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EAP 246 “Lala Brought More Than Rain”0:00 Lala Brought More Than Rain/Michael Snyder Worldwide Weather Watch7:20 Rest in Peace Joey Avicolli11:46 Bowies First School Day No Tears!
PHP Podcast – August 13, 2026 Hosts: Eric Van Johnson & John Congdon Eric and John reunite after weeks apart to talk Laracon in Boston, more diverse voices coming to this time slot, CPX finally giving PHP an npx, a stripped-down PHPStorm Light, and PHP Tek’s extended CFP. Stepping Back to Make Room for More Voices Eric and John open by explaining a shift in the show: they’re not disappearing, but they’re stepping back a little so more people from the PHP Architect team can take the mic. As John put it, the goal is “more diverse voices of the community,” and folks like Joe, Sarah, and Holly have been stepping into this time slot. Eric and John have committed to appearing at least once a month, since they have the most holistic view of what’s happening across the company. When they’re on, expect the “inside baseball” episodes — the behind-the-scenes look at what PHP Architect is up to. The rest of the time, this slot will keep going with other hosts, so the show never goes dark. They also reminded listeners there’s both a live stream and an audio RSS feed. Some folks apparently only recently discovered the audio version, while longtime audio listeners never realize the show streams live. Either way, head to phparch.com, click on podcasts, and you’ll find every way to subscribe. Eric’s Laracon Boston Recap Eric attended Laracon in Boston and, as always, has a love/hate relationship with it. On the plus side, it’s where he catches up with a lot of friends, and the talks were solid — Pauline Voss gave a great presentation on JJ (Jujutsu) and atomic commits, and Nuno showed off Pest 5. Eric noted the framework itself is moving much slower now, which is actually a good thing for anyone running a business on it, even if it makes the conference less essential-viewing than it once was. The venue was industrial and good-looking with a fantastic stage setup, but seating was a genuine problem this year. Eric arrived late to Nuno’s talk and there was nowhere to sit; the team scrambled to bring in more chairs. When it rained on day two, they ran out again. Despite that, staying in the same hotel as folks like Eric Barnes, TJ, Jake Bennett, and Michael Dorinda made for the kind of hallway-and-breakfast camaraderie he values most. Eric also hit the social events he usually skips — he sat out dodgeball (bad knees, slip-on shoes, and being a big target), but went to the Laracon Prom, which required an RSVP and an approved request. It turned out to be way cooler than expected, with people fully decked out, DJs, and an after-party plus a VIP dinner where Laravel’s marketing team worked the room. He also caught up with folks like Matthew Weier O’Phinney of Zend/Perforce and had a chat with Taylor. Running the Laravel Magazine Site and Taylor’s Blessing Eric shared that PHP Architect is now running the Laravel Magazine website, which previously belonged to Marijn (Marion) Pop. He’s been publishing tutorials, keeping things current, and making changes to the site he’s proud of. The articles are short, quick reads — and one of the Laravel wrap-up pieces mirrors the same article on the PHP Architect site. At the after-party dinner, Eric took the opportunity to run the name past Taylor directly, since he wasn’t sure the original owner had ever gotten official approval to use the Laravel name for a magazine. Taylor’s response was essentially “that’s fine, don’t worry about it” — so Laravel Magazine lives on. Eric even set up a newsletter signup, though he admits he’s not sure yet whether he’ll actually send a newsletter. CPX — A PHP-World npx One of Eric’s favorite discoveries from Laracon was CPX, essentially the PHP equivalent of npx. Just as npx lets you run JavaScript packages without installing them into a specific project, CPX lets you run tools without a global composer install or a per-project dependency. Eric already swapped his global PHP CS Fixer and Laravel Pint setup over to CPX aliases, so he now always runs the latest version without dependency headaches. John pushed back a bit, pointing out that tools like PHP unit and Rector usually live in your vendor directory anyway because your CI pipeline depends on them. Eric agreed that’s a valid workflow, but framed CPX as ideal for the occasional-use tools and for lowering the barrier for people outside the PHP world who want to dip in without fully committing. Chat chimed in with Rector as a great CPX use case, and they walked through examples like spinning up a fresh Laravel app. Laravel LSP and PHP Storm Light Eric was genuinely excited that Laravel now has its own Language Server Protocol. Most IDEs had already built their own Laravel-aware workarounds, but for Eim’s Neovim setup, the LSP finally makes things like jumping from a route to the view it points to work correctly — something PHP Storm had solved long ago but Vim hadn’t. He also spotted something called PHP Storm Light at the JetBrains booth: a trimmed-down, experimental build with faster startup, lower memory, and fewer features. It’s available through the Toolbox app as an EAP, so it’s free and explicitly experimental. John, who’d been hitting memory limits in regular PHP Storm, decided to install it on the spot, and Joe mentioned using it for one-off file edits — sparking a conversation about whether it fills the gap left by JetBrains’ old standalone editor. PHP Tek CFP Extended + Ticket Options John announced that the PHP Tek call for speakers has been extended through October 31st. The team experimented with opening the CFP very early this year to help attendees whose fiscal-year approvals depend on a locked schedule, but the community felt it was too early to know what would be relevant next April. So they extended the window and made cfp.phptek.io point straight to the call for presenters (thanks to a suggestion from A. Woods). On tickets, they’ve broken out a bundle that includes hotel nights so attendees can hand their boss a single lump-sum figure (airfare not included). There are also food-and-beverage-only tickets for partners and kids, single-day track options, and dedicated days for Laravel, JavaScript, and DevOps — one track each, with the other two tracks running the usual PHP Tek content. John flagged a possible issue with DevOps being the default CFP track, since it’s pulling in a flood of generic, seemingly AI-submitted talks he’ll need to sort through. Links from the show: PHP Tek — CFP extended through October 31, conference + hotel bundle available PHP Tek Call for Presenters OurCVEs — watch your repos and servers for CVEs Host: Eric Van Johnson X: @shocm Mastodon: @eric@phparch.social Bluesky: @ericvanjohnson.bsky.social PHPArch.me: @eric John Congdon X: @johncongdon Mastodon: @john@phparch.social Bluesky: @johncongdon.bsky.social PHPArch.me: @john Streams: Youtube Channel Twitch Connect & Hire PHP Architect Website Twitter/X Mastodon Hire PHP Developers Looking to hire PHP developers? Email support@phparch.com – Eric, John, and the team are available for consulting, team augmentation, direction, code review, and even mobile development work. Partner This podcast is made a little better thanks to our partners Displace Infrastructure Management, Simplified Automate Kubernetes deployments across any cloud provider or bare metal with a single command. Deploy, manage, and scale your infrastructure with ease. https://displace.tech/ OurCVEs Your security posture, on autopilot with OurCVEs CodeRabbit Cut code review time & bugs in half instantly with CodeRabbit. PHP Architect Consulting Your PHP codebase deserves a partner, not a contractor PHP Architect provides long-term technical partnerships for organizations that need senior-level PHP expertise that you can depend on. https://www.phparch.com/consulting/ Music Provided by Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/ Join Us Live Next Week Youtube Channel Got feedback? Join us on Discord at discord.phparch.com The post The PHP Podcast 2026.08.13 appeared first on PHP Architect.
In episode 264, Coffey talks with Timothy State about the science of workforce wellbeing, why middle managers are the most at-risk population right now, and how AI-powered life quality companions are transforming the way organizations understand and support thriving at scale. They discuss the five core dimensions of human wellbeing — physical and mental health, relationships, security, and meaning and purpose — and why employer influence on all of them is both a business and social responsibility; EAP underutilization and the limits of traditional point-solution approaches to employee wellness investment; the predictive power of the question "does my leader care about my wellbeing?" on retention and workforce outcomes; team-level wellbeing contagion and how one individual's improvement reliably lifts the whole team over time; middle managers as the most burned-out and at-risk population in today's workforce; the perverse hiring incentives created when leaders are held accountable for individual wellbeing outcomes rather than demonstrated care behaviors; the difference between using AI to extract efficiency from existing work versus using AI to elevate the human system itself and generate human-centered value; cognitive overload as an unintended consequence of AI-driven task elimination, including the loss of low-complexity recovery work; Altius's AI life quality companion "Alti" — its nine wellbeing dimensions, 750-plus KPIs, perpetual memory, and 96% user satisfaction rate across 26 countries; and the radical privacy architecture required for employer-sponsored AI wellbeing tools to earn employee trust and avoid discriminatory misuse of health data. For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP264 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: Timothy State is a people strategist, business leader, and human wellbeing innovator with 25 years' experience leading large-scale workforce transformation. He led Humana to global recognition for improving workforce well-being. Tim is an active advisor to Harvard Human Flourishing / SHINE, a founding member of Center for Positive Organization, chaired the Wellbeing and Workforce Strategy Institute and several other leading bodies. In 2025, Tim founded Altius, an AI-native human optimization company helping businesses and healthcare systems thrive via regenerative AI technologies and advanced human advising. He institutionalizes human well-being through data, social infrastructure, and leadership transformation. Tim can be reached at: Your website: https://www.altiusco.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/altiuswellbeing/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/altiuswellbeing/ Twitter/X: https://x.com/AltiusWellbeing About Mike Coffey: Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association. Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year. Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 29 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth. Learning Objectives: Identify the five dimensions of employee wellbeing and explain how each one is influenced by organizational culture, leadership behavior, and employer-provided resources. Distinguish between holding leaders accountable for demonstrating care versus for employees' actual wellbeing outcomes, and describe why that distinction protects against perverse hiring incentives. Evaluate the design principles — human-centered AI, radical data privacy, proactive personalization, and clinical grounding — that determine whether an AI wellbeing tool will drive adoption or be ignored like traditional EAPs.
