HR Voices

Rebecca Taylor
  • 2.3 (3)
  • MANAGEMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Bold insights and real talk from top HR leaders shaping the future of work. Each episode delivers real stories and actionable strategies to build thriving, compliant workplace cultures that prioritize employee well-being in a rapidly evolving world. HR Voices is brought to you by All Voices, the platform that cuts hours of manual HR work with step-by-step workflows and AI to assist with investigations, performance improvement, accommodations, leave requests, and more so you can get back to the human side of HR. Learn more at https://allvoices.co

  1. Engagement for Success: FreshDirect’s CPO on Redefining Performance, Purpose, and Growth

    4D AGO

    Engagement for Success: FreshDirect’s CPO on Redefining Performance, Purpose, and Growth

    Summary In a farm-to-door, 24/7 operation, how do you keep 2,500 people aligned, motivated, and truly high-performing? Claire Ko, Chief People Officer at FreshDirect—the pioneer of online grocery delivery—shares how her lean people team supports a complex, tech-enabled business spanning production, logistics, merchandising, and corporate functions. Claire offers a view inside FreshDirect’s direct relationships with farms and fisheries, food-waste reduction efforts, and a new fair-trade initiative sending $1 per bunch of organic bananas back to farmers—purpose that fuels pride and performance. She breaks down “Engagement for Success,” a company-wide framework that centers monthly, employee-led conversations defining personal success and linking work to business impact, complete with ongoing documentation to strengthen reviews and growth plans. Claire also tackles calibration pitfalls, perspective-shifting tools like her “magic-wand” team exercise, and why clarity, recognition, and manager accountability matter most. She closes on HR’s human advantage in an AI era: connection, motivation, and the courage to remove obstacles so people can do their best work. Timestamps [00:45] – Guest intro and FreshDirect’s direct-from-farm model [01:56] – Sustainability in action: reducing food waste and fair-trade bananas [02:52] – HR in a complex, tech-enabled operation: competing expectations across teams [04:35] – Leadership basics: clarity, recognition, and time with the team [06:42] – “Engagement for Success”: purpose, design, and expected outcomes [10:43] – Monthly employee-led success conversations and yearlong documentation [14:25] – Rethinking performance reviews: beyond KPIs and the calibration trap [15:35] – The “magic-wand” exercise: revealing potential and redefining what’s possible [19:14] – The human advantage in an AI era: engagement, motivation, and trust Takeaways - Implement monthly, employee-led success check-ins that define outcomes, surface obstacles, and tie work to business impact. - Document progress and engagement continuously to inform fair, future-focused performance reviews. - Equip managers to remove blockers and recognize wins; make clarity and follow-through nonnegotiable. - Use perspective-shifting prompts (e.g., the “magic-wand” team exercise) to reveal potential and set bolder goals. - Connect roles to company purpose—such as sustainability partnerships—to boost pride, retention, and high performance. Sponsor AllVoices brings all your employee relations work together in one place. No more jumping between spreadsheets, emails, and legacy systems just one place to document and manage reports, cases, investigations, and performance conversations. It helps you run a more consistent process, takes busywork off your plate with AI, and makes it easier to spot trends early, so you can work proactively, not just put out fires. See a demo at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.allvoices.co/

    20 min
  2. From Design to HR: People-First Culture, Co-Leadership, and AI in HR

    FEB 20

    From Design to HR: People-First Culture, Co-Leadership, and AI in HR

    Summary What happens when a designer leads HR? Michael Bodziner, Co–Chief Human Resources Officer at Gensler—the global architecture and design firm with 56 offices and 6,400 people—shares how a 40-year career from intern to studio director to CHRO shaped a people-first approach that boosts retention and performance. Michael explains how he translated retail customer-experience thinking into an employee-experience playbook, why “don’t let fear be the deciding factor” guided his leap into HR, and how focusing on strengths—“aces and spaces”—builds higher-performing teams. He details the shift from transactional HR to strategic partnership, Gensler’s co-leadership model (including his pairing with co-CHRO Larissa Gray to balance culture with compliance), and how that structure sustained the firm through COVID. Michael also offers a pragmatic view on AI: use it to automate the busywork so HR can spend time coaching leaders, improving the team member experience, and retaining top talent. Expect candid lessons on designing culture at scale, knowing your people deeply, and making courageous career moves. Timestamps [00:45] – Guest intro: 40-year journey from intern to co-CHRO at a global firm [03:38] – From designer to studio director: putting people first and reducing turnover [06:01] – The Starbucks ask: moving into HR—and “don’t let fear be the deciding factor” [09:57] – Rebuilding HR around the team member experience to compete for talent [12:42] – Taking the CHRO role weeks before COVID and leading people strategy [13:11] – Co-leadership at Gensler: pairing culture with compliance (with co-CHRO Larissa Gray) [18:37] – “Aces and spaces”: strengths-led development and managers who truly know their people [24:23] – Practical AI: automating transactions so HR can be a strategic partner Takeaways - Map the employee experience like a customer journey to improve engagement and retention. - Adopt co-leadership to balance external growth with internal culture, and strategy with compliance. - Coach managers to know each person’s aspirations and align work to strengths. - Build teams around “aces and spaces”—pair strengths to cover gaps and raise performance. - Use AI to handle transactional HR (e.g., routine comms, admin) and free time for strategic work. - Make courageous career moves—don’t let fear be the deciding factor.

