Engaging People Podcast

In this episode, our expert speakers will teach you all things employee motivation. Gain practical strategies and actionable insights to create a motivated and high-performing workforce. We discuss the science behind motivation, how to overcome barriers, and explore leadership approaches to motivation.

Join us on this episode about organizational culture, designed exclusively for those who are passionate about enhancing employee experience within their companies. Find out how organizational culture has a profound impact on employee engagement and overall business success.

During times of economic downturn, it can be tempting to cut costs wherever possible, including employee surveys. However, doing so can have long-term negative consequences for your organization. Join us for this informative podcast as Matt Wride and Christian Nielson discuss why listening to your employees is crucial, especially during times of crisis. They will cover topics such as how surveys can help you understand employee needs and concerns, identify areas for improvement, and strengthen employee engagement and retention. Don't miss this opportunity to learn how listening can help your organization weather the storm and emerge stronger than ever.

In today's fast-paced world, it's important to have a sense of belonging in the workplace. But what does that mean? How can we create it? Listen to our latest podcast “Creating a Culture of Belonging in the Workplace”. You'll discover the benefits of a workplace culture of belonging and how to implement it in your own workplace.

We all have a tendency at times to “shoot from the hip”, “trust our gut” or use dogma to make important decisions. However, when it comes to business decisions, this can come back to bite us if we're not careful. That is why we strive to always back up our decisions with data. When understood and used correctly, employee data can be one of the most useful assets in gleaning insights about our organizations. Spend an hour with Christian Nielson and Matt Wride learning how to help your organization make data-driven decisions about its most valuable resource, its people.

Stay up to date on the latest employee experience trends. The makeup of the workforce has changed quite dramatically over the last few years, and 2023 will be no exception. Join DecisionWise COO, David Long, and VP of Consulting Services, Charles Rogel, as they provide predictions on what to expect and plan for in 2023 as it relates to employee experience.

With thousands of surveys administered and hundreds of firms surveyed, we've learned a thing or two about what makes or breaks the employee experience. Join us as we discover the emerging trends in employee engagement for 2022, and determine what those patterns mean for organizations moving into 2023.

Everything senior leaders do is compounded and cascaded throughout the organization. Their attitudes, behaviors, and decisions shape the organizational culture and employee experience. 360 degree feedback is an opportunity for leaders to understand what experience they are creating for others. In this podcast episode, Matthew Wride and Christian Nielson discuss how 360 feedback can help improve leadership and in turn, the employee experience. Visit decisionwise.com for more info.

Understanding employee engagement is critical to any organization. Listening to your employees is key to this understanding, but knowing what you need to ask them can be a challenge. In this podcast episode, engagement experts David Long and Charles Rogel discuss what to ask in your next employee engagement survey.

What is this trend about quiet quitting? What is causing it? Every organization wants productive, engaged, and happy employees. The solution to preventing your employees from quiet quitting: knowing what to measure. Tune in as Charles Rogel, employee engagement expert and VP of Consulting Services discusses how knowing what to measure can help your organization recognize why employees have quietly quit and what to do about it.

Every organization has ways they can elevate the experience they are providing their employees, and much of this is tied to improving employee engagement. In this podcast episode, Christian Nielson, Chief Strategy Officer, and Dave Long, Chief Operating Officer, discuss how to improve employee engagement within your organization.

Join us on this podcast episode for a comprehensive overview of our global employee survey benchmarks and as we reveal the major insights we are seeing in our recent data. DecisionWise COO, David Long, and VP of Consulting Services, Charles Rogel, talk about the topics that differ the most by major industry and demographic categories and how the employee engagement landscape is changing. Topics covered on this episode: - Overall employee engagement by industry - Demographic differences by gender, race/ethnicity, manager status, age, and tenure - Trends in employee perceptions about communication, belonging, wellbeing, workload, and many more To learn more, visit: https://decisionwise.com Podcast production provided by Arches Audio (https://archesaudio.com/)

Care for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is critical for any modern organization. But how do you best measure the current state of DEI and surface opportunities for improvement? In this podcast episode, Christian Nielson, Chief Revenue Officer of DecisionWise and Dave Long, Chief Operating Officer, will discuss the best techniques to include DEI as a key component of an employee engagement survey.