Listen to today's podcast... Witmer and Sweeney found in their study that people with few ties to others had 2 to 5 times the death rate as those who had more ties. Support and connectedness can be a powerful tool in preventing illness by acting as a buffer to the effects of stress. The benefit of friendship is having the emotional support of a community during difficult times. Workplaces are also recognizing the value of support in their organizations. Effective leaders are evaluating their teams and ensuring that they reduce isolation, celebrate occasions and successes, develop trust through effective communication, deal with conflict and gossip in a direct and open way, promote a casual and friendly atmosphere, and develop a support network through human resources, an EAP or connection to community contacts. Unfortunately, many people in the workplace do not make the effort to utilize this great coping strategy and the busier we have become the easier it is to let our existing friendships go by the way-side. So where do we start? Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency! Here are today's Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating International Friendship Week: At work and in your community, smile and say hello to those around you Connect with your co-workers informally Call, write or email those friends that you have lost touch with and book a date to get together Connectedness and friendships have exceptional powers in decreasing our stress, if we venture to put ourselves ‘out there'. If you like today's wellness tips, let me know. You can leave me a review on amazon or through your #alexa app. Want to check out more health and wellness related celebrations, visit my wellness calendars under the resources and courses tab at worksmartlivesmart.com #mentalhealth #hr
EAP 244 “Interstutter”0:00 Last Weekend of Summer 4:11 The Odyssey/ Jeff Arcuri/ Mojo Brooks @jeffarcuri @mojobrookzz
In this episode of Hope Illuminated, I'm joined by Aaron Witt - founder and CEO of Buildwitt, the fastest-growing media and workforce development platform dedicated to the "dirt world" of critical infrastructure, natural resources, and heavy civil construction. Aaron is a rare voice in this space: someone who has worked the job sites himself, who carries genuine reverence for the people who build the world, and who has built a multi-platform company around the conviction that this industry's future depends on its ability to see, value, and develop the human beings doing the work.Aaron opens with a framing that anchors the entire conversation: the military cannot function without the steel, runways, and infrastructure that construction workers build. First responders cannot reach emergencies without roads. Yet while we celebrate soldiers and firefighters for their sacrifice, the construction worker - equally indispensable, equally exposed to danger, loss, and physical hardship - remains largely invisible in the national conversation about worker well-being. Aaron calls this the invisible sacrifice, and his life's work is making it visible.We dig into the data: construction consistently ranks among the highest-risk industries for suicide, with rates surpassing military and law enforcement in some analyses. Overdose deaths on and around job sites are rising. And yet the support systems available to workers in the field are largely inaccessible - requiring workers on 12-hour shifts to navigate multiple barriers to reach anyone who might help, only to find that the person on the other end has no understanding of their world. Aaron is direct: many traditional EAP resources are, in his words, "completely worthless" for this population.The conversation turns to solutions, and Aaron is equally direct about where change has to start: with leaders. Not leaders giving speeches about wellness, but leaders going first - sharing their own struggles, modeling that it is possible to be strong and vulnerable simultaneously, and creating the conditions in which workers feel safe enough to do the same. Aaron connects this to the broader workforce crisis: with 8 million construction workers and a next generation that is not choosing the trades, well-being is not a soft add-on. It is a recruitment and retention strategy. It is, ultimately, a matter of national infrastructure security. For more information on this episode go to The Invisible Sacrifice: Mental Health and Well-Being in Construction — Dr. Sally
Does it feel hard to make time for strategic work when you're already so busy?Welcome to Day 5 of The Strategic HR Sprint, a free five-day learning experience designed to help you strengthen your strategic thinking and build your confidence about being strategic.
When you spot a problem at work, how quickly does your mind start coming up with solutions?Welcome to Day 4 of The Strategic HR Sprint, a free five-day experience to help you build your confidence and skills in being strategic in your HR role.Join the sprint for free and access all five episodes, worksheets and resources here: https://brightskyhr.co.uk/sprintOne of the most important parts of being strategic is taking the time to understand what is really driving a challenge before deciding how to respond.It is easy to assume that the answer is training, a new policy, more people or better pay. But if you have not explored what is really causing the challenge, you could invest time and energy in an idea that only treats the symptoms.Getting to the root cause helps you make better decisions about where HR can have the greatest impact and identify actions that are more likely to create lasting improvements.In this episode, you'll learn how to stay curious for longer and use a simple technique called the Five Whys to explore the challenge you identified during Day 3.In This Episode, You'll Learn:Why understanding the root cause is an important part of being strategicHow to use the Five Whys techniqueHow to avoid treating a symptom instead of the underlying causeWhy involving people who are close to the challenge can lead to better insightsHow to ask “why” without sounding critical or pushyYour Day 4 ActivityToday's worksheet will help you explore the challenge you chose during Day 3 and identify what may be causing it.You'll work through the Five Whys, think about where HR could have the biggest influence and note down your first ideas for how the challenge could be addressed.You might also find it helpful to talk the challenge through with someone who sees or experiences it day to day, as they may notice things that are easy to miss from your perspective.Once you have completed the worksheet, you can also use the optional AI prompt to suggest practical HR and People initiatives, including quick wins and longer-term ideas.Before using the prompt, remember to remove or change anything that could identify your organisation or the people involved.Access all the sprint resources here:https://brightskyhr.co.uk/sprintChapters[00:00] – Welcome to Day 4 of The Strategic HR Sprint[01:09] – A recap of the sprint so far[01:42] – Why we jump straight to solutions[02:41] – Staying curious for longer[03:03] – How the Five Whys works[03:37] – Finding the right starting point[04:45] – The employee turnover example[06:10] – Your Day 4 worksheet[07:18] – Involving other people[07:43] – How to ask “why” without sounding critical[08:51] – Using the optional AI prompt[09:34] – Protecting confidential information[10:42] – What to expect from Day 5Useful LinksJoin the free Strategic HR Sprint: https://brightskyhr.co.uk/sprint/Connect with Fay Wallis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/faywallis/The Essential HR Planner: https://essentialhrplanner.co.uk/Learn about the Inspiring HR Leadership Programme: https://brightskyhr.co.uk/hr-leadership-course/Helpful Episodes to Listen to NextEp 174 | Free 5-Day Strategic HR Sprint (Struggling to Be Strategic? This Will Help)Ep 176 | (Day 1) The Strategic HR Sprint - Building Your Strategic ConfidenceEp 177 | (Day 2) The Strategic HR Sprint - Seeing the Bigger PictureEp 178 | (Day 3) The Strategic HR Sprint - Finding Your Strategic FocusEp 179 | (Day 4) The Strategic HR Sprint - Look Beneath the SurfaceEnjoyed This Episode? Don't Miss the Next One!Sign up to the free weekly HR Coffee Time email to be notified each time a new episode is released – and get free career tips, tools, and resources.Mentioned in this episode:Kara Connect - Help When It's Needed MostMenopause, grief, ADHD, relationship breakdown... Every day, employees dealing with these situations are turned away by their EAP because they didn't qualify for counselling. When someone finally asks for help, they deserve better. Visit Kara Connect, where no employee is ever turned away. Kara Connect
When there are dozens of things you could be working on, how do you decide what deserves your attention most?Welcome to Day 3 of The Strategic HR Sprint, a free five-day learning experience designed to help you strengthen your strategic thinking in just 10–15 minutes each day.Join The Strategic HR Sprint for free: brightskyhr.co.uk/sprintIn today's episode, you'll identify one important challenge to focus on for the rest of the sprint.Drawing on an insight from Richard Rumelt's book Good Strategy/Bad Strategy, Fay explains why good strategy isn't a long list of everything an organisation could do. It requires focus: understanding the challenges being faced and directing time and energy towards the ones that matter most.You'll explore different ways to identify a worthwhile challenge, whether that means looking at your organisation's strategy, reflecting on what you discovered about the external environment during Day 2, reviewing HR data or noticing the frustrations that repeatedly arise in conversations with managers and employees.Your chosen challenge doesn't have to affect the entire organisation. If you're earlier in your HR career, it could be something closer to your own role that you can influence. What matters is choosing an area where you have the opportunity to make a positive difference.In This Episode, You'll Learn:Why being strategic includes deciding what not to focus onHow to identify the challenges behind your organisation's strategic prioritiesWhere to look for ideas if your organisation doesn't have a clear or up-to-date strategyHow external trends, HR data and recurring workplace frustrations can highlight important challengesThe question that can help you decide which challenge to prioritiseWhy there isn't an optional AI prompt for today's activityChapters[00:00] Welcome to Day 3 of The Strategic HR Sprint[01:09] Recapping Days 1 and 2[01:30] What good strategy looks like in practice[02:52] Identifying one challenge worth focusing on[03:42] Using your organisation's strategy[04:43] What to do if the strategy isn't helpful[05:14] Learning from data and recurring frustrations[05:34] Choosing the challenge with the greatest potential impact[06:15] Why today's activity doesn't include an AI prompt[06:38] Share how you're getting onResources MentionedJoin The Strategic HR Sprint for free: brightskyhr.co.uk/sprintGood Strategy/Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters by Richard RumeltUseful LinksJoin the free Strategic HR SprintConnect with Fay Wallis on LinkedInThe Essential HR PlannerLearn about the Inspiring HR Leadership ProgrammeHelpful Episodes to Listen to NextEp 174 | Free 5-Day Strategic HR Sprint (Struggling to Be Strategic? This Will Help)Ep 176 | (Day 1) The Strategic HR Sprint - Building Your Strategic ConfidenceEp 177 | (Day 2) The Strategic HR Sprint - Seeing the Bigger PictureEp 179 | (Day 4) The Strategic HR Sprint - Look Beneath the SurfaceEnjoyed This Episode? Don't Miss the Next One!Sign up to the free weekly HR Coffee Time email to be notified each time a new episode is released – and get free career tips, tools, and resources.If you're taking part in The Strategic HR Sprint, Fay would love to hear how you're getting on. Leave a comment underneath the YouTube video, share your progress on LinkedIn and tag Fay, or reply to one of your daily sprint emails.Mentioned in this episode:Kara Connect - Help When It's Needed MostMenopause, grief, ADHD, relationship breakdown... Every day, employees dealing with these situations are turned away by their EAP because they didn't qualify for counselling. When someone finally asks for help, they deserve better. Visit Kara Connect, where no employee is ever turned away. Kara Connect
Most corporate wellness programs are built on a fundamental flaw: paying people to do something they already want to do. If you have to incentivize an employee to drink a glass of water, you have muddied the water and completely missed the point of true wellness. In 2026, the traditional carrot-and-stick approach to wellness is a failing strategy.My guest, Brittany Nelson, joins me to discuss how to rescue employers from the "golden handcuffs" of outdated wellness vendors. Brittany shares her journey from working on a Toyota assembly line to becoming a Registered Dietitian and Certified Health Value Professional. We discuss why tracking VOI (Value on Investment) is replacing ROI, why EAP utilization hovering at 2% is actually a massive red flag, and how to restructure plan designs to remove useless premium differentials. If you want to stop checking boxes and start building a real culture of well-being for your clients, this episode will change the way you approach population health.▶▶ Sign Up For Your Free Discovery Callcompletegameu.com/agaTimestamped Outline(00:00) Welcome Aboard: Introducing Brittany Nelson and the Evolution of Corporate Wellness(01:21) From the Toyota Assembly Line to Registered Dietitian(03:00) The Shift to Insurance: Scaling Clinical Expertise from One-on-One to One-to-Many(04:22) The "Fluff" of Wellness: Why CFOs Demand Quantitative Metrics Over Testimonials(05:54) Why Traditional Wellness Fails: The Problem with Paying People to be Healthy(08:08) The "Golden Handcuffs": How Employers Get Trapped in Unproductive Vendor Spend(10:23) Unwinding the Trap: Strategic Steps to Lowering Investment and Boosting Value (VOI)(12:56) Culture vs. Program: Why Free Time is the Best Wellness Incentive(15:46) The Goal of Participation: When Simple Incentives Actually Work(17:28) Start with the Why: Aligning Wellness with Corporate Core Values(19:54) Designing a 2026 Wellness Strategy: Measuring What Matters and Using AI(22:45) The Accountability Factor: Moving Beyond the "10,000 Step Tracker on a Dog" Joke(24:06) The Mental Health Misconception: Why 2% EAP Utilization is a Major Problem(26:01) Rebranding Free Counseling: Removing the Stigma and Testing Your Own EAP(30:31) The Flaw of Vendor-Generated Reports: Understanding Regression to the Mean(32:41) Consumer Healthcare Education: Shifting Focus from Vegetables to EOBs(34:11) Brittany's Lightning Round: The 36-Year-Old "Son," Hotworx Barre, and Dragon FictionCONNECT WITH ANDY NEARY
What does it really mean to be strategic in HR?One of the biggest shifts you can make is to stop looking only at HR and start paying much more attention to the world your organisation operates in.In Day 2 of the free five-day Strategic HR Sprint, Fay Wallis explores why strategic HR professionals develop an "outside-in" perspective. Drawing on insights from HR From the Outside In by Dave Ulrich and colleagues, she explains why understanding your industry's challenges, opportunities and emerging trends can help you anticipate what's coming next and make a greater strategic contribution.You'll also discover a simple habit you can build into your routine to strengthen your commercial awareness, along with an optional AI prompt that can quickly generate an executive briefing about your sector.Whether you're early in your HR career or already leading a people function, this episode will help you become more curious, more commercially aware and more confident about contributing strategically.Chapters[00:00] Welcome to Day 2 of The Strategic HR Sprint[01:09] Why understanding your organisation's world matters[02:39] The "outside-in" approach from Dave Ulrich & colleagues[03:47] How external trends shape strategic HR priorities[04:38] Today's worksheet: building your outside-in awareness[05:55] Using AI to understand your industry more quickly[07:10] Building a lasting strategic habit[08:14] Looking ahead to Day 3Useful LinksJoin the free Strategic HR SprintConnect with Fay Wallis on LinkedInThe Essential HR PlannerLearn about the Inspiring HR Leadership ProgrammeEnjoyed This Episode? Don't Miss the Next One!Sign up to the free weekly HR Coffee Time email to be notified each time a new episode is released – and get free career tips, tools, and resources.Mentioned in this episode:Kara Connect - Help When It's Needed MostMenopause, grief, ADHD, relationship breakdown... Every day, employees dealing with these situations are turned away by their EAP because they didn't qualify for counselling. When someone finally asks for help, they deserve better. Visit Kara Connect, where no employee is ever turned away. Kara Connect
Want to become more strategic in HR, but not sure where to start? This episode is Day 1 of my free five-day Strategic HR Sprint.Over five short episodes, I'll help you build your strategic confidence one practical step at a time through bite-sized lessons, downloadable worksheets and optional AI prompts.
