SMARTER

Follow SMARTER
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

Welcome to Smarter, the show that engages with top experts and senior leaders to uncover the trends, unlock the insights and listen for the new ideas we all want to learn. Focusing on topics around purpose, people and the processes that work the best. When HR problems are business problems, senior leaders want answers. This podcast is all about becoming better and thinking strategically about talent. Join us and let's get Smarter together.

Jess Elmquist


    • Dec 4, 2023 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 36m AVG DURATION
    • 9 EPISODES


    Search for episodes from SMARTER with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from SMARTER

    Not Just Finding Work, But Finding the Right One — ft. Davinder Athwal

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2023 51:09


    Episode Notes Early in his finance career, a budding C-suite executive had a job at a global corporate consulting firm that included bagel runs for his colleagues. The humbling experience taught him about the value of working in tandem with others, perseverance and other soft skills that exist beyond a spreadsheet. Tune into this episode of “Smarter” to hear how that executive, now a chief financial officer, saw skills in a whole new light because of a family member's job search, and the power of finding purpose in a profession.

    Engineering a Frictionless Talent Experience With Data — ft. Allan Calonge

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2023 29:24


    Episode Notes For Bon Secours Mercy Health, a frictionless talent experience that begins from the moment of sourcing and continues to the onboarding and post-boarding stages is a critical part of its talent strategy. That helps the hospital operator stand out as an employer of choice in an industry where caregivers are perpetually in short supply. Tune into this episode of “Smarter” to hear how data and analytics drive a frictionless experience for internal and external recruitment, and hammers home an organization's value proposition.

    S1E7 - The Unmistakable Power of Connecting People and Sharing Wisdom— ft. Derek Lundsten

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2023 37:09


    Episode Notes The emerging leaders of tomorrow – those rebels with a heart – are part of a burgeoning movement of entrepreneurs with a particular skill, perspective or idea that can make the world a better place. The crowdsourcing of wisdom and empathy in real time creates entirely new business possibilities. Tune into this episode of “Smarter” to hear how business can be a platform for creating change and bringing people together to do good work in the world. Guest: Derek Lundsten, President and Chief Culture Officer, LifeGuides

    S1E6 - Getting Your Employment Brand Out in a Quickly Changing World — ft. Ryan King

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2023 35:22


    Episode Notes Some companies spend millions of dollars on an employee value proposition. Regions Bank already had one. The challenge for one of the nation's largest full-service providers of consumer and commercial banking, wealth management, and mortgage products and services was how to communicate its strong employment brand to candidates. After implementing an AI-powered intelligent talent experience platform, Regions was able to run multiple campaigns simultaneously that took passive visitors to its career site and turned them into leads. Regions could also strategically campaign to people based on things that are happening within the company, as well as job-specific campaigns. The campaigns have been a game-changer in the company's talent strategy. Tune into this episode of “Smarter” to hear how Regions is building a people pipeline for the future through impactful nurture campaigns that foster continued connections with candidates. Guest: Ryan King, Executive Vice President and Head of Talent Acquisition, Regions BankNotes go here

    S1E5 - Bringing the Human Back into Talent Acquisition — ft. Mandy Day

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2023 34:31


    Episode Notes Mandy Day is in charge of 200 global talent acquisition team members at The Cigna Group. Last year alone the health insurance giant hired about 24,000 people, half of which were external hires and the other half internal hires. With more than 74,000 people working at Cigna, Day and her team recognize the massive potential of their employees — investing in their professional development and career planning  throughout the company has become a critical strategy for both hiring and retaining talent. IInternal mobility is easier now that the company has a talent ecosystem where employees can try new roles outside of their swim lane.  Join this episode of “Smarter” to hear how this leader got her start in HR, the evolution of the function from a back office operation to strategic force, and her views on how talent can make or break a company. Guest: Mandy Day, Vice President, Global Head of Talent Acquisition, The Cigna Group

    S1E4 - Beating the Talent Shortage at Its Own Game — ft. Eric Van Duren

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 10, 2023 31:27


    Episode Notes Health care workers are back to pre-pandemic staffing levels, but the industry still needs more — much more — talent. With aging Baby Boomers retiring in droves and needing more medical care, and the overall U.S. population getting older, the health sector will grow by 13% in the next decade, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That's much faster than the average for all occupations.Bon Secours Mercy Health is proactively pursuing talent and empowering its recruiting teams to flourish and operate at the top of license. Join us to hear how one of the nation's largest hospital operators dramatically boosted external hires, including hard-to-find nurses. Guest: Eric Van Duren, Chief Talent Acquisition Officer, Bon Secours Mercy Health

    S1E3 - Staying Balanced in Growth Mode — ft. Jillian Montmarquet

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2023 25:18


    Episode Notes ‘Player-coach' is a position many talent executives find themselves in, partly because of pressure in the talent market and tight budgets, and other times because they want to stay close to the business.That's the case with Aubuchon Hardware, a fourth-generation business founded in 1908 that has an eye for growth and a passion for their people. Today the company stands as the oldest family-owned and managed hardware store chain in America.Join us for a look at how a business-focused HR leader at this rapidly growing, people-focused retail chain is preserving corporate culture as it expands and adds new employees. We'll also delve into how she balances setting the high-level people strategy while partnering closely with a small — but mighty — HR team.

    S1E2 - Title: AI Isn't Your Enemy (& Other Trends Reshaping HR) — ft. Ben Eubanks

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2023 43:14


    Episode Notes Guest: Ben Eubanks, Chief Research Officer at Lighthouse Research & Advisory and author of Artificial Intelligence for HR: Use AI to Build a Successful Workforce. Given all we know about the immense benefits of artificial intelligence, some employers still remain skeptical about the technology. On this episode of “Smarter,” author and researcher Ben Eubanks reveals the concerns of holdout CHROs — and research that reveals how organizations are thriving by empowering recruiters and TA teams with intelligence and automation.  Join us as we also explore the biggest HR trends that are reshaping the talent landscape — including learning and professional development, mental wellness, and talent retention — and walk away with insights on how your teams can develop talent in a way that's affordable and personal.

    S1E1 - At Life Time, Summer Hiring is a Race to Engage Talent, Not a Race for Speed

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2023 38:46


    Episode Notes On the premier episode of “Smarter,” Jess shines a spotlight on Life Time, the healthy way of life company that's on an expansion tear. In the next five years, it could open as many as 60 new high-lux athletic clubs, adding to the 160 currently operating in North America.   Life Time uses an intelligent talent experience platform to power its high-volume hiring strategy, bringing on more than 21,000 people a year. If there's one thing Life Time doesn't do – and would not do – is sacrifice quality to get quantity or speed. It's not a race to hire talent; it's a race to engage them. Hear their story to find out how they're making it possible.   Guest: John Brennan, Senior Vice President of Human Capital at Life Time

    Claim SMARTER

    In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

    Claim Cancel