Good Morning, HR Mike Coffey, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

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 between tactical and strategic HR; and the keys to building a successful culture in a growing firm.
Mentioned in the episode:
Kurt’s book, Who's Your Mike?: A No-Bullshit Guide to the People You'll Meet on Your Entrepreneurial Journey: https://a.co/d/4BgnGch
Exceprt from Who’s Your Mike?: HR Rhoda: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/hydaddz5jfo84znstzd2w/12.-Who-s-Your-Mike_-HR-Rhoda.pdf?rlkey=52au278hhaevml73lesm7182d&e=1&dl=0
All-In Podcast Episode 168: https://youtu.be/-Am0vMW3fA0?si=LeH5WLnE8mO4CA77&t=1855
Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.
If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.
About our Guest:
Kurt Wilkin is a gifted connector—of dots, ideas, and people.
For the past 30 years, he has advised high-growth companies, starting his career with Ernst & Young, and today in his roles as Chairman of HireBetter and Managing Partner of Bee Cave Capital.
He's a serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exits and has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and CEOs build their own companies.
Kurt Wilkin can be reached at:
https://www.HireBetter.com 
https://www.WhosYourMike.com 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurt-wilkin 
https://twitter.com/KurtWilkin
About Mike Coffey:
Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, human resources professional, licensed private investigator, and HR consultant.
In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations firm helping risk-averse companies make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business.
Today, Imperative serves hundreds of businesses across the US and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies.
Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence and has twice been named HR Professional of the Year.
Additionally, Imperative has been named the Texas Association of Business’ small business of the year and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.
Mike is a member of the Fort Worth chapter of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization and volunteers with the SHRM Texas State Council.
Mike maintains his certification as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute. He is also a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP).
Mike lives in Fort Worth with his very patient wife. He practices yoga and maintains a keto diet, about both of which he will gladly tell you way more than you want to know.
Learning Objectives:
1. Understand the evolution of the role of HR as entrepreneurial businesses grow.
2. Identify common people challenges entrepreneurial organizations face.
3. Learn strategies for balancing tactical and strategic HR to build a successful culture.

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 factors that serve as a guide to determine if an employment relationship exists under the FLSA; and common mistakes made by employers when hiring and managing contractors.
Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.
If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.
About our Guest:
Krystal Yates is a certified HR expert with SHRM-SCP and SPHR certifications. She is the President and Founder of EBR HR Experts and Integrity People Group, overseeing HR strategy for several small and medium businesses in DFW.
Prior to starting her own firm, Krystal worked for several small businesses in DFW, overseeing HR and Operations.
Krystal is a member of the Forbes Coaches Council. She serves on the Feral Friends Community Cat Alliance board, is a Trustee for The Longhorn Group of Charities Unit Accounting Trust, and volunteers with DallasHR and the Lewisville Area Chamber of Commerce.
Krystal Yates can be reached at:
www.IntegrityPeopleGroup.com 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/krystalyates
About Mike Coffey:
Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, human resources professional, licensed private investigator, and HR consultant.
In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations firm helping risk-averse companies make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business.
Today, Imperative serves hundreds of businesses across the US and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies.
Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence and has twice been named HR Professional of the Year.
Additionally, Imperative has been named the Texas Association of Business’ small business of the year and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.
Mike is a member of the Fort Worth chapter of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization and volunteers with the SHRM Texas State Council.
Mike maintains his certification as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute. He is also a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP).
Mike lives in Fort Worth with his very patient wife. He practices yoga and maintains a keto diet, about both of which he will gladly tell you way more than you want to know.
Learning Objectives:
1. Understand the difference between employees and independent contractors.
2. Utilize the classification factors outlined in the Department of Labor’s final rule. 
3. Avoid common mistakes employers make in hiring and managing independent contractors.

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 intelligent workplace across remote and multigenerational teams.
Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.
If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.
About our Guest:
Darryl Owens is owner and CEO of Blue Palmetto Training which specializes in upskilling today's workforce for maximum performance. Darryl retired from AT&T with 27 years experience in Sales, Training, Performance Development and Analytics. Darryl is also the School Board President of Kennedale ISD.
Darryl Owens can be reached at:
www.bluepalmettotraining.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/darryl-owens-shep-30868438/
https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=blue%20palmetto%20training%20%26%20development
About Mike Coffey:
Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, human resources professional, licensed private investigator, and HR consultant.
In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations firm helping risk-averse companies make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business.
Today, Imperative serves hundreds of businesses across the US and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies.
Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence and has twice been named HR Professional of the Year.
Additionally, Imperative has been named the Texas Association of Business’ small business of the year and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.
Mike is a member of the Fort Worth chapter of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization and volunteers with the SHRM Texas State Council.
Mike maintains his certification as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute. He is also a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP).
Mike lives in Fort Worth with his very patient wife. He practices yoga and maintains a keto diet, about both of which he will gladly tell you way more than you want to know.
Learning Objectives:
1. Identify the components of emotional intelligence.
2. Analyze the impact of generational differences on emotional intelligence in teams.
3. Develop strategies to cultivate emotional intelligence across remote and multigenerational teams.