July 9, 2026 They're Making Mental Health Worse in Construction w/ Rich Jones (DT 459) Rich Jones is the founder of BuildWell Health, a behavioral health company built specifically for the construction industry, a licensed clinical addiction specialist, and a person in recovery himself from opioid and alcohol use disorder for over 26 years. He watched the industry spend years talking about mental health at safety weeks and conferences — and nothing change — so he built a model that works. He reveals why construction doesn't have a mental health problem — it has a systems problem — and why the companies still handing out EAP phone numbers and calling it done are making things worse, not better. Follow Rich on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardjones5/ Learn more about BuildWell Health at: https://buildwellhealth.com/ Want to better develop your civil construction workforce and leaders? Check out BuildWitt Improve! https://buildwitt.com Questions or feedback? Email us at dirttalk@buildwitt.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Could Florida have quietly unraveled CPA licensure? In this episode, Blake Oliver talks with FICPA CEO Shelly Weir about the legislation that threatened to eliminate Florida's Board of Accountancy, scrap CPE requirements, and weaken the CPA license. Shelly explains how the profession fought back, why mobility and interstate commerce were central to the case, and where CPAs can embrace smart modernization without giving up public protection.Chapters(00:00) - EAP 116 Interview: Shelly Weir of FICPA on the Fight to Save the CPA in Florida (01:10) - Why Shelley Stayed Quiet (03:09) - What the Bill Proposed (07:23) - Why Deregulation Happened (09:33) - How FICPA Beat It (12:44) - Mobility and Modernization (15:54) - Threading the Needle (17:56) - Compromise Ideas Ahead (21:49) - Midnight Capitol Showdown (24:00) - CPE and Future Reforms (26:16) - Will It Return (27:55) - Closing Thanks and Call Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comhttps://earmark.app/Download the Earmark CPE App Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.appConnect with Shelly WeirLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shellysiceloffLearn more about the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountantshttps://www.ficpa.org/aboutConnect with Blake Oliver, CPALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliverTwitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/
In most industries, culture lives in your annual engagement survey. In hospitality, it walks out to the dining room every single night. It shows up in how your server handles a difficult table, in the energy at the host stand, and in whether your team feels taken care of or just managed. Donna Giarratana, Director of Human Resources at Baldi Management Group and founder of MoxeeHR, LLC, has built people-first HR systems across some of the country's most demanding hospitality environments, including the three-Michelin-star Inn at Little Washington and the José Andrés Group. In this episode, she shares what actually moves the needle: Why the parallel between how guests want to feel and how employees want to feel is a management strategy, not a metaphor How to build attendance policies that are fair, equitable, documentable, and still genuinely human What engagement actually looks like across very different worker populations, from career hospitality professionals to first-job team members Timestamps [00:01:03] Donna's origin story: from hostess to HR leader in hospitality [00:01:24] Why culture shows up differently in hospitality than in knowledge work environments [00:01:53] The parallel between what guests and employees both want: to feel seen, acknowledged, and cared for [00:03:41] Debunking myths about leading restaurant teams across multiple generations [00:06:05] What "pouring into your people" actually looks like in daily restaurant operations [00:08:10] Building attendance policies that balance compliance requirements with human compassion [00:12:41] How to develop managers on the spot when desk-based training isn't realistic [00:15:57] Early burnout signals to watch before turnover becomes a problem, including the "clopen" pattern [00:19:11] How engagement needs differ significantly between lifers and newer team members [00:22:11] Donna's single takeaway for every hospitality leader today Brought to You by Paylocity Paylocity is the fastest growing unified platform for HR, Finance, and IT. Paylocity brings your people, processes, and data together in one place so HR leaders can spend less time managing systems and more time doing the work that actually moves their organizations forward. Learn more at paylocity.com Keywords: hospitality HR, high-turnover workforce, people-first culture, restaurant management, attendance policy, progressive discipline, manager development, employee engagement, generational workforce, lifers, onboarding, retention, burnout prevention, clopens, EAP resources, compliance, workforce planning, cultural transformation
Registration is now open for my Free 5-Day Strategic HR Sprint, and I'd love you to join me!If you've ever wished you felt more confident about being strategic in HR, this free sprint is for you.Starting on Monday 13th July 2026, you'll receive a short daily video (or audio if you prefer to listen), a practical worksheet and an optional AI prompt to help you build your strategic HR skills. Each day's activity takes just 10 to 15 minutes, making it easy to fit into a busy working week.In this special bonus episode, I'll explain why I created the sprint, what you'll learn over the five days and how you can sign up.In this episode you'll learn:Why so many HR professionals find it difficult to be strategic.What's included in the Free 5-Day Strategic HR Sprint.How the sprint will help you build your confidence with strategic thinking.Why each day's activities take just 10 to 15 minutes.How you can complete the sprint with a colleague or your HR team.Join the Free 5-Day Strategic HR Sprint
Divorce is hard enough, but throw work into the mix, and you've got a recipe for chaos. In this episode of the Divorce Devil Podcast, hosts David and Rachel tackle the messy intersection of divorce recovery and holding down a job. Whether you're the boss, the employee, or the coworker caught between, this episode is packed with raw honesty, humor, and practical advice.
In this episode, Shikha Jain, MD, speaks with Revolution Medicines' Alan Sandler, MD, about groundbreaking advancements with daraxonrasib and how these findings will continue to impact metastatic pancreatic cancer. Daraxonrasib (RMC-6236, Revolution Medicines) is an investigational, oral pan-RAS inhibitor in development for treatment of advanced solid tumors, including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. · Why the RASolute 302 trial got a standing ovation at ASCO. 3:16 · What do you think changed scientifically to make this particular drug and its results possible? 6:12 · What does the multi-selective RAS inhibition of this drug mean, and how does it differ from other drugs? 10:23 · How would you recommend navigating the early access program (EAP) for patients and physicians who want this drug now? 13:13 · What excites you about the future of pancreatic cancer and RAS treatment? 14:18 · How can you imagine when these drugs will get into the hands of patients if we see good results? 17:28 We'd love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to Jain at oncologyoverdrive@healio.com. Follow Healio on X and LinkedIn: @HemOncToday and https://www.linkedin.com/company/hemonctoday/. Follow Jain on X: @ShikhaJainMD and on Instagram @shikhajainmd. Sandler can be reached via email at inquiries@revmed.com. Reference: · Wolpin BM, et al. LBA5. Presented at: ASCO Annual Meeting; May 29-June 2, 2026; Chicago. Jain and Sandler report no relevant financial disclosures.