Christian Nielson, Principal of Spectiv, reviews how you can get more out of your 360 degree feedback assessments. He touches on several strategies, including how 360 assessments can enhance your organization's learning and development efforts, as well as best practices for including special groups such as low performers, high potentials, and top executives. You'll walk away with a clear idea of how 360 feedback can help enhance your organization's strategy. Podcast Production provided by Arches Audio: https://archesaudio.com

The need to hire, retain, and motivate employees has never been more vital to the success of organizations. During this episode we will discuss the strategic advantages of using employee lifecycle surveys to measure the key factors that contribute to a great onboarding experience and understand the main reasons for why employees leave. Join DecisionWise COO, David Long, and VP of Consulting Services, Charles Rogel, as they review several employee lifecycle survey best practices based on years of experience working with hundreds of clients.

Once employee survey feedback is collected, there are several ways to use the data to promote organizational change and improve employee engagement. DecisionWise COO, David Long, and VP of Consulting Services, Charles Rogel, will review several best-practice action planning approaches based on years of experience working with hundreds of clients. Topics addressed during this session include: • How to define your organization employee engagement strategy and best action-planning approach • The differences between enterprise-wide, department, and team-level action planning • How to form an employee action planning committee • How to shift ownership and accountability from HR to leaders throughout the organization • Best-practice frameworks and templates to facilitate action planning

One question to consider as you think about whether to put effort and investment into employee engagement: “Is engagement worth the effort and investment we put into it?” The short answer to this question is “yes,” but depending on the type of organization you are, engagement may be more critical or less critical to your success. During this podcast we'll share the best methods for preparing, administering, and rolling out the results from your employee engagement survey based on over 20 years of experience conducting surveys around the world. We'll also identify the most common mistakes organizations make when conducting an employee engagement survey and how to avoid them.

Everybody likes to be acknowledged for a job well done. We all like to feel validated and yet, many managers are reluctant to give recognition. Why is this? If we recognize someone for the things they are doing, it increases their discretionary effort. They're more highly engaged and they know how to produce faster because they've gotten feedback that what they've done is right, and they want to do it even more and more. Learn more about these concepts and ideas on giving recognition in this insightful conversation.

What can 360 Degree Feedback tell us about our workforce? Join us as we share the trends and patterns we've seen from combing through millions of survey results. Learn how you can harness this power for your organization.

In this episode, Matt Wride and Charles Rogel discuss one of DecisionWise's core leadership competencies: Psychological Safety. They'll dive into the academic research around psychological safety and explore how the concept has played out over time in the professional workplace. They'll also share stories and give best practices on how to foster a feeling of psychological safety on your team.

In this podcast episode, DecisionWise VP of Assessment and Sr. Consultant Dave Long discusses the topic of developing others. Often managers tend to shy away from growth conversations with their employees because it's either not convenient or there isn't a promotional opportunity immediately available. But our research shows that the more often you are able to have these conversations, the more likely employees are to be engaged in their jobs and less likely to leave. The key is finding the right balance between burnout and boredom; where an employee is engaged in meaningful work with growth opportunities but not so busy that they become overwhelmed. Learn about these ideas and other common challenges with developing others in this insightful conversation.

In this Engaging People Podcast episode: Promoting a Sense of Meaning, we discuss practical ideas and suggestions that you can implement as a manager (and on an organizational level) to help employees engage and connect them to the work they do. Read our blog, Meaning: Your Work Has Purpose Beyond the Work Itself (https://decision-wise.com/meaning-your-work-has-purpose-beyond-the-work-itself/)

In this episode, Matt Wride and Christian Nielson discuss where the HR industry is headed with technology and navigating new challenges for a modern workforce.