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" has presented an opportunity for transactional and strategic HR to find a compromise.
Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.
If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.
About our Guest:
Gabriela established People Performance Resources (PPR), a full-service Human Capital consulting firm, in 2010. Since then, Gabriela and her team have continued to expand their reach in providing strategic and best practice expertise with a proven track record of enhancing operational excellence. Gabriela is a highly regarded and sought-after trusted advisor to many local, national, and international organizations and their decision-makers. 
Here are a few of Gabriela’s areas of focus: bilingual/bicultural expertise, organizational analysis and development, C-level business continuity planning, executive coaching, executive compensation, change management, strategic planning, employment compliance, executive searches, board governance guidance, and more. 
Gabriela serves as North Texas Board Chair for Out Teach, a mission committed to educating children in less fortunate communities through school gardens. In addition, she supports several local and national causes that empower education, social justice, women’s causes, children at risk, and conservation efforts. In 2022, Gabriela was nominated and accepted into The Dallas Summit, a group of purpose-driven women leaders.
When not enjoying her professional adventures, Gabriela is a foodie who loves traveling, running, hiking, snorkeling, and spending time with her friends, family, and rescue dog, Harley.
Gabriela Norton can be reached at: 
https://www.pprhr.com 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielanorton 
https://www.facebook.com/pprhr 
https://www.instagram.com/ppr_hr
About Mike Coffey:
Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, human resources professional, licensed private investigator, and HR consultant.
In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations firm helping risk-averse companies make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business.
Today, Imperative serves hundreds of businesses across the US and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies.
Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence and has twice been named HR Professional of the Year.
Additionally, Imperative has been named the Texas Association of Business’ small business of the year and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.
Mike is a member of the Fort Worth chapter of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization and volunteers with the SHRM Texas State Council.
Mike maintains his certification as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute. He is also a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP).
Mike lives in Fort Worth with his very patient wife. He practices yoga and maintains a keto diet, about both of which he will gladly tell you way more than you want to know.
Learning Objectives: 
1. Evaluate the challenges HR faces in balancing company interests with employee advocacy.
2. Impl

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 the following topics:
- The Crunchbase Tech Layoffs Tracker
- Tesla laying off more than 10% of staff globally as sales fall
- Deeming Mass Layoffs a ‘Failure of Leadership,’ One Company Fine-Tunes a Strategy to Avoid Them
- 43% of people would rather get a divorce than return to the office
- Fears and Remote Work: Livecareer Report
- Overemployed Subreddit
Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.
If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.
About our Guest:
Karen Cunningham is Principal Consultant and President of Intrust HR. Karen is a senior human resources leader with a work history that illustrates strong strategic management skills, extensive experience and knowledge in human resources, and a career focused on creating value for organizations through the effective development and delivery of HR programs and practices tailored to fit the client’s unique needs. Karen has supported organizations of all sizes and in numerous industries. She is certified as a senior-level HR professional with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI).
In addition to Karen’s 25+ years navigating the ever-changing world of human resources, she is actively involved in her community through civic, nonprofit, educational and professional boards and committees. She is also a member of two service organizations.
Karen Cunningham can be reached at:
https://www.intrusthr.com 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/karencunningham1
About Mike Coffey:
Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, human resources professional, licensed private investigator, and HR consultant.
In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations firm helping risk-averse companies make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business.
Today, Imperative serves hundreds of businesses across the US and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies.
Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence and has twice been named HR Professional of the Year.
Additionally, Imperative has been named the Texas Association of Business’ small business of the year and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.
Mike is a member of the Fort Worth chapter of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization and volunteers with the SHRM Texas State Council.
Mike maintains his certification as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute. He is also a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP).
Mike lives in Fort Worth with his very patient wife. He practices yoga and maintains a keto diet, about both of which he will gladly tell you way more than you want to know.
Learning Objectives:
1. Consider workforce planning techniques to avoid reductions in force.
2. Evaluate remote work in light of the last four years’ experience.
3. Develop strategies for leaders to increase engagement in a remote work environment.

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 page 272 of the PDF.) So far, we’ve noted no significant changes contradicting anything discussed during the podcast.
Coffey and Vianei discuss the gaps in existing law that necessitated the PWFA; the difference between accommodations provided by the Americans with Disabilities Act and the PWFA, including obligations employers may have to suspend essential functions of a job under the PWFA; actions employers need to take to ensure PWFA compliance; the federal court injunction against the enforcement of the PWFA against the State of Texas; the PWFA’s definition of “undue hardship”; how managers can navigate employees’ undisclosed pregnancies; how long pregnancy-related accommodations may be required; how long pregnancy-related accommodations may be required; the importance of HR’s inclusion in pregnancy-related accommodation documentation; when to involve a healthcare provider in reviewing documentation; and various kinds of PWFA accommodations employers may need to consider; and other challenges employers may face in implementing the PWFA.
Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.
If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.
About our Guest:
Vianei Braun is a shareholder in Decker Jones, P.C. and heads their labor and employment law group. She has represented employers for more than 30 years and is a frequent author and speaker on employment law issues.
Vianei is also a member of the Board of Directors of First Financial Bankshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: FFIN) and serves on their compensation and risk committees.
Vianei appears on various law-related lists, including Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers. She has also been honored as a member of the “Fort Worth 400” by Fort Worth Inc. and as a “Great Woman of Texas” by the Fort Worth Business Press.
At the time of her graduation at age 19, Vianei was the youngest ever female graduate of Princeton University. She received her law degree from the University of Texas School of Law and is a proud Longhorn.
Vianei lives in Fort Worth with a pack of rescue Chihuahuas and with her husband Jason, an attorney in the enforcement division of the SEC.
Vianei Braun can be reached at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vianeibraunattorney
About Mike Coffey:
Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, human resources professional, licensed private investigator, and HR consultant.
In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations firm helping risk-averse companies make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business.
Today, Imperative serves hundreds of businesses across the US and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies.
Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence and has twice been named HR Professional of the Year.
Additionally, Imperative has been named the Texas Association of Business’ small business of the year and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.
Mike is a member of the Fort Worth chapter of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization and volunteers with the SHRM Texas State Council.