The conversation covers updates on DevNet 6, discussions on adding EIPs to DevNet 6, ELP 7928 access restructuring, compute repricing, state growth EIPs, EIP 8304 trustless log index, and EIP 7645 alias origin descender.TakeawaysDevNet 6 updatesEIP discussionsChapters00:00 Glamster Dam and DevNet Updates26:50 Compute Repricing and State Growth EIPs33:24 EAP 8304 Trustless Log Index48:02 EIP 7645 Alias Origin Descender
Many organisations want a positive workplace culture, but creating one is easier said than done.How do you know what your culture is really like? What role do leaders play? And why do some organisations create environments where people thrive, while others struggle with engagement, retention, and performance?In this episode of HR Coffee Time, Fay is joined by workplace culture and leadership expert Aoife O'Brien, founder of Happier at Work and author of the bestselling book Thriving Talent: How Great Leaders Drive Performance, Engagement and Retention.Aoife shares her Thriving Talent framework and practical advice to help organisations create cultures where people can thrive. Together, Fay and Aoife explore psychological safety, leadership, values, strengths, employee needs, and practical ways to improve the experience of work for everyone.In This Episode, You'll Learn:The framework Aoife uses to help organisations create cultures where people thriveWhy psychological safety is the foundation of a thriving workplaceWhy culture is not HR's responsibility aloneThe role leaders play in shaping workplace cultureHow to identify what your workplace culture is really like todayPractical ways to involve employees in shaping cultureWhy many organisations have "accidental leaders" - and the impact this can have on engagement and retentionHow HR can build the business case for investing in leadership developmentWhy values, strengths, and employee needs play such an important role in helping people thrive at workPractical ways to identify your strengths and understand what helps you do your best workChapters[00:00] - Why workplace culture matters[01:34] - Introducing Aoife O'Brien[04:14] - Why Aoife wrote Thriving Talent[07:09] - The Thriving Talent framework explained[10:00] - The research behind the framework[13:55] - Why psychological safety matters[14:27] - Is workplace culture really HR's responsibility?[17:28] - How to define the culture you want[19:15] - The challenge of accidental leaders[25:27] - Making the business case for leadership development[30:03] - What helps people thrive at work?[35:22] - Values, needs and strengths[39:27 ]- Book recommendations[40:44] - How to connect with Aoife[41:49] - Closing and book giveaway reminderSpecial Offer for HR Coffee Time ListenersAoife has kindly arranged a 10% discount on her book, Thriving Talent: How Great Leaders Drive Performance, Engagement and Retention. Use this link to access the discount.Useful LinksConnect with Aoife O'Brien on LinkedInVisit Aoife's Happier at Work websiteLearn more about the Thriving Talent bookConnect with Fay on LinkedInLearn about Fay's Essential HR PlannerLearn about Fay's Inspiring HR Leadership ProgrammeBooks Recommended In This EpisodeThriving Talent: How Great Leaders Drive Performance, Engagement and Retention - Aoife O'BrienInsight: How to succeed by seeing yourself clearly - Dr Tasha EurichDare to Lead - Brené BrownYour Best Meeting Ever - Rebecca HindsHelpful Episodes to Listen to NextEp 47: Discovering your values to help your HR Career, with Zoe HawkinsEp 107: The Impact of Imposter Syndrome at Work and How to Tackle It Head-On, with Aoife O'BrienEp 136: How to shape a winning workplace culture when you work in HR, with Annabelle Lawson and Paula BrockwellEp 114: What Workplace Culture Is, How to Measure It, and a Surprising Way to Improve It, with Arend BoersemaEp 76: HR Insider tips on how to create an amazing remote working culture, with Claire CathcartEnjoyed This Episode? Don't Miss the Next One!Sign up for the free weekly HR Coffee Time email to be notified each time a new episode is released - and get free career tips, tools, and resources.Mentioned in this episode:Kara Connect - Help When It's Needed MostMenopause, grief, ADHD, relationship breakdown... Every day, employees dealing with these situations are turned away by their EAP because they didn't qualify for counselling. When someone finally asks for help, they deserve better. Visit Kara Connect, where no employee is ever turned away. Kara Connect
What if the leadership skill your team needs most is not sharper strategy or faster execution, but a leader who genuinely cares and knows what to do when things get hard? I sit down with Graeme Cowan, a leading voice on workplace mental health, resilience, and leadership, and a founding director of R U OK Day. Graeme also shares his own lived experience of depression and the long road back, plus the purpose that came from turning struggle into service. We dig into why caring leadership is not soft and not in conflict with performance. It is how you create sustainable results without losing good people to burnout. We talk about “mood contagion” and why your energy sets the tone, then get practical with Graeme's moodometer framework so you can notice early warning signs while you are still in the amber zone. If you lead a team, support leaders, or work in HR, you will hear clear ways to protect your own wellbeing while still showing up for others. From there, we move into crew care: belonging, psychological safety, and growing together. Graeme shares simple rituals that build trust fast, including a powerful approach used in elite teams. We also cover red zone care and Graeme's I CARE framework so you can support someone in distress with empathy, without trying to be their therapist, and know when to guide them toward EAP, a GP, or helplines like Lifeline and Beyond Blue. If you want practical tools for burnout prevention, employee wellbeing, and building resilient teams, hit play. Then share this with a leader who needs it, subscribe on your favorite podcast app, and leave a review so more people find these conversations. What is one small act of care you will practice this week?
Send us Fan MailThe MZ Farms/USHJA Emerging Athletes Program (EAP) is a development initiative run by the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association to help up-and-coming riders build both their riding skills and their horsemanship knowledge. Created in 2009, the program has become a launching pad for many riders who've gone on to succeed in major equitation and jumper finals, including the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search, the ASPCA Maclay, and USEF Prix des States, among others. The program is open to junior, amateur, and professional members ages 12 and older as of December 1 of the current competition year, with sections offered at 0.90-meter and 1.0-meter fence heights. To apply, riders must meet eligibility requirements, submit an application and fee, gather recommendation forms, and pass a Horsemanship Quiz Challenge with a score of at least 80%. Riders accepted into the program begin with a five-day Regional Training Session, where they work directly with top riding clinicians and stable managers on flatwork, gymnastics, related distances, course work, and a full stable-management curriculum covering grooming, horsemanship, and barn management. Participants bring and care for their own horses throughout the session. From there, 16 riders are selected to advance to the National Training Session, chosen based on their performance and potential during the regional sessions, with eligibility limited to members ages 12 to 25. A select group of standout non-riders may also be invited to attend as stable managers. The national session is a multi-day intensive held with top clinicians — for 2026, that's Joe Fargis for riding and Colleen Reed for stable management, hosted at Midway University in Kentucky. Financial support is also part of the program: the USHJA Foundation awards up to $6,000 total in grants to help offset costs for EAP participants, with individual grants capped at $500. EAP combines hands-on riding instruction with serious horsemanship education, aiming to produce well-rounded equestrians — not just skilled riders, but knowledgeable horsemen and women who understand every aspect of caring for their horses.-- The USHJA Zone Jumper Championships are a series of regional team and individual competitions for Junior and Amateur jumper riders, held across the USHJA's geographic zones each summer. There are actually a few related programs under this umbrella, organized by fence height.The 1.00/1.05m Junior/Amateur Zone Jumper Championships give riders a competitive team experience and a chance to earn Zone Horse of the Year points in their respective sections, with championships held by zone consisting of both team and individual competition. To qualify, riders submit an application and must accumulate at least 20 points in their section at USEF-licensed competitions during the qualifying period. At the higher end, the Markel/USHJA Zone Jumper Team Championships serve Junior and Amateur Jumper riders in the 1.10/1.15m and 1.20/1.25m divisions, while the related Platinum Jumper Championships cover even higher sections. Competitors in these championships are considered USHJA Emerging Jumper Riders for that year and have the opportunity to earn the title of USHJA Gold Star Emerging Jumper Rider, along with a spot at a USHJA Gold Star Clinic. For 2026, the championships are organized regionally — Northeast (Zones 1-2), South (Zones 3, 4, 7), North Central (Zones 5-6), and West (Zones 8-10) — each hosted at a different venue, with riders from Zones 11 and 12 free to choose whichever championship location they'd like to attend. New this year, jump-offs will be used to break ties for Individual and Team Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals. To enter, riders must submit an application with a $75 non-refundable fee and earn at least 20 qualifying points in their section at USEF-licensed shows before their zone's deadline. Submitting an application doesn't commit a rider to attend, but it does let their points count toward qualification. Individual medalists also earn a notable perk: an invitation to a USHJA Gold Star Clinic of their choice within two years, offering four days of mounted and unmounted instruction from leading clinicians. Altogether, the Zone Jumper Championships give developing jumper riders a structured path toward team competition experience, individual recognition, and continued mentorship — bridging the gap between regular show circuit competition and higher-performance opportunities.theplaidhorse.comThank you so much for joining us today on the Plaidcast. This podcast is a labor of love, and every single episode exists because of this incredible community of riders, trainers, barn managers, parents, and horse lovers who show up in the barn, in the ring, and right here with us.At The Plaid Horse, our commitment goes far beyond the show ring. We believe deeply in the power of literacy and education and that every rider, at every level, deserves access to knowledge, stories, and ideas that make them a better horseperson and a better human being. Reading matters. Learning matters. And the stories we tell each other in this sport matter more than we sometimes realize.Whether you are a junior rider picking up your first copy of The Plaid Horse Magazine, a professional trainer looking for inspiration, or someone who simply loves horses and everything this world stands for then this community is for you. You belong here.We build this together. Every article, every episode, every conversation is an opportunity to learn something new, to feel less alone in the challenges of this sport, and to be reminded of why we fell in love with horses in the first place.Until next time, keep reading, keep learning, keep riding, and remember that the horse world is better when we build it together. I will see you at the ring!
辦公室揪團買雞排,卻獨漏某位同事——在過去可能只是茶餘飯後的玩笑,但7月1日《職業安全衛生法》職場霸凌防治專章正式上路後,只要符合特定情境,還真的可能構成職場霸凌。過去被視為「公司文化」、「主管作風」、「潛規則」的種種行為,都將被納入法律檢視範圍。 陳業鑫律師指出,這次修法最大的不同,是把職場霸凌防治從「個人修養問題」上綱到「企業強制法律義務」。最嚴重時,若員工因霸凌罹患憂鬱症等職業病,企業最高可罰450萬,負責人姓名還會被公布在勞動部網站,重創ESG與商譽。 這集是一份給主管與HR的實戰指南:10人、30人、100人以上企業各有哪些義務?接到申訴後該怎麼處理?陳律師給出「通、條、密、技」四字口訣,以及主管最容易踩的紅線。 【聽完這集你會知道】 02:43|這次修法最大的不同:從個人修養變成企業強制義務 過去職場霸凌被當成人際摩擦或道德問題,現在是法律強制責任。最重罰450萬、負責人姓名公布上網,對ESG與公司治理評鑑都是不可承受之重。 10:02|10人、30人、100人企業的合規準備清單 10人以上要公告申訴窗口;30人以上要訂防治辦法(勞動部有範本可下載);100人以上還要事先做好四類對象的教育訓練,並建置EAP與外部調查委員人才庫。 24:28|接到申訴怎麼辦?陳律師的「通、條、密、技」口訣 通報窗口、調整座位與工作流程、調查期間保密、全程留下紀錄。每一步用email寄給當事人並副本給窗口,既是保護,也是日後免責的舉證關鍵。 28:48|主管最容易踩的紅線 新世代自帶反霸凌意識;主管可律己但不能以同一套標準要求下屬,下班後的Line奪命連環扣也可能構成精神壓力。 【本集金句】 「不要用昭和時代的腦袋,去管令和時代的新生代。」 #職場霸凌 #職安法 #職場霸凌防治 #陳業鑫 #HR合規 主持人:天下雜誌總編輯 吳韻儀 來賓:業鑫法律事務所主持律師 陳業鑫 製作團隊:錢玉紘、劉駿逸 *早鳥優惠立即報名7/29天下管理高峰會:https://bit.ly/4dO86GW *職場霸凌新法應對戰略:https://pse.is/976bj4 *意見信箱:bill@cw.com.tw -- Hosting provided by SoundOn
In this episode of the Tactical Living Podcast, hosts Coach Ashlie Walton and Sergeant Clint Walton talk about a physical consequence of the first responder career that does not get nearly enough attention: chronic inflammation (Amazon Affiliate) — what it is, what causes it, and what it is quietly doing to the long-term health of the people who serve. Most first responders are aware that the job is physically demanding. But fewer understand that chronic stress, sleep disruption, irregular schedules, poor nutrition, and repeated trauma exposure do not just affect mood and mental health — they trigger a systemic inflammatory response inside the body that over time contributes to serious and life-altering physical conditions. This episode connects the dots between the demands of the job and the health consequences that follow years later.