    26 min
  3. Retaining Frontline Talent: America’s Car‑Mart’s CHRO on Side Hustles, Boomerang Culture, and Whole‑Health Wellness

    FEB 20

    Retaining Frontline Talent: America’s Car‑Mart’s CHRO on Side Hustles, Boomerang Culture, and Whole‑Health Wellness

    Summary How do you keep a largely frontline workforce engaged across 135 dealerships and 12 states—while embracing the rise of side hustles? Jules Gianneschi, Chief Human Resources Officer at America’s Car‑Mart (a publicly traded, integrated auto sales and finance company based in Rogers, AR), shares how her team builds a purpose-led culture around a clear mission: keeping customers on the road. Jules explains why normalizing second jobs can actually improve retention, how whole‑health wellness (physical, mental, and financial) drives performance, and why authenticity at work reduces “energy tax” and boosts productivity. She breaks down Car‑Mart’s “boomerang” culture, the associate value proposition built from employee interviews, and the power of local leadership in rural communities where reliable transportation changes lives. Jules also offers two simple HR rituals—Hour of Power and Hallway Huddles—that upskill teams and keep HR connected to the business. She closes with practical interview advice leaders can use to create psychological safety and see candidates at their best. Timestamps [00:45] – Who is America’s Car‑Mart? Integrated sales/finance model, footprint, and purpose [01:51] – The CHRO view: supporting frontline associates and a lean corporate team [02:40] – The rise of second jobs: economic drivers, passion projects, and retention upside [05:15] – Whole‑health wellness: physical, mental, and financial programs that meet people where they are [07:50] – Authenticity and energy management; building the EVP; “boomerang” employees and core values [14:30] – Mission clarity in action: rural markets, transportation access, and GMs as community leaders [16:35] – Community engagement that builds loyalty: local events, service projects, and everyday hospitality [18:05] – HR rituals: Hour of Power (weekly learning) and Hallway Huddles (monthly stand‑ups) [22:05] – Interview advice for candidates—and how managers create safety to get real signals Takeaways - Normalize side hustles to boost retention—offer stable schedules and transparency, not secrecy. - Operationalize whole‑health wellness: pair benefits with mental health support and financial education. - Build your EVP from associate interviews and data; anchor it to clear, lived values. - Clarify the mission (“keep customers on the road”) so every frontline role sees its impact. - Empower local leaders—make managers the face of the brand in their communities. - Install lightweight learning and comms rituals (Hour of Power, Hallway Huddles) to upskill HR and stay close to the business. - Create psychological safety in hiring: invite candidates to name nerves so you can evaluate true fit and potential.

    24 min
  4. Employee Voice at Scale: EDF’s CHRO on Skills-Based Growth, Pay Equity, and AI Hiring Risks

    FEB 20

    Employee Voice at Scale: EDF’s CHRO on Skills-Based Growth, Pay Equity, and AI Hiring Risks

