuit selling BBQ out of my truck), with two special live broadcasts from the HR Southwest Conference, deep in the heart of Texas.

Here is the rundown of the shows we are planning from the event:

Monday October 11, 2010 - 11AM CT - 'The HR Conference Show'

With so many events, so much discussion and coverage, and lots of change and competition in the conference economy (apologies to Stelzner), we are going to have an open dialogue about the scene - what's working, what isn't, and what the future holds.  We will have a great panel for the show, and hope you can join us as well with your thoughts on the HR Conference game.

Listen live from the Episode Page, using the widget player below, or the call in number 646-378-1086.



Tuesday October 12, 2010 - 1:30CT - 'Doing More with Less'

Face it, almost all of us are stretched way too thin, with too much to do, and not nearly enough resources, money, time to make it all work. Nothing new you say?  Well it seems worse than before, as the jobless recovery grinds on (is it really a recovery at all?, and we are forced to make hard decisions about what to do, and what t let go. How can we truly do more with less, how can we get better at saying 'No', and knowing when to say 'Yes'.   We will have a great group of folks assembled to hash this out, and hope you can join us as well.

Listen live from the Episode Page, using the widget player below, or the call in number 646-378-1086.



That is the plan, two big shows from HR Southwest, taking in some sessions, hanging out with the cool kids at the Voice of HR booth, and eating way too much Texas BBQ.

See you in Texas!