Laura Maffucci has played a key role in helping her organisation embrace AI. The surprising part? She doesn't actually like AI.In this episode of HR Coffee Time, Laura, Head of HR at G-P, shares her honest perspective on AI, how her organisation has approached adoption, and the practical lessons she's learned along the way.We discuss everything from creating AI champions and governance processes to helping employees feel comfortable experimenting with AI. Laura also shares her thoughts on job loss fears, the importance of human oversight, and why the reality of AI at work can be very different from what many leaders expect.Whether your organisation is already embracing AI or you're just starting to think about what it might mean for your workforce, this conversation is packed with practical insights and thought-provoking ideas.In This Episode, You'll Learn:Why Laura has mixed feelings about AI despite using it extensively at workHow GP approached AI adoption across the organisationThe role of AI champions and internal advocatesCreating psychological safety around AIHow to encourage experimentation without creating fearThe importance of governance, security and guardrailsWhy prompting skills matterThe risks of relying too heavily on AI outputsThe growing importance of discernment and critical thinkingThe disconnect between executive expectations and employees' experiences of AIPractical examples of how AI is being used within HR and across the businessChapters[00:00] Why I Finally Decided to Cover AI[01:57] Meet Laura Maffucci[02:51] Laura's Surprising View of AI[04:45] How AI Is Being Used at G-P[05:37] The AI Council and Governance[06:40] AI Champions, Training and Adoption[09:09] What's Had the Biggest Impact?[10:05] Finding Your AI Champions[11:33] Addressing Fear of Job Loss[11:47] Creating Psychological Safety Around AI[13:41] The Disconnect Between Leaders and Employees[16:06] The Number One Skill – Discernment[16:27] Cautionary Tale[17:19] The Right Way to Introduce AI[17:54] The Benefits of AI Adoption[18:57] Using Gemini Gems and AI Workflows[23:13] Creating AI Personas for Senior Leaders[24:17] AI Security and Confidential Information[26:15] Book Recommendation: Dare to Lead[28:13] Key Takeaways from the ConversationUseful LinksConnect with Fay on LinkedInLearn about Fay's Essential HR PlannerLearn about Fay's Inspiring HR Leadership ProgrammeConnect with Laura on LinkedInG-P article: Why your best 2026 AI strategy is still humanHelpful HR Coffee Time episodes to listen to nextEp 171: How to Build Trust & Get Buy-In Through Brilliant Employee CommunicationEnjoyed This Episode? Don't Miss the Next One!Sign up to the free weekly HR Coffee Time email to be notified each time a new episode is released – and get free career tips, tools, and resources.Mentioned in this episode:Kara Connect - Help When It's Needed MostMenopause, grief, ADHD, relationship breakdown... Every day, employees dealing with these situations are turned away by their EAP because they didn't qualify for counselling. When someone finally asks for help, they deserve better. Visit Kara Connect, where no employee is ever turned away. Kara Connect
On the Contacts Coaching podcast, host interviews Melissa Fortenberry, founder of Heat Sense, about proactively monitoring heat strain in athletes to prevent heat illness. Fortenberry, a former Texas athlete and tech professional, describes being sick during a 107-degree football game and researching why existing guidelines focus on symptoms, meaning athletes are already ill once dizziness or nausea appears. She explains limitations of heat index and wet bulb globe temperature for team decisions because athletes differ in hydration and acclimation, and argues core body temperature is the key metric, though gold-standard measurement is rectal thermometry. Heat Sense uses a Swiss wearable (bicep/chest) plus heart rate to estimate core temperature within about 1°C, flag rising heat strain trends via an app and team dashboard, and support cooling interventions. They discuss adoption models, rotating sensors to identify sensitive athletes, EAP planning, and “cool first, transport second” protocols.00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro00:32 Melissa's Origin Story02:05 107 Degrees Spark03:44 Why Heat Guidelines Fail06:05 Core Temp Monitoring Tech08:31 Accuracy and Thresholds12:00 Cooling Protocols in Practice13:03 Practice Risks and Acclimation16:17 App Dashboard and Pricing17:33 Adoption for Schools and Clubs20:27 Parent Checklist and EAP21:42 Cooling First Transport Second22:18 Regional Risk and Humidity23:57 Where to Learn More24:10 Wrap Up and Takeawayshttps://heatsense.com/
Workplace mental health affects every team, every manager, and everyemployee — but most people still don't know what to say or where toturn. In this episode of A Penny or Two for Your Thoughts, hostsChantel Windeshausen and Liz Malmberg sit down with a panel ofexperts to talk openly about recognizing when a coworker is struggling,how to start that conversation, and the resources available to help.Joining the conversation are Molly Woodman, Director of CommunityEngagement at the Kim Foundation — a Nebraska nonprofit dedicated tosuicide prevention and mental health awareness — and Terry Coleman,Clinical Manager at Best Care Employee Assistance Program (EAP), whichprovides confidential counseling to hundreds of Omaha-area companiesand their employees. Centris Federal Credit Union's own Chrissy Cunningham (BenefitsAdministrator) and Robin Fredieu (Director of Learning & Development)share how Centris is equipping its people leaders with the trainingand tools to build a psychologically safe workplace. From warning signsmanagers should watch for, to why confidentiality in EAP counseling isironclad, to the simple power of asking "How are you?" — this episodedelivers practical, compassionate guidance anyone can use.If you or someone you know needs support, dial or text 988 (Suicide &Crisis Lifeline) or visit bestcare.org and kimfoundation.org for freeresources.– About A Penny or Two for Your Thoughts –When it comes to all things financial, there are often a lot ofquestions. Being two marketers and moms on a budget, we certainly haveall the questions. That's why we're bringing in the subject matterexperts to help educate us on all things financial and get theirthoughts to help improve our financial wellness and the financialwell-being of our communities. Join us for a few laughs, some greatinsights, and hopefully, a few tips you can take on your path tofinancial success.Visit us at our website: https://www.centrisfcu.org/a-penny-or...Listen to our Podcast on:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Lf8gGY...Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...*Follow Centris on Social Media:*https://www.facebook.com/CentrisFCUhttps://www.instagram.com/centrisfcu/https://twitter.com/CentrisFCUhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/centris-federal-credit-union/This is another Hurrdat Media Production.Hurrdat Media is a podcast network and digital media production companybased in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat Media Network bygoing to HurrdatMedia.com or the Hurrdat Media YouTube channel!
Send us Fan MailA lot of first responders can talk anyone through a crisis, then go home and quietly self-destruct. That tension sits at the center of my conversation with Joe Smarro, a former cop known for crisis work who's also honest about the parts of his life that didn't look “resilient” at all: shame, compulsive numbing, relationship fallout, and the kind of hopelessness that puts a gun belt in the room as a real option. Joe walks me through the moment he finally chose help, not hiding, by walking into the VA and starting a treatment journey that's still evolving today. We dig into why stigma in police, fire, EMS, dispatch, and paramedicine keeps people performing at work while collapsing inside. Joe explains how looking in the mirror made him better at humanizing the people he served without turning it into trauma bonding, and why leaders matter when they say, out loud, “I'm going to therapy” instead of pointing to an EAP brochure. We also talk complex PTSD, ACE scores, and how unprocessed childhood trauma can shape adult threat responses, addiction risk, and the stories we live from. Then we get practical about trauma treatment. We unpack EMDR therapy with a simple “two strings” model that shows why the goal isn't forgetting the event, it's stopping the body from reacting like it's happening right now. Joe also shares his experience with ketamine-assisted therapy, including research, safety, set and setting, at-home sessions, and why integration in the 48 to 72 hour window matters so much. If you care about first responder mental health, trauma recovery, PTSD treatment, and what real healing looks like off the clock, you'll get a lot from this one. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more first responders can find these conversations.https://solutionpointplus.com/https://joesmarro.com/https://www.instagram.com/joesmarrohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/joesmarro/His book can be purchased here: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=joe+smarro+book&adgrpid=189489075594&hvadid=779590058605&hvdev=c&hvexpln=0&hvlocphy=9001838&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=11939440335994543591--&hvqmt=e&hvrand=11939440335994543591&hvtargid=kwd-2672616687752&hydadcr=22534_13730692_8442&mcid=210f362e2b1a34d4afd3b1dab807f421&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_1i3b43osek_eSupport the showYouTube Channel For The Podcast
6 Gemeinden im Baselbiet prüfen, ob sie im Bildungsbereich enger zusammen arbeiten könnten. Hintergrund ist, dass die Gemeinden vermehrt mit Schwierigkeiten zu kämpfen haben in der Schule, wenn etwa ein Schulhaus saniert werden muss oder es zu wenige Kinder für eine Klasse hat. Ausserdem Thema: · Grossrat fordert strengere Pyrokontrollen im Fussballstadion · Strafgericht: Frau soll Buben mit Pistole gefährdet haben · Viel Pfingstverkehr auch am EAP
In this episode, Helen talks with Natalia Wright, an experienced ELT practitioner and academic with over 30 years in the field, outlining her professional journey and key influences. Natalia completed her BA in 1990, later earning an MA from the University of Chichester and a doctorate from the University of Glasgow. She currently teaches at the American University of the Middle East in Kuwait. Natalia credits organisations like the British Council and the Norwich Institute for Language Education as shaping her development. She also reflects on the IATEFL 2026 conference, highlighting plenary talks by Patricia and Larissa that focused on language diversity and peace education. Although she was unable to attend in-person due to the war, she followed #IATEFL2026 via recordings and social media. She emphasizes the importance of ongoing professional development and staying connected to the global ELT community despite challenging circumstances. More about Natalia:Her researcher account: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8108-1241She recently co-edited a book, to be published in July, that she positions in the context of de-globalisation, a topic resonant with some of the IATEFL plenary speakers' talks. Here: https://link.springer.com/book/9783032270405 To find the complete archive of Developod episodes, go to tdsig.org/developod-tdsigs-podcast
Discuss the Environmental Cold Injuries Position Statement, discuss prevention techniques for events that are in a cold environment, and discuss the role of the EAP when considering cold injuriesTimestamps(3:23) Categories of cold injuries(3:45) Hypothermia(17:02) Spectrum of Frostbite(25:46) Non-freezing injuries of the extremities(31:05) The role of clothing in cold injury prevention(34:45) Cold event preparation--ARTICLE CITATIONS used for this episode: https://atcornerds.wixsite.com/home/blogAT CORNER FACEBOOK GROUP: https://www.facebook.com/groups/atcornerpodcastInstagram, Website, YouTube, and other links: atcornerds.wixsite.com/home/linksEMAIL US: atcornerds@gmail.comSAVE on Medbridge: Use code ATCORNER to get $101 off your subscriptionMusic: Jahzzar (betterwithmusic.com) CC BY-SA—TO GET CATEGORY A CEUs for listening to this episode, enroll in this course: https://clinicallypressed.org/courses-home/Take the quiz and course evaluation and your certificate will be generated for you! We have no financial disclosures or conflict of interests.---Sandy & Randy
Is AI really replacing accountants—or just changing the job? Blake Oliver talks with Capterra analyst David Jani about new survey data showing where AI is gaining traction in accounting, from chatbots and data entry to forecasting and fraud detection. They unpack why 89% of users report ROI, why firms are still struggling to hire, and why weak AI data-handling policies could create serious security problems.Accounting Trends in 2026: How AI is Changing Work, Skills, and Strategyhttps://www.capterra.com/resources/accounting-trends-ai-software-changing-work/Chapters(00:00) - EAP 114 (01:26) - Survey Methodology (04:26) - AI Adoption Today (05:39) - Where AI Shows Up (19:57) - Staffing Crunch Data (24:10) - Manual Work and Spreadsheets (26:17) - Next 12 Months Ahead (28:11) - 2027 Predictions and Threats (32:04) - Where to Place AI Bets Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comhttps://earmark.app/Download the Earmark CPE App Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.appConnect with Our Guest, David JaniLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-jani-7627872b/Learn more about Capterrahttps://www.capterra.com/accounting-software/Connect with Blake Oliver, CPALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliverTwitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/