In this Engaging People Podcast episode, DecisionWise VP of Consulting, Christian Nielson discusses the topic of creating a connection at work. Connection is a sense of belonging and feeling like we're part of something bigger than ourselves; a team, an organization, a mission. We have such a strong need for connection as human beings that some will even forgo physiological needs to reach it. In fact, connection consistently shows up as the #1 driver of engagement in our surveys. When we feel like we belong, we tend to bring our best ideas to our work. Learn more about how to create a sense of connection on a social level, but also connecting employees to the vision and mission of your organization. For more on employee engagement, visit: https://decision-wise.com/

On this episode of the podcast, Matthew Wride and Charles Rogel continue our discussion around manager best practices, focusing on problem-solving. They touch on: - How to identify the root cause of a problem before jumping to a solution. - Having a competency-based culture where behaviors are measured and improved upon. - Myths and common misconceptions associated with problem-solving. - Creating a roadmap by working backward from the ideal state to your current state.

During this podcast, we'll share the latest DecisionWise employee survey research as well as tested best practices and stories from AAA National on how to map a clear DE&I strategy. We'll answer the following questions: - What structural blind spots and policies exist in your organization that prevent action? - What are the myths and common misconceptions around diversity? - What are you doing to gain the support of your leadership? - What message is your company sending with the way it communicates about diversity? - How do you measure the impact of your DE&I initiatives to know if they are making a difference? To download the “DE&I Discussion Starter Questions” handout, visit: https://decision-wise.com/guide-dei-discussion-starter-questions/

In this episode, Matthew Wride and Christian Nielson meet together to discuss our first in a series of founder-based cultures. Our first case study will be on CEO and Founder of Spanx, Sara Blakely. Sara Blakely's journey to begin Spanx is an admirable combination of grit and determination. Most of all, Sara has built a company culture that embodies who she is as a person. Join us to learn about defining your company culture, aligning leadership expectations, and creating a culture that will last beyond those who created it.

In this podcast, learn about the best methods for debriefing and coaching from the results of a 360-degree feedback survey. HR professionals will learn how to coach individuals, interpret individual and group reports, and guide the development planning and follow-up with participants.

In this episode, we discuss the concept of giving your employees a voice and truly listening to their ideas and concerns. - How do you create a culture of listening in your organization? - How can team members feel like they've been heard? - What are some practical tips a manager can follow to really facilitate good listening with their employees? We'll answer these questions and more in this insightful conversation.

On this episode of the podcast, Charles Rogel and Jefferson McClain continue our discussion around manager best practices, focusing on decision making. They'll touch on: - How decision-making capabilities are measured in a 360-degree assessment - How to improve your decision-making - Collaborative decisions vs. Assertive decisions - Empowerment of your team in decision-making

Tune in to this episode to join Charles Rogel and Dave Long discuss the holy grail characteristic of leadership: EQ (Emotional Intelligence). They will be diving into the what, how, and why of Emotional Intelligence, including: 1. The definition of EQ 2. The why behind the importance of EQ 3. How to measure EQ 4. How to develop and improve EQ as an individual and as a leader

In this episode, Matt Wride and Christian Nielson discuss a cautionary tale of the "bro culture" that existed at Uber, how the leadership of it's former CEO, Travis Kalanick contributed to it, and how it ultimately lead to his downfall. Learn what steps you can take as an HR leader to help ensure a more healthy and diverse culture exists at your organization.

In this podcast episode recorded from a recent webinar, DecisionWise Sr. Consultant David Long and Principal Consultant Christian Nielson share best practices for surveying employees as they leave your organization and what insights it can give you for improving retention. Christian explains, “The employees are having an experience, whether you plan for it or not. To measure the complete experience of an employee, we need to understand life cycle events, from when an employee starts to when they leave and the milestones that happen in between. ” He continues, “When people leave their job, the organization loses a resource but they also have the opportunity to gain an advocate, if they've created a strategic exit experience.“ Learn more in this insightful conversation on exit surveys.

