ANNOUNCEMENT: The HR Happy Hour Show on Amazon Alexa - #HRHappyHour

I have written quite a bit about Amazon, the Alexa platform, and how excited and optimistic I am about voice interfaces for all kinds of workplace applications. I have been so interested in how Alexa, and voice more generally are going to impact and influence workplace tech, that a few months ago I thought it would be fun and instructive to try and learn how organizations and developers can leverage voice in their applications.

In order to try and have some purpose and structure to this investigation, I set out to achieve a goal - to create and syndicate a short, "Alexa" version of the HR Happy Hour Podcast that would be available to Alexa/Echo users as a part of their device's "Flash Briefing" or the daily news update that many Alexa users listen to once or even multiple times a day.

Long story short - today I am happy to share that the HR Happy Hour Show is on Alexa - as an Alexa skill that users can add to their Flash Briefing. In the Alexa app on your smartphone, simply search the library of skills for 'HR Happy Hour' to add the Alexa version of the HR Happy Hour Podcast to your daily Flash Briefing. On the HR Happy Hour on Alexa, myself and Trish McFarlane will share news, commentary, opinions, and excerpts from the full HR Happy Hour Podcasts. As always, these will discuss topics and issues about work, workplace technology, management, leadership, and more - basically shorter, tighter versions of what has made the HR Happy Hour Podcast so successful since its debut in 2009.

So for folks like me who are absolutely addicted to their Echo device, and talk with Alexa more than almost anyone else, please consider adding the HR Happy Hour on Alexa to your daily Flash Briefing.

As always, we would love your comments, feedback, and suggestions for topics and potential guests for this new version of the HR Happy Hour.

Thanks as always for your support!

PODCAST: #HRHappyHour - Oracle Spotlight - Episode 1: Making Work More Human

HR Happy Hour - Oracle Spotlight - Episode 1: Making Work More Human

Hosts: Steve Boese, Trish McFarlane

Guest: Gretchen Alarcon, Group Vice President, Product Strategy, Oracle

Listen HERE

This week on the HR Happy Hour Show, hosts Steve Boese and Trish McFarlane kick off a special series of podcasts with our friends at Oracle HCM. On Episode 1, we are joined by Gretchen Alarcon from Oracle to talk about how organizations are increasingly seeking to make work more "human".While you may have seen this concept before, on the show we break it down to more tangible, actionable, and relatable ideas for HR leaders, and highlight some key ideas, considerations, and approaches to creating more "human" workplaces. 

On the show, we talk about three distinct elements of creating more human workplaces and making work more human - making work enjoyable, making work smarter, and finally, making work supportive. With each concept Gretchen shares insights and practical approaches that HR leaders can take, and discusses how innovation in HCM technology supports, augments, and provides important context for these initiatives.

You can listen to the show on the show page HERE, on your favorite podcast app, or by using the widget player below:

This was a really interesting conversation and one we will build on in upcoming episodes of the Oracle Spotlight series.

Thanks to Gretchen for joining us and thanks to our friends at Oracle HCM for making this series happen.

Subscribe to the HR Happy Hour Show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, or wherever you get your podcasts - just search for 'HR Happy Hour'.

PODCAST: #HRHappyHour 320 - The Business Impact of Learning: A Skillsoft and Florida Blue Case Study

HR Happy Hour 320 - The Business Impact of Learning: A Skillsoft and Florida Blue Case Study

Sponsored by Virgin Pulse - www.virginpulse.com

Host: Steve Boese

Guest Co-host: Ben Eubanks

Guests: Apratim Purakayastha, Skillsoft; Stephanie Dale, Chris Jimenez, Florida Blue

Listen HERE

This week on the HR Happy Hour Show, Steve and guest co-host Ben Eubanks report live from the recent Skillsoft Perspectives event, and talk learning technology and how learning can drive business outcomes. In this two-part podcast Steve and Ben first talk with Apratim Purakayastha,  CTO at Skillsoft about the latest trends, developments, and capabilities in learning technology, and how learning technology is adapting to meet the changing needs of workers and organizations. 