    Summary When politics and technology collide with your mission, how do you keep people engaged and moving forward? Elizabeth Mattila, SVP and Chief Human Resources Officer at the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), shares how a 1,000-person, global NGO sustains morale, builds true employee voice, and modernizes talent practices. Elizabeth explains EDF’s science-driven, bipartisan approach to advocacy—and how transparent communication, town halls, and a clear legal strategy help teams stay focused even amid policy headwinds. She details two structural levers for engagement: a new, peer-elected Staff Council that represents employees worldwide and a Culture Council advancing DEI with data from annual engagement surveys. On talent, Elizabeth breaks down EDF’s shift to skills-based career growth and cross-functional mobility—making advancement less about tenure and more about capabilities. She also outlines why annual pay equity snapshots fall short, and how EDF now runs equity analyses on-demand for real transparency. Finally, Elizabeth flags rising AI threats in hiring—from deepfake candidates to data risks—and why HR must partner with security to protect the org. Expect practical ideas to future-proof HR in mission-driven and global contexts: employee voice at scale, real-time equity, and skills as the new currency. Timestamps [00:00] – Welcome and guest introduction [00:53] – EDF 101: mission pillars, size, and global footprint [03:05] – Supporting a hybrid, multinational workforce and compliance [04:30] – Policy headwinds and morale: keeping the mission alive [05:46] – AI risks in hiring: deepfakes, fake candidates, and data security [07:58] – Transparency in action: science-led advocacy, legal strategy, town halls [12:30] – Building employee voice: Staff Council, Culture Council, and engagement insights [14:58] – Skills-based careers, cross-functional mobility, and real-time pay equity Takeaways - Establish formal employee voice mechanisms (e.g., peer-elected Staff Council) to enable two-way communication across regions and levels. - Use a dedicated Culture/DEI council and engagement data to prioritize actions that matter beyond “topics of the moment.” - Shift to skills-based talent management—define required capabilities, publish transparent pathways, and support cross-functional moves. - Move from annual to on-demand pay equity analysis to keep pace with hiring and attrition and to increase trust. - Sustain morale in mission-driven orgs with radical transparency, bipartisan partnerships, and clear plans of action. - Protect hiring integrity by collaborating with security to counter AI-driven applicant fraud and safeguard sensitive data. Sponsor AllVoices brings all your employee relations work together in one place. No more jumping between spreadsheets, emails, and legacy systems just one place to document and manage reports, cases, investigations, and performance conversations. It helps you run a more consistent process, takes busywork off your plate with AI, and makes it easier to spot trends early, so you can work proactively, not just put out fires. See a demo at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.allvoices.co/

    23 min
  5. Chelle O’Keefe, CHRO at Associa

    FEB 19

    Chelle O’Keefe, CHRO at Associa

    Integrating at Scale: Associa’s CHRO on Culture, Identity, and Bottom‑Up AI Summary How do you integrate 16 acquisitions at once without losing the soul of each local business? Chelle O’Keefe, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Associa—the largest property and community management company in North America—shares a practical playbook for scaling culture while honoring local identity. With 30,000+ communities and 4 million homeowners across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, Associa grows primarily through M&A. Chelle explains how her team balances standardization with autonomy, why new acquisitions with seller-owners need a different glide path, and how reframing “loss of control” as “evolving identity” changes resistance into buy-in. She details a bottom‑up approach to AI—automating painful, repetitive work first—and a real-world example of using AI to model 401(k) scenarios that saved significant cost. Chelle also breaks down Associa’s succession strategy in a niche industry, including a new tool pushing frontline leaders to develop their replacements and maintain high internal promotion rates. Expect candid insights on titles, urgency traps, and building leaders who can thrive through constant change. Timestamps [00:45] – Associa overview: largest in community management, acquisitive growth, scale across North America [01:23] – Integrating 16 companies at once: standard platforms vs. local differentiation in employee experience [03:13] – Managing “branch presidents”: core branches vs. new acquisitions with seller-owners [05:46] – From control to identity: why titles matter and creating space during integration [09:28] – Escaping the urgency trap: learning, networking, and the realities of HR’s “lonely” role [12:02] – Bottom‑up AI: start with painful, repetitive work instead of forcing AI into processes [14:58] – AI case study: modeling 401(k) scenarios, validating with providers, and saving money [17:42] – Succession at scale: promoting from within, frontline ownership, and a new succession tool Takeaways - Lead integrations through identity alignment—don’t erase local culture; evolve it. - Define two playbooks: one for core branches and one for newly acquired, seller-led teams. - Slow down where it matters—acknowledge title changes and create space for employees to be heard. - Apply AI from the bottom up: automate repetitive, low‑value tasks before redesigning everything. - Pilot AI on real business problems, then validate with experts to ensure accuracy and trust. - Push succession planning to the frontline—develop replacements to enable upward mobility and retention. Sponsor AllVoices brings all your employee relations work together in one place. No more jumping between spreadsheets, emails, and legacy systems just one place to document and manage reports, cases, investigations, and performance conversations. It helps you run a more consistent process, takes busywork off your plate with AI, and makes it easier to spot trends early, so you can work proactively, not just put out fires. See a demo at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.allvoices.co/

    23 min
  6. Heather Brazik Smith, Chief Human Resources Officer at BrightStar Care