You can design the best HR strategy, introduce brilliant benefits, or roll out an important change - but if people do not understand it, engage with it, or take action, none of it matters.That is why employee communication sits right at the heart of your impact in HR.In this episode of HR Coffee Time, Fay is joined by Nik Nawaaz, Head of Employee Communications at Barnett Waddingham (now part of Howden) to unpack exactly how HR professionals can communicate in a way that builds trust, gets buy-in, and encourages people to take action - whether that is using their benefits, completing an engagement survey, preparing for a performance review, or navigating organisational change.With over 20 years of experience in employee communications, Nik shares practical, immediately actionable advice — no jargon, no fluff.In This Episode, You'll Learn:Why employee communication is the “connective tissue” of an organisationWhy HR can sometimes feel like a faceless department - and how to change thatThe common mistake HR professionals make when writing employee communicationsWhy your message needs to answer “So what?” within the first few secondsHow to shift from explaining features to showing benefitsWhy phrases like “HR is pleased to announce” or “Please be advised” can stop people engagingHow to make your communication feel more human, conversational and directWhy reading your message aloud can help you spot corporate languageHow to use Microsoft Word's read-aloud feature to improve scripts and written communicationWhy a one-size-fits-all approach rarely works for benefits communicationHow to tailor messages for different groups and generations in your workforceWhy line managers are so important when you want messages to landHow a simple manager toolkit can make communication more effectiveWhy listening for the first five minutes of a meeting can help build trustHow to communicate during times of fear, uncertainty and changeWhy silence can lead people to create their own “horror story”How to be honest when you do not yet have all the answersWhy storytelling and real-world proof can be more persuasive than project updatesWhy employee communication needs support from across the organisation - not just HRChapters00:00 - When great HR work goes unnoticed03:24 - What employee comms really means04:20 - Why HR can feel "faceless" — and how to fix it06:19 - The #1 mistake: writing for yourself, not your audience08:49 - Quick win: delete your opening line09:49 - Drop the corporate speak — write like a human11:35 - The Word trick that makes your writing sound natural13:04 - How to get people to actually use their benefits17:30 - Tailoring messages for different generations20:58 - Line managers as your communication allies22:59 - The "First Five" technique24:01 - Communicating through change and uncertainty25:58 - Use storytelling, not project updates28:06 - Resource recommendation: Simon Sinek's Golden CircleUseful LinksConnect with Fay on LinkedInLearn about Fay's Essential HR PlannerLearn about Fay's Inspiring HR Leadership ProgrammeTake Fay's freeHR Leadership Impact Assessment.Connect with Nik (Nikolas) Nawaaz on LinkedInFind out more about Barnett Waddingham's employee communications workWatch Simon Sinek's TED Talk:How Great Leaders Inspire ActionHelpful Episode to Listen to NextIf you enjoyed this episode and would like more support with writing clear, effective communication at work, listen to:
The conversation covers updates on the Glam Amsterdam DevNet 4 launch, delegate inclusion on field calls, an update on EIP 7904, EAP 8188 discussing state tiering, and EAP 8182 proposing private transfers to Ethereum. The conversation covers innovative authentication methods, ZK proof and hardware wallets, credential proof separation, risk mitigation, synchronous composability, security and soundness mitigation, gas costs, supply side work, deactivation of self-destruct, and client feedback on execution API cases.TakeawaysGlam Amsterdam DevNet 4 launch updatesDelegate inclusion on field callsUpdate on EIP 7904EAP 8188: State tieringEAP 8182: Private transfers to Ethereum Innovative authentication methods allow users to bring their own authentication, ZK proofs enable hardware wallet authorization, and credential proof separation ensures synchronous composability.Deactivation of self-destruct functionality requires careful consideration of potential impact on existing contracts and use cases.Chapters00:00 Glam Amsterdam DevNet 4 Launch18:42 Update on 790437:30 EAP 8182: Private Transfers to Ethereum43:15 Credential Proof Separation57:17 Deactivation of Self-Destruct01:11:23 Client Feedback on Execution API Cases
“Don't make me pull this podcast over!” Do you have sibling rivalry in your family? Have you often wondered why? Today on the One Life Radio Podcast Dr. DeWone Bennett and Bernadette Fiaschetti share some of their past battles with siblings and tackle the complex, and sensitive subject of understanding the roots of sibling rivalry and how to fix it!Dr. Bennett has over eighteen years of extensive training and experience working with children, adolescents, and adults. He holds two master's degrees and a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. Dr. DeWone is a Licensed Professional Counselor and author of the book series “The Playbook Series.” He also lights up the stage as a keynote speaker and corporate mental health and wellness trainer.Dr. Bennett has a diverse range of training and certifications as a Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapist (TF-CBT) EMDR and Gottman method as a couple's therapist. As well as a National Certified Counselor and Counseling Supervisor and a corporate EAP counselor and trainer. Over the past 15 years he has focused his interest in personal development, on those struggling with emotional trauma, relationship issues, resiliency, and work-life balance. As the owner of a group private practice in the North Dallas area, Dr. Bennett continues to provide life-altering behavioral health services and consultations. You can find and learn more about Dr. DeWone Bennett on drbennettcounseling.com.Here are more episodes with DeWone Bennett:“Things I'm Seeing In My Practice” ‘Work Anxiety' - Ep. 3111Can Valentine's Day Expectations Harm Your Relationship? ep. 3081The Best and Worst Ways to Break Up #2093The Psychology of Tattoos #2073Managing Stress #2049What are we Swiping For? #3070The Bird Test Theory, You Tube, Dr. John Gottman
Are constant interruptions at work stopping you from getting through your most important tasks? If you work in HR or a People role, you'll know how quickly your day can be taken over by “have you got a minute?” moments - making it difficult to focus on the work that really matters. In this episode of HR Coffee Time, Fay Wallis shares practical ways to protect your time, reduce distractions and create more space for focused work, helping you step up with more confidence and control in your role. You'll learn how to: Set clear boundaries without feeling unhelpful Reduce interruptions across your organisation Create uninterrupted time for deep work Stay focused on your most important priorities This episode is designed to support HR and People professionals who want to feel more confident, effective and in control of their time at work. Chapters[00:00] Do you get interrupted at work?[00:16] Interruptions – a big time management problem[00:55] Why HR gets pulled in[01:35] Episode goal and boundaries[01:56] Welcome and host intro[02:33] Four tips overview[03:00] Tip one: open door hours[03:35] Scripts and signage[04:06] Red sign boundary lesson[05:07] Tip two: company focus time[06:15] Deep work explained[07:11] No meeting Wednesday example[07:28] Tip three: working meetings[10:21] Tip four: block a deep work day[12:26] Recap and next stepsUseful Links from This Episode:Connect with Fay on LinkedInLearn about Fay's Essential HR PlannerLearn about Fay's Inspiring HR Leadership ProgrammeTake Fay's free HR Leadership Impact Assessment. Helpful Episodes to Listen to NextEp 7: What to Do When You Don't Have Enough Hours in the DayEp 45: 6 Ways to Stop Procrastinating & Find Time for Important Projects at WorkEp 52: Two Ideas to Help You Bounce Back From a Tough Day at Work Ep 67: How to Get on Top of Email Overwhelm When You're in a Busy HR RoleEp 138: Can't Find Time for Strategic Work in HR? 5 Tips to HelpEnjoyed This Episode? Don't Miss the Next One!Sign up for the free weekly HR Coffee Time email to be notified each time a new episode is released – and get free career tips, tools, and resources.Mentioned in this episode:Help That's There when It's Needed MostMenopause, grief, ADHD, relationship breakdown... Every day, employees dealing with these situations are turned away by their EAP because they don't qualify for counselling. When someone finally asks for help, they deserve better. Visit Kara Connect, where no employee is ever turned away. Kara Connect
Episode Notes One in four employees has considered quitting because of what work is doing to their mental health. The conversation about workplace mental wellbeing has never been more relevant, or more urgent. In this episode, Mark Debus, clinical manager of behavioural health services at Sedgwick, shares his clinical perspective on what is really happening to people at work. We discuss quiet cracking, resilience, and what managers can do to genuinely support their teams before burnout sets in. A candid and practical conversation for anyone who manages people, or works alongside them. Our Guest: Mark Debus Mark Debus as Clinical Manager of Behavioral Health at Sedgwick, leads a team of master's level behavioral health specialists. His team consults with claims examiners and clients on complex recovery or psychiatric injury claims. They also work with injured employees who are struggling with the aftereffects of a workplace trauma or who are experiencing other types of psychosocial stressors in their lives. His team helps injured workers overcome barriers to treatment and improve motivation for successful return to work outcomes. In addition, he provides subject matter expertise on mental health issues as they relate to the workplace and management practices. Prior to Sedgwick, Mark worked in employee assistance (EAP) and the mental health field in crisis response services. Mark has a BA in psychology and communications from Marquette University and an MSW from the University of California at Berkeley. He is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in Illinois. References: Mark Debus Likedin profile Listen to the next Episode All Podcast Episodes
These episodes of #thePOZcast, live from Transform 2026 in Las Vegas, are proudly brought to you by our friends at Overalls What if your employees had one central hub to handle real life? Meet Overalls. A smarter way to support your team, combining expert human LifeConcierges™ with AI to solve everyday challenges across healthcare, caregiving, benefits, insurance, finances, life admin, and more. From start to finish, Overalls handles the details — using existing benefits where they fit, and filling in the gaps where they don't. So employees save time, reduce stress, and stay focused at work, while employers boost engagement and get more value from their benefits. Overalls is redefining how work supports life, helping employee teams from Reddit, Patreon, BeatBox, and more cross pesky to-dos off their lists every day. Learn more at https://getoveralls.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=pozcast Thanks for listening, and please follow us on Insta @NHPTalent and www.youtube.com/thePOZcast For all episodes, please check out www.thePOZcast.com TANYA E. MOORE As Chief People Officer, Tanya drives initiatives that empower West Monroe's employees and foster a high-performing, supportive culture. Tanya partners with leadership to develop the next generation of leaders, ensuring our people are fulfilled and our employee experience remains a key differentiator. Before joining West Monroe in 2023, Tanya was Chief People Officer at M.C. Dean and spent two decades with IBM, where she led award-winning programs that shaped the company's transformation. She holds an MBA in organizational development from the College of William and Mary. Outside of work, she serves on several advisory boards, including The Conference Board's CHRO Council, the William and Mary Consulting Board of Directors, and the She-Suite Board of Advisors. She is also a sought-after speaker on topics such as workforce transformation, the evolving role of HR, and leveraging AI to advance people and organizational transformation. Key Takeaways 1. Senior Candidates Should Run a Due Diligence Process, Not Just an Interview Tanya's 18-interview process wasn't excessive — it was intelligence gathering. She was evaluating CEO relationship dynamics, board influence, team readiness, and organizational appetite for change. Candidates at any level should approach interviews as a two-way assessment. 