In this episode, Charles Rogel and Jefferson McLean discuss one of DecisionWise's core leadership competencies: Influencing Others. They will be diving into the definition of what it means to influence others, whether as a leader or a peer, and how to identify who the influencers in your organization are using a 360-Degree assessment. Best practices for how leaders can use their influence with purpose and improve the employee experience include: • Build rapport within relationships • Become an active listener • Demonstrate commitment to your team

In this insightful conversation, Dr. Tracy Maylett, and Matthew Wride discuss key employee experience concepts to consider when bringing your workforce back to the office. They touch on how to use employee feedback to give front-line managers the data insights they need to manage a successful transition. -As we are returning to work, there are several factors to consider: - What are your employees’ individual needs? - Have any moved to a different location that may require continued WFH? - What is the best way to communicate the changes? - How can you measure their response? Learn about these topics and more in this week’s podcast!

A properly designed 360 instrument not only facilitates individual development, it can establish and reinforce effective leadership expectations and behaviors. In this podcast episode, Dave Long and Christian Nielson discuss key strategies and considerations to build the right tool for your team. Visit https://decision-wise.com/360-degree-feedback/ to learn more.

In this episode, Matthew Wride and Christian Nelson discuss the unique culture that current CEO, Mary Barra, brings to General Motors by empowering her employees with trust and autonomy. Mary is especially known for her ability to enhance the employee experience by helping her employees to connect with her vision; that as employees of General Motors they are working for something larger than themselves. These meaningful experiences have led to higher engagement and better outcomes for the organization. “Do every job you’re in like you’re going to do it for the rest of your life and demonstrate that ownership of it.” -Mary Barra

In this podcast episode, DecisionWise VP of Assessment and Sr. Consultant Dave Long, discusses the topic of vision alignment. When employees feel disengaged from their job, it often has to do with the executive leadership failing to communicate the vision and goals of the organization. Worse yet, sometimes the executive team themselves don’t understand the mission or even agree on a direction! Understanding the larger purpose of your organization helps you understand your role and the impact you make, which ultimately provides meaning to your everyday tasks. When different departments or teams have competing objectives, it helps to bring everybody on the same page. Managers who are able to tie what they’re doing as a team to the larger organization create a better sense of feeling aligned and “bought-in.” Learn what problems to look for with vision alignment and how to fix them in this insightful conversation. https://decision-wise.com/podcast-creating-vision-alignment/

In this episode, Matthew Wride and Christian Nielson discuss how Whole Foods Market CEO, John Mackey, built the company culture from the ground up. “Whole Foods Market doesn’t primarily care about money. It primarily cares about fulfilling its purpose. And so do I.” – John Mackey For more on how to create a culture of engaged employees, visit: https://decision-wise.com/building-engagement/

In this podcast episode, Dave Long and Christian Nielson discuss critical moments in the employee experience and how they are shaped by expectations. Learn about the best practices for setting expectations in your organization, effective leadership competency models, and how the 360-Degree feedback assessment contributes to an improved workplace culture. For more on 360-degree Feedback, visit: https://decision-wise.com/360-degree-feedback/ #360feedback #employee #experience #leadership

One question to consider as you think about whether to put effort and investment into employee engagement: “Is engagement worth the effort and investment we put into it?” The short answer to this question is “yes,” but depending on the type of organization you are, engagement may be more critical or less critical to your success. During this webinar we’ll share the best methods for preparing, administering, and rolling out the results from your employee engagement survey based on over 20 years of experience conducting surveys around the world. We’ll also identify the most common mistakes organizations make when conducting an employee engagement survey and how to avoid them. Presented by David Long, VP of Assessment, DecisionWise.

In this episode, we bring back our "Employee Engagement Goes To The Movies" segment and discuss lessons in leadership and business from the classic film, "It's a Wonderful Life."

In this episode, Matthew Wride and Christian Nielson discuss how former Zappos CEO, the late Tony Hsieh, created a unique company culture built on empowering employees to provide a high level of service to their customers. He was once descried as “an artist with a CEO title,” someone not afraid to try bold, new initiates to get results. Tony Hsieh believed in four principles that drive happiness: A sense of control over your own destiny; the perception that you’re making progress in your life; connectedness with others; and being part of something bigger than yourself. “The best businesses are really ones that can combine passion, profits, and purpose.” – Tony Hsieh

In this episode, we discuss some of the causes of stress in the workplace and give some ideas for things leaders can do to help manage the stress levels of their employees. We’re joined by DecisionWise President, Matthew Wride.