    FEB 19

    Heather Brazik Smith, Chief Human Resources Officer at BrightStar Care

    Care for Caregivers: Bright Star Care’s CXO on Community, Consistency, and AI in Hiring Summary How do you build connection and consistency for a largely solo, non-desk workforce? Heather Bresick-Smith, Chief Experience Officer at Bright Star Care (formerly CHRO), shares how the home healthcare franchisor is reshaping employee experience across 13–14k caregivers through community, clear lanes of ownership, and smart tech. Heather breaks down the shift from HR to Experience—employee, client, and soon owner experience—plus formal change management to drive franchisee adoption. She reveals Bright Star’s new employer brand pillars—connection at our core, flexibility that fits your life, and care that starts within—and why the first 90 days are the retention tipping point. Heather details a network-wide LMS for consistent onboarding and career paths, an employee mobile app that becomes the “virtual office” for distributed caregivers, and where AI fits: sourcing, screening, scheduling, and predictive signals that prioritize highly motivated candidates with a clean human handoff. She closes with how franchisee roundtables turn local wins in recruiting and retention into system-wide standards. Timestamps [00:45] – From CHRO to CXO: experience “lanes,” client/employee/owner experience, and change management [03:17] – Splitting people ops vs. franchisee-facing support to scale impact [04:06] – The caregiver challenge: isolation, recruiting vs. retention, and the 90-day stickiness milestone [06:39] – Employer brand pillars: connection, flexibility, and “care that starts within” [09:03] – The employee mobile app as the virtual office: messaging, recognition, and education on-the-go [12:24] – Standardizing learning: network-wide LMS, robust 90-day onboarding, CE, and career paths [15:10] – Practical AI in hiring: sourcing/screening/scheduling and predictive signals for candidate prioritization [17:30] – The “people leader co-pilot” vision: just-in-time guidance for interviews, feedback, and HR risk [19:48] – Stronger together: franchisee collaboration and turning best practices into system norms Takeaways - Define clear experience lanes (employee, client, owner) and formalize change management to boost adoption across franchises. - Design for early retention: build programs that carry caregivers past the 90-day threshold and target candidates who mirror your best performers. - Lead with “care that starts within”: make caregiver well-being a visible pillar of your employer brand and day-to-day operations. - Create community for distributed workers: use a mobile app for real-time messaging, recognition, and learning—treat it like the office. - Standardize a network-wide LMS to deliver consistent onboarding, CE, and career pathways that reduce burnout and turnover. - Use AI judiciously: automate sourcing/screening/scheduling, leverage predictive motivation signals, and ensure a warm, timely human handoff. Sponsor AllVoices brings all your employee relations work together in one place. No more jumping between spreadsheets, emails, and legacy systems just one place to document and manage reports, cases, investigations, and performance conversations. It helps you run a more consistent process, takes busywork off your plate with AI, and makes it easier to spot trends early, so you can work proactively, not just put out fires. See a demo at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.allvoices.co/

    21 min
  7. Stephanie Lovinger Roseman, Chief People Officer at Fortis Fire & Safety

    FEB 19

    Stephanie Lovinger Roseman, Chief People Officer at Fortis Fire & Safety

    Onsite-First HR: Fortis Fire & Safety’s CPO on Transparency, Incentives, and Practical AI Summary How do you build trust and clarity for a largely frontline, onsite workforce amid inflation pressures and AI-fueled change? Stephanie Roseman, Chief People Officer at Fortis Fire & Safety—a national provider of fire suppression, alarms, and integrated security—shares a practical playbook. She breaks down what her latest employee survey surfaced (financial squeeze, job security, career growth, and communication) and how Fortis turns data into action: branch-level insights, manager enablement, and company-wide town halls. Stephanie details her transparency mantra—“I’ll tell you everything I can as soon as I can”—and how she handled benefits changes with in-person roadshows and red/green clarity on employee impact. She’s also simplifying complexity, shrinking the handbook to a 40-page core, and building transparent incentive programs that reward productivity and safety behaviors. Finally, Stephanie dives into practical AI: scaling personalization in performance and development, boosting recruiting capacity, and cross-referencing HR and operations data for analyst-level insights—plus AI coaching tools that help managers practice tough conversations. Expect concrete, repeatable tactics for any people leader supporting onsite teams. Timestamps [00:45] – What Fortis does and why HR in fire/safety mirrors “background” risk prevention [01:53] – Employee survey findings: financial squeeze, job security, growth, and comms; onsite-first culture [03:59] – From data to action: branch-level insights, manager enablement, and upcoming town halls [06:26] – Benefits changes done right: face-to-face roadshows and red/green impact clarity [10:05] – Simplification: 40-page core handbook and building transparent, behavior-based incentives [13:01] – Personalizing development at scale with AI: clearer paths to the next level [14:03] – Practical AI in ops and recruiting: cross-system analytics and capacity for high-touch hiring [17:33] – AI coaching for managers and why “safe practice” improves tough conversations Takeaways - Turn survey data into local action: equip frontline managers with branch-specific insights and clear follow-ups. - Practice radical transparency with boundaries: “Tell everything you can as soon as you can” to build trust. - Make benefits changes unmistakably clear: meet people in person and label positive/negative impacts directly. - Simplify to strengthen understanding: distill policies into a short, usable core and treat employees like adults. - Tie incentives to observable behaviors (e.g., productivity, driver safety) with criteria everyone can see. - Use AI to scale, not replace: automate sourcing and analysis, and support managers with coaching tools. Sponsor AllVoices brings all your employee relations work together in one place. No more jumping between spreadsheets, emails, and legacy systems just one place to document and manage reports, cases, investigations, and performance conversations. It helps you run a more consistent process, takes busywork off your plate with AI, and makes it easier to spot trends early, so you can work proactively, not just put out fires. See a demo at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.allvoices.co/