2. Know What You're Actually Looking For Before You Start As Tanya put it: smart, kind, humble people. Work she enjoys. Some fun. The clearer you are about your non-negotiables before you start a job search, the better your decision-making will be when offers come in. 3. Employee Ownership Changes the Employment Relationship With 74% of West Monroe employees holding equity in the company, the ownership mindset isn't a metaphor — it's structural. This is a genuine differentiator in total rewards and shapes how employees engage with the business and with clients. 4. Benefits Signal Culture, Not Just Compensation Tanya's view: the specific benefits matter less than what they reveal about a company's values. Organizations that invest in comprehensive, thoughtful benefits are signaling that they see employees as whole people — and that signal is what candidates are actually responding to. 5. COVID Permanently Raised the Floor on Benefits Expectations The pandemic gave people permission to stop and ask what actually matters. Flexibility, mental health support, and personalized benefits have moved from nice-to-have to expected — and companies that haven't caught up are losing candidates to those that have. 6. Open Roles Are a Hidden Employee Retention Risk Every unfilled position means someone else on the team is absorbing that work. The longer a role stays open, the more likely you are to lose another employee as a result. Time to fill is a culture and retention metric, not just a talent acquisition metric. 7. AI in Recruiting Should Eliminate Low-Value Steps, Not Human Connection West Monroe's approach to AI was surgical: identify every step in the recruiting process where technology could add value, and use it there — so recruiters can spend more time on the high- touch, high-judgment work that actually moves candidates. Automated scheduling and AI- assisted interview feedback are the easy wins. 8. Feedback Loops Are the Biggest Bottleneck in Consulting Firm Hiring Getting busy managers to interview isn't the hard part — it's getting their structured feedback afterward. Tools like BrightHire that record interviews (with consent) and auto-generate notes and scoring against the job description are solving a real, expensive problem. 9. Burnout Needs Programmatic Solutions, Not Just Resources Pointing employees to an EAP or mental health benefit isn't enough when burnout is systemic. West Monroe is exploring more customized, structured support for employees who are struggling — moving from reactive to proactive people care. 10. AI Is the Internet — Embrace It or Fall Behind Tanya's optimism about AI isn't naive — it's grounded in historical perspective. Just as nobody predicted what the internet would become, nobody fully knows where AI is going. Her advice: use it, test it, let it make you smarter. "F around and find out." 00:00 – Introduction Adam introduces Tanya Moore, CPO at West Monroe, and sets up a conversation about benefits, candidate experience, and the modern people function. 01:30 – Meet West Monroe & Tanya Tanya describes West Monroe's differentiators — quality, speed to value, client NPS — and traces her career from 20 years at IBM to her current CPO role. 04:00 – Being the Candidate: 18 Interviews Tanya shares what it was like to go through 18 interviews as a senior exec, why she didn't quit, and what she was actually evaluating along the way. 07:00 – What Senior Candidates Should Really Ask The questions Tanya asked that most candidates don't: CEO relationship dynamics, board influence and hands-on vs. hands-off style, team readiness, and what really happens when things go wrong. 10:00 – Modernizing People Ops at West Monroe, walking into an org with no succession planning and no workforce planning, and the systematic approach Tanya took to rebuild people functions from the ground up. 13:00 – Redesigning the Candidate Experience How West Monroe overhauled its recruiting workflows after adopting Greenhouse, dramatically improving time to hire, reducing cost, and elevating both candidate and manager experience. 16:00 – Time to Fill as an Employee Retention Metric Why open roles aren't just a talent problem — they're a burnout and satisfaction risk for the employees left picking up the slack. 18:30 – Employee Ownership as a Total Rewards Differentiator How West Monroe's half employee-owned model and 74% equity participation rate changes how people show up — and how it's positioned as a benefit in the recruiting process. 21:00 – Benefits Beyond the Basics From childcare and dog walking to expanded mental health support, Tanya breaks down what West Monroe offers and why COVID permanently shifted candidate expectations around benefits. 24:00 – Flex Benefits & the Future of Personalization Tanya's vision for benefits that let employees choose what matters to them — gym memberships, yoga, wellness stipends — rather than a one-size-fits-all package. 26:30 – Tackling Burnout Proactively West Monroe's evolving approach to burnout: moving beyond standard mental health appointments toward more customized, programmatic support for employees who need it most. 29:00 – AI in Recruiting: Where It's Actually Working From automated interview scheduling to BrightHire's AI-powered feedback tools, Tanya walks through specific efficiency gains that are giving recruiters more time for high-value human work. 32:00 – Getting Feedback from Busy Hiring Managers The real bottleneck in consulting firm recruiting isn't getting managers to show up — it's getting their feedback afterward. How BrightHire is solving that. 34:30 – An Optimist's Take on AI & the Future of Work Tanya closes with her big-picture view on AI — likening it to the early internet — and her direct advice to anyone still on the fence: "F around and find out."
Most companies don't think about employee mental health until something goes wrong and by then, it's already too late. In this episode, Brandon Laws sits down with Stephen Sokoler, founder and CEO of Journey and author of The Mental Health Advantage, to make the case for flipping that script entirely. Stephen shares his own transformative personal journey from a decade of rollercoaster habits to discovering meditation through a book he bought at a mall and connects those lessons to what he's building at the organizational level. The conversation covers why traditional EAPs are fundamentally broken, what a 30%+ engagement rate looks like compared to the industry-standard 3%, how AI and tools like Journey Signal are enabling real-time proactive mental health support, and why culture change has to start at the top. Whether you're an HR leader, executive, or someone simply trying to build better habits, this episode is packed with insights you can't afford to miss! ⏱️ Key Timestamps 00:02 — Welcome & introductions: Stephen's book, The Mental Health Advantage, and the focus on proactive mental health at work 00:48 — Stephen's personal story: from gym rat to sloth — and how discovering a book called Buddhism for Busy People at a mall changed everything 02:22 — Demystifying meditation: why it's simple but not easy, and what consistent practice actually does for your day 05:05 — The reactive vs. proactive gap: why society — and employers — default to treating mental illness rather than building mental wellness 08:14 — The EAP problem: why only 3% of employees use their benefits, why EAPs are designed to stay in the background, and what a better model looks like 10:30 — Journey's approach: flipping the EAP model on its head to achieve 30–40%+ employee engagement and treating mental health as "the operating system of the company" 11:32 — Mental health is not a peak state: why the goal isn't to "achieve" mental wellness and check a box — it's an ongoing practice, like going to the gym 14:04 — Bridging the gap: supporting employees with diagnosed mental health conditions while simultaneously building a proactive culture for everyone else 16:13 — Constant engagement in practice: how Journey meets employees where they are — from Slack and Teams apps to break room tablets to daily check-in emojis 18:22 — Introducing Journey Signal: the real-time AI intelligence engine that detects patterns and reaches employees before burnout or turnover happens 20:06 — Wearables and the future of data: the promise and current limits of integrating biometric data into workplace mental health programs 22:00 — Leadership buy-in: why culture change starts at the top, and how a CEO's behavior — even indirectly — sets the mental health tone for 25,000 employees 24:36 — Industry-specific mental health: why a law firm and a hospital system have very different needs, and what Journey is quietly rolling out to address that 26:24 — Metrics that matter: from awareness and engagement to clinical outcomes, daily emoji check-ins, healthcare cost trends, and absenteeism 29:25 — AI and the future of mental health: personalized care recommendations, smarter benefit navigation, and why Stephen isn't excited about replacing therapists with AI 35:07 — Parting wisdom: the compounding effect of simple, consistent mental health practices — and how to connect with Stephen and Journey
Burnout is still everywhere, even though workplace wellness spending and mental health benefits keep rising. So, we ask the uncomfortable question: are we solving real employee well-being problems, or just adding more programs that people do not trust enough to use?Host, Scott Light, sits down with Melanie Huffman (VP of People and Culture at Boundless), Dr. Natasha Prince (mental health professional and nonprofit founder), and Bryan Blair (Chief People Officer and founder of the HR Council) to unpack what the data keeps shouting back. Benefits do not create well-being, culture does. We talk candidly about EAP utilization, stigma, confidentiality fears, and the subtle ways teams reward burnout like it's a badge of honor. If taking PTO makes you worry about credibility, your “wellness strategy” is already failing.Then we bring it home for nonprofit leaders. Without big corporate budgets, the win is focus and prevention: listening to staff, building psychological safety, training frontline managers in emotional intelligence, and calibrating workload so people can actually disconnect. We also share the one wellness metric we think leaders should watch this year. If you want a practical, culture-first approach to workplace mental health and burnout prevention, subscribe, share this with a people leader, and leave a review with the one manager behavior you want normalized at work. Enjoy!Send us Fan Mail
Have you wondered what ‘being strategic' actually looks like? In this episode, you'll hear a real, step-by-step example of what being strategic can look like in your day-to-day work.Host, Fay Wallis, is joined by Harriet Mewis, Head of People and Development, who shares how she spotted a small pattern in employee behaviour – and used it to uncover a much bigger issue affecting the business.What makes this conversation so powerful is how practical it is. You'll hear how being strategic doesn't require a big budget, a senior job title, or complicated frameworks. It starts with curiosity, observation, and asking thoughtful questions.By the end of the episode, you'll have a much clearer sense of how you can apply this way of thinking in your own role – in a way that feels realistic and achievable.Chapters[00:00] Introduction with guest host Sarah Archer[01:00] Why “being strategic” can feel vague and frustrating[01:24] Introducing Harriet and her approach to strategy[02:14] What being strategic actually means in practice[03:02] Beginning of the interview with Harriet & Fay[04:18] Defining what ‘being strategic' means[05:48] Why you can be strategic in any role[07:22] Harriet's example of being strategic in her role[21:30] Learning about other departments & building trust[23:39] Becoming an ‘apprentice' for the day[27:35] Introducing Lean Six Sigma thinking[34:46] Harriet's book recommendation[37:12] Final reflections & closeUseful Links from This EpisodeConnect with Fay on LinkedInConnect with Harriet Mewis on LinkedInConnect with Sarah Archer on LinkedInListen to Sarah's Podcast – Unstuck & UnstoppableLearn about Fay's Essential HR PlannerLearn about Fay's Inspiring HR Leadership ProgrammeTake Fay's freeHR Leadership Impact Assessment.Helpful Episodes to Listen to NextEp 166:The Biggest HR Strategy Mistake – And How to Fix It, with Dean CorbettEp 164:Becoming More Strategic as an HR Team – 3 Ways OKRs Can HelpEp 163:3 Ways to Prove You're Strategic in Your HR Leadership Job InterviewEp 108:HR Leadership – How to Create a Powerful One-Page Strategy, with Dr Max McKeownEp 98:HR Insider Insights – How to Create a Powerful People Strategy for an SME, with Kelly VincentEnjoyed This Episode? Don't Miss the Next One!Sign up for the free weekly HR Coffee Time email to be notified each time a new episode is released – and get free career tips, tools, and resources.Mentioned in this episode:Join the Inspiring HR Leadership ProgrammeBuild your confidence, credibility & impact through the Inspiring HR Leadership Programme. The next cohort is now open for booking. Inspiring HRHelp That's There when It's Needed MostMenopause, grief, ADHD, relationship breakdown... Every day, employees dealing with these situations are turned away by their EAP because they don't qualify for counselling. When someone finally asks for help, they deserve better. Visit Kara Connect, where no employee is ever turned away. Kara Connect