In part two of the show, we hear from Stephanie Dale and Chris Jimenez, from Florida Blue, a large health services provider about their award-winning employee learning programs that have had a direct and measurable impact on organizational results. Their program to streamline and improve the delivery of learning content to their front line staff has driven both cost savings and improved revenues, and serves as a great example of how HR and learning leaders can help drive strategic business outcomes.

You can listen to the show on the show page HERE, on your favorite podcast app, or by using the widget player below:

This was a really fun and interesting show - thanks to Ben for co-hosting, and thanks to Skillsoft for having the HR Happy Hour at the Perspectives event.

Remember to subscribe to the HR Happy Hour Show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, or wherever you get your podcasts - just search for 'HR Happy Hour.'

PODCAST: #HRHappyHour 319 - HR is About Making Predictions: Understanding AI for HR

HR Happy Hour 319 - Understanding Artificial Intelligence for Business and HR

Sponsored by Virgin Pulse - www.virginpulse.com

Host: Steve Boese

Guest: Joshua Gans, University of Toronto

Listen HERE

This week on the HR Happy Hour Show, Steve is joined by Joshua Gans, Professor of Strategic Management at the University of Toronto, and co-author of the new book, Prediction Machines: The Simple Economics of Artificial Intelligence.

On the show, Joshua gives his easy to grasp definition of Artificial Intelligence, how AI is really about lowering the costs of and increasing the availability and ability to create more predictions about outcomes. These outcomes could be about predicting tomorrow's weather, teaching a self-driving car how to react to changing conditions, or even helping HR and Talent leaders predict who might be the best candidate for a job, or who might be a better fit on the team.

Joshua breaks down how HR and business leaders should think about AI, how and where to see and understand its impact on business, the need for human judgment, and how to assess and be aware of the hidden dangers and potential biases in AI technology. This was the most lively and engaging (and accessible) conversation about AI I have ever had, and I think any HR or business leader will appreciate the easy, casual way Joshua explains complex topics.

We also talked 'War Games', (the movie), Moneyball, the pain of teaching a teenager how to drive.

Listen to the show on the show page HERE, on your favorite podcast app, or by using the widget player below:

Thanks to Joshua for joining us!

Subscribe to the HR Happy Hour Show wherever you get your podcasts - just search for 'HR Happy Hour'.

And here is the link to Joshua's new book, Prediction Machines: The Simple Economics of Artificial Intelligence.

Have a great day!

PODCAST: #HRHappyHour 318 - Virgin Pulse Thrive Summit Report: Helping Employees Thrive

HR Happy Hour 318 - Virgin Pulse Thrive Summit Report: Helping Employees Thrive

Host: Steve Boese

Guests: Aimée Dodson, Thrive Director, Movement Mortgage; David Osborne, CEO, Virgin Pulse

Recorded live at the Virgin Pulse Thrive Summit in Miami Beach, Florida

Listen HERE

This week on the HR Happy Hour Show, we return for our annual visit to Virgin Pulse's customer conference - the Thrive Summit where Steve sat down with Aimée Dodson from Movement Mortgage, and Virgin Pulse CEO David Osborne to talk wellbeing, engagement, and how organizations can help their people thrive at work and at home too. David shared an update on what has been happening at Virgin Pulse, but more importantly how the goal of helping organizations and their people succeed with their goals - health, financial, and more - and how leading companies are thinking about wellness more expansively and holistically - and how that drives important business and personal outcomes.

 Aimée then dug into some very specific details on Movement Mortgage's "Thrive" program - a comprehensive approach centerered around caring for their employees in four areas - health and wellness, family and relationships, personal finance, and community service. Movement is doing some incredibly innovative and successful things in their employee wellbeing efforts and Aimée shared examples like their 'Couch to 5K', 'Lose $1M in debt', and how they used social media to engage employees in these programs.

You can listen to the show on the show page HERE, with your favorite podcast app, or by using the widget player below:

Thanks to Aimée and David for joining me and thanks as always to Virgin Pulse for all the support.

Subscribe to the HR Happy Hour wherever you get your podcasts - just search for 'HR Happy Hour.'