    20 min
  8. Andrea Brunet, Director, Employee Relations at Greystar

    FEB 18

    Andrea Brunet, Director, Employee Relations at Greystar

    Human-First Employee Relations: Greystar’s Director on Multi-State Investigations, AI, and Trust Summary How do you lead fair, fast, and human investigations across dozens of jurisdictions—with California in the mix—and still keep people at the center? Andrea Brunet, Director of Employee Relations at Greystar, supports 2,400 employees across multiple states for the global real estate leader. She shares how rigorous organization, clear triage, and deep partnership with field leaders power compliant, compassionate employee relations. Andrea explains her system for managing time-sensitive cases (think EEOC and wage-and-hour), why rapport lets HR deliver risk-based guidance leaders can hear, and how to handle AI-authored complaints without losing the human story. Expect practical insights on turning “small” complaints into root-cause patterns, coaching managers through tough conversations, and preserving dignity in terminations—so HR is seen as a trusted partner, not “Toby.” Timestamps [00:01] – Role and scope: Greystar’s footprint, multi-state support, and California complexity [02:25] – Staying organized: tracking investigations, deadlines, and time-sensitive compliance [04:44] – Building trust: collaborating with leaders and giving risk-based recommendations [06:52] – AI in ER: the upside, the pitfalls, and why a phone call reveals the real story [10:03] – From symptoms to root cause: the “coffee complaint” and pattern-spotting in ER [11:39] – HR as connective tissue: first and last impressions and company-wide impact [14:19] – Service mindset: triaging requests, team collaboration, and shedding the “Toby” stereotype [18:45] – Dignity in terminations: coaching leaders through hard conversations and de-escalation Takeaways - Build a simple, durable tracking system (spreadsheets or case management) to manage investigations and meet hard deadlines. - Earn trust early so leaders accept risk-based guidance—even when it’s not the answer they hoped for. - Treat AI-generated complaints as a starting point; connect live to hear the human behind the text. - Look beyond surface issues to identify patterns and root causes; small complaints can reveal bigger gaps. - Position HR as organizational triage: route quickly, respond personally, and reduce friction across functions. - Protect dignity in difficult moments: frame decisions as business-driven, allow pauses, and coach leaders to de-escalate. Sponsor AllVoices brings all your employee relations work together in one place. No more jumping between spreadsheets, emails, and legacy systems just one place to document and manage reports, cases, investigations, and performance conversations. It helps you run a more consistent process, takes busywork off your plate with AI, and makes it easier to spot trends early, so you can work proactively, not just put out fires. See a demo at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.allvoices.co/

    22 min
See All (56)

Ratings & Reviews

2.3
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Bold insights and real talk from top HR leaders shaping the future of work. Each episode delivers real stories and actionable strategies to build thriving, compliant workplace cultures that prioritize employee well-being in a rapidly evolving world. HR Voices is brought to you by All Voices, the platform that cuts hours of manual HR work with step-by-step workflows and AI to assist with investigations, performance improvement, accommodations, leave requests, and more so you can get back to the human side of HR. Learn more at https://allvoices.co

Information

  • Creator
    Rebecca Taylor
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    56
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Rebecca Taylor
  • Show Website
    HR Voices