What if AI wipes out the entry-level accounting work firms have relied on for decades? Blake Oliver talks with Sikich managing principal Richard Lynch about the rise of the “super accountant,” why the pyramid-shaped firm may become a diamond, and how AI could force firms to rethink training, billing, and performance metrics. You'll hear what firm leaders must change now—and what happens to those who don't adapt.Chapters(00:00) - EAP 112 (07:41) - Training The Next Gen (09:39) - Rethinking Early Career Work (14:17) - Learning Review Without Doing (18:41) - Automated Tax Prep Reality (21:28) - Billable Hour Under Pressure (26:33) - Why Timesheets Persist (28:21) - Why Hours Persist (29:53) - Timesheets Trust and Control (30:53) - Preventing Burnout with Targets (32:30) - AI Breaks Time Productivity (34:39) - Shift from Production to Value (37:02) - New Metrics Client and Staff (39:13) - Revenue Incentives and Attribution (44:24) - Basketball Team Performance Model (46:33) - Hours Culture and Team Standards (51:34) - Leaders Choose Progression Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comhttps://earmark.app/Download the Earmark CPE App Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.appConnect with Richard Lynch, CPALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardlynch/Connect with Blake Oliver, CPALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliverTwitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/
How to Build Resilience During Hard Times: Hope Is Not Canceled Note: This episode discusses suicide and mental health. Have you ever been in a season of life so heavy that you genuinely couldn't see a way through — or watched someone you love disappear into that darkness and not known what to do? That feeling of helplessness is more common than most of us admit. And the silence around it is costing lives. Resilience isn't something certain people are just born with. It's a skill, and most of us were never taught how to build it. For so many high-achievers, the pressure to appear strong means struggling alone, missing the signals in the people around them, and reaching a breaking point long before they ask for help. In this episode, Blake sits down with Kristen Christy, co-creator of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and Master Resilience Trainer, to talk about how to build resilience during hard times, what to say when someone you care about is struggling, and why hope is never as far away as it feels. Episode Highlights Resilience Is a Skill, Not a Personality Trait [03:40] - Kristen's story: stroke, suicide loss & a missing child [38:21] - How to be intentional about building resilience before the storm hits [42:00] - Reframing "NO" as Next Opportunity & sentence shifters that change everything What People Get Wrong About Struggling [15:46] - Why most of us are silently carrying more than we show [16:30] - How anxiety shows up as overwork and why we celebrate it instead of seeing it [35:01] - Why shame is the most harmful thing we do to ourselves & others How to Support Someone Who Is Struggling [09:00] - The ACE framework: Ask, Care, Escort [10:30] - Why you should use your EAP and how to call 988 for a friend [30:00] - Small gestures that can save a life The Role of Hope in Getting Through Hard Times [34:19] - "When we lose hope, that's where everything falls apart" — Blake [34:42] - Kristen's HOPE acronym: Hold On, Pain Eases & Help One Person Every Day [41:00] - Borrowing hope when your own hope chest is empty Powerful Quotes "When we lose hope, that's where everything falls apart." — Blake Schofield "Most people don't want to die. They want to want to live." — Kristen Christy "Resilience is moving from challenge to challenge without losing hope." — Blake Schofield "It takes nothing away from a burning candle to light another candle." — Kristen Christy Guest Resources Website: KristenChristyCares.com Instagram: @kristen.christy.cares LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kristenchristy 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988 (you can call for a friend) Resources Mentioned Let's explore what's possible for your team: If your company is investing in burnout, wellness or adaptability initiatives, but seeing rising burnout, disengagement, or retention risk, it may be time to address the root cause. We identify & diagnose organizational risk - surfacing the key drivers of burnout, leadership capacity and adaptability strains impacting your team; reduce leadership attrition, disengagement and preventable turnover; equip your leaders with the skills to increase their productivity & lead effectively during pressure and uncertainty. Explore Workshops, Leadership Capacity Risk Assessments, Leadership Development or Consulting at https://impactwithease.com/corporate-training-consulting/ Executive Coaching: For founders, executives, and senior leaders who are successful but feeling drained, stagnant, or uncertain about their next step. Whether you're burned out, standing at a crossroads, or simply know you're meant for more—you don't have to figure it out alone. Go to impactwithease.com/coaching to apply! Discover what is driving your burnout: In just 5 minutes, learn your unique burnout type™ & how to restore your energy, fulfillment & peace at www.impactwithease.com/burnout-type
If you've been working hard in your HR career but still feel unsure what will truly help you step up into an HR Director role (or have more impact in the one you're already in), this episode is for you.You might have your CIPD qualification. You might have years of experience. You're probably working incredibly hard. But those things alone don't always lead to the impact, influence, or progression you're aiming for.In this episode of HR Coffee Time, I share the five key areas I've identified from working with more than one hundred aspiring and existing HR leaders that really make the difference.And make sure you listen all the way to the end - because the fifth area is often the most overlooked, yet can have the biggest impact on your success.Chapters From This Episode[00:00] HR Director Roadmap[00:31] Five Key Areas Preview[01:00] Free HR Leadership Impact Assessment[02:27] Key Area 1 Confidence[02:51] Confidence in Practice[03:51] More Confidence Resources[04:15] Key Area 2 - Strategic Thinking[04:44] What Strategic Really Means[05:13] Strategy Benefits and Tools[06:25] Key Area 3 - Influencing[08:35 Key Area 4 - Empowering Others[09:51] Key Area 5 - Be Distinctive[11:09] How to Assess Where You Are Now & Next StepsUseful Links from This Episode:Connect with Fay on LinkedInLearn about Fay's Essential HR PlannerLearn about Fay's Inspiring HR Leadership ProgrammeTake Fay's free HR Leadership Impact Assessment.Helpful Episodes to Listen to NextIf you'd like to go deeper on some of the ideas from this episode, here are a few great next listens:Ep 167: A surprising way to feel calm and more confident in stressful moments Operate Strategically Playlist (multiple episodes) Ep 34: Influencing: How to get buy-in for your ideas at work Ep 44: Succeeding as an HR professional: How to influence at a senior levelEnjoyed This Episode? Don't Miss the Next One!Sign up for the free weekly HR Coffee Time email to be notified each time a new episode is released – and get free career tips, tools, and resources.Mentioned in this episode:Help That's There when It's Needed MostMenopause, grief, ADHD, relationship breakdown... Every day, employees dealing with these situations are turned away by their EAP because they don't qualify for counselling. When someone finally asks for help, they deserve better. Visit Kara Connect, where no employee is ever turned away. Kara ConnectJoin the Inspiring HR Leadership ProgrammeBuild your confidence, credibility & impact through the Inspiring HR Leadership Programme. The next cohort is now open for booking. Inspiring HR
What does the data actually say about where accounting firms are headed? Blake Oliver talks with Chelsea Summers of Inside Public Accounting about the real numbers behind firm performance, pricing, staffing, offshoring, advisory growth, and AI adoption. You'll hear why top firms aren't just working people harder, how offshore teams are boosting margins, and why hourly billing may be the biggest obstacle to using technology well.Chapters(00:00) - EAP 112 (04:45) - Advisory vs compliance mix (09:40) - Capacity and burnout signals (18:27) - Pricing models and billable hour (25:08) - AI ROI and adoption blockers (29:37) - About IPA and closing Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comhttps://earmark.app/Download the Earmark CPE App Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.appConnect with Our Guest, Chelsea SummersLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelseasummers620/Learn more about Inside Public Accountinghttp://insidepublicaccounting.comConnect with Blake Oliver, CPALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliverTwitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/
What if the most honest signal about your organization's vibe wasn't in any survey, HR report, or AI dashboard, but in the private conversations people were too afraid to have anywhere else?
Blake sits down with Lawrence Zlatkin, VP of Tax at Coinbase, to unpack the state of crypto taxation. From how the IRS treats digital assets as property to the new 1099-DA, stablecoin reporting burdens, and the policy changes Coinbase is pushing for in Washington, this episode covers what tax pros need to know now and where the rules may be headed next.Chapters(00:00) - EAP 111 (02:11) - What is Form 1099-DA (03:08) - Reconciling 1099 data (03:53) - Why cost basis matters (08:29) - IRS use of gross proceeds (12:44) - Crypto tax basics (14:07) - Staking and 1099-MISC (15:36) - Stablecoins as property (17:43) - Reporting thresholds and privacy (22:42) - Policy priorities in DC (23:47) - De minimis and admin burden (28:34) - Charity and appraisal rules (30:15) - Foreign investment safe harbors (32:20) - Why Congress moves slowly (34:56) - Wrap-up and thanks Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comhttps://earmark.app/Download the Earmark CPE App Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.appConnect with Our Guest Lawrence Zlatin https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrence-zlatkin-880417bLearn more about Coinbasehttps://www.coinbase.comConnect with Blake Oliver, CPALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliverTwitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/
Send us a textA culture that actually protects first responders doesn't happen by accident—it's built on day-one expectations, family inclusion, and leaders who tell the truth even when the news is hard. We sit down with Doug Wyman to map what real organizational wellness looks like and why “Inside the Box” has become a powerful framework for shifting identity, policy, and practice in policing.We start where most programs fail: leaving wellness to HR or EAP and forgetting families. Doug explains how to onboard spouses and partners with the same care we give new hires, and why a 10–15 minute decompression ritual at the door can prevent years of resentment at home. From there, we dig into the mentorship pipeline—how great FTOs set career goals, normalize therapy, and keep officers engaged long after field training. As rank rises, the view widens; without peer networks and rank-specific training, command staff unintentionally import narrow worldviews into complex events like suicide, deepening stigma and pain.The episode unpacks procedural justice for the inside of the house—dignity, voice, clear motives, and follow-through—to counter “administration betrayal.” We name the Man Box and the Cop Box, exploring how rigid ideals make therapy, medication, or simple human tenderness feel like violations. Doug shows how emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, and the Four Agreements become everyday tools that change culture one conversation at a time. And we get practical: field officers should carry the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale, because at 3 a.m. on a bridge you need the right questions, not another search tab.If you lead, supervise, dispatch, or love a first responder, this conversation offers a blueprint you can use tomorrow—family education, mentorship, internal fairness, and tools that save lives. Listen, share with your team, and tell us what belongs outside the box. If this resonated, subscribe, leave a review, and pass it to a colleague who needs a better way forward.Go to Doug's LinkedIn website at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglas-wyman-6b80852a/details/featured/The Class Inside the Box - Focuses on Organizational Wellness and Post Traumatic growth and is for first line supervisors and command staff. Support the showYouTube Channel For The Podcast