In this podcast episode, DecisionWise VP of Assessment and Sr. Consultant, Dave Long, discusses some common strategies around implementing 360-degree feedback in an organization. Learn when to use it for individual development, remediation, evaluating performance, or for organizational development in this insightful conversation.

In this podcast episode, Dan Deka walks through the ins and out of the 360 survey experience, from both the standpoint of the participant and the manager. You’ll learn about the best practices for administering surveys, the process for selecting raters, recommendations for debrief support, and customizing the survey to best match the values of your organization. We’ll leave better prepared to successfully launch a 360-degree feedback survey.

To download our guide for managers, "Winning with the Employee Experience," visit: https://decision-wise.com/titans DecisionWise consultants Kenna Bryan and Adam Koozer examine the 2000 film “Remember the Titans,” starring Denzel Washington and Will Patton. Based on a true story, this movie chronicles a racially integrated high school football team from 1971 as they learn to overcome prejudices, develop friendships, and unify as a team. One of the power principles we took from the film is “the power of unity in team building.” The head coach delivers a powerful speech to his players while they perform an early morning run at Gettysburg. “If we don't come together, right now, on this hallowed ground, we too will be destroyed - just like they were. I don't care if you like each other or not, but you will respect each other.” There are many lessons from this film that can be applied to several aspects of life and business. Diversity can bring strength and power. Setting aside differences to unite for the greater good of a team or organization can bring unparalleled results.

In this episode, we sit down with DecisionWise Consultant, Adam Koozer. We discuss his education, career, and approach towards engagement, consulting, and leadership. Adam Koozer joined DecisionWise in 2017 and currently works as a consultant advising executive and HR professionals on how to measure, evaluate, and develop employee experience strategies. He uses DecisionWise’s 25-years of experience and industry-leading database to better understand what creates an engaging work environment and what experiences need to be formed for employees to feel safe, engaged, and fulfilled in their work. These practices in turn create highly productive, competitive, and sustainable organizations. Prior to his role as a consultant, he led the enterprise client success function focused on creating world-class product experiences for clients. He also spent time as a consulting analyst working with Fortune 500 companies to manage leadership development programs and global employee engagement surveys. Adam received his undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Utah where he specialized in human relations. He is currently completing a Master of Business Administration degree from the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University.

In this episode, Matthew Wride and Christian Nielson discuss how former CEO, Alan Mulally, transformed the company culture at Ford Motors, bringing a higher level of focus and performance, which resulted in Ford re-emerging as a world leader in the automobile industry. “Leadership is having a compelling vision, a comprehensive plan, relentless implementation, and talented people working together.” – Alan Mulally

Don't throw away your shot! DecisionWise consultants Kenna Bryan and Adam Koozer discuss leadership lessons and principles from the hit 2015 musical, Hamilton. Download the infographic "8 Leadership Lessons From Hamilton" here: https://decisionwise.com/hamilton

In this episode, we’re joined by a panel of leadership experts, who discuss the following: - What employee engagement will look like in the future, and how to get ahead of it. - What innovative organizations are doing to drive, maintain, and increase engagement. - What employee engagement practices should be maintained when work returns to “the new normal”—and what should be abandoned. - Maintaining belonging and inclusion in the new workplace. Panelists: - Dr. Tracy Maylett, CEO of DecisionWise - Elizabeth Metz Fuchs, Director of HR & Talent Development at ATD - Trent Savage, SVP of Human Resources at Mountain America Credit Union - Adrienne Cozart, SVP of Human Resources at UMC Health System - Darren Ali, Global Head of HR & Talent at Calypso Technology The audio from this podcast episode comes from a recent webinar of the same name. For more on the employee experience, visit: https://decision-wise.com/